Clinical, clinicopathologic, and pathologic alterations in acute monensin toxicosis in cattle

Twenty beef calves weighing approximately 180 kg were allotted to 3 groups. In group A, 6 calves were given 25 mg of mycelial monensin/kg of body weight orally and were evaluated at 1, 2, and 4 days for clinical, ECG, clinicopathologic, and pathologic alterations. In group B, 7 calves were given a single dose of monensin (40 mg/kg) and 5 were given a 2nd 40 mg/kg dose on day 7; calves were evaluated at days 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 11. In group C, 2 calves served as controls. Monensin-treated calves developed anorexia, diarrhea, and lethargy after day 1. One group B calf died on day 7 with lesions of congestive heart failure. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were not observed in group A calves; in group B, prolongation of Q-T and QRS intervals occurred from days 2 to 11 and first degree heart block was seen from days 7 to 11. Clinicopathologic alterations included: increased serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase in group B calves after day 2; decreased serum K+, Na+, and Ca2+ concentrations in both groups, and postdosing occurrence of leukocytosis. Calves were euthanatized sequentially and the lesions of monensin toxicosis were present in the heart, skeletal muscles, and rumen in groups A and B. Disseminated pale yellowish-brown areas of necrosis were present in the ventricular myocardium of 6 of 12 group B calves. Gross lesions were not present in the skeletal muscles or rumen. Microscopically, the myocardial and skeletal muscular lesions were characterized by sarcoplasmic vacuolation from mitochondrial swelling and lipid accumulation in calves killed after day 1 in groups A and B, and by myocardial necrosis with contraction bands, but without calcification, in group B calves killed by day 4. Acute rumenitis was present in groups A and B calves. Myotoxic effects of monensin may be related to its action as an ionophore producing altered intracellular ion concentrations and initiating degeneration and necrosis in striated muscle fibers.