Clinical findings in dogs and cats with lead poisoning

Over an 11-year period, 68 cases of lead poisoning were diagnosed in dogs and three in cats, accounting for 58.6% and 21.4% of the accidental poisonings in dogs and cats, respectively, presented at the Small Animal Clinic, University of Queensland. Of the dogs, 94% showed alimentary tract involvement and 67.6% central nervous system signs. Blood lead concentrations above 0.3 ppm were considered to indicate toxicity when associated with alimentary tract or central nervous system abnormalities. The percutaneous absorption of lead in dogs is proposed as a factor for intoxication.     

An outbreak of monensin poisoning in adult turkeys

Monensin, fed in excess of 200 ppm caused mortality in Triple 5 and Triple 6 turkeys aged 25 weeks old and over. Mortality commenced three to four days after administering feed containing monensin and ceased three to five days after it was removed. This concentration of drug did not have any detectable adverse effects on Triple 5 turkeys fed from day old, four weeks old, or 11 weeks old for periods of two weeks.     

An unusual source of lead causing poisoning

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Sir,—I recently added two nine-month-old heifers showing typical symptoms of lead poisoning, but when the usual search for the source was found. On my third visit the owner produced a half-chewed tape measure which he remembered having mislaid the day before the oneset of the illness of the heifers. Although not expecting it to be the source of the lead, I examined it and found a residue of silvery threads after the organic matter had been calcined. These threads, when dissolved in nitric acid and tested with a solution of potassium iodide, gave a heavy precipitate of “golden spangles” of lead iodide. The heifers had chewed about two feet of tape, which apparently contained enough lead cause the very severe symptoms. After three weeks, they are now recovering.     

Clinical, clinicopathologic, and electroencephalographic features of lead poisoning in dogs.

Eleven dogs with signs of lead poisoning were examined. The principal clinical signs were neurologic and included ataxia, tremors, clonic-tonic seizures, amaurosis, and deafness. Basophilic stippling and circulating nucleated red cells were not common findings in blood films. Blood lead values varied from 0.22 ppm to 0.63 ppm before treatment. Electroencephalographic changes in nonsedated dogs were marked by intermittent high-amplitude slow wave activity.     

An outbreak of poisoning by Kalanchoe blossfeldiana in cattle in northeastern Brazil

Tropical Animal Health and Production - In the world, Kalanchoe species are primarily ornamentals and houseplants, but some have escaped cultivation and can be found in the field. In Latin America,...     

An outbreak of copper poisoning in Mute swans (Cygnus olor).

Eight of 9 Mute swans (Cygnus olor) untied in the river acrossing the central part of Tottori-city died within the period of 40 days of summer in 1989. Seven of 8 Mute swans were pathologically examined. In all swans many yellowish-brown to greenish-brown granules were found in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. The granules were intensely stained with rhodanine copper stain, schmorl method, and Berlin blue stain. Ultrastructurally, many lysosomes increased in size and density in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. Other three swans, that died at other places, were served as controls. In control swans, many brown granules intensely stained with schmorl method and Berlin blue stain were also found in hepatocytes, but the number of rhodanine-positive granules were fewer than those of the affected cases. X-ray qualitative analysis showed three peaks corresponding to copper, zinc and sodium in the liver of the affected and control swans. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that mean hepatic copper concentration of the affected group was significantly higher than that of control group (P less than 0.01). From these findings, we concluded that all of 7 Mute swans died of copper poisoning.     

Lead poisoning in dogs

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Lead poisoning in dogs is insidious in onset, difficult to diagnose, and frequently overlooked. It is more prevalent in the older and more run-down areas in cities, where deteriorating paint, old lead plumbing, and untidy yards present many opportunities for dogs to acquire toxic amounts. My own practice is situated in one of the older areas of Christchurch and, over the 11 years covered by this paper, I have confirmed 107 cases of lead poisoning.     

Tutu poisoning in dogs

Abstract

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Tutu (Coriaria arborea Lindsay) is a small tree or shrub, variable in height, with leaves lin. to 3in. long, oblong and sessile, which has many flowers in long, drooping racemes. The fruit is purplish-black and is enveloped by juicy, persistent, and enlarged petals. It is a shrub that is found abundantly on certain river banks, bush, scrub, and tussock grassland throughout New Zealand (Connor, 1951 Aston, B. C. 1934. N.Z.J. Agric, 49: 150–150.  [Google Scholar]). The green fruit and associated racemes, and also the flowering racemes, are highly toxic. The ripe fruit is relatively not as toxic (Easterfield, 1901 Christie, L. 1890. N.Z. med. J., 4: 1–1.  [Google Scholar]).