Cholecalciferol/ja: Difference between revisions

The mechanism of high dose cholecalciferol is that it can produce "[[hypercalcemia]], which results in systemic calcification of soft tissue, leading to [[kidney failure]], [[cardiac]] abnormalities, [[hypertension]], CNS depression, and GI upset. Signs generally develop within 18-36 hr of ingestion and can include depression, [[loss of appetite]], [[polyuria]], and [[polydipsia]]." High-dose cholecalciferol will tend to rapidly accumulate in [[adipose]] tissue yet release more slowly which will tend to delay time of death for several days from the time that high-dose bait is introduced.

In New Zealand, [[Common brushtail possum|possums]] have become a significant pest animal. For possum control, cholecalciferol has been used as the active ingredient in lethal baits. The [[Median lethal dose|LD₅₀]] is 16.8 mg/kg, but only 9.8 mg/kg if calcium carbonate is added to the bait. Kidneys and heart are target organs. LD₅₀ of 4.4 mg/kg has been reported in rabbits, with lethality to almost all rabbits ingesting doses greater than 15 mg/kg. Toxicity has been reported across a wide range of cholecalciferol dosages, with LD₅₀ as high as 88 mg/kg or LD_Lo as low as 2 mg/kg reported for dogs.