A retrospective study of small animal poisoning at the veterinary medical teaching hospital from south region of Brazil
Zang, LucianaBing, Rafaela ScheerAraujo, Ana Cristina Pacheco deFerreira, Marcio Poletto
Background: Poisoning cases are a challenge for the veterinary practitioner, since many agents can be involved. The incomplete patient history associated with advanced poisoning stage often leads to death. Since lacking information is common, it is essential to be aware of principal poisoning agents and their associated symptomatology. The aim of this study is to describe the major agents involved in small animal poisoning, the causative agent, poisoning route, time to search veterinary care, clinical signs and ancillary tests of canine and feline patients treated at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital from January 2010 to June 2016.Materials, Methods & Results: Forty-four medical records with poisoning history were found and reviewed, but only 30 medical records had complete data to be evaluated. There were 24 dogs and 6 cats, 17 female and 13 male. Six females were spayed. Poisoning agent identification was possible in 29 cases and was food, molluscicide, cleaning product, ornamental plants, medication, rodenticide and antiparasitic drugs. Fourteen poisonings were caused by the owner and 16 were accidental. There was a higher poisoning incidence in dogs than cats. Most of the patients were young and unneutered/unspayed.Discussion: In this study there was a higher poisoning prevalence in dogs than cats, as occurred in other studies published in Europe, Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Austria and other Brazilian regions. Most of the patients were young, which is in agreement with previous studies in which young animals were more affected. Domestic antiparasitic drugs were the most common poisoning agents (33%), as reported in studies from France and Spain. In southern Brazil, the most common poisoning agent was medication, whereas in southeast Brazil, organophosphates were the most prevalent poisoning agent. Considering this, the geographic localisation seems to influence the poisoning agent.[...](AU)
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