Toxicity of sodium monofluoroacetate (Compound 1080) to mink and European ferrets

The toxicity of sodium monofluoroacetate (Compound 1080) to mink (Mustela vison) and European ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) was evaluated through LC50 and reproduction tests. Subacute dietary exposure to Compound 1080 resulted in dose-dependent decreases in body weights and feed consumption in both species. The mink were more sensitive to Compound 1080 than were the ferrets. The 28-d dietary LC50 for mink and for ferrets was calculated to be 3.2 and 9.4 ppm, respectively. Dietary exposure to 0.80 ppm Compound 1080 for 2 months prior to breeding severely impaired reproduction in the mink, which was presumed to be due to oligo- or aspermia. In young, rapidly growing ferrets, red and white blood cell counts were adversely affected by dietary concentrations of Compound 1080 as low as 1.08 ppm. The 28-d LC50 test, however, revealed that young, rapidly growing animals may be unsuitable for tests of this duration unless precautions are taken to assure that they do not “outgrow” potentially lethal concentrations of the test chemical.