MONOFLUOROACETATE POISONING IN A DOG

Resumo

INTRODUCTION: Monofluoroacetate is a pesticide used for pest control, whose commercialization has been banned in Brazil due to its hightoxicpotential. However, this substance is still naturally found in some plants. Thepresent study aims to describe a fatal case of acute monofluoroacetatepoisoning in a dog.CASE REPORT: The case involved an eight-year-oldmaleBorder Collie found dead in a 24-hour monitored dog hotel. There wasnohistory of comorbidities or medication use. The facility managers deniedanyexposure to toxic agents. The animal was sent for necropsy. External examination revealed soiled fur and pale mucous membranes. Upon openingthe abdominal cavity, congestion of the serous membranes and liver wasobserved. The stomach and intestines contained pasty material, grasses, andgrayish, dark, and granular structures, along with petechiae on the mucosa. Pulmonary hyperemia, edema, and hemorrhage were noted, as well as sero- hemorrhagic fluid in the pericardial sac; left ventricular hypertrophy, mitral andaortic valvular endocardiosis, and endocardial suffusions. Hyperemia of themeninges was also observed. Samples from all organs were collectedandfixed in 10% formalin, processed using conventional methods, and stainedwith hematoxylin and eosin for histopathological analysis. Based onthemacroscopic findings, acute intoxication was suspected. For diagnosticconfirmation, a pooled sample of organs was submitted for toxicological
analysis and thin-layer chromatography was performed with a completetoxicological panel (including coumarin derivatives, carbamates, organophosphates, monofluoroacetate, and strychnine), yielding a positiveresult for monofluoroacetate. Microscopically, the lungs showed edema, hemorrhage, congestion, atelectasis, emphysema, and amorphous material inthe alveoli. The liver and kidneys had multifocal congestion and hemorrhage. The brain was congested with perivascular edema.DISCUSSION: Theanatomic and pathological findings were consistent with poisoning. It isnoteworthy that canids are highly sensitive to monofluoroacetate, whichactsby inhibiting the Krebs cycle and triggers clinical signs suchashyperexcitability and seizures. Therefore, in addition to pathological analysis,
toxicological testing is essential for a definitive diagnosis, especially whentheclinical history does not suggest exposure to toxic substances.