The following information regarding Selenium Toxicity has been taken from the National Research Council Nutrient Requirements of Horses, Fifth Revised Ed.
| The maximal tolerable level of selenium
in horses is estimated at 2 mg/kg of diet (NRC, 1980), and the LD50 for orally administered selenium is considered to be approximately 3.3 mg of
selenium (as sodium selenite)/kg of body weight (Miller and Williams, 1940). Copper
pretreatment can increase the LD50 markedly
(Stowe, 1980). Acute selenium toxicity--blind staggers--is characterized by apparent blindness, head pressing, perspiration, abdominal pain, colic, diarrhea, increased heart and respiration rates, and lethargy (Rosenfeld and Beath, 1964). Chronic selenium toxicity-alkali disease-is characterized by alopecia, especially about the mane and tail, as well as cracking of the hooves around the coronary band (Rosenfeld and Beath, 1964; Traub-Dargatz and Hamar, 1986). There are anecdotal accounts of immediate death after administration of injectable vitamin E/selenium preparations. These deaths appear due to an anaphylactoid sensitivity of the horse to a carrier ingredient in the injectable preparations and not to the toxicity of selenium or vitamin E. |
Back | |
| HorseTech NuSe | ||
| HorseTech Home |