Abstract

MUSSART, N.B et al. Intoxicación por “cafetillo” (Cassia occidentalis) en bovinos del nordeste argentino. Rev. vet. [online]. 2013, vol.24, n.2, pp.138-143. ISSN 1669-6840.

Two spontaneous episodes of poisoning with Cassia occidentalis in cattle from Corrientes and Chaco (Argentina), are reported. Accidents were due to the ingestion of forage contaminated with the toxic leguminous and 60 animals died. Signology was characterized by anorexy, diarrhea, dehydration, muscular tremors, wobbly march, sternal or lateral decubitus, pedalling, opisthotonos, dyspnea and death. Pods and seeds of C. occidentalis were found in rumen content. Acute inflammation and/or tissular necrosis (neutrophilic leukocytosis) with concomitant anemia (in some cases masked by hemoconcentration, with increase of total proteins) were revealed by clinical pathology. Biochemical alterations were in concordance with the histopathological changes. Myocardium as well as muscles from pelvis and back legs revealed coagulative necrosis areas (rhabdomyolysis), with increased CPK, LDH and AST levels. Hepatomegalia and liver color alteration correlated with the microscopic findings of fatty periportal degeneration and coagulative centrilobular necrosis, alterations compatible with hepatic damage indicated by decrease of serum albumin and increments of globulins, bilirubin and ALP, GGT and AST enzymes. Kidneys were edematous and revealed swelling of tubular epithelial cells and obstruction of cortical and medullar tubules by hyaline cylinders. These renal alterations coincided with the serum increases of urea, creatinine and inorganic phosphorous, as well as the discoveries of proteinuria, leukocyturia, cylindruria and hematuria (myoglobinuria?). C. occidentalis poisoning in cattle may be considered as a possible diagnose when gastrointestinal, muscular, hepatic, respiratory and renal symptoms are present at the same time.

Keywords : Cattle; Intoxication; Cassia occidentalis; Symptoms; Biochemistry; Histopathology.

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