Monensin poisoning in Brazilian horses

Vet Hum Toxicol. 1999 Dec;41(6):383-5.

Abstract

Three outbreaks of monensin poisoning caused 12 deaths in 16 horses. The illnesses were associated with the ingestion of the same batch of a commercial ration labeled for feeder calves which contained 180 +/- 20 ppm sodium monensin. The morbidity rate was 100% and lethality was 60%, 75%, and 100%. Clinical signs were tachycardia and cardiac arrythmia, groaning, incoordination, sudoresis, recumbency, and paddling movements with the limbs before death. Two horses had dark discolored urine (myoglobinuria). Serum levels of creatine phosphokinase activity were increased. Main necropsy findings were in the skeletal muscles and myocardium.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Coccidiostats / poisoning*
  • Creatine Kinase / blood
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary*
  • Horse Diseases / chemically induced*
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horses
  • Ionophores / poisoning*
  • Monensin / poisoning*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / drug effects
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Coccidiostats
  • Ionophores
  • Monensin
  • Creatine Kinase