Premium
Poisoning of dairy heifers by mercurous chloride
Author(s) -
Simpson V. R.,
Stuart N. C.,
Munro R.,
Hunt A.,
Livesey C. T.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.140.21.549
Subject(s) - pallor , ingestion , mercury poisoning , medicine , thirst , kidney , mercury (programming language) , chloride , physiology , gastroenterology , chemistry , toxicity , organic chemistry , computer science , programming language
Mercury poisoning was diagnosed in four dairy heifers, three of which died. The clinical signs were variable and included salivation, excessive thirst, extreme depression and severe diarrhoea. Postmortem examinations revealed inflammation and ulceration of the alimentary tract, pulmonary and cardiac haemorrhages, pallor of the kidney cortices and perirenal oedema. The kidney mercury concentrations were in the range 58 to 91 μg/g wet tissue. It is believed that the animals were poisoned by the ingestion of soil contaminated with mercurous chloride.