Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CLINICAL SIGNS, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF LEAD INTOXICATION IN AN ELECTRIC EEL ( ELECTROPHORUS ELECTRICUS).
- Journal:
- Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
- Year:
- 2018
- Authors:
- Wenger, Sandra et al.
Abstract
An adult, wild-caught electric eel ( Electrophorus electricus), weighing 18 kg and measuring 2 m in length, presented with bilateral swellings behind the pectoral fins, lethargy, and anorexia for 2 days. Anesthesia was performed with immersion in tricaine methanesulphonate and supplemented with 0.11 mg/kg medetomidine and 2.2 mg/kg ketamine intramuscularly. Endoscopy revealed blood in the oral and gastric cavity. The stomach was grossly enlarged, flaccid, and contained a lead wire which was removed manually. Blood lead values were severely elevated. The fish was treated with 28 mg/kg calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate intramuscularly every 72 hr for 5 doses, which resulted in an improved clinical condition. Because lead values had not decreased to normal values within 4 wk of initial presentation, 35 mg/kg dimercaptosuccinic acid was given orally twice weekly for 3 wk. The electric eel made a full recovery.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30592928/