Abortion and neonatal mortality in sheep poisoned with Tetrapterys multiglandulosa.
Tetrapterys spp. have been reported as a cause of cardiac fibrosis, status spongiosus of the nervous system, and abortion. To study the intoxication by Tetrapterys multiglandulosa, 24 sheep were divided into 4 experimental groups of 4 sheep each and 1 control group. Groups 1 to 3, respectively, received 1, 1.5, and 3 g/kg body weight of the dry plant daily, starting on the 90th day of pregnancy. Group 4 received 1.5 g/kg from the 120th day of pregnancy to the end of gestation. All sheep from groups 2 and 3, except 1 that was submitted to cesarean delivery, aborted between 110 and 134 days of pregnancy. Seven fetuses had anasarca. Seven lambs from groups 1 and 4 were weak and died or were euthanatized. The other 2 were born weak with mild nervous signs but recovered. Cardiac fibrosis and status spongiosus of the nervous system were observed in newborn lambs and fetuses.
Central de Diagnóstico Veterinário, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Campus de Castanhal, Universidade Federal do Pará, Maximino Porpino da Silva, no 1000, Pirapora, Castanhal, PA 68743-080, Brazil. griet@ufpa.br
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Riet-Correa
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Riet-Correa
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Schild
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Barros
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Soares
D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D005260:Female; D029581:Malpighiaceae / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*