CLINICAL AND HAEMATOLOGICAL STUDIES ON EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED SELENOSIS IN CROSSBRED COW CALVES

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Sciences, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004, India

Abstract

     The effect of sodium selenite induced subacute and chronic toxicity on clinical and haematological parameters was studied in cross-bred cow calves. Subacute and chronic selenosis was induced by oral administration of sodium selenite at dose rate of 2.5 mg/kg for 21 days and 0.25 mg/kg for 16 weeks, respectively. Toxic manifestations in subacute selenium toxicity included anorexia, salivation, redness of eyes, swelling of joints, wound formation in the pastern area, reluctance to move, diarrhea, stiffness of neck, labored breathing and subnormal body temperature and recumbeacy in terminal stages. In chronic selenosis, main symptoms observed were rough hair coat, alopecia, swelling of coronet, enlargement of the hooves, interdigital lesions and gangrene at the tip of tail. Both forms of selenosis significantly affected blood haemoglobin, packed cell volume, total erythrocyte count and total leukocyte count. However, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin were significantly altered in chronic toxicity only. There was no significant effect of selenosis on erythrocyte sedimentation rate and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration. 

Key words: Selenium, toxicity,  subacute and chronic, haematology, cow calves.