Intermediate syndrome of chlorpyriphos toxicity (Polaris) in a caracal (Caracal caracal)

A 5-yr-old spayed female caracal (Caracal caracal) was presented with complaints of acute onset of mental dullness, ataxia, and ventroflexion of 24-hr duration. The animal's garden territory was sprayed a day earlier with an organophosphate (OP) insecticide (chlorpyriphos-methyl). The caracal was treated for OP toxicosis and mildly improved. It was discharged a day later at the owner's request, although clinical signs did not resolve. During the following week, the caracal was confined to prevent further toxin exposure but did not improve and was presented 8 days later with similar clinical signs. Serum butyril-cholinesterase activity was markedly low. The relatively long interval from OP exposure, along with the duration of clinical signs, suggested an intermediate syndrome of OP toxicity. The caracal was treated symptomatically and progressively improved. It was discharged after 8 days of hospitalization and made full recovery 30 days later. This is the first report of OP toxicity in a caracal, suspected to progress to an intermediate syndrome of OP poisoning.