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Suspected Poisoning of Puppies by the Mushroom Amanita Pantherina

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Suspected Poisoning of Puppies by the Mushroom Amanita Pantherina Case report — Gevalverslag Suspected poisoning of puppies by the mushroom Amanita pantherina T W Naudéa and W L Berryb encountered, and therefore seldom ABSTRACT recorded. A serious complicating factor in Amanita pantherina poisoning is suspected as the cause of a severe, transient neurological the diagnosis of mushroom intoxication disorder in three 5-week-old German shepherd puppies. There was very strong circum- in animals is their inability to communi- stantial evidence that this mushroom had been eaten, and the signs encountered were cate that mushrooms have been ingested. similar to those described in confirmed field cases of intoxication in dogs. It was also in Furthermore, the soft texture of the fungi many respects consistent with the syndrome seen in humans. A veterinary perspective on results in rapid fragmentation, so that the hallucinogenic Amanita spp. is given and the veterinary literature on mushroom they may not be readily recognised in intoxication is briefly reviewed as, in contrast to humans, it is not often reported in animals. This is the 1st report of suspected mushroom intoxication of animals in South Africa. vomitus, lavage fluid or at necropsy. In addition, there are the problems of Key words: Amanita pantherina, canine, coma, hallucinogenic mushroom, ibotenic acid, syndrome divergence (vide supra) and the intoxication, muscimol. lack of knowledge required to identify the Naudé T W, Berry W L Suspected intoxication of puppies by the mushroom Amanita causative mushroom and connect it pantherina. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association (1997) 68(4): 154–158 (En.). with the signs of intoxication observed. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Nevertheless, a number of mushroom Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa. intoxications have been reported in the veterinary literature that correspond more or less with the above syndrome INTRODUCTION methylhydrazine and causing similar classification for humans18. Mushrooms are divided into those that but less severe cytotoxicity. This report describes the 1st recorded are edible, those that are not edible and 4. A group causing muscarine-related case of suspected Amanita pantherina those that are definitely toxic. The last symptoms such as salivation and poisoning in dogs in South Africa, with a group are popularly referred to as toad- increased gastrointestinal motility. brief review of the veterinary literature on stools, a name anglicised from the 5. An interesting group that causes mushroom poisoning. German ‘todestuhl’ (death chair), sensitivity to alcohol by inhibition of apparently derived from the belief that acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (thus MUSHROOM POISONING IN toads sitting on these fungi render them not of veterinary importance). ANIMALS toxic (McKenney and Stutz cited by 6. The hallucinogenic mushrooms. This A review of the veterinary literature Ridgway27). From a clinical and diagnostic category can be subdivided into the according to species revealed the follow- perspective in humans, toxic mushrooms Psilocybe-group, causing an halluci- ing: are grouped by Lampe18 according to the genic syndrome not associated with Mushroom intoxication is rare in 6 main syndromes encountered: sleep or coma, and a group causing ruminants. Ramaria flavo-brunnescens is the 1. A diverse group responsible for delirium associated with sleep or only mushroom known to regularly usually transient gastrointestinal coma. Both Amanita pantherina and cause intoxication in cattle and sheep in irritation ascribed to a variety of toxins A. muscaria fall into the latter group. Brazil and Paraguay. The syndrome was (probably the most commonly seen Ramaria flavo-brunnescens poisoning of recently reproduced again in cattle syndrome). ruminants constitutes a exceptional addi- and the pathology described in detail. It 2. The Amanita phalloides-group, contain- tional clinical veterinary category, in appears that the toxin results in no or ing cyclic polypeptides responsible for which the toxin interferes with keratinisa- incomplete and irregular keratinisation the most serious and often fatal tion17. of keratinocytes, leading to loss of intoxication: delayed, irreversible Mushroom poisoning in humans is hooves, horns, tail hair and smoothing cytotoxicity affecting predominantly relatively common and is well recorded. of the dorsum of the tongue17. This the liver and kidney. The most important factors contributing unique intoxication syndrome is, to our 3. The Gyrometra-group, containing to intoxication are, firstly, confusion of knowledge, the only mushroom toxic mushrooms with edible species, as poisoning that has not been recorded in considerable experience is required to humans. This mushroom is associated differentiate between them, and secondly with Eucalyptus trees and the poisoning is, aEmiritus Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of the recently emerging but widespread therefore, commonly known as Eucalyptus Pretoria. Present address: Division of Toxicology, practice of deliberate use of hallucino- disease. Neither the syndrome nor the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa. genic mushrooms for ‘recreational species has been recorded in this region, 23 bDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, purposes’ . although a related species, R. formosa, University of Pretoria. Present address: Neurol- Except for Ramaria17, animals apparently occurs in the Western Cape Province in ogy/Neurosurgery Service, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of do not eat mushrooms by choice to any association with bluegum (Eucalyptus) California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. extent. Consequently, intoxication is trees and ingestion is reported to 30 Received: September 1997. Accepted: November 1997. incidental, apparently not frequently result in severe diarrhoea in humans . In 154 0038-2809 Tydskr.S.Afr.vet.Ver. (1997) 68(4): 154–158 sheep in northern Europe, Cortinarius specimen of the same species died. No vestibular signs and convulsions followed speciosissimus proved to be the cause of pathological data were, however, by coma. When respiratory arrest occurred fatal kidney damage24. The genus occurs recorded9. Only 1 case where a 7-week- 9 h later, artificial respiration was applied locally in South Africa19 but is apparently old pup was seen eating botanically for 45 min., but normal breathing only not common. Only 2 further speculative identified A. verna a day before death resumed after intravenous corticosteroid case reports could be traced, describing is recorded. The pathology and histo- therapy. The coma, however, lasted for a gastroenteritis in cattle that might have pathology in this case, as well as in a 12- further 5 h and was followed by unevent- resulted from ingestion of mushrooms7,25. week-old pup where the mushroom that ful recovery21. Probably because horses are fastidious was eaten was not available but the owner grazers, only 1 report, describing described something resembling A. phal- CASE REPORT suspected hallucinogen-containing loides, were consistent with this category mushroom intoxication13, could be found. of intoxication20. In a confirmed case of History Similarly, despite the fact that swine are Category 3 intoxication (less severe The incident occurred in January 1991 omnivorous, only a single case of intoxica- hepatotoxicity), a 10-week-old cocker on a small agricultural holding just east of tion in a Chinese pot-bellied miniature spaniel was observed eating a mushroom, Pretoria where the owner had been living pig, ascribed to ingestion of Scleroderma vomited 2–3 h later, became lethargic for 18 years. A number of well-established citrinum, has been recorded11. This after 6 h and was presented comatose to trees occur on the property, including common earth ball (or puff ball) is widely the veterinarian. It died 30 min later. a number of Cedrus deodora (deodar distributed in the more humid parts of Pathological investigation revealed indi- cedars). A German shepherd bitch with southern Africa, where it is associated cations of a haemolytic crisis with renal six 51⁄2-week-old pups was kept in a well- with pine trees30. tubular necrosis and periacinar hepatic constructed, lock-up kennel with a Cats also apparently do not eat mush- degeneration, leucocytosis and erythro- cement floor. During the day the bitch rooms to any extent, as only 1 article phagocytosis. Samples collected in the roamed freely and the pups had access to describing 2 incidents of suspected mush- pasture where the dog was found a kikuyu lawn extension in front of the room intoxication in this species could be chewing the mushroom proved to be kennel that was temporarily enclosed traced22. In 1 case, transient gastrointesti- Gyrometra esculenta which contains with loose partitions of coarse mesh wire nal irritation and near coma occurred in a monomethylhydrazine1. This genus has fencing. This fence had contained the cat that had been eating an unidentified not been recorded in South Africa pups successfully up to that stage, but as mushroom. In the other case, neurological (A Eicker, Department of Botany, Univer- they became older and stronger they signs and neuropathology in addition to sity of Pretoria, pers. comm., 1997). started to crawl through the loose fencing liver necrosis of undetermined origin Transient vomiting and diarrhoea and roam nearby. were
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