Toxicopathological studies of ketoprofen in broiler chicks

The present research work was conducted on 100, day old Cobb-400 broiler chicks to study the toxicopathological effects of repeated dose (21 days) of ketoprofen. The chicks of group I were kept as control while, group II, III and IV were given ketoprofen @ 5 mg/kg, 15 mg/kg, 25 mg/kg body weight orally for 21 days. Clinically, anorexia, dullness, lethargy, lameness, feather plucking and uneven growth was observed in chicks of treatment groups III and IV only. Maximum mortality was observed in group IV (44%) followed by group III (20%) and group II (8%). Sexwise mortality recorded in Cobb-400 was 55.56% and 44.44% in males and females, respectively. A dose dependant reduction in body weight was found in all the treatment groups. The mean values of kidney: body weight ratio was significantly increased in all treatment groups. Marginal reduction in feed consumption was observed in group IV followed by group III and II. Highest FCR of 1.40 was observed in group IV followed by 1.35 in group III, 1.33 in group II and lowest 1.32 was recorded in group I at the end of experiment. The mean values of plasma uric acid, creatinine and BUN were significantly increased in all treatment groups. Grossly, white chalky urate deposits of varying degree on surface of visceral organs and joints were observed in chicks that died during experiment from treatment group III and IV. Microscopically, the lesions were characterized by congestion, haemorrhages, degeneration, necrosis and deposition of urate crystals in kidneys. The overall lesions gave an impression that ketoprofen was nephrotoxic in nature.