![]() ![]() Information about the effects that methylmercury exposures can have on your healthĮxposures to Elemental (Metallic) MercuryĬommon exposures: When most exposures to metallic mercury occur, they occur because mercury is released from a container, or from a product or device that breaks.Guidelines for eating fish that contain methylmercury.More about emissions of mercury into the air.Mothers who are exposed to methylmercury and breast-feed may also expose their infant children through their milk. This presented evidence that the nervous system of a developing infant may be more vulnerable to methylmercury exposures than an adult nervous system. ![]() In past outbreaks of methylmercury poisoning, mothers with no symptoms of nervous system damage gave birth to infants with severe disabilities. As a result, they may be exposed to much greater mercury contamination than the general population. Some communities eat significantly more quantities of fish than the general population. Populations Particularly Sensitive to Methylmercury Exposures Fish is a beneficial part of people's diet, and we encourage people to eat fish low in methylmercury. In a given water body, the highest concentrations of methylmercury are generally found in large fish that eat other fish. The levels of methylmercury in fish and shellfish depend on: Microorganisms in waterbodies can change it into methylmercury, where it builds up in fish and shellfish. Once in the air, mercury eventually settles into bodies of water like lakes and streams, or onto land, where it can be washed into water. While the risk of mercury poisoning is probably very low for most cats, there are some steps you can take to help keep your cat as safe as possible.Mercury gets into the air from a number of sources. Image Credit: Kachalkina Veronika, Shutterstock How Can I Protect My Cat From Mercury Poisoning? Therefore, we have little information about the overall prevalence of methylmercury toxicity in cats and whether mildly affected patients are surviving. Symptoms can be similar to other neurologic conditions, so veterinarians may not consider testing for methylmercury and mild cases may be going undiagnosed. Other than the specific cases mentioned in this article, there are very few reports of confirmed methylmercury toxicity in cats. Cats who do survive may have permanent neurologic impairments and reduced kidney function. The damage to organs caused by methylmercury is irreversible, and the prognosis for severely affected patients is poor. There is currently no evidence to show that chelation therapy (which has been used in cases of acute poisoning caused by inorganic mercury salts) is helpful in these cases. Treatment involves providing supportive care and preventing further exposure. Unfortunately, there is no specific antidote for chronic methylmercury toxicity. It can take several weeks for methylmercury to build up in the body to a level where signs of toxicity become apparent. Several recent studies (like this one) have raised concern about methylmercury levels in commercial pet foods. There was another report of cats with Minamata Disease in Ontario, Canada in the 1970s. You may have heard of the “dancing cats” of Minamata, Japan, whose symptoms resulted from large amounts of mercury waste being dumped into Minamata Bay by a petrochemical plant in the 1950s (thousands of people were also affected). Historically, methylmercury poisoning has been observed in cats who consumed large amounts of contaminated fish. Since exposure to elemental and inorganic mercury is not very common in cats, this article will focus on mercury poisoning caused by chronic exposure to methylmercury. It exists in several forms, such as elemental mercury, found in some thermometers, inorganic mercury salts/compounds used in industry and the production of certain chemicals, and organic mercury (e.g., methylmercury) known to bioaccumulate through food chains, especially in fish.Ĭats are very sensitive to the effects of methylmercury in particular. Mercury is a heavy metal found everywhere in the environment. How Can I Protect My Cat From Mercury Poisoning? What Are the Signs of Mercury Poisoning in Cats? ![]()
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