TABLE 15-6.

Common Toxicants Causing Behavioral Changes, CNS Depression, or Coma

Toxicants	Diagnosis	Management	Prognosis
Drugs—narcotics, barbiturates, tranquilizers, marijuana	Degree of depression depends on dose; source of pharmaceuticals or “street” drugs; laboratory analysis of blood or urine	Removal of toxicant, narcotic antagonists, diuresis, support respiration	Good with treatment
α-Naphthylthiourea (ANTU)	Exposure; pulmonary edema; depression and coma terminal; laboratory analysis of stomach contents and tissues	Removal of toxicant, treatment of pulmonary edema	Poor
Ethylene glycol	Exposure; GI irritation, renal failure; oxalate crystals in urine	IV ethanol (30%) with sodium bicarbonate; alternative for dogs—4-methylpyrazole	Poor with coma, fair to good if treated early
Cholecalciferol	Exposure; depression, weakness, cardiac depression, renal failure	Removal of intoxicant; IV saline diuresis, furosemide, corticosteroids	Fair with treatment
Many poisons produce coma terminally