L3. Heavy Metals Flashcards
Arsenic (As)
Chemistry - metalloid
- Elemental, organic, inorganic
- Trivalent (+3) comes as organic and inorganic
- Pentavalent (+5) comes as organicn or inorganic
Arsenic (As)
Sources
Mining sites and smelters
Insecticides and Herbicides
Wood Preservative
Medicinal (Heartworm Therapy)
Feed Supplements
Inorganic Arsenic
Sources
Old pesticides - Iron arsenate, herbicides
Terro ant poison
Ashes of CCA lumber
Chromated copper arsenate
common source for cattle
Chromated Copper Arsenate
Discontinued as residentail areas in 2003
Still used in commercial, industrial and ag
Arsenic (As) Toxicokinetics
-
Adsorption of different forms is variable
- This is a major factor in toxicity
- Distribution:
- Accumulation initially inliver then slowly distributed to other tissues later accumulates to keratinized tissue
- Crosses placenta and is embryotoxic
- Crosses blood-brain barrier
- Hair and keratinized tissue - eliminated int he feces and urine
Inorganic Arsenic (As)
Toxic Mechanisms
Binds with sulfydryl enzymes
Blocks cellular respiration
Acts on tissues with high respiration - gut epithelium, capillaries
Toxicity: Trivalent is 5-10X more toxic than pentavalent
Arsenite (3+) > arsenate (5+) > organic Arsenic
Heartworm Therapy with Arseinc:
Thiacetarsamide - Caparsolate
Vomiting
Liver and Kidney Damage
Ivermectin, melarsomine, and Diroban commobly used now to treat heartworm in dogs
Arsenic (As)
Toxic Mechanisms
- Arsenite – As3+
- inhibits ATP synthesis
- Sulfhydryl inhibition
- a-lipoic acid – TCA cycle
- Phosphate Competition
- uncouples oxidative-phosphorylation
- Arsenate-As5+
- resembles Pi in structures and reactivity, replaces phosphate
-
Arsenic is eliminated/detoxified rapidly compared to other heavy metals:
- most intoxications are acute or subacute
Inorganic Arsenic (As)
Clinical Signs
Effects the GI tract
Vomiting, intense abdominal pain, diarrhea, fluid loss, maybe acute death, marked dehydration, weakness, staggering gait
Inorganic Arsenic (As)
Lesions
GI hemorrhage, edema, fluid filled, shoughing mucosa, renal tubular degeneration
Inorganic Arsenic (As)
Diagnosis
Arsenic analysis of kidney, liver >8ppm
Suspect material
Blood is not a good diagnostic source
Urine contains Arsenic if kidneys are functioning
Accumulates in hair for chronic exposure
Inorganic Arsenic (As)
Treatments
Most attempts are futile
Rehydration
BAL (dimercaprol) is classic antidote but best if used before signs occur
Thiotic acid (50mg/kg q8 hr)
Succimer (DMSA) same for lead tox (SA)
Iron (Fe)
Common in human dietary supplements and vitamin/mineral tablets
Ingestion fo concentrated iron sources can be toxic to children and pets
Takes a lot of flintstone vitamins to poison a 40 pound child with iron
Injections
Iron (Fe) Toxicity
Iron (Fe)
Pathogenesis
Iron (Fe)
Clinical effects:
4 stages
- 0-6hrs
- corrosive effect
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, GI hemorrhage
- 6-12 hrs
- apparent remission
- 12-24 hrs
- severly poisoned dogs
- severe lethargy
- Reoccurence of GI sings
- metabolic acidosis
- Liver necrosis
- Coagulopathy
- Cardiovascular collapse, shock
- Several Weeks later
- scarring and stricture of GI tract
Iron (Fe)
Diagnosis
History, clinical signs
Abdominal radiographs (mass of pills in the stomach)
SerumL Fe
Normal 80-240 ug/dl
if 300-500 monitor closely
if > 500 - chelation therapy
Serum total iron binding capacity (if serum Fe >TIBC = poisoning likely)
Iron (Fe)
Treatment
Emetic in alert animals, gastric lavage or gastrostomy
Fluids, electrolytes, acid/base balance
GI Protectants (tagament)
Iron (Fe)
Chelation Therapy
Deferoxamine
Initial IV infusion …. 15mg/kg/hr
IM 40mg/kg every 4-8 hrs
Continue until serum Fe is below 350 ug/dl or less than the TIBC