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School of Veterinary Science
UQ VETS Dayboro
School of Veterinary Science UQ VETS Dayboro

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Wild Tobacco

Wild Tobacco

Solanum species  - wild tobacco, devil's apple and box thorn are common examples in the Dayboro area.   

Description

  • species range from annual herbs to large, soft-wooded shrubs
  • all have star-shaped, 5-lobed (or sometimes 4-lobed) flowers in shades of white or blue to purple
  • the fruits are succulent, with numerous flattened seeds, usually in a juicy pulp -  green, yellow, red or black when ripe 
  • many species have straight or curved prickles on the stems, leaves or calyx of the flowers

Toxicity, Symptoms and Lesions

  • safer to assume that any species of Solanum is potentially poisonous unless determined otherwise
  • applies at least to the leaves and immature fruits
  • ripe fruits of many species appear to be fairly safe    
  • intensely irritant to the gastrointestinal tract
  • Main sign is diarrhoea, sometimes bloodstained
  • associated with loss of appetite and nause
  • not readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract
  • intoxicated animals sometimes die within a short time but often they recover.
  • in some cases the pupils are dilated, in others they are not affected
  • some animals that show nervous symptoms may recover after a few days
  • others may become emaciated with a rough coat, loss of appetite, constipation and abdominal dropsy

Management

  • hungry stock should not be given access to plants

Differential Diagnoses

  • gastrointestinal tract syndrome: worm infestations, white scours (calves <14days old), bacteria, coccidia, cryptospordiosis, viral causes, mouldy feed, lead poisoning, Johne’s disease, vitamin A deficiency, plant toxicities (bracken fern poisoning) central nervous system syndrome: lead poisoning, nitrate poisoning, sporadic bovine encephalomyelitis and transmissible serositis complex, ketosis, babesiosis (tick fever), plant toxicities (Swainsona), pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning (eg Crotalaria toxicity), vitamin A deficiency

 

 

  

  • Emergency
  • Small Animal
  • Equine
  • Cattle
  • Farm Animal
    • Toxic Plants
      • Lantana Toxicity
      • Poison Peach
      • Wild Tobacco
  • Wildlife
  • Fees and Payment
  • FAQs
  • COVID-19 (coronavirus) advice: latest information
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