Acute encephalopathy and clinical pathology findings in a sheep with chranic copper poisoning

A 3-year-old East Friesian sheep from a sheep flock that suffered from chronic copper poisoning was forwarded to the Clinic of Farm Animals in the Aristotle University. The animal had signs of a hemolytic disease indicative of chronic copper poisoning and also nervous signs. Laboratory examinations were consistent with chronic copper poisoning. This was confirmed after necropsy and liver toxicological analysis. By blood smear examination, metarubricytosis, basophilic stippling, anisocytosis, and polychromasia were found. Also, brain histopathological examination revealed focal areas of gliosis in the cerebral cortex and white matter areas. Satellitosis, neuronal degeneration (chromatolysis) and neuronophagia were also observed. These findings are useful for the clinicians, as nervous signs in flocks suffering from chronic copper poisoning can be attributed to this toxicosis. Also, this study adds in the hematological findings of chronic copper poisoning, as the existing data in the literature are limited.

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