GI Toxicants Flashcards
What NSAID are dogs most sensitive to? Cats? And why?
Dogs are sensitive to ibuprofin due to unknown reasons.
Cats are sensitive to Acetaminophen due to lack of glucouronidase.
What is the mechanism of action in NSAID toxicity?
Inhibition of Cox 1 prostaglandins also cause decrease in renal and GI blood flow resulting in renal damage and GI ulcers.
How do you treat NSAID toxicity?
Activated charcoal will bind NSAIDs readily
Use gastroprotectants: Sucralfate, H2 blockers (Famotidine, Cimitidine, etc)
Supportive care: Bicarb for acidosis, Correct glucose/electrolyte imbalances, furosemide and mannitol to maintain renal function.
What is the mechanism of Trivalent(3+) arsenic?
Binds to Thiol (-SH) group and disrupts cellular metabolism + inhibits oxidative phosphorylation enzymes, reducing metabolism. Results in cardiac and hemolytic effects.
Causes serious toxicity to GI epithelium and capillary endothelium leading to enteritis and shock.
What is the mechanism of Pentavalent(5+) arsenic?
Reduces available metabolic energy resulting in CNS depression and ataxia.
How do you diagnose arsenic toxicity?
Look for clinical signs of acute gestroenteritis especially of animals found in or near.
Necropsy of liver, kidney, GI contents, or tissue will show 5+ppm arsenic
How do you treat arsenic toxicity?
Dimercaprol = classic chelating antidote for arsenic toxicosis; competes with –SH groups for available arsenic.
GI decontamination, activated charcoal, and sodium thiosulfate (chelator) if no signs are seen.
Demulcents + supportive therapy
What is the most common source of Zinc toxicity?
Ingestion of pennies minted after 1982 and human skin ointments.
What is the mechanism of action in Zinc toxicity?
Zinc salts in stomach acid causes direct corrosive damage to mucosa, zinc in blood causes oxidative damage
What are clinical signs of acute zinc toxicity?
Occurs within a few days
GI upset, depression, anemia, jaundice, and renal/pancreatic/hepatic lesions
What are clinical signs of chronic Zinc toxicity?
Occurs after several weeks
PU/PD, diarrhea, anorexia, anemia, lameness, GI/renal tubule/hepatocyte necrosis
How do you diagnose Zinc toxicity?
Serum zinc levels >10ppm (collect in blue top tube), hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, hemoglobinuria
How to you treat zinc toxicity?
Symptomatic Tx
Gastroprotectants - sucralfate, H2 inhibitors
Anemia treatment - fluids and transfusion if needed
What is the mechanism of action of bleach/chlorox powder?
It’s high alkalinity causes deep liquefactive necrosis causing mucosal damage and irritation
Can you use activated charcoal with bleach ingestion?
Yes, but it does not absorb well - mostly to dilute and to be used as cathartic
