Difference between revisions of "Vitamin K Deficiency"
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Anticoagulant rodenticide toxiticy is one of the most common causes of acquired coagulopathy in small animals. Warfarin itself has a short half-life and a fairly low toxicity in non-rodent species, so unless large or repeated doses are consumed clinical bleeding is rare. However, the second generation anticoagulant rodenticides are far more potent, and it is possible for a domestic animal to acquire secondary poisoning by ingesting a killed rodent<sup>1</sup>. Dogs are most commonly effected, but predator species such as cats and owls do occaionally suffer from secondary poisonings. | Anticoagulant rodenticide toxiticy is one of the most common causes of acquired coagulopathy in small animals. Warfarin itself has a short half-life and a fairly low toxicity in non-rodent species, so unless large or repeated doses are consumed clinical bleeding is rare. However, the second generation anticoagulant rodenticides are far more potent, and it is possible for a domestic animal to acquire secondary poisoning by ingesting a killed rodent<sup>1</sup>. Dogs are most commonly effected, but predator species such as cats and owls do occaionally suffer from secondary poisonings. | ||
| − | + | The clotting factors - factor VII, factor XI and factors II and X in the extrinsic, intrinsic and common pathways respectively are dependent on Vitamn K when activated by the coagulation cascade. | |
==References== | ==References== | ||
Also see [[Anticoagulant Rodenticide Toxicity]] | Also see [[Anticoagulant Rodenticide Toxicity]] | ||
Revision as of 18:34, 2 October 2010
Introduction
The absolute or relative deficiency of vitamin K can give rise to defective coagulation. Anticoagulant rodenticide toxiticy is one of the most common causes of acquired coagulopathy in small animals. Warfarin itself has a short half-life and a fairly low toxicity in non-rodent species, so unless large or repeated doses are consumed clinical bleeding is rare. However, the second generation anticoagulant rodenticides are far more potent, and it is possible for a domestic animal to acquire secondary poisoning by ingesting a killed rodent1. Dogs are most commonly effected, but predator species such as cats and owls do occaionally suffer from secondary poisonings.
The clotting factors - factor VII, factor XI and factors II and X in the extrinsic, intrinsic and common pathways respectively are dependent on Vitamn K when activated by the coagulation cascade.
References
Also see Anticoagulant Rodenticide Toxicity