Authorities in Big Bear were investigating a series of reports of dogs being poisoned by antifreeze, including a young German shepherd who died 10 days ago in the Sugarloaf area.
The 1-year-old dog first became ill on Oct. 15 and was taken by her owner to a local veterinary clinic, according to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Big Bear Station.
The dog, named Sammi, did not respond to treatment and died two days later.
A necropsy was performed on Sammi and antifreeze was found in her urinary tract, the release stated.
The dog was kept inside a fenced yard and had no to access to antifreeze, leading investigators to suspect the poisoning was intentional.
Investigators then began looking into reports that several other dogs had also been poisoned in the Sugarloaf area.
The local animal hospital had treated three dogs for antifreeze poisoning in the last year, but did not have enough information to determine if the poisonings were intentional or accidental, the release stated.
Authorities also received information that suspicious dog treats were located on a property in Sugarloaf and tested positive for antifreeze, but those reports had not been confirmed.
Local residents were being alerted to the symptoms of antifreeze poisoning, which included “drunken behavior” described as being lethargic and off-balance within one to three hours after ingesting the poison.
At around 12 hours, dogs will begin to vomit, refuse to eat, and display excessive thirst, according to the release.
With 24 hours, dogs poisoned with antifreeze will experience liver failure and ultimately die.
Anyone who believes their dog was intentionally poisoned by antifreeze or has information on who may be injuring animals was asked to call the Big Bear Sheriff’s Station at 909-866-0100.
Correction: The embedded Facebook post below incorrectly identified a neighbor. It has been updated.