Poisons

Question 1

What should you ask on the phone to a suspected poisoning?

Answer 1

What, when, dose?

Bodyweight

Question 2

Who should you call for information about poisons?

Answer 2

Veterinary poisons information service - VPIS

Question 3

What should the owner bring?

Answer 3

Product label/photo

Sample of product

Question 4

What are the 5 main categories of the patient triage after poisoning?

Answer 4

Respiratory
CV 
Neuro
Urogenital
Other eg. abortion, dermatological

Question 5

What are the 3 general principles of managing intoxication?

Answer 5

Remove/eliminate toxin
Reduce ongoing absorption
Dilution of toxin

Question 6

What are the 4 main methods of removing/eliminating toxin?

Answer 6

Induce emesis
Gastric lavage
Cutaneous decontamination
Haemodialysis

Question 7

When should you do emesis?

Answer 7

Within 2-3 hours after oral ingestion of a non corrosive agent

Question 8

When is emesis contraindicated?

Answer 8

If corrosive/irritant
Pre-existing aspiration risk
If petroleum distillate

Question 9

What are the two emetic agents? How are they administered?

Answer 9

Apomorphine - SC

Xylazine - IM

Question 10

When should gastric lavage be used?

Answer 10

Within an hour

Induction of emesis unsuccessful

Question 11

How is gastric lavage performed?

Answer 11

Under anaesthesia
Intubated
Lateral recumbency
Use gravity to lavage with warmed water/activated charcoal

Question 12

How do you perform cutaneous decontamination?

Answer 12

Clip affected regions
Warm water
Mild shampoo/detergent

Question 13

What are the two methods of reducing ongoing obsorption?

Answer 13

Enteric adsorbents

Intralipid

Question 14

What is an example of an enteric adsorbent?

Answer 14

Activated charcoal

Question 15

How are intralipids useful?

Answer 15

They bind to substances that have already been absorbed into the blood stream to prevent them from reaching the brain

Question 16

What supportive management can be given for intoxication?

Answer 16

Specific antidote
Analgesia
Maintain hydration and nutrition
Manage nausea - antiemetics
Tremors - muscle relaxants

Question 17

What can be given for hepatotoxins?

Answer 17

Antioxidant support

Lactulose

Question 18

What substances should you not worry about?

Answer 18

Contraceptive pill
Silica gel
Catnip

Question 19

What questions can you ask in a large animal suspected poisoning?

Answer 19

Onset/duration
Location of livestock
Nutrition/feeding
Any potential access

Question 20

What common toxins cause sudden death?

Answer 20

Yew
Lead
Water dropwort
Copper

Question 21

What common toxins cause neuro signs?

Answer 21

Ragwort
Lead
Ergot

Question 22

What common toxins cause GI signs - diarrhoea?

Answer 22

Oak - acorns
Ragwort
Rhododendron

Question 23

What common toxins cause resp signs?

Answer 23

Fog fever

Question 24

What is fog fever?

Answer 24

L-tryptophan - change in diet

Question 25

What common toxins cause CV signs?

Answer 25

Bracken

Question 26

What common toxins cause dermatological signs?

Answer 26

Photosensitisation Molybdenum St johns wart

Question 27

What common toxins cause urine discolouration/haematuria?

Answer 27

Bracken

Question 28

What does water dropwort look like?

Answer 28

Celery with white flowers

Question 29

When does copper poisoning usually occur?

Answer 29

Overdose when treating for deficiency/supplementation

Question 30

What does ragwort look like?

Answer 30

Celery with yellow flowers

Question 31

What is ergot?

Answer 31

Fungus growing on late sumer long grass grain

Question 32

How is fog fever treated?

Answer 32

Diuretics - frusemide

Question 33

What is photosensitisation?

Answer 33

Circulating chemicals absorb sunlight and damage skin

Question 34

What can cause photosensitisation?

Answer 34

Primary from direct action of ingested toxin eg. st johns wort Secondary from damaged liver not breaking down toxic metabolites

Question 35

What does high molybdenum cause?

Answer 35

Copper deficiency signs - is a copper antagonist Green diarrhoea Poor coat Poor fertility Ill thrift

Question 36

What are the clinical sign of bracken poisoning?

Answer 36

Haemorrhage Bladder/upper alimentary tract neoplasia Haematuria CV signs

Question 37

What are other causes of sudden death in cattle that should be considered?

Answer 37

Anthrax | Hypovolaemia

Question 38

What main symptom does rhododendron cause?

Answer 38

Projectile vomiting

Question 39

What does st johns wort cause?

Answer 39

Photosensitisation

Question 40

What does oak cause/

Answer 40

Colic/severe indigestion

Question 41

What does yew cause?

Answer 41

Sudden death

Question 42

What does ragwort cause?

Answer 42

Neurological signs via liver pathology GI signs

Question 43

What does water dropwort cause?

Answer 43

Sudden death

Question 44

What can cause severe hind limb lameness progressing to distal limb necrosis?

Answer 44

Ergot

Question 45

What mineral is high on the Somerset levels causing ill thrift and scour?

Answer 45

Molybdenum