title: Subacute atropine toxicity in a pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps.
abstract: Atropine, an anticholinergic agent commonly used in human and veterinary medicine, is reported to cause toxicity associated with its antimuscarinic action. A juvenile pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps, was treated with atropine in an attempt to relieve symptoms similar to pyloric stenosis, as has been used in humans. Two doses of 0.01 mg/kg were given i.m., 12 hr apart, followed by three doses of 0.005 mg/kg i.m. s.i.d. over the next 3 days. Symptoms associated with atropine toxicity developed gradually and included hyperexcitability, a generalized ascending paralysis of body musculature, shallow, rapid respiration, vomiting, aspiration of seawater, and pulmonary edema. Treatment with physostigmine salicylate (two doses of 2 mg i.m., I hr apart) was effective in counteracting the paralysis, as well as other symptoms, beginning in as little as 17 min after the first dose, and the whale was back to swimming on its own after 8 hr. All overt symptoms of atropine toxicity were gone in about 24 hr, but there were other possible sequella that lasted much longer.
authors.affiliation: Dolphin and Whale Hospital, Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, Sarasota, Florida 34236, USA.
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Manire
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Byrd
authors.forename: Howard L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Rhinehart
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cunningham-Smith
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004232:Diuretics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005665:Furosemide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D010243:Paralysis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D010830:Physostigmine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011707:Pyloric Stenosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D014907:Whales / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D004232:Diuretics; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D001285:Atropine; D005665:Furosemide; D010830:Physostigmine