Epidemiology and Toxicology of Arsenic Poisoning in Domestic Animals

Abstract

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and Brogan & Partners are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Environmental Health Perspectives.Arsenic poisoning is one of the more important causes of heavy metal poisoning in domestic animals. Two species-dogs and cattlc are intoxicated more frequently than other animals; yet sporadic instances of poisoning have been observed in cats, horses, and pigs. Cases observed by veterinary clinicians are either peracute, acute, or chronic intoxications. Frequently the initial and only indication that a severe problem exists with peracute poisoning in a cattle herd is dead animals. Chronic intoxications are also observed in cattle. Acute intoxication is the most common form of arsenic poisoning observed and documented in the dog. Also intoxicated dogs were younger, i.e., 2 6 months of age. Arsenic is a severe alimentary tract irritant in domestic animals, and treatment in most instances consists mainly of symptomatic and supportive treatment. The source of intoxication, when it can be determined, is usually dips, sprays, powders, or vegetation contaminated by pesticides containing arsenic. of the basic toxicology of arsenic intoxication in animals and an evaluation of the medical records from 13 North American veterinary collegest for the 11-year period of 196F1974. We also reviewed cases from the Missouri State Diagnostic Laboratory at Columbia, Missouri, as well as selected data collected by the authors in their field investigations of suspected intoxication outbreaks in cattle, later documented as arsenic intoxication. BackgroundMan and lower animals are highly susceptible to inorganic arsenic. But in the diagnostic laboratory, arsenic poisoning is most frequently encountered in the bovine and feline species resulting from contamination of their food supply. Occurrence of arsenical poisoning in these two species is closely followed in other forage-eating animals, such as the sheep and horse. Arsenical poisoning in most animals is usually manifested by an acute or subacute syndrome. Chronic poisoning, although it has been reported in animals, is seldom seen and has not been clearly documented. Experience with field cases of arsenic poisoning indicates that animals which are weak, debilitated and dehydrated are much more susceptible to arsenic poisoning than normal animals. This may be because of reduced excretion rate via the kidneys (4). August 1977 183

Determination of Lead, Mercury and Arsenic in Feeding Phosphates

“…Arsenic in low concentrations is considered to be essential (Schwarz 1977). Arsenic poisoning is not very frequent and as stated by Selby et al (1977) it afflicts mostly cattle and also dogs. Recently, investigations of the content of arsenic in foodstuffs have been carried out.…”

Intoxicação aguda por metano arsonato ácido monossódico em bovinos

“…A intoxicação por arsênico inorgânico em bovinos foi, anteriormente, descrita na literatura internacional por Oliver & MacGregor (1957), Hatch & Funnell (1969), Selby et al (1977), McClanahan et al (2003), Faires (2004), Valentine et al (2007) e, por arsênico orgânico, por Neiger et al (2004). No Brasil, foram descritos dois surtos de intoxicação por arsênico em bovinos, um no Paraná e outro no Rio de Janeiro; alguns animais morreram em forma aguda e outros apresentaram abaulamento da parede do abdome do lado direito, próximo ao umbigo, que rompia a pele dentro de 4-6 semanas e, frequentemente, seguia-se o prolapso da parede do abomaso (Döbereiner et al 1967).…”

Effect of arsenic trioxide along with tannic acid, di-sodium hydrogen phosphate, alum and effects of sand-charcoal-iron-filter bed filtrated water along with alum on body weight and some hematological parameters in rabbit

“…Arsenic is deposited in tissues and causes oxidative stress to cells resulting in multiple organ dysfunctions. Arsenic poisoning has previously been considered as one of the most common causes of toxicity in domestic animals and birds (Selby et al, 1977;Doyle & Spaulding, 1978;Jubb et al, 1985;Bazargani et al, 2007). Water and forage containing high concentrations of arsenic are the main ways through which arsenic enters the animal body, consequently gets into the human food chain, and may cause poisoning in humans and animals.…”

“…Arsenic remains one of the most important carcinogens and diabetogenics in human (Eisler, 1988;Biswas et al, 2000;Mukherjee et al, 2004;Rana et al, 2010). Nowadays it is, after lead considered the most common toxic heavy metal affecting domestic animals (Selby et al, 1977;Doyle & Spaulding, 1978;Bazargani et al, 2007). Arsenic poisoning may occur as peracute, acute, subacute or chronic form.…”

“…While sudden death without particular clinical signs may occur in the peracute form of poisoning, acute and subacute forms are associated with severe gastroenteritis. Chronic poisoning causes ill thrift, weakness and inability, milk reduction and abortion (Selby et al, 1977;Bazargani et al, 2007;Radostits et al, 2007). Presence of this metal in water has been reported from different countries such as USA, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Poland, Japan, China, Taiwan, Nepal, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India and Iran (Wang et al, 2002;Mandal & Suzuki, 2002;Ng et al, 2003;Hosseinpourfeizi et al, 2007;Mosaferi et al, 2008;).…”