Professional paper

Metaldehyde poisoning in pet animals

Lidija Medven ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Doroteja Huber ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Marko Hohšteter ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan-Conrado Šoštarić-Zuckermann ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Branka Artuković ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Andrea Gudan Kurilj ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ana Beck ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Željko Grabarević ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Metaldehyde is an organic compound, a polymer ie cyclic tetramer of acetaldehyde. It is the active ingredient in molluscicide or in products that are used against slugs and snails. Most vulnerable to poisoning are poultry and other birds, because they prefere to eat dead snails. Endangered to poisoning are also dogs and cats. This paper presents the cases of poisoning in four dogs and one cat that are reasonably suspected of poisoning with metaldehyde. It contains the clinical features, pathoanatomical and histopathological fi ndings. Pathological lesions are non-specifi c, and they can affect the liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, brain, stomach andintestines. Specifi c fi ndings are turquoise-coloured in the gastric contents. Due to no patognomonic fi ndings, pathomorfological and histopathological examination can only rise suspicion to poisoning with metaldehyde. Diagnosis is made by toxicological examination of gastric contents.

Keywords

molluscicide; metaldehyde; poisoning; dog; cat

Hrčak ID:

231791

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/231791

Publication date:

11.3.2013.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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