Page 91 - Veterinary Toxicology, Basic and Clinical Principles, 3rd Edition

58 SECTION | I General

VetBooks.ir (paraquat) and fungicides have been involved in cases of the wild (Kalaivanan et al., 2011). In Singapore seven
stray dogs were found killed, poisoned, or injured in
animal poisonings. In food-producing animals, pesticides
Punggol on April 3, 2013. Over the next 2 days, several
are again the most common class of suspected toxicants
(Gunnell et al., 2007). Aluminum phosphide is a large, stray cats were slashed and a mini bull terrier in Changi
though under-reported, problem throughout the world, Village had a leg cut off. On April 7, two cats, suspected
particularly in the Indian subcontinent. It is the second of being beaten to death, were found in Tanglin Halt. A
most common poison in India as well as in other develop- day later, a cat was found with glue on its fur. The num-
ing countries of Asia. Death results from profound shock, ber of reports of animal cruelty rose by a fifth last year,
myocarditis, and multiorgan failure. Such types of poison- new figures reveal, and cases are continuing to rise due to
ings have also been reported in Iran. Several incidents of poisoning (Anon, 2013a).
death in travelers in Thailand and other parts of Southeast
Asia may have been caused by aluminum phosphide or
chlorpyrifos because these compounds are highly toxic METALS
and dangerous to life (Sudakin, 2005). One of the reports Lead (Pb)
indicates that the most commonly detected toxic sub-
stances in baits were OP and carbamate pesticides (48%), Lead is a common cause of poisoning of domestic ani-
anticoagulant rodenticides (18%), zinc phosphide (12%), mals throughout the world. Pb is a heavy, low-melting,
strychnine (9%), metaldehyde (8%), and others (5%) bluish-gray metal that occurs naturally in the Earth’s
(Giorgi and Mengozzi, 2011). crust. Affected animals die or perform poorly after acci-
In India there are some authentic reports of poisoning dentally poisoned. Gradual poisoning may also occur in
deaths in wild animals but most reports of deaths due to areas with heavy industrial pollution (Gupta, 2016).
poisoning for large endangered wild mammalian and Reports from India indicate that calves are more sensitive
avian species are registered based on circumstantial evi- than adults because they are curious feeders, and both
dence. Rapidly acting pesticides such as, OPs (malathion, milk and milk substitutes increase the amount of Pb
parathion, phorate, and dimacron), carbamates, warfarin, absorbed by calves. Suckling animals can also receive Pb
and other anticoagulants, sodium fluoroacetate, and metal- in the milk. Varying degrees of Pb poisoning was
dehyde when consumed by wild beasts are undoubtedly recorded in cows and buffaloes near a primary Pb-zinc
fatal to them. Large carnivores, such as tigers, leopards, smelter. Affected animals had a history of clinical signs
and lions have a poor sense of smell, and to kill them any characterized by head pressing, violent movement, blind-
such chemical poison is pasted on the live bait or poison ness, and salivation. These animals had considerably high
containing capsules concealed in flesh meat that is Pb levels in their blood and milk. Animals from other
arranged at the trap (Arora, 2003). To kill rhinoceros, places without the history of clinical signs suggestive of
poachers also use scattered poisoned food baits along Pb poisoning recorded lower blood Pb levels than the
their frequently used tracts or during heaves. Spreading of affected animals; however, their blood Pb was higher than
fresh dung of unrelated rhinoceros alongside the baited that reported for cattle in rural and urban areas. Affected
food to allure rhinoceros is also a common practice to animals also carried high levels of cadmium (Cd) in blood
poison these animals. A large number of such cases have and milk. These values were considerably higher than
been reported from various national wildlife parks in those for rural cattle in India. The findings indicated vary-
India (Arora, 2003). ing degrees of exposure of animals to Pb and Cd in the
There are several other reports where large carnivores vicinity of the smelter (Dwivedi et al., 2001).
are often primary targets for malicious poisonings. The In Japan a survey carried out between 1994 and 1997
effects of certain poisons do not stop with the target ani- indicated fifteen (4%) of 363 birds harvested during and
mal but also affects other species of wildlife in the form after hunting seasons had one Pb pellet each in the pro-
of secondary poisoning. One review describes incidences ventriculus and gizzard. In addition, 32 (34%) of 93
of secondary poisoning of a tiger (Panthera tigris) and a swans (Cygnus sp.) and 2 of 14 geese (Anser sp.) found
black panther (melanistic Panthera pardus) in the Nilgiri dead from various wetlands had lesions consistent with
Biosphere Reserve. Wild boars (Sus scrofa), which are Pb poisoning. One to nine swans suspected of having tox-
considered pests in horticultural plantations, were the pri- icosis from ingestion of Pb shot were found dead each
mary targets in both cases and were poisoned using pho- year. Twenty-seven (84%) of the 32 swans exposed to Pb
rate, a highly toxic OP insecticide. Tigers and leopards were found in Hokkaido Prefecture indicating that that Pb
hold significant positions in the upper most trophic level poisoning remains a serious threat to waterfowl in Japan
of the ecological pyramid and are grouped in schedule I (Ochiai et al., 1999).
of the Wildlife Protection Act of India. The tiger, as a The Steller’s Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) and the
species, is currently waging a grim battle of survival in White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) are among the