lasalocid and Poisoning

Over a period of 10 days, 17 dogs became weak and developed neurological deficits of different degrees of severity. About 12 hours before these clinical signs appeared they had all eaten a particular brand of commercial dog food from a recently opened bag. They were all quadriparetic and hyporeflexic, and some of them also showed additional systemic or neurological signs, including dyspnoea, a high body temperature, tongue laxity, hyperaesthesia and anisochoria. Serum biochemical abnormalities included high activities of creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase. Analysis of the suspect food revealed high concentrations of the ionophore lasalocid. Fifteen of the dogs were given supportive treatment at home and two were hospitalised. Five of the dogs died, but the others improved gradually and had fully recovered by one to four days after the appearance of the clinical signs.

Topics: Accidents; Animals; Coccidiostats; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Food Contamination; Israel; Lasalocid; Male; Poisoning

The ionophore lasalocid has been used as a feed additive for broilers chickens and for improving feed efficiency in ruminants. Although dogs appear to be more sensitive to lasalocid intoxication than other species, there is only 1 report in the veterinary literature about lasalocid poisoning in dogs. We describe the clinical signs, treatment and resolution of 3 hunting dogs that developed acute neurological signs consistent with lasalocid poisoning after the consumption of several broilers that had died on a nearby farm.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chickens; Diagnosis, Differential; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Female; Lasalocid; Male; Poisoning

Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Coccidiostats; Creatine Kinase; Fatal Outcome; Intestinal Mucosa; Lasalocid; Muscle, Skeletal; Necrosis; Poisoning; Rumen

Lasalocid sodium was accidentally introduced into the feed of several broiler breeder chicken farms at levels between 115 and 150 ppm. On one farm, leg weakness and ataxia were observed in a few cockerels. A reduction in egg production and a sharp decrease in fertility and hatchability were observed in all the flocks receiving the contaminated feed. Many piping chicks were unable to hatch and there was an increase in the number of weak ataxic chicks at the hatchery. Histological examination of the muscle tissues of the affected cockerels, the piping chicks unable to hatch and the one-day-old chicks with leg weakness and ataxia revealed severe muscle damage. Increasing levels of lasalocid were detected in the yolk of eggs collected from the affected flocks.

Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Ataxia; Chickens; Female; Fertility; Food Contamination; Lasalocid; Male; Muscles; Oviposition; Poisoning; Poultry Diseases