salt and sulfer

Question 1

how do animals get salt poisoning

Answer 1

-also called water deprivation sodium ion toxicosis

get by:
1. Prolonged water deprivation
2. Excess salt intake
- high salt rations: poultry, pigs
- formulation errors
- drinking saline water
- oil field brine, butcher shop brine
3. Administration of sodium containing fluids to an animal without access to water

• Most common: water deprivation
• All species susceptible
• Swine more sensitive

Question 2

salt poisoning mechanism and target

Answer 2

-hypernatremia then water restored so water moves on osmotic gradient into the brain
-cerebral edema*

target organ: CNS

Question 3

salt poisoning clinical

Answer 3

• Onset: within 1-4 days of water deprivation/excess salt intake
• GI: anorexia, thirst, restlessness, watery diarrhea
• CNS: acute onset of neurologic signs that progressively worsen. polioencephamalacia signs
• Wandering, circling, head pressing, blindness, obtundation, nystagmus
• Tetraparesis, ataxia, hyperesthesia
• “Dog sitting
  -death due to resp failure

pigs: puritis, constipation**

Question 4

salt toxicosis/ water deprivation management

Answer 4

-don’t decontaminate: could cause hypernatremia which we already have

• Key treatment points:
  1. Slow rehydration**
  2. Closely monitor patient’s neurologic status

-cerebral edema can treat with mannitol

large animals: have intermittent access to water

Question 5

salt tox diagnosis and ddx

Answer 5

• History of water deprivation and/or high salt intake
• Antemortem:
• Chemistry panel: hypernatremia
• CSF: [Na] >160 mEq/L
• Postmortem: fresh brain for [Na]+

ddx: polioencephamalacia (lead, thamine, sulfer) **
pigs- strep. suis

Question 6

how animals get sulfer poisoning

Answer 6

Excess ingestion of sulfur
* High sulfur in diet
-some feeds accumulate sulfer (alfalfa, brassica)

High sulfates in water
* Factors: drought

-excess fertilizer

Question 7

sulfur mechanism + clinical

Answer 7

-ruminant problem**

-Peak sulfide production by the rumen: 1-3 weeks after
feed change

-clinical: polioencephamalacia (circling, head pressing, CNS signs)

Question 8

sulfur toxicosis diagnosis + treatment

Answer 8

• History, suspicion of polio corroborated by feed and water testing result**

treatment:
* Remove animals from suspect feed
* Lack of response to thiamine therapy
* Symptomatic and supportive care

Question 9

diagnostic approach to polioencephamalacia