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Equine veterinary journal2020; 52(6); 848-856; doi: 10.1111/evj.13258

Acute, subacute and chronic sequelae of horses accidentally exposed to monensin-contaminated feed.

Gy, C
·
Leclere, M
·
Bu00e9langer, MC
·
Allano, M
·
Beauchamp, G
·
Lavoie, JP

Abstract: Monensin is highly toxic to horses and inadvertent ingestion can result in cardiac injury and death. Objective: To describe sequelae of monensin ingestion and to determine clinical predictors of outcome. Methods: Observational clinical study. Methods: Physical examination, electrocardiogram and echocardiography were performed on 76 horses accidentally exposed to monensin-contaminated feed. Four horses were examined within 14 days of exposure (acute period), 29 horses were examined between 15 and 45 days post-exposure (subacute period) and 70 horses were examined 4-10 months after exposure (chronic period). Follow-up information was obtained for 56 horses by telephone interviews approximately 16 months after exposure. Results: Cardiac abnormalities were detected in 4/4, 19/29 and 31/70 horses during the acute, subacute and chronic periods, respectively. Sixteen months post-exposure, 34 of the 64 horses (53%) for which the outcome was known had returned to their previous use, 13 (20%) were reported to be exercise intolerant, three (5%) were retired and 14 (22%) were dead (two deaths, 12 euthanasia). Thinning of the myocardium observed at any point in time was associated with a negative outcome. Heterogeneity of the myocardium observed in the acute/subacute period was associated with a negative outcome while subjective contractile intraventricular dyssynchrony, cardiac chamber dilation, decreased fractional shortening and multiple premature ventricular complexes observed in the chronic period were associated with a negative outcome. Some horses with significant changes associated with a negative outcome in the chronic phase still returned to their previous work. Conclusions: No control group and only 27 horses were examined more than once. Conclusions: Clinical outcome of horses exposed to sublethal doses of monensin is highly variable. The presence of heterogeneity and thinning of the myocardium shortly after intoxication were associated with a negative outcome.

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Publication Date: 2020-03-24 PubMed ID: 32145094DOI: 10.1111/evj.13258Google Scholar: Lookup

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Summary
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Affiliations
MeSH
References
Citations

Journal Article
Observational Study
Veterinary

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research investigated the effects of accidental monensin ingestion in horses, observing its acute, subacute, and chronic impacts, focusing particularly on cardiac implications. Drawing from physical examinations, electrocardiograms and echocardiographies of affected horses, the study aimed to delineate both the sequela of monensin poisoning and identify clinical predictors of outcome.

Research Methods

The study conducted an observational clinical investigation on 76 horses that had accidentally ingested monensin-contaminated feed.
The horses were studied during different periods after exposure: four horses were examined within 14 days of exposure (acute period), 29 horses were examined between 15 and 45 days after exposure (subacute period), while 70 horses were examined 4-10 months after exposure (chronic period).
Follow-up information was obtained for 56 horses through telephonic interviews approximately 16 months post-exposure.

Research Findings

Cardiac abnormalities were demonstrated across all three periods: 4/4 horses during the acute phase, 19/29 in the subacute phase, and 31/70 in the chronic phase.
At 16 months post-exposure, 53% of horses (34 out of 64, where the outcome was known) had returned to their previous levels of utility, 20% were reported as exercise intolerant, 5% were retired, while 22% were either dead (2 horses) or euthanized (12 horses).
At any point in time, thinning of the myocardium was associated with a negative outcome. Heart muscle heterogeneity detected in the acute/subacute period, and multiple premature ventricular complexes observed in the chronic period were also associated with negative outcomes.
However, even some horses exhibiting significant changes associated with negative outcomes in the chronic phase were able to return to their previous work.

Conclusion

The overall clinical outcome of horses exposed to non-lethal doses of monensin is highly variable.
Early indicators of negative outcomes include myocardial thinning and heterogeneity observed shortly after intoxication.
The primary limitation of the study was the absence of a control group and the fact that only 27 horses were examined more than once.

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APA

Gy C, Leclere M, Bu00e9langer MC, Allano M, Beauchamp G, Lavoie JP. (2020). Acute, subacute and chronic sequelae of horses accidentally exposed to monensin-contaminated feed. Equine Vet J, 52(6), 848-856. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13258

Publication

Equine veterinary journal

ISSN: 2042-3306

NlmUniqueID: 0173320

Country: United States

Language: English

Volume: 52

Issue: 6

Pages: 848-856

Researcher Affiliations

Gy, Clu00e9mentine

Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitu00e9 de Montru00e9al, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.

Leclere, Mathilde

Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitu00e9 de Montru00e9al, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.

Bu00e9langer, Marie-Claude

Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitu00e9 de Montru00e9al, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.

Allano, Marion

Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitu00e9 de Montru00e9al, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.

Beauchamp, Guy

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitu00e9 de Montru00e9al, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.

Lavoie, Jean-Pierre

Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitu00e9 de Montru00e9al, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.

MeSH Terms

Animals
Echocardiography / veterinary
Electrocardiography
Horse Diseases / chemically induced
Horses
Monensin / adverse effects
Monensin / toxicity
Myocardium

References

This article includes 28 references

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.

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Henn D, Venter A, Ferreira GCH, Botha CJ. The In Vitro Cytotoxic Effects of Ionophore Exposure on Selected Cytoskeletal Proteins of C2C12 Myoblasts.. Toxins (Basel) 2022 Jun 30;14(7).
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