The production of cardiomyopathy in turkey poults by the oral administration of furazolidone

Abstract

Furazolidone (FZ) was given to turkey poults two weeks post-hatching by stomach tube in doses of 60 and 80 mg/kg per day, and via the feed at a concentration of 700 ppm. Oral doses were given either as one dose at 8 a.m. or as two equal doses given at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings were used to monitor the development of round-heart disease (RHD) and necropsies were performed on all poults to corroborate the ECG findings. All poults receiving FZ gained significantly less weight (p less than or equal to .05) than control poults. At oral doses of 80 mg/kg per day, the apparent acute toxicity of FZ resulted in high mortality during the first week of the experiment. At necropsy there were no signs of RHD in these poults. Most of the poults given FZ orally in doses of 60 mg/kg per day or at 700 ppm in the feed survived to the termination of the experiments. The majority of these poults showed ECG patterns that are typical of RHD. Myocardial lesions indicative of RHD were present at necropsy.