Acute liver failure following fatal zinc phosphide poisoning in a dog

Abstract

Zinc phosphide is a highly toxic rodenticide that leads to organ dysfunction by disruption of oxidative phosphorylation via inhibition of the final enzyme of the mitochondrial transport chain (cytochrome C oxidase). A 5‐year‐old, female, spayed Shiba Inu presented in status epilepticus secondary to ingestion of this poison. The dog developed rapid progressive neurological decline, severe cardiotoxicity and acute liver failure, the latter manifested by hepatic encephalopathy and clinicopathological abnormalities, including coagulopathy, progressive liver enzyme elevations and hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, hypocholesterolaemia and low blood urea nitrogen. The dog ultimately died after 22 hours of hospitalisation. While this toxicosis is reported in several other species, this is the first case report documenting clinical acute liver failure secondary to zinc phosphide poisoning in a dog. Previous canine reports of zinc phosphide exposure suggest a generally favourable prognosis, whereas this case of toxicity was rapidly fatal, suggesting that reassessment of prognosis secondary to this toxicity is prudent.