# Nightshade poisoning in cow



## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

I was just talking with a friend. Her boyfriend's bred Angus cow has nightshade poisoning. She has diarreah, looks like she's going into pneumonia and has coordination problems. They're trying to save her. She won't drink. I shared about what I've seen discussed here about treating goats with charcoal and lactated ringers. He's been raising cattle all his life and knows how to treat many things including pneumonia, but they are open to any ideas you may have on helping her.


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

Best thing is to get a vet out to pump her stomach asap. Then she needs to have activated charcoal tubed in her to bind the toxins from the digestive tract. You can't administer any oral medications because the activated charcoal will absorb them and/or make them ineffective. Wait about an hour and administer some more of the activated charcoal. Keep her in a stall where she can't hurt herself, keeping it quiet and lighting low. Sometimes this poisoning can cause the heart to race and be irregular so helping to keep her in a quiet low light environment should help this also, not to mention the effect on the hallucinogenic effects of it.

What kind of nightshade was it? Jimson (loco) weed? there are several varieties including Oleander, which is a common plant in some people's yards.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Moved this out so maybe more people can help


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

I talked to my friend. The cow was still hanging in there, but she's down. Her being pregnant doesn't help. I know they gave her Probios. It was too late to have her stomach pumped when they found her.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

hope they are using the charcoal or read that they also use gypsum in this case
Hope she is doing better would thinkg B1 and the other B vit are in order


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## Bella Star (Oct 27, 2007)

How's the cow now ?


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

Here is something I found:

"Black nightshade, deadly nightshade, garden nightshade, poison berry. Solonum nigrum L. Plate 19. 
Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)

DESCRIPTION. Low, branched annual, 1 to 2 feet high, with angular stems. Leaves alternate, oval, thin textured, with wavy margins. Flowers white, in drooping clusters on lateral stalks between the leaves, somewhat resembling tomato flowers. Fruit a berry, green when immature, turning purplish-black at maturity. A common weed in open woods, fields, waste places, and around farm buildings. 
CONDITIONS OF POISONING. The alkaloidal glucoside, solanine, is present in the leaves, stems and green berries. The plants are less toxic when dried. Most cases of poisoning occur among sheep, goats, calves, pigs and poultry, as mature horses and cows rarely eat enough to be seriously affected. 
SYMPTOMS. The first symptoms are weakness, stupor, staggering gait and constipation, followed by dilated pupils, loss of muscular coordination and sense of feeling. In more advanced cases, cramps and convulsions are typical. The animal will soon die of respiratory paralysis. The progress of the symptoms is often rapid. 
TREATMENT. There is no treatment for nightshade poisoning. Sedatives will help stop the convulsions."

c&p from http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id2/id2.htm


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## Bella Star (Oct 27, 2007)

and THIS is exactly what I have in my hay ! 
This is what was causing my kid to have a raw booty as I see it all thru the hay and the goats are not eating it SOOOooo I bought more hay today and I talked to the hay man and he said it's called HORSE NETTLE (nightshade family) 


> http://texnat.tamu.edu/CMPLANTS/toxic/plants/westernhorsenettle.html


He also told me that animals eat it and poop out the seeds and then it starts growing and spreading in your pasture sooo I am going to bury the 11 bales :sniffle I have left and start buying new fresh CLEAN hay !

NEVER tell the hay man the hay is for goat's as they think goats eat anything ... always tell them it's for horse's


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## Ravens Haven (Oct 26, 2007)

Yep hay folks are a bit on the ignorant side when it comes to goats. I always tell them I want horse quality or dairy quality hay and I get the best but I don't buy any hay except for alfalfa we have started baling our own hay, thanks goodness. I hope both of your animals get better soon.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

I must call my nettles different. i was brought up with this being HORSE Nettle:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stinging_nettle

and this is BULL nettle

http://www.birds-n-garden.com/wf/640_bull_nettle_plant.jpg


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