Synonyms

No known synonym

Name of the disease in English

Mercurialis annua poisoning

The disease in brief

Mercuriale is a common plant found along roadsides and crops, or sometimes mixed with fodder crops offered to cattle (rapeseed, beetroot, etc.). It also grows on cereal stubble after the harvest; it is appreciated by cattle in late summer or autumn. The disease is not uncommon in regions where cattle graze on pastures.
forage crops in the field such as beets or rapeseed, because this is the 4th reason for calls to the CNITV (4.3% of calls). 1 to 3 kg/day for 4-6 days or 3 to 20 kg in one dose are the toxic doses reported by the CNITV. Cattle can be poisoned by silage containing mercury.

Clinic & diagnosis

-When cattle in the pasture, in summer or autumn, show signs of depression and stop eating, this can be suspected.
poisoning if examination of the patients shows:
– A normal temperature.
– Pale to pale yellow conjunctival or vaginal mucous membranes
– Urine that is the color of coffee (or port wine!) or pink.
– Diarrhea or constipation in the final stages.
The suspicion becomes more consistent when Mercuriale is found in the plots where the cattle were staying.

Typical sign of the disease

Pictures

See below

Diagnostic formulas

No description

Differential diagnosis

Babesiosis UR14

-Babesiosis-Mixed infection-Anaplasma marginale/and/or Theileria buffeli/OR M.Wenyonii N9

-Theileriosis at T. Buffeli N45

– Poisoning by cabbages, onions, garlic-N24

– Copper-N23 poisoning

Confirm a suspicion?

-The symptoms suggest kidney damage; breeders often know if the cattle may have consumed mercury, if they can find the name given to the plant in the region.

Prognosis and treatment

No description

Prevention

Monitor Mercury in forage crops.

References

Jouve C. (2009) Contribution to the development of a website on plant toxicology in ruminants: Monographs of the main plants incriminated according to data from CNITV-Th. Med .Vet. Claude Bernard-Lyon University1 271p