Veterinary Taxicology

BRANCHES OF TOXICOLOGY

• Veterinary toxicology - Veterinary toxicology deals with the poisons causing toxicity in animals.
• Immuno toxicology - This branch deals with toxins that impair the functioning of the immune system - for example, the ability of a toxicant to impair resistance to infection.
• Forensic toxicology - It is the study of unlawful use of toxic agents and their detection for judicial purposes. Forensic toxicology is concerned with the medicolegal aspects of the adverse effects of chemicals on humans and animals. Although primarily devoted to the identification of the cause and circumstances of death and the legal issues arising there from, forensic toxicologists also deal with sublethal poisoning cases.
• Molecular toxicology - Molecular toxicology focuses on why and how chemicals cause harm to life. The basis of cellular and molecular processes leading to toxic effects is studied under molecular toxicology.
• Clinical toxicology – It is the study of the effects of poisons/toxicants on human beings, animals and other living organisms, their diagnosis and treatment and methods for their detection etc.
• Nutritional toxicology – It is the study of toxicological aspects of food/feed stuffs and nutritional habits.
• Environmental toxicology – It is the study of the effects of toxicants, whether used/applied purposely (e.g. pesticides, herbicides) or as industrial effluents or pollutants/contaminants, on the health of organisms and environment.
• Analytical toxicology – It is the application of analytical chemistry tools in the quantitative and qualitative estimation of the agents involved in the process of toxicity.
• Occupational toxicology – It is the study of occupational hazards associated with individuals working in a particular industry/occupation and their correlation with the possible toxicants and also the possible remedial measures.
• Ecotoxicology – It is the study of fate and effects of toxic substances on ecosystem.
• Regulatory toxicology – It is the conduct of toxicological studies as per the content and characteristics prescribed by regulatory agencies.
• Developmental toxicology – It is the study of adverse effects on the developing organisms occurring any time during the life span of the organism due to exposure to chemical or physical agents before conception (either parent), during prenatal development or postnatal until the time of puberty.
• Toxicoepidemiology – This refers to the study of quantitative analysis of the toxicity incidences in organisms, factors affecting toxicity, species involved and the use of such knowledge in planning of prevention and control strategies.