Abstract:
Anticoagulant rodenticides are one of the most common cause of companion animal intoxication. The aim of this study was to investigate the anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning in dogs. The presence of anticoagulant rodenticides in plasma was determined by HPLC with fluorescence detector. Activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and thrombin time were also investigated and compared in suspected and proved intoxicated dogs. No significant correlation was found between all coagulation times and the first generation rodenticide level in blood of the intoxicated dogs. All coagulation tests were normal in the first 24 hours after ingestion of anticoagulant rodenticides. According to their owner interview and HPLC identification, warfarin was the most accidental bait used rodenticides. The HPLC determination of these anticoagulants in blood confirmed that warfarin and coumatetralyl absorbed rapidly by oral ingestion. The retrospective study of histopathological lesions of anticoagulant rodenticide intoxicated dogs showed that there was excessive bleeding in various organs. Accordingly, the most excessive bleeding organs were liver, followed by kidneys, intestines, heart and lungs respectively. The severity of hemorrhage in these organs of intoxicated dogs were different. Types and amount of anticoagulant rodenticides ingested as well as animal status were considered to be the main factors of their toxic severity