Pesticide Poisoning Report 2011 - SASA

INCIDENTS IN 2011NUMBER OF INCIDENTS IN 20117. A total of 237 suspected poisoning incidents were referred to the WIIS Scotlandthroughout 2011 (Figure 1). Four incidents were excluded leaving 233 incidentsaccepted for subsequent investigation.Pesticides and other chemicals were detected in 94 separate incidents i.e. 40%of all incidents investigated (Appendix II).260Number of incidentsreferred annually to the WIIS-Scotland2402202332372001901801601401201441671351671271581521211571771751661001997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011YearFigure 1. Number of incidents referred to the WIIS (Scotland) per annum (1997-2011).8. The cause of death or illness was established in 129 incidents. 25 of theseincidents involved pesticides and were assigned to an appropriate WIIScategory. In the remaining 104 incidents, death of the animal was concluded tobe due to starvation (28), disease (7), trauma (68) and ethylene glycol (1).9. One incident was attributed to the approved use of pesticides. The details of theincident were forwarded to SASA by Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD)(http://www.hse.gov.uk/index.htm) after a veterinary surgeon reported treating adog that had became ill after ingesting “Bio Slug Mini Pellets” containingmetaldehyde. Three incidents were categorised as misuse. Two involved dogsand the other involved cattle. In a further 5 incidents, it was not possible toidentify a specific source of the pesticide residues detected and the cause ofeach incident was categorised as unspecified use. Sixteen incidents werecategorised as abuse. Further details of these poisoning incidents are providedin the Categorised Incidents section. A breakdown of all 233 incidents ispresented in Tables 1-3.4