Thoracic Radiographic Features of Paraquat Intoxication in Dogs

• Main Authors: Yan-Wun Kuo, 郭妍彣
• Other Authors: 陳冠升
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2019
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/cgi-bin/gs32/gsweb.cgi/login?o=dnclcdr&s=id=%22107NCHU5541008%22.&searchmode=basic

碩士 === 國立中興大學 === 獸醫學系暨研究所 === 107 === Paraquat (1,1-dimethyl-4,4-bipyridinium dichloride) is an effective herbicide and has been widely used in the world. In some countries such as England and European Union withdrew paraquat from the market, but it is available in a part of Asia and Africa (Kervégant, et al., 2013; Williams, et al., 2016). Paraquat can induce multisystem poisoning in renal, cardiac and gastrointestinal tract and especially accumulates in the lung (Smith, et al., 1976). Toxicological analysis of urine sample has been confirmed the method for clinical diagnosis of paraquat intoxication (Kelly, et al., 1978). The purpose of this study was to describe radiographic features of confirmed paraquat intoxication in a group of dogs, and to determine whether any findings can be identified to facilitate the diagnosis of PQ intoxication. Inclusion criteria of this retrospective study were as follows: (1) the patients confirmed diagnosis of paraquat poisoning by urine analysis and the concentration of paraquat in urine sample was recorded. (2) there was availability of conventional thoracic radiographs at least two orthogonal projections before treatment on admission. Ten cases met the inclusion criteria. The most common clinical signs were dyspnea (10/10, 100%) and anorexia (8/10, 80%). Interstitial lung pattern (10/10, 100%), pneumomediastinum (9/10, 90%), suspected pulmonary emphysema (6/10, 60%) and focal alveolar lung pattern (4/10, 40%) were predominant radiographic features. The tendency of distribution in interstitial lung pattern was caudodorsal; alveolar lung pattern was cranioventral. No dogs survived after medical treatment. This study indicates that radiography is a useful diagnostic modality for dogs with paraquat intoxication. Further studies are needed to access the predictive value of pneumomediastinum in dogs with paraquat intoxication.