You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Petrol can cause poisoning if it is inhaled, ingested or comes into contact with a large area of skin

Petrol (gasoline) is a toxic product which can cause death if sufficient gets into the body. It is also highly flammable so care must be taken to avoid exposure to naked flames.

Petrol splashes on long coated animals may not reach the skin surface, but they give off fumes which can be inhaled, and they may also be licked by the animal. The animal should be rinsed off thoroughly with soap and water. If the coat has  been drenched in petrol it could be clipped off once the petrol has dried. 

Signs of petrol poisoning include:

• Diarrhoea
• Dilated pupils
• Disorientation
• Excitement
• Hallucinations
• Muscle twitches
• Nausea
• Increased salivation
• Seizures (fits)
• Vomiting, and
• Death

If petrol comes into contact with the skin it removes local fats and so reduces resistance to infections. Petrol can also be absorbed across the skin into the body, so it should be washed off as soon as possible.

If the animal has licked  petrol off its coat a veterinarian may need to administer a "stomach pump"  to prevent it being absorbed into the body and this should be done as soon a possible after the animal has ingested it.  Other veterinary treatment involves providing good ventilation (fresh air) so that the fumes evaporate, oxygen, and intravenous fluids.

The prognosis is poor once clinical signs are present.

If the petrol was old (eg lawnmower petrol) it could contain lead, and lead poisoning may occur in addition 

.Updated October 2013