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Liver Poisoning: Alsike Clover, Kleingrass (Panicum sp.), and
Pyrrolizidine Containing Plants in the Horse
by Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Introduction
Introduction
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Symptoms Overview
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Alsike Clover
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Kleingrass (Panicum sp.)
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Pyrrolizidine Poisoning Overview
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Tansy Ragwort, Groundsel, Senecio sp.
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Crotalaria (rattlebox or rattlepod)
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Amsinckia
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Other Pyrrolizidine Containing Plants
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Treatment and Prognosis
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More Info
There are several plants or weeds that commonly infest horse pasture that are known to be toxic to the liver. The medical term for this is hepatotoxic. Often the toxin is pyrrolizidine but in some cases the toxin is not known. Some of the more common plants that are known toxic include:
- Pyrrolizidine Containing Plants
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are potent liver toxins that have been identified in over 6,000 plants throughout the world. About half of the identified PAs are toxic and several cause cancer though this is not reported in horses. PA-containing plants are the most common poisonous plants that affect livestock.
- Crotalaria (rattlebox or rattlepod)
- Heliotropium
- Amsinckia (fiddleneck)
- Senecio (dozens of common names including ragwort and groundsel)
- Unknown Toxin
- Alsike Clover (Trifolium)
- Kleingrass (Panicum)
This article discusses the plants which are hepatotoxic, their characteristics, how to identify them, and how to control them. Symptoms, treatment, and prognosis are briefly covered but covered in great detail in the article on Liver Disease and Failure, ...more..
~Word Count: 3489 words (The average magazine page contains about 600 words);
~Last Updated: September 08, 2009;
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