What is lethal for mice? - briefly
Highly toxic rodenticides, especially anticoagulant compounds like brodifacoum and bromadiolone, cause rapid death in mice. Acute exposure to heavy metals, cyanide, or extreme temperature extremes also proves lethal.
What is lethal for mice? - in detail
Mice succumb to a range of agents that interfere with essential physiological functions. Toxic substances fall into several categories:
- Rodenticides: Anticoagulants (warfarin, bromadiolone) block vitamin K recycling, leading to uncontrolled hemorrhage. Acute poisons such as zinc phosphide release phosphine gas in the stomach, causing rapid respiratory failure. Metal phosphides, sodium fluoroacetate, and organophosphates disrupt cellular metabolism or acetylcholinesterase activity, resulting in paralysis and death.
- Heavy metals: Lead, mercury, and cadmium accumulate in tissues, impairing renal, neurological, and hematologic systems. Even low‑dose chronic exposure can be fatal.
- Biological toxins: Bacterial endotoxins (e.g., lipopolysaccharide from Gram‑negative infections) trigger septic shock. Mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus or Fusarium species damage liver and kidney cells.
- Extreme environmental conditions: Temperatures below 0 °C for prolonged periods cause hypothermia; exposure to temperatures above 45 °C induces hyperthermia and organ failure. Dehydration and severe electrolyte imbalance also lead to mortality.
Physical trauma is another lethal factor. Predatory attacks by snakes, owls, and feral cats inflict fatal injuries. Accidental crushing, impalement, or entrapment in machinery can cause rapid death.
Physiological deficiencies may be fatal when essential nutrients are absent. Lack of dietary vitamin K, for instance, predisposes mice to spontaneous bleeding, while severe protein deficiency compromises immune competence, increasing susceptibility to infectious agents that can be lethal.
In laboratory settings, overdose of anesthetic agents (e.g., isoflurane, ketamine) or improper dosing of experimental compounds often results in fatal outcomes. Accurate dosage calculations and monitoring are critical to prevent accidental lethality.
Overall, mortality in mice arises from chemical toxicity, heavy‑metal poisoning, biological toxins, extreme temperatures, predation, mechanical injury, and nutritional deficits. Each factor disrupts homeostasis through distinct mechanisms, culminating in organ failure and death.