[Study of the clinical and biochemical indices in experimental chronic copper poisoning in sheep]

Induced was chronic copper poisoning in sheep treated orally with copper sulphate. Investigated was the dynamics of some of the clinical picture aspects, the paraclinical behaviour, and the toxicogenesis of poisoning. The disease manifested a three-phase course. The hemolytic crisis at various liver levels of copper within therange of from 315 up to 840.5 mg/kg was due to the challenging role of additional factors, such as pregnancy, lambing, lactation and individual sensitivity. During pregnancy copper was found to pass though the placenta, accumulating in the liver of the fetus. Copper deposition in the liver lobes varied. The quantitative determination of liver copper requires the investigation of pool samples.