ABSTRACT
Toxicosis in dogs progresses from vomiting to rapid ascending paralysis of the limbs. If untreated, death results from respiratory paralysis. Current treatment is expensive and involves the use of an undefined antiserum. Little is known about the toxin. It has yet to be characterized and its mode and site of action elucidated. To this end, the toxin is being purified and specific antibodies developed. Earlier attempts at purifying the toxin were hampered by techniques which were too crude to provide sub-stantial purification. Crude Tick Preparation: 100 frozen ticks were homogenized in a 2 ml Wheaton micro tissue grinder containing ice-cold distilled water for 10 min. The insoluble material was then removed by centrifugation at 10000 g for 10 min and 4°C. Molecular sieve chromatography was employed to remove high molecular weight material from the crude extract and to furnish a toxic fraction suitable for anion exchange chromatography.
