Suspected Vestia foetida poisoning in young goats

Abstract

CASE HISTORY: Two crossbred, castrated male goats, a 5-month-old and an 8-month-old, were observed ingesting Vestia foetida (Solanaceae). Later, the goats were seen standing splay-legged and apparently disoriented.

CLINICAL FINDINGS: When examined, both goats were in sternal recumbency and had mydriasis; the younger goat had a diminished menace response. When the goats were made to stand, they were ataxic and had muscle fasciculations of the hindquarters and face. Both had halitosis consistent with the odour of crushed Vestia leaves. The animals were treated with a mixture of vitamins and intravenous diazepam. The older goat recovered but the younger goat died and was necropsied. This animal had severe periacinar necrosis and fatty change in the liver, as well as fatty nephrosis.

DIAGNOSIS: Probable Vestia foetida poisoning.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The introduction of Vestia foetida to New Zealand and the apparent palatability of the plant necessitate that veterinarians and owners be knowledgeable about its potential toxicity. Differential diagnoses for the liver lesions (in New Zealand) would include Cestrum poisoning, acute seneciosis, acute blue-green algal poisoning, and acute and chronic copper poisoning.

KEY WORDS:

• Plant poisoning
• caprine
• goat
• Vestia foetida
• beta-carboline
• Solanaceae

Acknowledgements

We thank Roy Edwards (Lincoln University) and Kerry Harrington (Massey University) for confirming the identity of the plant; Peter Heenan of Landcare Research, Lincoln, and Ewen Cameron of Auckland Museum for providing information about the occurrence of the plant in New Zealand; and Dave Bull of Massey University for information on the plants on the Massey campus. Thanks to Pat Davey for producing the histological sections, and to Quentin Roper for assistance with the photomicrographs. We thank the owner of the goats for presenting this case.

Notes

¹ R Edwards, Agricultural and Life Sciences Division, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand