This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Poisons , Venoms & Poisonous Plants » Poisons, Poisonous Plants, and Venomous Animals »
  Discussion on Research: Abortions associated with consumption of buttercups
Author Message
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Mar 10, 2016 - 8:58 am:

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
March 15, 2016, Vol. 248, No. 6, Pages 669-672

Abortions in Thoroughbred mares associated with consumption of bulbosus buttercups (Ranunculus bulbosus L)

Thomas W. Swerczek, DVM, PhD

Department of Veterinary Science, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506. (Swerczek)

CASE DESCRIPTION
Unexplained clinical signs of weight loss and emaciation were reported in a herd of Thoroughbred horses grazing spring pastures on a central Kentucky farm, even though supplemental grain and hay were provided.

CLINICAL FINDINGS
A buttercup plant, Ranunculus bulbosus L, was abundantly present in all pastures and paddocks on the farm. All horses, especially lactating mares and their foals, had mild to severe weight loss as assessed by body condition. Seven mares on the farm had been confirmed pregnant between 30 and 45 days of gestation, but were later found to have aborted. Two 2-year-old fillies developed severe diarrhea, incoordination, recumbency, and paralysis and were euthanized. Necropsy of these horses revealed ulcers and erosions in the stomach and large intestine. The findings were considered consistent with buttercup toxicosis.

TREATMENT AND OUTCOME
The horses were moved from the buttercup-infested pastures to a farm free of the weed. All horses made an uneventful recovery, and clinical signs resolved after the horses were transferred to buttercup-free pastures. Mares that had aborted conceived successfully in the next breeding season.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE
The buttercup plant is toxic for all classes of livestock. The clinical signs associated with buttercup toxicosis may mimic other disease synDrOmes affecting the gastrointestinal tract of herbivores. On-farm epidemiological investigations are an essential part of the diagnosis of this condition. Consumption of buttercups has previously been associated with abortions in cattle, but to the author's knowledge, this has not previously been described in horses.
Member:
gramsey1

Posted on Thursday, Mar 10, 2016 - 1:59 pm:

I was under the impression that dried plants were not dangerous. The juice of the live plant is tastes bad and horses generally avoid them. Comments?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Mar 11, 2016 - 7:59 am:

Hello Guy,
I think that impression is right according to what I read in Wikipedia and other sources: The toxic element in the plant is ranunculin, a unstable glucoside found in plants of the buttercup family. On maceration, for example when the plant is wounded, it is enzymatically broken down into glucose and the toxin protoanemonin. The protoanemonin is also unstable so as the plant dries it breaks down to relatively nontoxic amounts of carboxylic acid.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC