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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2022; 12(11); 1443; doi: 10.3390/ani12111443

Renal Lesions in Horses with Oleander (Nerium oleander) Poisoning.

Abstract: A presumptive postmortem diagnosis of oleander () poisoning is made based on the histological observation of cardiomyocyte degeneration and necrosis, which is considered to be a reliable diagnostic marker, and can be confirmed via the detection of oleandrin in tissues or fluids. However, cardiac lesions may not be present in every case, and autolysis can often preclude the identification of subtle changes in the cardiomyocytes. Several studies of experimental oleander poisoning have noted the presence of renal lesions in multiple mammalian species, and case studies of accidental exposure have found similar, although more variably severe, renal abnormalities. Kidney pathology in horses with oleander poisoning has been only briefly mentioned. In this study, we reviewed 21 cases of spontaneous oleander poisoning in horses, evaluated the kidneys microscopically, and compared the renal microscopic lesions with those detected in 10 horses that died or were euthanized due to other causes to assess if histological renal changes could serve as an additional diagnostic marker for oleander poisoning in horses. We found that microscopic renal lesions, principally mild to moderate tubular changes such as hyaline cast formation, neutrophilic casts, epithelial attenuation and necrosis, as well as mineralization and congestion, occur in horses with oleander poisoning. Most of these changes match the descriptions of lesions previously noted in other species, although with less frequency and severity. Similar lesions were found in horses that died spontaneously due to different causes or were euthanized. We concluded that microscopic renal lesions may be detected in horses with oleander poisoning but they cannot be used as a diagnostic marker that allows differentiation from other disease processes or causes of death.
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Publication Date: 2022-06-03 PubMed ID: 35681907PubMed Central: PMC9179870DOI: 10.3390/ani12111443Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

The research investigates the occurrence of renal lesions in horses suffering from oleander poisoning. The study aims to evaluate whether these renal abnormalities could serve as additional diagnostic markers. However, similar abnormalities were noted among horses that died due to other causes, hence, renal lesions couldn’t be used as a distinct diagnostic marker for oleander poisoning.

Research Context

  • Oleander poisoning, caused by the plant Nerium oleander, can potentially lead to fatal health complications in horses. It’s often diagnosed upon observation of cardiomyocyte degeneration and necrosis during a post-mortem examination, which can be confirmed through the detection of oleandrin – a toxic compound present in oleander.
  • However, cardiac lesions might not be present in every case, and the process of autolysis can sometimes prevent the identification of subtle changes in the cardiomyocytes. This has led researchers to investigate if other markers could help diagnose oleander poisoning – in this case, renal lesions.
  • Previous research had noted the occurrence of renal lesions in other species post oleander poisoning. Their presence and severity varied across species, with the related findings for horses being relatively under-studied.

Research Approach and Findings

  • The researchers reviewed 21 cases of horses with spontaneous oleander poisoning, evaluated the kidneys at a microscopic level and compared these findings with renal microscopic observations in 10 horses that died due to non-oleander-related reasons.
  • The prevalent kidney abnormalities in horses with oleander poisoning included mild to moderate tubular changes such as hyaline cast formation, epithelial attenuation and necrosis, neutrophilic casts, and mineralization and congestion.
  • The changes seen were largely similar to those previously observed in other species. However, they were less frequent and severe in horses.
  • Critically though, similar renal lesions were found in the 10 horses that died due to other causes.

Conclusion

  • The research concluded that while renal lesions can be found in horses suffering from oleander poisoning, they also occur in horses that die from other diseases or conditions. Thus, renal lesions cannot be used as a specific diagnostic marker for oleander poisoning in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Sykes CA, Uzal FA, Mete A, Ochoa J, Filigenzi M, Poppenga RH, Asin J. (2022). Renal Lesions in Horses with Oleander (Nerium oleander) Poisoning. Animals (Basel), 12(11), 1443. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12111443

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 11
PII: 1443

Researcher Affiliations

Sykes, Chelsea A
  • California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • CAHFS Davis Branch, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Uzal, Francisco A
  • California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • CAHFS San Bernardino Branch, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USA.
Mete, Aslı
  • California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • CAHFS Davis Branch, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Ochoa, Jennine
  • California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • CAHFS Tulare Branch, Tulare, CA 93274, USA.
Filigenzi, Michael
  • California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • CAHFS Davis Branch, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Poppenga, Robert H
  • California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • CAHFS Davis Branch, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Asin, Javier
  • California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
  • CAHFS San Bernardino Branch, San Bernardino, CA 92408, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
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