toxic food products Flashcards
xylitol clinical
species: dogs
target organ: CNS, liver
clinical: minutes to hours, vommit, lethargy weakness.
-massive insulin release, unknown mech
-hypoglycemia: disorentation, ataxia, seizers, coma
-liver failure 1-3 days post ingestion
xyllitol magament
Decontamination: consider emesis induction for gum, gastric lavage for high volume of baked goods
-not activated charcoal
correct hypoglycemia: IV dextrose
supportive care for liver
xylitol diagnosis
- Can have hypoglycemia without liver damage and vice versa
- Prognosis: good for uncomplicated hypoglycemia with aggressive management
- Guarded: repeated episodes of hypoglycemia and accompanying CNS signs or with significant elevations in liver
enzymes - Poor: acute liver failure
- DDx: insulin overdose,
grapes and rasins toxin, target, clinical
-toxin: tartaric acid
-species: dogs
-target organ: kidneys-> acute tubular necrosis
-onset 24 hours: V/D/ lethargy
-dehydration, abdominal pain, PU/PD
PM: dark or pale kidneys with cortical streaking
grapes and raisins management
no antidote
-decontamination
-renal support
-antiemetics
grapes and raisins diagnosis
- Not all dogs that consume grapes/raisins develop AKI
- The toxic threshold for grapes/raisins is unknown**
- All exposures should be considered clinically significant**
chocolate species, toxin, target
species: dogs and cats
toxic principle: theobromine, caffine
target organ: CNS, cardiac
clinical: 2-4 hours, V/D, tachycardia, PU/PD
severe coma, death (rare)
chocolate management
- Decontamination: induce emesis + A/C, or gastric lavage + A/C
- Chocolate can stay in stomach for a long time → longer window for decontamination
-supportive care for symptoms
UCath– theobromine/caffeine and metabolites can reabsorb across bladder wall**
* Long half-life → hospitalization up to 72 hours
chocolate diagnosis
- Diagnosis: history of ingestion, sympathomimetic toxidrome
-know type of chocolate dark»milk»white more toxic
onions and garlic target, tox, species
- Toxic principles: organosulfur compounds
- Target: red blood cells
- Toxicity: true threshold dose unknown – generally considered to be >5 g/kg BW
- Species differences
- Cattle: anaerobic bacteria in rumen enhance metabolism of organosulfur compounds
- Dogs: low RBC catalase activity
- Cats: Hb vulnerable to oxidation
onions and garlic mechanism
- Oxidative damage hemolytic anemia
- Oxidation of hemoglobin
- Sulfhemoglobin → precipitates, aggregates, and binds to
RBC membrane → Heinz bodies - Membrane cross-linking → eccentrocyte formation
-intra and extravascular hemolysis
onions and garlic clinical
- Onset: dose-dependent
- Weakness, exercise intolerance, anorexia
- Vomiting, diarrhea
- Pale or muddy or icteric MM
- Pigmenturia (hemoglobinuria)
- Tachypnea, tachycardia
- Often can detect onion/garlic smell
- Pregnant animals: abortion
onions and garlic clinical features**
Clinical pathology – extravascular + intravascular hemolysis
* Erythrogram: normocytic, normochromic regenerative anemia
* RBC morphology: Heinz bodies, eccentrocytes
* Plasma colour: red, yellow, or brown
* Leukogram: inflammatory
* Chemistry panel
* Hyperbilirubinemia
* Monitor for azotemia
* UA: pigment, cellular debris
onions and garlic management. Dx and DDX
-decontaminate or supportive care
Dx: history of ingestion, R/O other causes of Heinz body hemolytic anemia
* DDx: hemolytic anemia, methemoglobinemi
avacado toxin, species, target
- Toxic to exotic birds (cockatiels, budgies, canaries), livestock
- Not a toxicity problem in cats and dogs – GI obstruction
- All above ground parts of plant are toxic → leaves are most toxic
- Target organ: heart, mammary tissue
avocado clinical livestock
- Livestock
- Cardiovascular
- Edema – head, neck, brisket
- Pericardial effusion
- Acute onset of pulmonary edema → cough,
respiratory distress-> sudden death
Mammary: non-infectious mastitis
* Decreased milk production, agalactia
* Hard, swollen udders, poor quality milk
avacado clinical birds
Exotic birds - cardiovascular
* “Sick bird signs” – sitting at bottom of
cage, weakness, depression,
behaviour change
* Dyspnea
* Acute death
avacado management
- Exotic birds: crop lavage, gentle handling
- Activated charcoal in livestock
- Cardiorespiratory and monitoring: fluids, oxygen, blood pressure,
ECG, echo - DDx: cardiotoxic plants
macadamia nuts
- Toxic to dogs
- Toxicity: approx. 1 nut/kg BW
Clinical presentation: neuro signs - Onset: within 12 hours of ingestion
- Weakness, CNS depression, vomiting, ataxia, tremors, hyperthermia
- Joint and muscle pain
- Resolution within 12-28 hours, self limiting
