Title:
Animal poisonings in Belgium: a review of the past decade
Author(s):
V. VANDENBROUCKE, H. VAN PELT, P. DE BACKER, S. CROUBELS
Abstract:
This review focuses on poisonings in companion animals, including horses, farm animals and wildlife,investigated and recorded during the past ten years at the Laboratory of Toxicology of the Faculty ofVeterinary Medicine (Ghent University) and the National Poison Centre in Belgium. The causative agents ofpoisoning incidents vary among the different species. The Laboratory of Toxicology of the Faculty ofVeterinary Medicine reports that the majority of poisoning incidents in companion animals, and especially indogs and cats, are due to contact with insecticides and pesticides, whereas horses are more frequently poisonedby plant toxins. Farm animals, on the other hand, are mainly intoxicated by heavy metals, toxic plants andagrochemicals. The Belgian Poison Centre reports that intoxications in companion animals are mostly withagrochemicals, household products and drugs, whereas in farm animals intoxications with agrochemicals area common problem. This review gives an overview of the most common causes of intoxication and theirassociation with the different animal species. In addition, some rare or difficult to diagnose intoxications aredescribed, which account for a small number of poisoning cases.