Anuric renal failure associated with zinc toxicosis in a dog

The development of anuric renal failure associated with zinc intoxication was detected in a dog following ingestion of an ornamental brass knob from a toilet paper holder. The 3-y-old, male neutered, 15.4 kg Welsh Corgi presented to a local veterinary clinic with a 2-w history of intermittent vomiting, inappetance and lethargy. The dog was transferred to a veterinary teaching hospital where surgery was performed to remove the foreign body. The dogwas euthanized 24 h post-surgery due to the development of anuric renal failure. Whole blood drawn at the time of surgery had a serum zinc concentration of 89.8 ppm (normal 0.7-2.0 ppm). The serum zinc concentration in this dog is the highest reported concentration in the literature. Ingestion of any zinc-containing metal object can potentially result in a severe intravascular hemolysis with subsequent renal impairment. Zinc intoxication should be suspected when hemolysis is accompanied by the finding of a metallic object in the gut.