b'Vet continued from page 5may not show signs for six months to a year. Signs can beFeed frequent urination, and lesions in and around the mouth. neurologic and include head-pressing, circling, and bizarreDECAYING ORGANIC MATTER Alfalfa hay can become contaminated with beetles that behavior. Loss of appetite and weight loss over time are alsoRotting hay or other organic matter has the potential toare crushed during the crimping process when hay stems common. Horses might consume the plant if it gets baledharbor botulism-causing toxins produced by Clostridiumare broken to hasten drying. Even dried and crushed, the into hay, but because disease onset is slow and clinical signsbotulinum. Horses are highly susceptible to C. botulinumbeetles remain toxic for a long time. Only a few flakes of hay often do not appear until well after the initial exposure thistoxins, which attack the nerves that communicate within a bale might be affected because of the beetles tendency poisoning can be difficult to trace. muscles, leading to general weakness that may progress toto swarm. Unfortunately, short of carefully inspecting each paralysis. Clinical signs of botulism might include inabilityflake, there is no effective way to assess for contamination. OTHERS to eat, drooling, nasal discharge, muscle tremors, difficulty Some nightshades belonging to the Solanum species aregetting up, and difficulty breathing. Toxin ingestion is oneIONOPHORESknown to poison livestock. These plants produce severalof the most common routes of exposure in horses. These antibiotic feed additives, such as monensin, are used toxic syndromes because they contain both steroidalas growth promotors in cattle and poultry diets. Farmers glycoalkaloids that cause severe gastroenteritis andalso use these as antiprotozoal agents to control Coccidia cholinesterase inhibitors that produce neurologic disease.Specific antidotes are available for someinfections. Horses are more sensitive than other livestock Some Solanum species invade into fields and commonlyto ionophores, which influence ion transfer across cell contaminate hay, where they can poison livestock. Otherpoisons. If the poison is known, call themembranes and, thus, affect how nerves and muscles toxin producing plants include pokeweed, castor bean,function. Clinical signs of consumption can include a jimsonweed, locoweed, morning glory and New MexicanNational Animal Poison Control Centerloss of appetite, rapid heart rate, sweating, colic, and black locust. at (888) 426-4435 or (800) 548-2433.unexpected death. Horse feed can become contaminated with ionophores if manufacturers producing a variety of There are various grasses, such as foxtails, medusa headThe center is open 24 hours a day. feed types dont follow proper cleaning protocols between rye and triticale that cause mechanical damage as theyformulating batches for different species. injure mucosal surfaces of the mouth, eyes, ears, skin folds,A small charge is made for their services, and migrate through soft tissues. Avoiding contaminatedFUMONISIN hay and maintaining pastures to avoid exposure isbut is well worth it considering the healthThis mycotoxin/fungal toxin can infect corn prior to recommended. Furthermore, some plants have indigestibleof your horse. You may also call yourharvest or during storage. Hot, dry conditions followed fibers, burrs, and some poorly identified plant parts thatby high humidity are associated with increased fumonisin cause masses in the gastrointestinal tract, especially inlocal hospital and ask for informationconcentrations in growing corn, usually in the Midwest the equine colon, where they increase in size until theyand south. Horses that eat corn containing toxic intermittently or permanently obstruct colonic function andfrom the Poison Control Center. fumonisin levels develop moldy corn poisoning, or equine flow. Of the plants, persimmon has the highest associationleukoencephalomalacia, a rapidly progressing, often fatal because it has been reported to cause epidemic outbreaks ofneurologic disease. Clinical signs might include those equine gastric phytobezoars and colic. BLISTER BEETLES typical of neurologic disease, such as head-pressing, Blister beetles swarm alfalfa fields and can be baledcircling, muscle tremors, weakness, or strange, sometimes There are hundreds of plants that can be toxic. Some growinto alfalfa hay during harvest. Present from mid to lateviolent behavior. Most commercial feed mills test for in specific regions while others are more widespread. Somesummer, they feed on the tops of alfalfa plants. Blisterfumonisin contamination. are always a serious danger and others only under certainbeetles contain cantharidin, a toxic chemical and blistering conditions. To find out which plants to watch for in youragent. Clinical signs typically appear within hours ofIn all cases of suspected poisoning, your veterinarian is your region, talk to your vet or extension agent.ingestion and include gastrointestinal distress, strained andfirst line of defense and should be called immediately. 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