copper (redirected from coppers)

copper /cop·per/ (Cu) (kop´er) a chemical element, at. no. 29. It is an essential dietary trace element, a necessary component of several enzymes, but is toxic in excess.

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copper sulfate  cupric sulfate.

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cop·per (kpr)

n. Symbol Cu

A malleable metallic trace element used in its salt forms as an astringent, deodorant, and antifungal, and whose radioisotope is used in brain scans and for diagnosing Wilson's disease. Atomic number 29.

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copper,

n an element and essential mineral that may be useful in the treatment of osteoporosis. Excessive consumption of zinc, use of oral contraceptives, or the drug AZT can lead to copper deficiency, but otherwise deficiency is rare. There are no known precautions for copper sup-plementation at nutritional doses, but mega-doses may lead to nausea and vomiting.

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copper,

n a malleable, reddish-brown metallic element. It is a component of several important enzymes in the body and is essential to good health. A deficiency is rare, because only 2 to 5 mg daily are necessary, and that amount is easily obtained in a normal diet.

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copper

a chemical element, atomic number 29, atomic weight 63.54, symbol Cu. See Table 6. It is necessary for bone formation and for the formation of blood because it occurs in several oxidative enzymes including one involved in the transformation of inorganic iron into hemoglobin.

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copper acetoarsenite

an oldfashioned green pigment used in plaster, wallpaper, etc. A possible cause of chronic arsenic poisoning in very old houses. Called also Paris green.

copper-associated hepatopathy

see bedlington terrier copper-associated hepatopathy.

copper calcium edetate

used as a prophylactic in lambs and calves against swayback and hypocuprosis. Overdosing causes liver damage and severe subcutaneous edema and ascites.

copper-chrome-arsenate poisoning

the preservative in 'treated pine'. Nibbling the wood causes poisoning in confined animals.

copper-molybdenum-sulfate relationship

molybdenum combines with sulfur in the rumen to form Cu-Mo-S complexes (copper-thiomolybdates) which reduce the availability of copper in the ingesta.

copper naphthenate

a complex of copper and naphthenic acid, used as a fungicide and insecticide. A treatment for footrot in cattle and sheep, and for thrush in horses.

copper nutritional deficiency

in ruminants this causes anemia and demyelination in the central nervous system. The deficiency may be primary or secondary due to intervention of high dietary intakes of sulfate and molybdenum. In pigs incoordination and anemia have been recorded. Horses appear unaffected. Called also enzootic ataxia, swayback, coast disease, pine, peat scours, teart, falling disease, hypocuprosis, licking sickness, liksucht. Copper deficiency is rare in dogs and cats and is most likely to occur from excessive supplementation with calcium, which reduces absorption of many minerals, including copper.

copper oxide needles

short lengths given orally to cattle to prevent or control copper deficiency. They lodge in papillae of the rumen and over several months pass to the abomasum where acid digestion makes copper available. They are effective in the control of secondary copper deficiency associated with high molybdenum concentrations in the diet by avoiding the binding of copper in thiomolybdenates which occurs in the rumen.

copper poisoning

may be acute because of accidental administration of inorganic preparations of copper, usually as a worm drench. Chronic poisoning is usually due to grazing on pasture growing on soils naturally rich in copper. The prevalence may be increased by the presence of converter plants, especially subterranean clover, which have a high uptake of copper, or of plants which cause liver damage and the sudden discharge of large amounts of copper which have accumulated in the liver. Such plants are Heliotropium, Senecio and Echium spp. Copper compounds reported to have caused poisoning in animals include the subacetate, oxychloride, chloride, oxide, naphthenate, carbonate, arsenite, sulfate.

Acute poisoning is characterized by gastroenteritis; chronic poisoning is a syndrome of acute hemolytic anemia caused by a sudden elevation of blood copper levels. The obvious signs are jaundice, hemoglobinuria and pallor of mucosae. Poisoning by organic copper preparations administered therapeutically causes nephrosis and death due to uremia. Called also toxemic jaundice. See also bedlington terrier copper-associated hepatopathy.

copper storage disease

see bedlington terrier copper-associated hepatopathy.

copper sulfate

used as a parasiticide in aquariums and in the treatment of foot rot in cattle.