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

ABSTRACT

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...