Animal poisonings in Belgium: a review of the past decade

This review focuses on poisonings in companion animals, including horses, farm animals and wildlife, investigated and recorded during the past ten years at the Laboratory of Toxicology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Ghent University) and the National Poison Centre in Belgium. The causative agents of poisoning incidents vary among the different species. The Laboratory of Toxicology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine reports that the majority of poisoning incidents in companion animals, and especially in dogs and cats, are due to contact with insecticides and pesticides, whereas horses are more frequently poisoned by plant toxins. Farm animals, on the other hand, are mainly intoxicated by heavy metals, toxic plants and agrochemicals. The Belgian Poison Centre reports that intoxications in companion animals are mostly with agrochemicals, household products and drugs, whereas in farm animals intoxications with agrochemicals are a common problem. This review gives an overview of the most common causes of intoxication and their association with the different animal species. In addition, some rare or difficult to diagnose intoxications are described, which account for a small number of poisoning cases