title: Prolonged oral cyanide effects on feed intake, growth rate and blood parameters in rabbits.
abstract: Twelve adult rabbits bred locally were divided into two equal groups of 6; experimental and control groups. Rabbits in the experimental group were orally dosed with KCN at 3mg/kg body weight for 40 consecutive days. Members in control group were given placebo (distilled water) for the same period. Animals in both groups were offered feed at 90gm/kg/day while ample drinking water was available ad lib. Feed consumption and body weight of rabbits in both the groups were recorded. Blood samples were also drawn to determine various hematological parameters. Statistical analysis revealed a non-significant difference of total and daily feed intakes in rabbits of experimental and control groups. Whereas the feed efficiency of rabbits in the experimental group were significantly reduced (P<0.05) compared to controls. Likewise a significant decrease in body weight gain of rabbits in experimental group (P<0.05) was observed. A non-significant difference (P>0.05) was observed in leukocyte count, differential leukocyte count and platelets of rabbits in both the groups. Erythrocyte count, hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin were significantly decreased in treated rabbits. It was concluded that chronic cyanide intake had a deleterious effect on feed efficiency, growth rate and blood components of rabbits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avais
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Sarwar
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Arif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Kamran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Jawaria Ali
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: University College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sajid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hameed
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D011190:Potassium Cyanide / Q000633:toxicity*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D011190:Potassium Cyanide