Thallium Toxicosis in a Pit Bull Terrier

Abstract

Thallotoxicosis is described in an adult Pit Bull Terrier. The dog exhibited anorexia, emesis, weakness, conscious proprioceptive deficits, and a hemorrhagic diarrhea before death. A severe, acute necrotizing enterocolitis was evident upon histological examination, as was a multifocal to coalescing pulmonary edema. Liver and kidney thallium concentrations were 18 and 26 ppm, respectively. The source of the thallium was determined to be thallium sulfate obtained by a person with the intent to harm family members. Although thallium has not been produced in the United States for 20 years, this report demonstrates the need to consider thallium toxicosis as a differential diagnosis for animals presenting with vague and mixed gastrointestinal and neurological signs.

Thallium toxicosis in a dog consequent to ingestion ofMycoplasmaagar plates

“…14 Thallium acetate is water soluble, readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, and distributed throughout the body. 27 While thallium is rapidly cleared from the blood under physiological conditions, the half-life of thallium in whole blood of human beings with acute poisoning can be up to 15 days if untreated. 10 With intensive care, the half-life of thallium in blood can be lowered to 1.4 days.…”

“…27,28 Both accidental and intentional thallium poisonings of dogs continue to occur, and as a result, thallium toxicosis should be considered as a differential when an animal is presented with clinical signs of gastroenteritis combined with alopecia and/or peripheral neuropathies of unknown origin. 7,22,24,27,28 The current report describes in detail the clinical presentation, diagnostic toxicology work-up, and successful management of a dog with thallium poisoning consequent to ingestion of Mycoplasma agar plates. The case of a second dog that developed identical clinical signs after exposure to Mycoplasma agar plates illustrates the unique hazard that thallium-containing growth media can present.…”

Akuter blutiger Durchfall beim Hund – Ursachen und diagnostische Aufarbeitung

“…B. Chemotherapeutika, Entzündungshemmer) (27,38,44), seltener Toxine (z. B. Schwermetalle, Pflanzengifte, Giftpilze) (10,36,60) und auch durch harmlos erscheinende Nahrungszusatzmittel (43) verursacht werden. Einer der häufigsten Auslöser medikamentös bedingter gastrointestinaler Blutungen stellt die gleichzeitige Gabe von Glukokortikoiden und nichtsteroidalen Entzündungshemmern dar (38, 61) (ǠAbb.…”

“…Bei hoher Dosierung können auch bei alleiniger Gabe von Glukokortikoiden erosive und ulzerative Schleimhautschädigungen entstehen (44). Eine Verdachtsdiagnose wird meist anhand der Anamnese gestellt (10,60). In speziellen Fällen mit Vergiftungsverdacht z.…”

“…In speziellen Fällen mit Vergiftungsverdacht z. B. mit Schwermetallen kann eine toxikologische Untersuchung von Erbrochenem, Durchfallkot, Blut oder Urin zu einer Diagnose führen (36,60). Einige Institute in Deutschland bieten als Service für Tierärzte toxikologische Analysen an (z.…”