Toxic Plants in the Midatlantic

Question 1

What is the toxin:
Clinical signs: Exercise intolerance, down, seizures or death
Organ system effected: Blood (oxygen irreversibly bound to hemoglobin) (cyanide toxicity), blood is bright red

Answer 1

Wild Cherry Toxicity

Question 2

What is the onset and toxic dose of wild cherry?

Answer 2

15-20minutes
1-5lbs of dead leaves for a 1200lb cow

Question 3

How do you confirm a diagnosis of wild cherry?

Answer 3

History of dead cherry tree leaves in pasture, necropsy with wild cherry leaves in rumen

Question 4

Hod do you treat for wild cherry toxicity?

Answer 4

Na Thiosulfate/Na Nitrate
100-250ml IV

Question 5

What are some common things mentioned in the history of an animal who is suffering from cherry toxicity?

Answer 5

Cutting trees down in fence row or big storm

Question 6

What is the toxin:
Clinical signs: Dead
Organs effected: heart
History of animals getting out of the pasture or neighbor putting brush or clippings into housing area

Answer 6

Japanese Yew

Question 7

What is the onset and toxic dose of Japanese yew for a 1200lb cow?

Answer 7

1-3 hours
1lb for 1200lb cow

Question 8

How do you confirm this diagnosis of Japanese Yew?

Answer 8

Find bush, history, necropsy and in rumen

Question 9

Treatment of Japanese Yew?

Answer 9

None

Question 10

Why is Japanese Yew a big problem?

Answer 10

Most common decorative bush in U.S. , more toxic as mature through year, suburban encroachment

Question 11

What is the toxin in Japanese Yew?

Answer 11

Taxine

Question 12

What is the toxin:
Clinical signs: Goose Stepping/Stilted Gate, Down, Hyperesthia
Body Systems Affected: Brain (similar to grass tetany)

Answer 12

Buckeye

Question 13

What is the principle toxin of buckeye?

Answer 13

Glycosides aesculin and fraxin and narcotic alkaloid

Question 14

What is the onset time and toxic dose for buckeye?

Answer 14

onset - 12-24 hours
Dose: 0.5% body weight (5lb for 1200lb)

Question 15

How do you diagnose buckeye poisoning?

Answer 15

History of exposure to plant during fall, signs: stiff gain, staggering down due to hyperethesia, necropsy find them in rumen

Question 16

What is the treatment for buckeye poising?

Answer 16

Prevention key - prevent bloat from lateral recumbency, prevent drowning in creek (keep up), prevent falling off cliff
-May give xylazine and ace, mineral oil and magnesium oxide to calm down

Question 17

What is the toxin in buckeye?

Answer 17

Aesculin

Question 18

What is the toxin:
Clinical signs: ADR, hemorrhagic diarrhea, ruminal fluid distension
Organ affected: Kidney - renal tubular necrosis and GIT - watery black diarrhea

Answer 18

Acorn Toxicity

Question 19

What is the onset and toxic dose of acorn toxicity?

Answer 19

Unclear (may take a while)

Question 20

How do you diagnose it?

Answer 20

Hx of fall, ADR, dark diarrhea, very elevated BUN and creatine
Necropsy in rumen

Question 21

Treatment for acorn toxicity?

Answer 21

Supportive care IV and oral fluids
Unrewarding

Question 22

What is the toxin in acorns?

Answer 22

Tannins (from oak tree most common hardwood tree)
-Can cause birth defects in nonlethal dose ingested by cow

Question 23

What is the toxin:
Clinical signs: hoof and tail slough off, in pond, laminitis, decrease growth in stocker, EED in cow during summer heat, may look like infertility
System Affected:

Answer 23

Tall Fescue Toxicity

Question 24

What is the major sign of Rhododendron toxicity? Who normally gets into it? How do you treat it?

Answer 24

Projectile Vomiting
Goats - late winter grazing what’s left
Treat with supportive care (fluids) /nausea med?

Question 25

When does nitrate toxicity typically occur and why? Signs?

Answer 25

Sing: anorexia
Methemoglobin toxin
Chocolate brown blood
Treat wuth % Methylene blue, Vit C
Source: drought stressed plant summer annuals (millet, sorgum, sudan grass, johnson grass and oats)

Question 26

What is the nitrate transformation?

Answer 26

High nitrate forage -> nitrate -> Nitrite -> ammonia -> hemoglobin -> methemoglobin

Question 27

What are some toxic weeds that are rare to cause a problem unless there is nothing else to eat?

Answer 27

Spiny pigweed - kidney failure and nitrate toxicity
Jimson Weed - RR increase, Increase HR, Urination and deification
Sweet Vernal Grass - bleed out like rat poision
perilla Mint - acute respiratory
Pokeweed - diarrhea and colic