Copper Intoxication in South American Camelids-Review of the Literature and First Report of a Case in a Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna)

Copper (Cu), an essential trace element in the metabolism of mammals, plays a central role in various metabolic processes. However, overdosing can lead to severe symptoms and even fatalities. Chronic Cu intoxication continues to be a problem in grazing and domestic animals, with sheep being particularly sensitive. There are few comparative studies on its impact on South American camelids (SACs). Therefore, this work presents the results of literature research combined with a case report on a 3-year-old female vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) presented to the clinic from a zoological garden in northern Germany. The animal showed reduced food intake, recumbency, bruxism, icteric mucous membranes and sclera. Auscultation revealed atony of the third compartment and the digestive tract. Similar to cases described in the literature, the animal showed rapid deterioration of its condition with unspecific symptoms of liver failure and rapid death. However, in contrast to descriptions in sheep, clinical icterus has not been previously reported in cases of other SACs. Laboratory findings from EDTA and serum samples revealed neutrophilia with a left shift, hypoproteinaemia, lymphopaenia, azotaemia, elevated levels of creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) in the serum. Hyperbilirubinaemia and significantly elevated serum and liver Cu levels were observed. Subsequent blood samples from the remaining vicuñas and alpacas in the same enclosure showed no remarkable abnormalities. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this case report represents the first documented case of Cu intoxication specifically in vicuñas.

Common Toxicosis

Veterinarians are often called upon to diagnose health-related issues on the farm that may be related to trace mineral deficiencies or toxicities. Trace mineral feeding rates are often not available due to the proprietary nature of the trace mineral premixes provided by nutritional consultants. The veterinarian needs to be aware of the common clinical signs of trace mineral deficiencies and toxicities, interactions between trace minerals that may result in deficiencies, clinical samples that are necessary for the proper diagnosis, and the recommended normal ranges of each trace mineral depending on the age of the animal.

Dietary phytase effects on copper requirements of broilers

Information on the availability of Cu from plant feedstuffs for broilers in the presence of phytase is scarce. The present research has been conducted with the objective of evaluating the Cu requirements of broilers when fed corn-soy diets with or without phytase. A total of 640 one-day-old male Cobb x Cobb 500, allocated into 80 battery cages with 8 chicks in each, were fed a low Cu content diet (formulated with 8.58 ± 0.21 mg/kg Cu) without phytase from placement to day 7. Starting on day 8, battery cages were distributed into a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement (phytase-added diets X 5 with graded increases of supplemental Cu) until day 28. Feeding treatments (feeds added or not with phytase and 5 graded increases of Cu) were randomly distributed with 8 cages of 8 chicks. The basal non-supplemented feeds were formulated with corn and soybean meal (SBM) without any other significant Cu contributors. Supplemental Cu was from laboratory-grade Cu sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO5H20) which was increasingly added to the feeds. Phytase was added in excess to the producer recommendation (2,500 FYT) and had average analyzed values of 2,768 ± 135.2 FYT/kg whereas analyzed Cu values were: 8.05 ± 0.25, 11.25 ± 0.15, 14.20 ± 0.40, 16.55 ± 0.05, and 19.45 ± 0.45 mg/kg. Statistics were conducted using linear and quadratic polynomial regression models. No interactions occurred between dietary Cu and phytase (p > 0.05) for any response and no effects were found for the individual factors (phytase or dietary Cu) for Ht, Hb, varus, valgus, rotated tibia, and tibia breaking strength, as well as for Cu contents in breast, gastrocnemius tendon, and kidney (p > 0.05). However, the phytase-added diets led to higher BWG, lower FCR, and increased ileal digestible Cu (p < 0.05). The gradual increase in dietary Cu produced linear increases in Cu content in livers, as well as in excreta and retention (p < 0.05). Supplementing phytase at levels expected to maximize phytate degradation was demonstrated to improve BWG and FCR; however, no effects were observed when dietary Cu was increased to a maximum of 19.45 mg/kg. An increase of 8.8% in ileal digestible Cu was observed when birds were fed phytase.

Copper Poisoning, a Deadly Hazard for Sheep

Simple Summary

Sheep are very susceptible to copper intoxication, a deadly disease that causes significant economic losses worldwide. Two types of copper poisoning can occur depending on the chronic or acute exposure to copper. Chronic toxicosis is the most common form and is developed after a long subclinical period of copper accumulation in the liver. When the capacity of the liver for copper storage is exceeded, a sudden release of copper into the blood causes severe haemolysis and the death of the animals. Acute copper poisoning is much less frequent and appears following the accidental administration or ingestion of toxic amounts of copper. Collapse and death occur shortly after parenteral administration, whereas acute oral exposure to copper causes severe gastroenteritis followed by shock and death. In this review, we summarise the available information on the aetiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of sheep copper poisoning.

Abstract

Copper (Cu) is an essential microelement for animals. However, sheep are particularly susceptible to Cu intoxication, a deadly disease reported worldwide. The risk of developing this poisoning is higher in vulnerable breeds and in intensively managed lambs or milk sheep. Two types of Cu intoxication can occur depending on the chronic or acute exposure to Cu. In chronic Cu poisoning (CCP), the most common form, Cu is accumulated in the liver during a subclinical period. A low intake of Cu antagonists (molybdenum, sulphur, iron, or zinc) favours Cu accumulation. The sudden release of Cu into the blood causes acute haemolysis with anaemia, haemoglobinuria, jaundice and death within 1–2 days. Acute Cu poisoning is related to the accidental administration or ingestion of toxic amounts of Cu. Acute oral exposure to Cu causes severe gastroenteritis, shock and death. Collapse and death occur shortly after parenteral administration. The diagnosis is based on history, clinical, gross pathological, histological and toxicological findings. Treatment of sheep with severe clinical signs often has poor success but is very effective during the Cu accumulation phase. Different therapies, based on either chelating agents or Cu antagonists, have been used to treat and prevent CCP.

Atypical chronic copper poisoning in a sheep secondary to copper wire ingestion - case report

ABSTRACT A 14-month-old female Texel sheep that came from a herd made up of 19 animals showed haemoglobinuria, apathy, and anorexia, and died two days after the start of the clinical signals. The sheep remained in a natural grassland, where trailers were repaired, and multiple copper wires were deposited on the pasture. The animal had tachycardia, tachypnoea, pale mucous membranes, groaning pain on abdominal palpation, circling, head pressing, intensely hemolyzed plasma, and intense azotaemia. The necropsy showed focally extensive oedema in the inguinal and medial region of pelvic limbs, kidneys dark brown, and liver diffusely yellow with an evident moderate diffuse lobular pattern. The abomasum had a considerable amount of enameled material of thickness, firm to the cut, with 1-5 mm (copper wires). Histopathological examination showed marked diffuse tubular and glomerular coagulative necrosis in the kidneys, in addition to neutrophils, macrophages, lymphocytes, and plasma cells with moderate multifocal nephritis. The liver showed centrilobular necrosis, moderate hepatocellular edema, multifocal cholestasis, and in the lungs and brain mild to moderate diffuse edema. Copper content in the frozen liver (in natura) reached 1,598 mg/kg. Copper mesh ingestion led to sheep poisoning, which in this case was considered an atypical form of chronic primary copper poisoning.

Case Report: Severe Anemia Associated With an Abomasal Fibrosarcoma in a Goat

A 10-year-old female goat was presented to the clinic with lethargy, emaciation, and pale mucous membranes. Laboratory diagnosis revealed severe anemia with regenerative character as well as melena. Blood transfusions were administered, but the animal's condition continued to deteriorate, so it was euthanized. The main finding in the necropsy was an abomasal neoplasia with two metastases in the mesenterium which was positive for vimentin, but negative for smooth muscle actin and c-kit using immunohistochemistry, indicating a fibrosarcoma that might have contributed to gastrointestinal blood loss. Further pathological findings consisted of changes in the liver cells as well as a cervical leiomyoma. These findings illustrate that intestinal blood loss due to neoplasia should also be considered in older goats with anemia.

Copper Toxicity in Horses: Does it Exist?

Copper toxicity is thought to be a rare condition in horses. However, the number of cases diagnosed in Brazil is growing. This article aims to describe cases of copper toxicity involving horses from different geographic locations and discuss findings of physical examinations, differential diagnoses and potential causes. Five cases referred from 4 different properties where at least 15 other horses were affected were described. Hemolytic anemia and hemoglobinuria, presence of Heinz bodies and elevated aspartate aminotransferase and gamaglutamil transferase levels were detected in all cases. The diagnosis was based on clinical history and signs, laboratory tests results, copper level determination in feed and/or soil and histopathological findings. Two horses progressed to acute death; remaining horses responded to clinical management with or without blood transfusion, depending on disease severity. However, one of these horses, after several returns to the veterinary hospital, was euthanized due to complications. One horse was treated with ammonium tetrathiomolybdate. Two horses had several recurring episodes over the course of several months, an uncommon presentation in ruminants suffering from copper toxicity. Excess copper was associated with soil fertilization with poultry litter or treatment of previous or neighbor crops with copper-containing products. It can be concluded that copper toxicity does occur in horses and may arise from several sources and/or be associated with predisposing dietary factors. Given the growing number of cases, the condition should be included in the differential diagnosis list and proper preventive dietary and pasture fertilization measures adopted.

Clinical, ultrasonographic, and postmortem findings in sheep and goats with urinary tract disorders

Background and Aim:

In sheep and goats, most urinary disorders are incidental findings at the postmortem examination and do not present clinically. As such, the diagnosis of renal diseases in sheep and goats can be overlooked. Therefore, this study was carried out on sheep and goats to describe the clinical, ultrasonography(USG), and postmortem findings of various disorders affecting the urinary tract.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 58 animals (30 sheep and 28 goats) were examined, as well as were ten healthy control animals (five sheep and five goats) for a comparison. The animals were referred for various causes, including anorexia, frequent and painful urination, hematuria, decreased body weight, oliguria, and anuria.

Results:

The sheep and goats were categorized into ten groups of symptoms and disorders: Pelvic abscessation, pigmented urine, renal failure, pyelonephritis, cystitis, hydronephrosis, rupture of the urethra, rupture of the urinary bladder, rupture of the urinary bladder together with the urethra, and paralysis of the urinary bladder. Clinical presentation, USG, and postmortem examination results for each group were detailed. Many clinical presentations were nonspecific. USG examination of the urinary tract significantly facilitated the verification of the previously mentioned disorders.

Conclusion:

USG demonstrated superior performance in the early and confirmatory diagnosis of urinary disorders in sheep and goats. Therefore, it is recommended that routine USG be the preferred imaging modality for examining sheep and goats with urinary disorders and for determining their prognosis.

[Chronic oversupply with copper as a potential herd health problem on a German dairy farm - Diagnostic value of different sample types for assessment of copper supply in dairy cows]

In contrast to sheep, chronic copper oversupply or toxicity represent infrequent events in cattle. This case report describes a chronically elevated exposure to copper arising from excessive supplementation of mineral feedstuff leading to a herd health problem in a German Holstein dairy herd. For diagnosis on herd level, 10 cows of both the close-up (VB) and high-yielding (HL) groups were selected and blood as well as urine samples were collected. Clinical chemistry investigation of these samples only revealed slightly raised activities of liver enzymes in cows of the HL group. Analysis of the total mixed ration (TMR) of both groups revealed a significant oversupply with copper, zinc, cobalt, and selenium. On the basis of these findings, the copper content of urine, feces, pigmented hair as well as plasma ceruloplasmin activity were measured additionally. Liver biopsies were performed in cows of the HL group and in heifers, the latter of which had received a mineral feed for young cattle according to the manufacturer's instructions. Results indicated increased fecal copper in both HL and VB groups as well as above normal or high-normal values of hepatic copper and cobalt resp. selenium, zinc, and manganese in the HL cows. In contrast, heifers had physiological amounts of trace elements in their liver tissues. This report demonstrates the suitability of fecal analysis and TMR for a reliable assessment of copper supply, while blood, urine, and hair failed to represent appropriate sample types. In order to attain a dependable diagnosis of potential copper oversupply, a liver biopsy - which may also be performed in buiatric practice - is deemed necessary.

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Protective Role of Quercetin on Copper Sulfate-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Mice

Copper overload is an established cause of nephrotoxicity, but the precise molecular mechanism remains unknown. Our study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism of copper sulfate (CuSO₄)-induced nephrotoxicity and the protective effect of the natural compound quercetin using a mouse model. Mice were orally administered CuSO₄ only (200 mg/kg per day), or co-administered CuSO₄ (200 mg/kg per day) plus quercetin (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg per day), or quercetin only (100 mg/kg per day), or vehicle for 28 days. The blood and kidneys were collected for the examination of serum biomarkers, oxidative stress biomarkers, changes in histopathology and gene and protein expression. Our results show that quercetin supplementation attenuates CuSO₄-induced renal dysfunction and tubular necrosis in a dose-dependent manner. Quercetin supplementation at 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly attenuated CuSO₄-induced oxidative damage. Quercetin supplementation also inhibited the activities of caspases-9 and-3, and the expression of p53 and Bax mRNAs. Furthermore, quercetin supplementation markedly activated the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 mRNAs, but inhibited the expression of NF-κB, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α mRNAs. In conclusion, our results revealed that quercetin supplementation could inhibit CuSO₄-induced nephrotoxicity in mice via the inhibition of mitochondrial apoptotic and NF-κB pathways and the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Our study highlights quercetin as a potential candidate in treating copper overload-induced nephrotoxicity.

Chronic copper poisoning in beef cattle in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

ABSTRACT: Copper is an essential micromineral in animal feed; however, when consumed in excess, it can cause liver necrosis, hemolytic crisis, hemoglobinuric nephrosis and death in cattle. Although uncommon in this species, copper poisoning occurs as a result of exacerbated supplementation, deficiency of antagonist microminerals, or previous liver lesions. An outbreak of chronic copper poisoning is reported in semi-confined cattle after supplementation with 50 mg/Kg of dry matter copper. The cattle showed clinical signs characterized by anorexia, motor incoordination, loss of balance, jaundice, brownish or black urine, diarrhea and death, or were found dead, 10 to 302 days after consumption. Of the 35 cattle that died, 20 underwent necropsy, whose frequent findings were jaundice, enlarged liver with evident lobular pattern, black kidneys, and urinary bladder with brownish to blackish content. Microscopically, the liver showed vacuolar degeneration and/or zonal hepatocellular centrilobular or paracentral coagulative necrosis, in addition to cholestasis, mild periacinal fibrosis, apoptotic bodies, and mild to moderate mononuclear inflammation. Degeneration and necrosis of the tubular epithelium and intratubular hemoglobin cylinders were observed in the kidneys. Copper levels in the liver and kidneys ranged from 5,901.24 to 28,373.14 μmol/kg and from 303.72 to 14,021 μmol/kg, respectively. In conclusion, copper poisoning due to excessive nutritional supplementation is an important cause of jaundice, hemoglobinuria, and death in semi-confined cattle.

Chronic copper toxicosis in a crossbred heifer calf

An 8-mo-old, crossbred, heifer calf was presented to the Heeke Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory with a history of ataxia and altered mentation. Grossly, the liver was diffusely yellow-orange, turgid, and exuded watery, thin blood on cut section. The cortex and medulla in both kidneys were diffusely and markedly dark brown to black. The urinary bladder was filled with dark red urine. Histologically, centrilobular hepatocellular degeneration was observed, but these sections lacked necrosis. In the kidney, numerous cortical tubules contained intraluminal bright eosinophilic fluid and red-orange granular casts that stained positive for hemoglobin with the Dunn-Thompson method. The gross and histologic lesions supported a high level of suspicion for copper toxicosis. Feed and water samples from the farm were submitted for mineral analysis. The copper concentration in the feed was 118 mg/kg, and the molybdenum concentration was 0.9 mg/kg. Chronic copper toxicosis is rarely reported in cattle. The gross lesions in our case are a departure from, although similar to, previously reported cases, including lack of histologic hepatocellular necrosis. Collectively, gross and histologic lesions were compatible with copper toxicosis in this calf, and copper concentrations in the feed samples suggest a feed-mixing error.

Ingestion of bedding material as a cause of acute copper sulfate poisoning in turkey poults

The article reports a case of acute copper sulfate (CuSO₄) poisoning in 2-day-old turkeys. The first incidences were noticed 2 h after placing the animals in the poultry house, where turkeys were provided with wood shaving bedding. Post-mortem examination showed wood shavings present in gastric and intestinal contents and numerous lesions in the alimentary tract: dark green color of the koilin lining, and surface erosions, deep ulceration, and severe congestion of the gizzard. The copper (Cu) concentration in samples of the liver, kidney, heart, gizzard content, gizzard muscle, gizzard lining, and wood shavings from the bedding was determined. Our results showed that the level of Cu in the livers of affected birds was more than sevenfold higher than the recommended value and the Cu content in bedding material was above the value considered to be toxic to turkeys. Our investigation identified the bedding disinfected using a CuSO₄ solution as a possible cause of turkey fatalities.

Copper toxicosis in New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Six 12- to 14-month-old New Zealand White rabbits were diagnosed with copper toxicosis. These rabbits were part of a group of 110 purchased and shipped overnight for research purposes. On arrival, the group experienced an abrupt diet change. Eight died over 3 weeks and 6 were submitted for postmortem examination. Microscopic findings included severe centrilobular to midzonal hepatocellular necrosis with rhodanine stain-positive copper granules in the remaining hepatocytes. Mild periportal fibrosis and biliary hyperplasia, hemoglobinuric nephrosis, and splenic erythrophagocytosis were also observed. Hepatic copper concentrations were elevated, ranging from 319 to 997 ppm. Clinical disease was not previously observed in younger rabbits gradually transitioned from the supplier's copper-supplemented diet. Copper toxicosis likely occurred in these rabbits from a combination of (1) increased duration of copper supplementation leading to increased hepatocellular stores and (2) stress leading to anorexia and release of hepatocellular copper stores similar to chronic copper toxicosis as described in sheep.