Recovery of brodifacoum in vomitus following induction of emesis in dogs that had ingested rodenticide bait

AIM: To assess the benefit of inducing emesis in dogs that have ingested rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum (BDF), by determining the amount of BDF in bait recovered from the vomitus relative to the estimated amount consumed.

METHODS: Between 2014 and 2015 samples of vomitus from seven dogs that ingested rodenticide baits containing BDF were submitted by veterinarians in New Zealand. All seven dogs had been given apomorphine by the veterinarian and vomited within 1 hour of ingesting the bait. Some or all of the bait particles were retrieved from each sample and were analysed for concentrations of BDF using HPLC. Based on estimations of the mass of bait consumed, the concentration of BDF stated on the product label, and the estimated mass of bait in the vomitus of each dog, the amount of BDF in the vomited bait was calculated as a percentage of the amount ingested.

RESULTS: For five dogs an estimation of the mass of bait ingested was provided by the submitting veterinarian. For these dogs the estimated percentage of BDF in the bait retrieved from the vomitus was between 10–77%. All dogs were well after discharge but only one dog returned for further testing. This dog had a normal prothrombin time 3 days after ingestion.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The induction of emesis within 1 hour of ingestion can be a useful tool in reducing the exposure of dogs to a toxic dose of BDF. The BDF was not fully absorbed within 1 hour of ingestion suggesting that the early induction of emesis can remove bait containing BDF before it can be fully absorbed.     

Acute oral toxicity of zinc phosphide: an assessment for wild house mice (Mus musculus)

Irregular plagues of house mice, Mus musculus, incur major economic impacts on agricultural production in Australia. The efficacy of zinc phosphide (ZnP), the only registered broadacre control agent for mice, is reported as increasingly variable. Have mice become less sensitive over time or are they taking a sub-lethal dose and developing aversion? In this laboratory study, the sensitivity of mice (wild caught; outbred laboratory strain) was assessed using oral gavage of a range of ZnP concentrations. The estimated LD₅₀ values (72–79 mg ZnP/kg body weight) were similar for each mouse group but are significantly higher than previously reported. The willingness of mice to consume ZnP-coated grains was determined. ZnP-coated grains (50 g ZnP/kg grain) presented in the absence of alternative food were consumed and 94% of wild mice died. Mice provided with alternative food and ZnP-coated wheat grains (either 25 or 50 g ZnP/kg grain) consumed toxic and non-toxic grains, and mortality was lower (33–55%). If a sublethal amount of ZnP-coated grain was consumed, aversion occurred, mostly when alternative food was present. The sensitivity of wild house mice to ZnP in Australia is significantly lower than previously assumed. Under laboratory conditions, ZnP-coated grains coated with a new higher dose (50 g ZnP/kg grain) were readily consumed. Consumption of toxic grain occurred when alternative food was available but was decreased. Our unambiguous findings for house mice indicate a re-assessment of the ZnP loading for baits used for control of many rodents around the world may be warranted.     

无公害灭鼠剂克鼠星防治中华鼢鼠试验研究

进行了无公害灭鼠剂克鼠星对中华鼢鼠的杀灭率、适口性及大田防治成本试验。结果表明,在室内试验中,克鼠星对中华鼢鼠的杀灭率为100%,大田试验中,防治率在83.7%～92.3%,其中春季和秋季防治率可达91.4%;克鼠星对中华鼢鼠的适口性极好,摄食系数为0.88～1.03。采用切封洞法防治用药量少,防治费用最低,投药有效率为70.0%～92.0%,比插洞法高40%以上;春季投药有效率最高,春季采用切封洞法投药较夏季投药有效率提高22.0%。     

Discovery of a synergistic effect of oxytocin on the efficacy of Alpha-Chloralose,a drug used for capturing and controlling birds

Overdose and death of both target and non-target species are not uncommon when α–chloralose is used for animal control. Alpha–chloralose appears to depress the central nervous system by having an affect on the GABA-A receptor in a manner similar to ethanol. Recently central administration of oxytocin was shown to block ethanol-induced impairment in rodents. Our study investigates whether IM administration of oxytocin speeds avian recovery from α–chloralose and reduces mortality under simulated field conditions. We found that when injected twice with oxytocin (30 uL/kg) chickens entered α–chloralose narcosis more quickly and showed greater behavioral impairment. When fed the LD₅₀ dose of α–chloralose, repeated injection with oxytocin produced no significant difference in mortality rate or time to death in comparison to the control group. The effects of peripheral oxytocin on female chicks were different than results found previously in cockerels given oxytocin centrally. Oxytocin is not a suitable antidote for α–chloralose overdose during animal capture in the field but instead accentuates α–chloralose narcosis, making capture more likely and efficient.     

Exploring drivers of the usage of anticoagulant rodenticides on UK farms

Anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) are considered inhumane, show increasingly limited efficacy due to acquired resistance, and carry environmental consequences associated with non-target species uptake. In a questionnaire study of 499 UK farms that all deployed chemical rodenticide we found a high mean reliance (79%), on second generation ARs with just over half of the respondents using no other rodent control methods. Additional methods where deployed, alone or in combination, included predation (41%), kill-trap deployment (16%) and shooting (1%). Nearly 40% of all respondents deployed rodenticides year-round. There was no evidence to suggest that “tidy-farm” measures, such as clearing food spills and minimising on-farm rodent harbourage sites aimed at minimising rodent-associated problems, were associated with a lower likelihood of year-round deployment; in fact trends in our analyses suggested the opposite. We therefore encourage operators to fully evaluate the true necessity of rodenticide deployment before AR use.     

贝奥不育剂和溴敌隆抗凝血杀鼠剂对布氏田鼠种群控制作用的试验研究

2013年5-9月,在内蒙古锡林郭勒盟东乌珠穆沁旗草地研究贝奥不育剂、溴敌隆灭鼠剂对草原主要害鼠布氏田鼠的控制作用。通过早春一次性足量投饵(贝奥不育剂野外有效期30~60 d;溴敌隆灭鼠剂野外有效期30 d),按月铗捕调查的方法研究贝奥不育剂和溴敌隆杀鼠剂对该地布氏田鼠种群增长的控制效果。结果表明,5月不育剂组布氏田鼠的家系大小较杀鼠剂组的家系更大且差异显著(P<0.05),6月差异不显著,杀鼠剂组布氏田鼠种群恢复速度比不育剂组快。贝奥不育剂改变了布氏田鼠种群的性比,其幼体出生率比杀鼠剂组低。因此,贝奥不育剂对布氏田鼠有更好的防治效果。     

Vitamin K requirement and reproduction in bromadiolone-resistant Norway rats

BACKGROUND: Nucleotide polymorphisms in the VKORC1 gene can be linked to anticoagulant rodenticide resistance in Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout). This provides a fitness advantage to rats exposed to anticoagulant actives, but may also cause fitness costs. The vitamin K requirement and reproductive parameters of bromadiolone‐resistant rats (Westphalian resistant strain; VKOR variant Tyr139Cys) and bromadiolone‐susceptible Norway rats were compared. RESULTS: At vitamin K deficiency, blood clotting times increased in all homozygous resistant males within 8 days and in 80% of homozygous resistant females within 15 days. There was little effect on blood clotting in heterozygous males and no effect in heterozygous females and VKOR wild‐type individuals. Litter size was about 20% higher in sensitive pairs compared with resistant pairs. Testes growth, male gonad weight, sperm motility and testis cell concentration were unaffected by the mutation. CONCLUSIONS: The VKOR variant Tyr139Cys causes considerable physiological cost in Norway rats in terms of vitamin K requirement and reproduction. This may affect the distribution and spread of resistant individuals in the wild. Decreased litter size of resistant parents seems to be due to lowered female reproductive performance, as there was no significant effect of the mutation on any aspects of male reproduction considered, but this requires further study. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry