Solvents and emulsifiers are required in most liquid insecticide preparations. Usually they have low toxicity, but like the petroleum products (which many are), they must be considered as possible causes of poisoning. In direct treatment with pesticides, emulsification must be thorough with an average droplet size of 5 microns (preferably smaller), or excessive amounts may stick to treated animals. Treatment should be as for petroleum product poisoning (see Petroleum Product Poisoning).

Acetone

GI irritation, narcosis, and kidney and liver damage are the main signs. Treatment consists of gastric lavage, oxygen, and a low-fat diet. Additional supportive treatment to alleviate clinical signs may be given.

Isopropyl Alcohol

The signs are GI pain, cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and CNS depression (dizziness, stupor, coma, and death from respiratory paralysis). The liver and kidneys are reversibly affected. Dehydration and pneumonia may occur. Treatment consists of emetics, gastric lavage, milk PO, oxygen, and artificial respiration.

Methanol

Nausea, vomiting, gastric pain, reflex hyperexcitability, opisthotonos, convulsions, fixed pupils, and acute peripheral neuritis are typical. Large overdoses can lead to blindness. Toxic effects are due in part to the alcohol itself, and in part to formic acid produced by its oxidation. Treatment should include emetics (apomorphine) followed by gastric lavage with 4% sodium bicarbonate, saline laxative, oxygen therapy, sodium bicarbonate solution IV, and analgesics; however, the prognosis is poor. Intensive and prolonged alkalinization is the mainstay of treatment. Ethanol retards the oxidation of methanol and may be given as an adjunct therapy.

Last full review/revision March 2012 by Ramesh C. Gupta, DVM, MVSc, PhD, DABT, FACT, FATS