Toxicology

Question 1

What are the clinical signs of Zearalenone poisoning?
What is it a metabolite of?
Which species does it primarily affect?

Answer 1

Hyperoestrogenism:
   -hyperaemia and swelling of the vulva and mammary glands 
   -nymphomania 
Fusarium fungi 
Pigs 
Enhanced at higher temperatures

Question 2

What are the clinical signs of organophosphate poisoning?

What is the treatment?

Answer 2

Excess salivation
Nasal discharge, cough, colic, lacrimation, miosis (constricted pupils), dyspnoea, diarrhoea
Muscle stiffness, eventually paralysis
Death

Atropine, activated charcoal

Question 3

What is the treatment for copper poisoning? Which species is primarily affected?

Answer 3

Acute: shock treatment
Chronic: binding agents, molybdenum/sulphur

Sheep

Question 4

What are the symptoms of ragwort poisoning?

What would you see on a liver biopsy of an affected animal?

Answer 4

Jaundice
Photosensitivity 
Dullness
Severe diarrhoea
Staggering 
Blindness

Vein occlusion, bile duct proliferation, liver fibrosis

Question 5

How do you treat nitrate poisoning?

Answer 5

Methylene Blue iv

Question 6

What is the treatment for foxglove poisoning?

Answer 6

Atropine, sodium bicarbonate, active charcoal

Question 7

What are mycotoxins?

Answer 7

Naturally occurring compounds or secondary metabolites produced by fungi growing on plants in the field or during storage periods