Journal
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
Volume 93, Issue 1, Pages 279-287Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2011.07.024
Keywords
Canine; Disseminated intravascular coagulation; Intoxication; Aflatoxin; Liver failure
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Aflatoxins, produced by Aspergillus spp., are toxic contaminants of stored grain. This study describes 50 dogs presented with foodborne aflatoxicosis. Common clinical signs included lethargy (78%), vomiting (76%), anorexia (74%), icterus (66%), depression (66%), melena (60%), haematuria (36%) and diarrhoea (36%). Common laboratory abnormalities included increased activities of aspartate aminotransferase (86%), alkaline phosphatase (84%) and alanine aminotransferase (79%), hypoantithrombinaemia (86%), prolonged prothrombin (PT, 82%) and activated partial thromboplastin times (aPTT, 80%), hyperbilirubinaemia (73%), hypocholesterolaemia (60%) hypoalbuminemia (47%) and thrombocytopenia (42%). Non-survivors had longer PT and aPTT and lower antithrombin (P < 0.001) at presentation compared to survivors (23.8 s vs. 10.5; 37.9 vs. 17.6s and 5% vs. 54%, respectively). Hyperbilirubinaemia (>56.6 mu mol/L) and albumin concentration <32.5 g/L at presentation were risk factors for mortality (P < 0.0001). Common complications included disseminated intravascular coagulation (58%), hepatic encephalopathy (35%) and acute kidney injury (4%). The mortality rate was 68%, suggesting that dogs with aflatoxicosis have poor prognosis. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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