Pathology of acute paraquat toxicity in ruminants.

Paraquat (1–1′ dimethyl 4–4′ bipyridylium) was administered orally @ 25, 50, 75 and 100mg/kg body weight in calves and @ 75, 100 and 125mg/kg body weight in goats in three groups (3 in each group) in separate experiments. Clinical symptoms, gross, histopathology and hematobiochemical estimations revealed almost similar results except a few a variations. Paraquat @ 100mg/kg body weight could kill both the species almost after 24 hours. Notable clinical signs in both the species were frequent urination, frothy salivation, muscular tremor, staggering gait, recumbency, coma and death. The goat exhibited swelling of vulva with discharge of mucus and intermittent bleating. Gross and microscopic lesions noticed were varying degrees of congestion, haemorrhage and degenerative changes in the lungs, liver, heart, kidneys, brain, rumen, abomasum, intestine, thyroid, salivary glands and the spleen. In goat, ovary and uterus were congested, haemorrhagic and edematous. In both the species, haemoglobin concentration, total leukocyte counts and neutrophils were increased, while lymphocyte counts decreased reciprocally. The SGOT, BUN and total serum protein levels increased significantly in both species during the experiments.