Production Animal Clinical Toxicology

Plants | Epidemiology | Pathogenesis | Clinical Signs | Clinical Pathology | Necropsy | Diagnosis | Treatment | Control

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Plants

Acacia georginae - Georgina gidyea, gidgee

Oxylobium spp. - e.g. Box poison

Gastrolobium spp. - e.g. Cluster poison

Epidemiology

animal factors

• Acacia:
• eaten generally only when feed scarce
• well conditioned, more aggressive animals more likely to successfully compete for seeds/pods and hence die
• driving/drinking may hasten death

plant/environmental factors

• some of the most toxic plants in Australia
• Acacia:
• fluoroacetate mostly in seeds/pods
• wide range of toxicity with some plants eaten with impunity
• Gastrolobium, Oxylobium:
• highly palatable at all stages of growth, so are particularly dangerous
• toxic agent essentially in leaves

Pathogenesis

• fluoroacetate inhibits aconitase in citric acid cycle
• latent period before clinical signs as energy metabolism is blocked at intermediate stage; once clinical, death is rapid in onset

Clinical Signs

• sudden death
• convulsions; cardiac arrhythmia
s
• less acute cases: animals reluctant to move
• tremble and go down
• may be found dead with neck and legs extended, mouth open and tongue protruding
• may die after apparent recovery

Clinical Pathology

• high blood levels of citrate

Necropsy

• myocardial haemorrhage and flabbiness

Diagnosis

• history
• presence of plants
• definitive diagnosis difficult to establish

Treatment

• unrewarding

Control

• grazing management
• fencing
• plant destruction