Intoxicação espontânea por Blutaparon portulacoides em um equino / Spontaneous poisoning by Blutaparon portulacoides in a horse

Background: In the Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeastern Brazil, several outbreaks of poisoning affecting horses, cattleand sheep have been attributed by a number farmers to the consumption of the leaves of Blutaparon portulacoides, a plantfrom family Amaranthaceae, known as “pirrixiu”, “bredo-de-praia” and “capotiraguá”. However, the spontaneous poisoning was reported in the literature exclusively in sheep. Thus, the present study aims to report the clinical signs found in aspontaneous poisoning by B. portulacoides in a horse.Case: A 8-year-old mixed-breed mare, weighing 268 kg, was referred to veterinary care showing loss of appetite anddiarrhea. The clinical evolution was reported by the owner as for six days. During the physical examination, the animalpresented slight apathy, pale mucous membranes, tachypnea, dehydration, intestinal hypermobility, and watery diarrhea.The predominant plant in the paddock where the mare was maintained was B. portulacoides. According to the owner, thepoisoning by this plant is common in the neighborhood of the farm and has already occurred in other species (cattle andsheep). After the origin of poisoning was identified, the access to the plant was restricted and it was established fluid therapyto treat the dehydration. After three days, the animal returned to eat normally and the diarrhea ceased.Discussion: The exclusive feeding of sheep with B. portulacoides is responsible for disorders in the digestive tract, characterized by softening of feces and intestinal epithelial lesions (intestinal villi epithelium detachment, goblet cell hyperplasia,submucosal inflammatory cells infiltrate and infiltration of the lamina propria by mononuclear cells). Given the similarity of the frame displayed by the horse, described in the present report, it is believed that the sensitivity to poisoning by...

Intoxicação espontânea por Blutaparon portulacoides em um equino / Spontaneous poisoning by Blutaparon portulacoides in a horse

Background: In the Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeastern Brazil, several outbreaks of poisoning affecting horses, cattleand sheep have been attributed by a number farmers to the consumption of the leaves of Blutaparon portulacoides, a plantfrom family Amaranthaceae, known as “pirrixiu”, “bredo-de-praia” and “capotiraguá”. However, the spontaneous poisoning was reported in the literature exclusively in sheep. Thus, the present study aims to report the clinical signs found in aspontaneous poisoning by B. portulacoides in a horse.Case: A 8-year-old mixed-breed mare, weighing 268 kg, was referred to veterinary care showing loss of appetite anddiarrhea. The clinical evolution was reported by the owner as for six days. During the physical examination, the animalpresented slight apathy, pale mucous membranes, tachypnea, dehydration, intestinal hypermobility, and watery diarrhea.The predominant plant in the paddock where the mare was maintained was B. portulacoides. According to the owner, thepoisoning by this plant is common in the neighborhood of the farm and has already occurred in other species (cattle andsheep). After the origin of poisoning was identified, the access to the plant was restricted and it was established fluid therapyto treat the dehydration. After three days, the animal returned to eat normally and the diarrhea ceased.Discussion: The exclusive feeding of sheep with B. portulacoides is responsible for disorders in the digestive tract, characterized by softening of feces and intestinal epithelial lesions (intestinal villi epithelium detachment, goblet cell hyperplasia,submucosal inflammatory cells infiltrate and infiltration of the lamina propria by mononuclear cells). Given the similarity of the frame displayed by the horse, described in the present report, it is believed that the sensitivity to poisoning by...(AU)

Fotossensibilização primária em eqüídeos e ruminantes no semi-árido causada por Froelichia humboldtiana (Amaranthaceae) / Primary photosensitization in equidae and ruminants in the Brazilian semi-arid caused by Froelichia humboldtiana (Amaranthaceae)

Fotossensibilização é freqüente em eqüinos no semi-árido da região Nordeste, mas jumentos, mulas, ovinos e bovinos são, também, afetados. A dermatite afeta, principalmente, áreas de pele despigmentadas e os animais se recuperam após serem retirados das pastagens. Para comprovar a etiologia da enfermidade Froelichia humboldtiana (Roem. et Schult.) Seub., coletada no campo foi administrada no mesmo dia da colheita ou após ser mantida em refrigerador por 1-4 dias, por períodos de 30 ou mais dias, ad libitum como único alimento, a 2 jumentos e um ovino branco e, como único alimento volumoso, a um eqüino branco. Esses animais não manifestaram sinais clínicos e as atividades séricas de gama-glutamiltransferase (GGT), aspartato-aminotransferase (AST) e alanino-aminotransferase (ALT) ficaram dentro dos valores normais. Em outro experimento, um ovino foi colocado a pastar diariamente, durante o dia, preso por uma corda em uma área que tinha exclusivamente F. humboldtiana, por um período de 26 dias. Lesões características de fotossensibilização foram observadas 4-5 dias após o início do experimento. Após cessar o consumo da planta, no 26º dia, o ovino recuperou-se totalmente em 30 dias. Em outro experimento, 4 ovinos foram também colocados, presos por cordas, na mesma área. Outros 4 permaneceram como controles em uma pastagem vizinha, mas sem F. humboldtiana. Lesões de pele, características de fotossensibilização foram observadas após 11-25 dias de consumo de F. humboldtiana. As atividades séricas de AST e GGT, e os níveis de bilirrubina sérica permaneceram dentro dos valores normais. No final do período de permanência em pastagens de F. humboldtiana, 2 ovinos foram abatidos e 2 foram retirados da pastagem. Os que foram abatidos não apresentaram lesões macroscópicas nem histológicas do fígado; os outros dois se recuperaram das lesões da pele 17 e 20 dias após o fim do pastejo. Uma égua e seu potro foram colocados na mesma pastagem com F. humboldtiana...(AU)

Photosensitization is common in the Brazilian semiarid, affecting mainly horses, but also donkeys, mules, sheep and cattle. The dermatitis affects mainly non pigmented skin, and the animals recover after being withdrawn from the pastures. To demonstrate the etiology of the disease, Froelichia humboldtiana (Roem. et Schult.) Seub., collected in the field one or two times a week and kept in the refrigerator for 1-4 days, was administered for 30 or more days as the only food ad libitum to 2 donkeys and one white sheep, and as the only forage ad libitum, to one white horse. No clinical signs were observed in those animals, and serum activities of aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), alanine-aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) were within normal ranges. In another experiment, one sheep was tied by a rope, during the day, in a pasture of exclusively F. humboldtiana for a 26 days period. Skin lesions characteristic of photosensitization appeared 4-5 days after the start of the experiment and became severe until day 26. After the withdrawal of the animal from the pasture on day 26 it fully recovered within 30 days. In another experiment, 4 sheep were tied by ropes in the same pasture, during the day, for a 29 days period. Another 4 control sheep were maintained in a neighboring pasture without F. humboldtiana. Skin lesions characteristic of photosensitization were observed after 11-25 days of F. humboldtiana grazing. Serum activities of AST and GGT, and serum levels of bilirubin were within normal ranges. At the end of the 29 days grazing F. humboldtiana, 2 sheep were euthanized, and 2 were withdrawn from the pastures. No gross or histologic liver lesions were observed on the 2 sheep euthanized; the other 2 sheep recovered within 17 and 20 days after the end of grazing. One mare and its foal grazed in the same pasture during 44 days. The mare that had a pigmented skin had no dermatitis, but the foal showed dermatitis on the...(AU)