Cardiomyopathy in ostriches (Struthio camelus) due to avocado (Persea americana var. guatemalensis) intoxication.
Nine out of 120 ostriches died from congestive heart failure within 96 h of ingesting avocado leaves and immature fruit in an avocado orchard containing Hass and Fuerte cultivars. Foliage and immature fruit from both cultivars dosed to ostriches (n = 4) and domestic hens (n = 8) resulted in severe cardiomyopathy in all the ostriches. In the hens, which had received a lower dose, milder lesions occurred. Macroscopically the intoxication in ostriches resulted in a severe anasarca of the neck and ventral body. The cardiomyopathy was characterised by degeneration and necrosis of myocytes, a marked infiltration of heterophils and in one case, early fibroplasia.
Burger
W P
WP
Ostrich Research Centre, Oudtshoorn, Republic of South Africa.
Naudé
T W
TW
Van Rensburg
I B
IB
Botha
C J
CJ
Pienaar
A C
AC
D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D001717:Birds; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005638:Fruit / Q000506:poisoning*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary