Lithium toxicity in cattle

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Toxicology
• Environmental Contamination
• Animal Health

Background:

• Discarded industrial materials can pose risks to livestock.
• Lithium compounds are used in various industrial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the toxicity of lithium grease in beef cattle.
• To determine the dose-related effects and toxicological profile of lithium ingestion.

Main Methods:

• Oral administration of lithium salt to four experimental groups of cattle at varying doses (0, 20, 500, 700 mg/kg).
• Clinical observation for signs of intoxication, serum lithium level analysis, and postmortem histopathological examination.

Main Results:

• Doses of 500 and 700 mg/kg lithium salt were toxic and fatal, causing symptoms like salivation, depression, anorexia, and diarrhea.
• Histopathology revealed dose-related gastroenteritis, nephritis, and hepatic cirrhosis.
• Tissue analysis showed significant lithium deposition in muscle, heart, liver, kidney, and brain.

Conclusions:

• Lithium grease is toxic to cattle, with higher doses causing severe clinical signs and pathological changes.
• The low serum lithium levels in cattle that consumed actual grease suggest co-contaminants may have contributed to or exacerbated toxicity.