Toxic Plants of North America

Treatment of Pieris Ingestion in Goats with Intravenous Lipid Emulsion

“…The clinical signs and postmortem lesions in these goats and the ram are similar to those that have been previously described for livestock: anorexia, bloat, obtundation, abdominal pain, regurgitation, and lateral recumbency, with mild gastrointestinal hemorrhage, plant material in the gastrointestinal tract, and secondary aspiration pneumonia [1,2,7]. Other reported lesions include necrosis of the renal tubular epithelium and hepatocytes [7]. Treatment includes removing access to the plant, administration of activated charcoal and a sorbitol or saline cathartic in animals that are not vomiting or regurgitating, and symptomatic and supportive care such as analgesics for pain and treatment of bloat and aspiration pneumonia, which are common causes of death in these individuals [1,2,7].…”

“…Onset of clinical signs in goats is usually within 6 h [1]. The clinical signs and postmortem lesions in these goats and the ram are similar to those that have been previously described for livestock: anorexia, bloat, obtundation, abdominal pain, regurgitation, and lateral recumbency, with mild gastrointestinal hemorrhage, plant material in the gastrointestinal tract, and secondary aspiration pneumonia [1,2,7]. Other reported lesions include necrosis of the renal tubular epithelium and hepatocytes [7].…”

“…Other reported lesions include necrosis of the renal tubular epithelium and hepatocytes [7]. Treatment includes removing access to the plant, administration of activated charcoal and a sorbitol or saline cathartic in animals that are not vomiting or regurgitating, and symptomatic and supportive care such as analgesics for pain and treatment of bloat and aspiration pneumonia, which are common causes of death in these individuals [1,2,7]. No previous reports of ILE therapy for grayanotoxin poisoning were found by the authors.…”

“…There are more than 25 known isoforms of grayanotoxin [6]. Kalmia is known to contain grayanotoxins I, II, and III, of which III and I are considered the most toxic with mouse LD 50 doses of ≤1 mg/kg and slightly >1 mg/kg, respectively [7]. Grayanotoxins are present in all parts of the plant, and the toxic dose of fresh rhododendron foliage for ruminants is reported to be between 0.1 and 0.6 % body weight, though the concentration varies with season, species, and plant [1,7].…”

“…Kalmia is known to contain grayanotoxins I, II, and III, of which III and I are considered the most toxic with mouse LD 50 doses of ≤1 mg/kg and slightly >1 mg/kg, respectively [7]. Grayanotoxins are present in all parts of the plant, and the toxic dose of fresh rhododendron foliage for ruminants is reported to be between 0.1 and 0.6 % body weight, though the concentration varies with season, species, and plant [1,7]. Assuming that pieris has similar toxicity, each of the eight affected animals would have had to ingest ≥40 g foliage, which we estimate to be between 80 and 400 individual leaves, depending on leaf size.…”