Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Trema micrantha toxicity in horses in Brazil.
- Journal:
- Equine veterinary journal
- Year:
- 2010
- Authors:
- Bandarra, P M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Departmento de Patologia Clí · Brazil
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In Brazil, two horses became very sick after eating the green leaves of a plant called Trema micrantha. They showed signs of being very tired, had trouble moving, went blind, lay down and couldn't get up, paddled their legs, fell into a coma, and sadly, both died. When examined, they had bleeding in various parts of their bodies, liver damage, and swelling in the brain. The changes seen in their tissues were similar to those found in other animals poisoned by this plant, suggesting that Trema micrantha poisoning should be considered when diagnosing liver problems and related brain issues in horses.
Abstract
After ingesting green leaves of T. micrantha, 2 horses showed apathy, locomotor deficit, blindness, recumbency, paddling, coma and death. The main gross findings were scattered haemorrhages, enhanced lobular pattern of the liver, and cerebral oedema. Histological changes included disseminated haemorrhages, massive hepatocellular necrosis, neuronal degeneration, Alzheimer type II astrocytes and cerebral perivascular oedema. Clinicopathological findings which were comparable with those observed in Trema micrantha poisoned ruminants, associated with epidemiological evidence suggested the diagnosis.Trema micrantha poisoning should be evaluated as a possible cause in the diagnosis of equine hepatopathy and occasional secondary encephalopathy.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20636784/