Doxorubicin (adriamycin)-induced cardiotoxicity in turkey poults: an animal model

Doxorubicin (adriamycin, ADR)-induced cardiomyopathy was produced in turkey poults in a period of 3 weeks. The cardiotoxicity is characterized by electrocardiographic changes, alterations in ultrastructural morphology, ventricular dilatation, a significantly increased number of heterophils, and significant decreases in body and heart weights, dry heart weight to body weight ratios, and number of non-granulocytic leukocytes. The turkey poult is a cost-effective model system for evaluating cardiotoxic effects of anthracycline drugs.