Clinical and pathological studies on intoxication in horses from freshly cut Jimson weed (Datura stramonium)-contaminated maize intended for ensiling : clinical communication

Abstract

Spontaneous intoxication in 34 horses after ingesting freshly harvested maize that was to be used for ensiling and heavily contaminated with young Datura stramonium plants, is described. The clinical status of all horses was monitored for 7 days, and included body (rectal) temperature, respiratory and heart rates, colour and moistness of visible mucosae, changes in pupil size, appetite, thirst, general behaviour, locomotion, sensory perceptions, urination and defaecation. The intoxication was accompanied by altered clinical status, namely mild hyperthermia, tachycardia, polypnoea, dyspnoea and shallow breathing, mydriasis, dry oral, rectal, vaginal and nasal mucosae, acute gastric dilatation and severe intestinal gas accumulation, anorexia to complete refusal of feed, decreased or absent thirst, absence of defaecation and urination. As a result of the treatment, the clinical parameters normalised between days 2 and 5. Necropsies and pathological studies were performed on two horses that died, revealing toxic liver dystrophy, cardiac lesions and substantial dystrophic and necrotic processes in the kidneys. The observed clinical signs, the pathomorphological changes and the applied therapy could be used in the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of Jimson weed intoxication.

Plants poisonous to horses in Europe

“…Clinical signs included mild hyperthermia, mydriasis, dry mucosae, tachycardia, polypnoea, dyspnoea, acute gastric distention and severe intestinal gas accumulation due to adynamic ileus, anorexia, lack of defaecation, thirst and urination (Binev et al . ).…”

“…Post mortem analysis revealed toxic liver dystrophy and extensive dystrophic and necrotic changes in the kidneys and myocardium (Binev et al . ).…”

“…Colic was the most remarkable clinical sign observed in affected horses and one horse died from acute gastric dilatation and rupture (Soler-Rodríguez et al 2006). In Bulgaria, an outbreak of jimson weed poisoning involving 34 horses after ingestion of harvested ensiled corn heavily contaminated with freshly cut jimson weed, was reported (Binev et al 2006a). Clinical signs included mild hyperthermia, mydriasis, dry mucosae, tachycardia, polypnoea, dyspnoea, acute gastric distention and severe intestinal gas accumulation due to adynamic ileus, anorexia, lack of defaecation, thirst and urination (Binev et al 2006a).…”

“…Specific haematological changes such as hyperchromaemia, erythrocytosis, increased haematocrit value and low erythrocyte sedimentation rate were observed and a normalisation of these parameters within 4-5 days of exposure was indicative of the favourable issue of intoxication (Binev et al 2006b). Post mortem analysis revealed toxic liver dystrophy and extensive dystrophic and necrotic changes in the kidneys and myocardium (Binev et al 2006a).…”

Solanaceae Juss.

“…There were some effects with 0.5% or more, but they were not serious, although there were decreases in body and some tissue (liver) weights. In addition to ileus there is a substantial risk of colic with impaction of the large colon and caecum of horses (Naude et al 2005;Binev et al 2006;Gerber et al 2006;Soler -Rodriguez et al 2006). This is equivalent to approximately 1300 -2600 seeds/kg feed.…”