Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horses showing trouble breathing after eating goat's rue?
By Blanchard, Tiphaine et al.·Published in Journal of equine veterinary science·2022·Nutrition Department, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Two Cases of Suspected Poisoning With Goat's Rue (Galega officinalis L.) in Horses.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Two Arabian mares, aged 6 and 21, were brought in with serious breathing problems after suspected poisoning from a plant called goat's rue. The older mare had severe difficulty breathing and foamy nasal discharge, while both showed signs of fluid in their lungs. They had been grazing in a meadow where the toxic plant was found in their hay. After changing their diet and providing treatment, the younger mare recovered completely in just three days, while the older mare took about two weeks to get better.
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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 on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35853554/