VPT 421: Veterinary Toxicology (2+0)

MECHANISM OF TOXICITY

• Copper salts act as direct tissue irritants and oxidants and cause coagulative necrosis of the gastrointestinal mucosa.
• Copper accumulates in the liver and causes progressive hepatocyte organelle damage and cellular degeneration or necrosis.
• It inhibits the vital enzymes and as a consequence there will be elevated SGOT, lactic dehydrogenases, plasma arginase and plasma bilirubin.
• There will be sudden and massive lysis of erythrocytes called haemolytic crisis. This symptom is absent in non-ruminants, probably because they store less copper than ruminants.
• Due to this crisis, the kidneys fail because the renal tubules get clogged with haemoglobin and necrosis of tubules and glomeruli due to excess copper in the kidneys.