TY - JOUR T1 - CHRONIC SELENIUM POISONING IN DOGS AND ITS PREVENTION BY ARSENIC JF - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther SP - 249 LP - 264 VL - 78 IS - 3 AU - MORRIS RHIAN AU - ALVIN L. MOXON Y1 - 1943/07/01 UR - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/78/3/249.abstract N2 - A study of chronic selenium poisoning in dogs has been made using a basic ration high in grain. As little as 7.2 parts per million of selenium in the ration in the natural form and 10 parts per million as added sodium selenite were toxic as shown by sub-normal growth and restricted food intake. Twenty parts per million of selenium as added sodium selenite induced refusal of food and death in a very short time; and in the natural form this amount of selenium produced severe nervous disorders. The pathological symptoms of chronic selenium poisoning are described. The liver and spleen were the organs most severely affected. Severe ascites occurred in many cases. This was accompanied by extreme dilatation of blood vessels in the abdominal cavity. Arsenic in the form of sodium arsenite added to the drinking water at the rate of 5 parts per million of the water was effective in counteracting or preventing the symptoms of chronic selenium poisoning, when the ration contained as much as 13 parts per million of selenium in the natural form. This amount of arsenic, when fed in addition to the control ration, produced no symptoms of poisoning, but was conducive to the deposition of subcutaneous and abdominal fat. Both selenium and arsenic were found in all tissues of the body examined. The liver, kidney, and spleen contained the most selenium. There was no relationship between the length of time selenium was fed and the amount found in the various tissues. Individual variation was marked. Chronic selenium poisoning has little effect on the commonly determined blood constituents except hemoglobin, and possibly phosphatase activity. The hemoglobin is markedly reduced depending on the severity of the poisoning in each individual case. Arsenic prevented the anemia caused by selenium poisoning. Phosphatase activity is increased in selenium poisoning. Non-protein nitrogen, in general, is lower in chronic selenium poisoning than in the controls, but not markedly so. ER -