Fiddleneck

Fiddleneck - Poisonious Plants, Toxic to Horses...

Cirrhosis causes hardening and eventual metabolic shutdown of the liver.

The liver can no longer filter out toxic wastes which, among other things, produces disturbances of the nervous system. Affected horses have been known to walk aimlessly for miles, running into objects in their path rather than go around them, pressing their heads into solid objects and occasionally becoming frenzied when they cannot continue. Oftentimes death results from the horse getting hopelessly entangled in a fence or literally walking over the edge of a cliff or ravine.

Other behavioral abnormalities include recklessness, charging, lack of coordination, circling, staggering, "dragging" of the hind limbs, which have been described as the "sleepy staggers". The horse may also appear listless, hang its head and acting sluggish or depressed. Signs of colic may be present, which may include straining, diarrhea and rectal prolapse. Small foul smelling ulcers may appear in the mouth.

The chronic patient will become a poor keeper, show yellow membranes around the eyes and mouth, produce a rough coat and eventually become anemic and die.

healthy horses need to consume amsinckia plants over a period of time before enough liver damage occurs to produce symptoms. Unfortunately, once cirrhosis of the liver develops, it is for all practical purposes irreversible.