Khaneri Lantana leaf Khaneri Lantana leaf poisoning poisoning

Shukhariya in cattle Shukhariya in cattle buffaloesbuffaloes

Dr.Kedar KarkiDr.Kedar Karki

introductionintroduction

► All lantana should be treated as All lantana should be treated as poisonous to stock. Red flowered poisonous to stock. Red flowered varieties are thought to be the most varieties are thought to be the most toxic but some white and pink toxic but some white and pink flowered varieties can also be highly flowered varieties can also be highly toxic. toxic.

introductionintroduction

► Most lantana poisoning occurs when Most lantana poisoning occurs when stock unfamiliar with the plant are stock unfamiliar with the plant are introduced to areas where lantana is introduced to areas where lantana is found. Young animals are most at risk.found. Young animals are most at risk.

► Stock bred in lantana-infested country Stock bred in lantana-infested country tend to avoid it unless forced to eat it tend to avoid it unless forced to eat it through lack of adequate food. through lack of adequate food.

Species affected Species affected

►Species affected by lantana poisoning Species affected by lantana poisoning include cattle, sheep, goats, guinea include cattle, sheep, goats, guinea pigs and rabbits. Further research is pigs and rabbits. Further research is needed to determine the long term needed to determine the long term effects of lantana on goats and camels effects of lantana on goats and camels

ToxicityToxicity

►

►Significant lantana toxins are the Significant lantana toxins are the triterpene acids, lantadene A triterpene acids, lantadene A (rehmannic acid), lantadene B, and (rehmannic acid), lantadene B, and their reduced forms. A toxic dose for a their reduced forms. A toxic dose for a 500 kg cow varies from about five to 20 500 kg cow varies from about five to 20 kg of fresh leaf (one per cent or more of kg of fresh leaf (one per cent or more of an animal's body weight), depending on an animal's body weight), depending on the toxin content of the lantana eaten. the toxin content of the lantana eaten.

Symptoms of lantana Symptoms of lantana poisoning on cattlepoisoning on cattle

►excessive skin sensitivity to sunlight excessive skin sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitisation) (photosensitisation)

► liver damage liver damage ►yellow discolouration (jaundice) of the yellow discolouration (jaundice) of the

whites of the eyes and gums, and skin whites of the eyes and gums, and skin of the nose and mouth of the nose and mouth

Poisoned animals may show Poisoned animals may show signs of: signs of:

► ►reddening and inflammation of reddening and inflammation of

unpigmented (white) skin; muzzle may unpigmented (white) skin; muzzle may become inflamed, moist, ulcerated and very become inflamed, moist, ulcerated and very painful (pink nose) and slough (fall off) painful (pink nose) and slough (fall off)

►swelling of ears and eyelids if unpigmented swelling of ears and eyelids if unpigmented ►reddening and discharge from the eyes reddening and discharge from the eyes

(conjunctivitis) (conjunctivitis)

Poisoned animals may show Poisoned animals may show signs of: signs of:

► ►ulceration of the tip and under surface ulceration of the tip and under surface

of the tongue (if unpigmented) of the tongue (if unpigmented) ►blow fly and bacterial invasion of raw, blow fly and bacterial invasion of raw,

exposed flesh, in chronic cases; exposed flesh, in chronic cases; affected skin may slough leaving raw affected skin may slough leaving raw ulcerated surfaces. ulcerated surfaces.

The animal may also:The animal may also:

►

►avoid sunlight (photophobia) avoid sunlight (photophobia) ►stop eating stop eating ►appear sluggish, weak and depressed appear sluggish, weak and depressed ►urinate frequently urinate frequently

The animal may also:The animal may also:

►become constipated (most commonly) become constipated (most commonly) or have diarrhoea with strong-smelling or have diarrhoea with strong-smelling black fluid faeces in severely affected black fluid faeces in severely affected animals animals

►become dehydrated. become dehydrated. ► In severe cases, death may occur in In severe cases, death may occur in

two to four days, but it is more common two to four days, but it is more common for affected animals to take one to for affected animals to take one to three weeks to die, if untreated. three weeks to die, if untreated.

post-mortem symptoms: post-mortem symptoms:

►yellow discolouration of tissues (jaundice) yellow discolouration of tissues (jaundice) ►hard, dry, mucus-covered faecal masses hard, dry, mucus-covered faecal masses

in large intestine in large intestine ►dry, undigested plant material in the dry, undigested plant material in the

rumen rumen ►swollen and discoloured (yellow to orange) swollen and discoloured (yellow to orange)

liver liver ►swollen gall bladde swollen gall bladde

post-mortem symptoms:post-mortem symptoms:

►swollen and pale kidneys that turn swollen and pale kidneys that turn green when exposed to air and cutting green when exposed to air and cutting

►ulcerated cheeks, muzzle, nostrils, ulcerated cheeks, muzzle, nostrils, tongue and gums (in severe cases in tongue and gums (in severe cases in cattle). cattle).

Cattle may become sun sensitive and their skin may blister after eating lantana

Calves poisoned by lantana stop eating and become weak and depressed

Jaundice (yellow discolouration) of eye

Post-mortem changes—note enlarged gall bladder and yellowing of all tissues

Photo-sensitisation in cow

TreatmentTreatment

►Contact your vet quickly! Contact your vet quickly! ► If animals lose their appetite, stop If animals lose their appetite, stop

drinking, show signs of jaundice and/or drinking, show signs of jaundice and/or develop reddening of the muzzle, they develop reddening of the muzzle, they should be moved to lantana-free areas should be moved to lantana-free areas and kept in the shade. and kept in the shade.

Effective treatment may Effective treatment may include: include:

► giving intravenous fluids and encouraging giving intravenous fluids and encouraging the animal to eat the animal to eat

► treating skin damage with antibiotics and treating skin damage with antibiotics and sunscreens; other drugs can provide relief sunscreens; other drugs can provide relief but are available only on veterinary but are available only on veterinary prescription prescription

► drenching with a slurry (2.5 kg activated drenching with a slurry (2.5 kg activated charcoal in 20 litres of electrolyte charcoal in 20 litres of electrolyte replacement solution for cattle; 500 g in 4 replacement solution for cattle; 500 g in 4 litres for sheep and goats). litres for sheep and goats).