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2304743 
Journal Article 
Abstract 
Chronic toxicity of methylmercury in adult cat 
Charbonneau, SM; Munro, IC; Nera, EA; Armstrong, FAJ; Willes, RF; Grice, HC 
1974 
1 
Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
ISSN: 0041-008X
EISSN: 1096-0333 
29 
1 
138 
English 
WOS:A1974T653800167 
is part of a larger document 3378179 Abstracts of papers for the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology, Washington, D.C. March 10–14, 1974
To obtain data on the effects of long-term consumption of fish containing methylmercury, a chronic toxicity study was undertaken in which adult cats were fed methylmercury-contaminated fish. Doses of 3, 8.4, 20, 46, 74 or 176 μg Hg/kg/day were fed to groups of cats either as methylmercuric chloride or as methylmercury-contarninated fish. Food consumption, weight change, blood mercury concentrations, hematology, urinalysis, serum blood urea nitrogen values and neurological assessment were conducted on all cats. Clinical signs of methylmercury toxicity consisting of ataxia, hypalgesia and loss of balance occurred in cats receiving 176 μg Hg/kg/day after 14 weeks of treatment and in those consuming 74 μg Hg/kg/day after 36 weeks of treatment, at which time the animals were sacrificed. Total mercury and methylmercury concentrations in tissues were correlated with toxic signs, clinical investigations and histopathological findings. 
Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology 
Washington, D.C. 
March 10–14, 1974