Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Two Cases of Suspected Poisoning With Goat's Rue (Galega officinalis L.) in Horses.
- Journal:
- Journal of equine veterinary science
- Year:
- 2022
- Authors:
- Blanchard, Tiphaine et al.
- Affiliation:
- Nutrition Department · France
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This report discusses two cases of Arabian mares, one 6 years old and the other 21 years old, that were suspected of being poisoned by a plant called goat's rue. Both horses showed signs of trouble breathing and fluid in their lungs during a physical exam, with the older mare also having severe breathing difficulties and foamy discharge from her nose. They had been grazing in the same area where hay containing traces of goat's rue was available for them to eat. After changing their diet and providing treatment, the younger mare fully recovered in three days, while the older mare took about two weeks to get better. This shows that even though horses usually avoid fresh goat's rue because it doesn't taste good, they can still get sick from it if it's mixed into dried feed.
Abstract
The present report describes two novel cases of suspected intoxication with Galega officinalis in 6- and 21-year-old Arabian mares displaying acute respiratory signs. Both animals showed signs of pulmonary edema at physical examination, with the oldest of the two also manifesting severe dyspnea and foamy nasal discharge. The mares were grazing on the same meadow with hay available ad libitum. Botanical analysis of the latter showed traces of the toxic plant Galega officinalis (L.), which has been daily ingested at a dose of around 14 g of dry matter for three days. Based on the respiratory signs and the presence of goat's rue in the mares' feed, a presumptive diagnosis of plant poisoning was assumed. Dietary change and treatment allowed the 6-year-old mare to fully recover in 3 days while a longer period of about 2 weeks was necessary for the older horse. Horses avoid eating fresh goat's rue as its palatability is low, yet poisoning may still happen in these species when the plant is found in dried and processed feed material.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35853554/