INDICATIONS
ToxiBan Granules, ToxiBan Suspension and ToxiBan
Suspension with Sorbitol are most effective when administered as soon as
ingestion of a toxicant is suspected. They can also be used in some toxic
emergencies when absorption of the toxicant is nearly complete or the exposure
was via a parenteral route. This application usually involves repetitive or
multiple dose activated charcoal use. Multiple doses of charcoal may be useful
in adsorbing toxins which undergo enterohepatic circulation. Drugs such as
digitoxin which are subject to biliary secretion are constantly secreted into
the gastrointestinal tract and are reabsorbed resulting in prolonged toxicity.
Frequent doses of activated charcoal can adsorb those toxins, interrupt the
enterohepatic circulation, thereby preventing their reabsorption, and enhance
toxicant elimination from the body into the gastrointestinal tract. Treatment
with ToxiBan should be designed to inactivate at least 80% of an ingested
toxicant. Normal body detoxification mechanisms combined with specific or
symptomatic antidotal therapy are used to inactivate or counteract the toxicant
that is not adsorbed by ToxiBan.
Adsorption of a toxin can occur anywhere along the
gastrointestinal tract. However, to be most effective, ToxiBan should be
administered as soon as ingestion o f a toxicant is suspected or at the onset
of signs of toxicosis. If an oral emetic, such as syrup of ipecac, hydrogen
peroxide, or apomorphine is used, ToxiBan should not be used until after
emesis. There should be a delay of thirty to sixty minutes between the
conclusion o f emesis and the administration of ToxiBan Granules, ToxiBan
Suspension or ToxiBan Suspension with Sorbitol to avoid regurgitation of the
treatment.
When gastric lavage is used to facilitate stomach
evacuation, a single dose of ToxiBan may be administered in the early stages of
this procedure. The primary advantage of using ToxiBan with gastric lavage is
that early administration of activated charcoal permits prompt adsorption of
the toxicant. The only disadvantage is that the lavage returns will be black,
thus making it difficult to visually evaluate the ingesta. Only ToxiBan Suspension
or Granules should be used with this technique. After completion of the lavage
procedure, ToxiBan Suspension with Sorbitol may be administered via the lavage tube
before its removal.
Multiple dose activated charcoal is also used in what is
termed gastrointestinal dialysis in which the toxin passively diffuses along a
concentration gradient between blood perfusing the gastrointestinal tract and
the luminal fluids. Multiple treatment doses adsorb the toxin preventing its
reabsorption which further maximizes the concentration gradient which permits
diffusion of even more toxin into the GI tract. While not all toxins respond to
this treatment, lipophilic, uncharged and not extensively protein bound
compounds are effectively eliminated in this way. Phenobarbital and
theophylline are examples o f toxins which can be eliminated more rapidly using
this concept.
ToxiBan Suspension with Sorbitol should not be used in
each dose of the multiple dose activated charcoal regimen unless it is
necessary to achieve catharsis. Since ToxiBan Suspension with Sorbitol contains
sorbitol, it may produce excessive catharsis and resultant fluid and
electrolyte problems if used at each dosage interval (see PRECAUTIONS). ToxiBan
Suspension should be used at the dosage intervals when ToxiBan Suspension with
Sorbitol is not being used.
Catharsis should only be used intermittently during
multiple dose activated charcoal use.
There are no specific recommendations established for
when to stop multiple dose charcoal therapy. Clinical judgment should be used
in conjunction with consideration of which agents were ingested, serum
concentration, clinical status of the animal, and any pertinent considerations
specific to the animal being treated.
If catharsis of activated charcoal does not occur within
eight hours following the use of ToxiBan Suspension with Sorbitol, an
additional dose of sorbitol at 1.5 mg per kilogram may be administered. Or if
desired, a saline cathartic such as magnesium citrate or sodium or magnesium
sulfate may be used at a dosage of 1 gram/kilogram if the patient's renal
function is not compromised.
In most herds with accidental acute poisonings, the
dosages of the toxicant are obviously unknown and the decision relative to
which animals to treat and the dosage levels of ToxiBan Granules are
judgmental. In instances involving valuable or prized animals or small herds it
is probably prudent to treat all animals which were possibly exposed. In large
herds, treatment with ToxiBan may be delayed until signs of toxicosis are
elicited. In any case, overdosing with ToxiBan will cause no untoward effects.
ToxiBan Granules will be used to treat acute toxicosis in
most cases, but it may be administered daily or mixed in feed in subacute or
chronic toxicosis, to enhance the body clearance and excretion of certain
already absorbed drugs or toxicants. An example of the latter is the hastening
of excretion o f chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides from body fat of food-producing
animals. When ToxiBan is administered repeatedly on a daily basis, ToxiBan will
also depress the action of oral antibacterials, such as sulfonamides and antibiotics,
when used concurrently with such drugs.
Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Insecticides
Chemicals in this group include aldrin, chlordane, DDT,
dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, lindane, mirex, methoxychlor, perthane, TDS, and
toxaphene. Clinical signs of poisoning from these compounds usually occur
within 24 hours after ingestion or dermal application and are predominantly
neuromuscular, characterized by hyperexcitability and tonoclonic convulsions.
ToxiBan should be administered whenever signs are noted. It may be necessary to
control convulsions, before or after administering ToxiBan, by use of light
anesthesia with pentobarbital or chloral hydrate or by tranquilizing. The
animal should be cooled if body temperature increases exceedingly. If toxicosis
is from dermal applications the pesticide should be removed by bathing with
water and soap. ToxiBan administration should be repeated every 6 to 8 hours
until signs subside.
Organophosphate Insecticides
Chemicals in this large group include Abate, azinphos
methyl, azodrin, bidrin, carbophenothion, Ciodrin, chlorfenvinphos, coumaphos,
dasanit, demeton, fensulfothion, dichlofenthion, dichlorvos, dimethoate,
dioxathion, disulfoton, dursban, dyfonate, EPN, ethion, famphur, fenthion,
Imidan, malathion, methyl parathion, methyl trithion, mevinphos, mocap,
parathion, naled, phorate, phosdrin, phosphamidon, rabon, ronnel, Ruelene,
tepp, and trichlorfon.
Carbamate Insecticides
These chemicals include baygon, BUX, carbaryl,
carbofuran, and landrin. The organophosphate (O-P) and carbamate insecticides
have largely replaced the chlorinated hydrocarbons for agricultural use. Both
of these types of chemicals are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, and acute
toxicosis is due to over stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system.
Signs generally include salivation, gastrointestinal hypermotility, dyspnea,
miosis, twitching and stiffness o f skeletal muscles. Small animals may exhibit
excess CNS stimulation. Signs of poisoning by carbamates and O-P pesticides are
usually evident within minutes to hours after ingestion, but may be delayed for
several days in the case of the systemic O-P compounds, such as coumaphos and
ruelene.
Atropine sulfate is the preferred pharmacologic antidote
for carbamates and O-P insecticides. The recommended dosage is 0.5 mg/kg body
weight in all animals. The average horse may receive 65 mg; the average dog may
receive 2 mg. Initially, approximately 1/4 of the dose should be injected
intravenously, and the rest given intramuscularly or subcutaneously.
If animals are known or thought to have ingested any of
these toxicants, ToxiBan should be given first followed by atropine when signs
first appear. Atropinization usually lasts 2 to 4 hours, and if signs persist,
atropine injections should be repeated every 2 to 4 hours. Two or three doses
of atropine injections may be necessary. ToxiBan administration should be
repeated every 6 to 8 hours until signs subside.
Oximes, such as 2-PAM (protopam chloride, TMB-4,
pralidoxime) are useful treatments for O-P toxicosis, but not for carbamate
poisoning. Intravenous dosages of 20 mg/kg body weight are recommended and can
be given with atropine and ToxiBan. The opiates, succinylcholine and
phenothiazine tranquilizers are contraindicated for treatment of carbamate and
O-P poisonings.
Alkaloids
Strychnine, nicotine (cigarettes) and many poisonous
principles in weeds are alkaloids. ToxiBan is effective in inactivating
alkaloids, but the animal must be treated to alleviate the signs due to the
absorbed alkaloids.
Animals poisoned with strychnine should be anesthetized
with intravenous injections of pentobarbital sodium or by other suitable
methods and then given ToxiBan by oral infusion. The prognosis is poor in
animals poisoned by nicotine, but ToxiBan should be given by oral infusion
followed by artificial respiration and administration of oxygen. Animals known
or thought to have ingested a toxic alkaloid should be given prophylactic doses
of ToxiBan.
Synthetic Herbicides And Fungicides
Generally speaking the organic herbicides and fungicides
are not toxic at their normal application rates. Animals may be poisoned by
voluntary ingestion of the pure chemical or by careless incorporation into
rations during farm feed mixing.
Ethylene Glycol
ToxiBan is effective and increases survival rate if used
early in the treatment of cases of ethylene glycol (antifreeze) poisoning. To
be effective, ToxiBan must be administered within 4 hours after ingestion of
the antifreeze occurs. Any history of ethylene glycol ingestion should be
handled as a medical emergency and the animal treated immediately unless
advanced clinical signs have occurred. TESTS FOR ETHYLENE GLYCOL MUST BE
CONDUCTED BEFORE TOXIBAN IS ADMINISTERED TO PREVENT FALSE POSITIVE REACTIONS.
Miscellaneous Use For ToxiBan
ToxiBan is indicated whenever synthetic organic drugs
have been administered accidentally or mistakenly in overdoses. Included in
this list are the barbiturates, tranquilizers, narcotics, salicylates (aspirin),
pyrazolon drugs (phenylbutazone), stimulants, and diuretics.
ToxiBan can be used in cases of toxic bacterial enteritis
and in ruminants with toxic overload as an adsorbent of putrefactive toxins, as
well as the catecholamines and bacterial endotoxins. It should be used as an
adjunct with other treatments, such as rumenotomies, fluid therapy, and
restoration of acid-base balance by adding sodium bicarbonate at about 2 mg per
kg mixed in the slurry with the ToxiBan. Charcoal has been reported to adsorb
mercuric salts, but is not considered a generally satisfactory antidote for
heavy metal poisoning.
ToxiBan is indicated in garbage poisoning of dogs.