Amitraz poisoning in a cat

ABSTRACT: A 4-month-old male Himalayan cat presented with clinical signs of acute lethargy and motor incoordination after being treated with amitraz for parasite control. On clinical examination, the patient was lethargic and ataxic with severe pulicosis, hypothermia, pale mucous membranes, bradycardia, weak femoral pulses, hyperglycemia, and bilateral mydriasis. Blood tests revealed non-regenerative hypochromic microcytic anemia. Serum alanine levels were elevated tenfold. The patient received supportive treatment with atipamezole (an α2-adrenergic antagonist) at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg intramuscularly. After 24 h of hospitalization and constant monitoring, the patient recovered and was discharged. The published literature showed that the active ingredient amitraz is effective in the treatment of some parasitic diseases in cats, such as scabies and demodicosis; therefore, it is still used for this purpose. Given the small therapeutic margin of this insecticide, veterinarians should caution owners about its potential toxicity. This report emphasized the significance of amitraz intoxication in feline species and the success of the treatment, which should be initiated in the first hour after intoxication.

摘要：一只4月龄雄性喜马拉雅猫在使用双甲脒（amitraz）进行寄生虫防控后，出现急性嗜睡与运动失调的临床症状。临床检查显示，该患猫嗜睡、共济失调，伴发重度跳蚤侵染、体温过低、黏膜苍白、心动过缓、股动脉搏动微弱、高血糖及双侧瞳孔散大。血液检测结果提示其患有非再生性低色素性小细胞性贫血，血清丙氨酸水平升高十倍。患猫接受了以0.1mg/kg剂量肌内注射阿替美唑（atipamezole，α2-肾上腺素能拮抗剂）的支持治疗。经24小时住院监护与持续监测后，患猫康复出院。已发表的文献表明，双甲脒的活性成分可有效治疗猫的部分寄生虫病，如疥疮与蠕形螨病，因此目前仍用于该类病症的防治。鉴于该杀虫剂的治疗窗狭窄，兽医应提醒宠主注意其潜在毒性风险。本报告强调了双甲脒中毒在猫科动物中的临床意义，以及中毒后1小时内启动治疗的成功效果，凸显了及时干预的必要性。