The acute toxicity of high doses of systemically administered formocresol in dogs.

Formocresol applied to vital pulp tissue may be absorbed systemically. The possible effect of the systemic absorption of formocresol is unknown. The purpose of this project was to determine the acute toxic effect of systemically administered formocresol. Two dogs were anesthetized and Buckley’s formocresol was administered i.v. a t doses of 0.05 and 0.1 5 ml/kg respectively. Blood pressure and heart rate were continuously recorded. Blood samples and timed urine collections were made for chemical analyses and tissue samples were collected for histological evaluation. Transient cardiac arrhythmias occurred in both dogs. A decrease in blood pressure and heart rate occurred in the dog receiving the higher dose. Following formocresol administration, the plasma enzyme profiles demonstrated an elevation in LDH, SGOT and alkaline phosphatase. The urinary SGOT levels were below plasma levels while urinary LDH and alkaline phosphatase paralleled plasma levels. Blood was detected in the urine of each animal. Histologically the kidneys revealed glomerular edema, cloudy swelling and hydropic change of the tubular epithelium. The lungs exhibited an atypical pneumonitis with septal fibrin deposition.