Copper Toxicosis Flashcards
What are 2 forms of copper toxicosis?
- Acute
- Chronic
Is acute copper toxicosis common?
No
What is the usual source of acute copper toxicosis?
Ingestion of high concentrations of copper
Rapid onset of severe GI signs including vomiting, colic, hemorrhagic diarrhea, dehydration and shock, due to the direct corrosive action of copper are clinical signs for what type of toxicosis?
Acute copper toxicosis
What is the treatment for acute copper toxicosis?
Supportive and symptomatic therapy
What are 3 potential sources for chronic copper toxicosis in sheep?
- Excess copper
- Molybdenum deficiency
- Unavailability of sulfate
What are 4 sources of excess copper?
- Feed additives
- Natural copper in soils and plants
- Soils contaminated by mining
- soils fertilized with poultry litter or swine manure
What is the normal copper/molybdenum ratio?
6:1
Normally, molybdate binds to copper tissues at what ratio?
What do they form?
How is this excreted?
- 4:3
- Copper molybdate
- Readily excreted in urine
Rumen sulfates and sulfites are reduced to what which binds to what, reducing its absorption?
- Sulfides
- Copper
Accumulation of copper in which organ is due to imbalances between copper, molybdenum and sulfate?
Liver
What are normal feed and forage levels of copper in sheep?
10-20 ppm
Normal feed and forage copper levels can cause copper accumulation in sheep with what 2 conditions?
- Molybdenum is deficient (less than 1-2 ppm)
- Sulfate is unavailable
How long does it take for sufficient levels of copper to accumulate in sheep for chronic copper toxicosis?
2-10 weeks of exposure
Liver damage can cause what?
What is this called?
- Copper accumulation by hepatocytes
- Secondary copper toxicosis
What may cause a sudden loss of copper from the liver to the blood?
Stress
Where is copper absorbed from?
How is it carried to different tissues?
- Intestines
- Carried by serum and RBCs