AVVELENAMENTO DA OLEANDRO NEL BOVINO DA LATTE IN PUGLIA OLEANDER POISONING IN DAIRY CATTLE IN APULIA

A natural oleander poisoning (Nerium oleander) was observed in dairy cattle breeding in Puglia. After the ingestion of oleander leaves, erroneously added to food, 50 animals, after 24 hours from ingestion, presented an acute phase of disease characterized by depression of sensory, anorexia, ruminal atony, diarrhea, nasal drain, a considerable decline in production and tachycardia. The first bovine died after 48 hours from ingestion, the other animals deaths occurred in a period of 4 days, involving a total of 13 animals. This article describes the acute toxic effects, clinical features, pathological and toxicological characteristics in a oleander poisoning. Furthermore, this paper focuses on such plant dangerousness for humans and animals.