Mares in 2004 who got into Nightshade

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Frankie

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Last year I had 6 mares become ill from eating nightshade, (plant). 2 of those mares were in foal and I was so very concerned with their foals. No one had any type of answer as for how it would affect the unborn foal.

One of those mares, Jewel was hit very hard by this poison. For 2 hours vet and others were telling me it was time to let her go. I NEVER want my horses to suffer, I just didn't feel it was right!

Well, Jewel delivered a very healthy, spirited little colt a month ago. He is doing just great! Because Jewel had been so ill, with this colt, waited and had him checked a number of times to make sure all was fine. He is 100% healthy!

Is it not wonders what the mares body can take, yet keep her unborn foal safe! Jewel was 3 months in foal at the time she got into the nightshade.

A great reminder!!!!!!!!!!! Nightshade is NOW flowering! Watch for it!!!!!! Little white flowers, small amount of yellow in the center at the base of the flower. Flower is only the size of a penny. If you have had a good amount of rain lately, it is now flowering. The fruit it turns into later CAN BE DEADLY! If it is dry where you are, may not flower for another 3-4 weeks. Grows in more abundance around fields that have been planted with soybeans.

Nightshade is used for heart medication. It will increase heart rate, respitory rate, both by ALOT! Projectile runs, severe dehydration. Horse will go off food and water. Some will wobble and appear disoriented with high heart rate.

Charcoal suspension is the FIRST thing you should give, in high amounts.

Just wanted to really share my findings on the poison and a mare caring a foal at the time.

thanks
 
Am very glad all turned out well. So where are the pictures of your new foal!!
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Good news on the baby!

I remember the night shade, but does it have another name too?

Enjoy your new baby and post photos!

B
 
Mizbeth, it is Bella Donna- it is used for treating heart problems- it makes the heart beat faster- but, obviously that is under strict professional control only!! I am so glad your mares and foals are OK - I have a couple of Belladonna plants on my fields and never really thought twice about them, but I sprayed them and pulled them when I read your thread last year- I cannot think what got into them to eat the stuff- it smells horrible!!! BUT they did, that's good enough for me. Whatever can happen, will happen!! Oh, my flowers are purple!!!
 
Carolyn,

You are so LUCKY. I remember you post back when your mare was early pregnant. And I remember thinking it was going to be a "wait and see" situation for you.

We have Nightshade even here in the high desert. It is easy to spot when it's blooming. Even our 8 year old knows what it looks like and will point it out.

It's supposed to have an oil to it that you shouldn't allow contact to your skin, so I will wear gloves when I pull it.

MA
 
Congrats on the healthy foal Frankie!

mizbeth said:
I remember the night shade, but does it have another name too?
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There are several varieties of "nightshade" which are part of the Solanaceae family of plants. (Tomatoes and potatoes are part of this family as well!) In the scientific name, it is really common to see "Solanum" at the begining of the name. The thing about nightshade is that some of the fruit really is editable. Others are not! And one more thing, most often the whole plant other than the fruit is toxic as well!

There is hairy nightshade, cutleaf nightshade, black nightshade, and silverleaf nightshade to name a few. The flowers always resemble a tomato blossom in shape and size. And, they can be other colors than white. The fruit can also range in colors from green to black. The silverleaf nightshade has a violet blue colored blossom for example. You can find a picture of the silverleaf nightshade and it's blossom here along with some other varieties: http://www.sunnisan.com/flwrs/noxious2.html

Our pasture, well dry lot now... it was an alfalfa field before it had horses on it) suffers from the cutleaf (Solanum triflorum )and the hairy (Solanum sarrachoides) nightshade. We just tilled it all up before it blossomed to help control it. The thing to remember is to get rid of it before it sets fruit as that fruit will produce hundreds of seeds like a tomato fruit has. And the worst part is that those seeds can remain dormant in the ground for upwards of 30 years!!! Definately a big pain in the rear!

Thanks for the reminder Frankie, and again, congrats on your foal!
 
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What a blessing, and what a relief for you! I'm so glad that mom and baby are doing fine... pictures, please?
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Ohhhhhhhhh, it's Opie! He has been on here, just didn't want to talk of the nightshade until I knew 100% for sure he was 100% healthy!

He is sooooooooooo such a sweety and an IN YOUR face type little bitty guy!
 
That's wonderful, Frankie! I knew that nightshade was poisonous, but not what it did or how to treat it. Thanks for the warning.
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SunQuest said:
There are several varieties of "nightshade" which are part of the Solanaceae family of plants. (Tomatoes and potatoes are part of this family as well!) In the scientific name, it is really common to see "Solanum" at the begining of the name. The thing about nightshade is that some of the fruit really is editable. Others are not! And one more thing, most often the whole plant other than the fruit is toxic as well!
There is hairy nightshade, cutleaf nightshade, black nightshade, and silverleaf nightshade to name a few. The flowers always resemble a tomato blossom in shape and size. And, they can be other colors than white. The fruit can also range in colors from green to black. The silverleaf nightshade has a violet blue colored blossom for example. You can find a picture of the silverleaf nightshade and it's blossom here along with some other varieties: http://www.sunnisan.com/flwrs/noxious2.html

...The thing to remember is to get rid of it before it sets fruit as that fruit will produce hundreds of seeds like a tomato fruit has. And the worst part is that those seeds can remain dormant in the ground for upwards of 30 years!!! Definately a big pain in the rear!
Wow Sunquest, thanks for that information! I did some digging in your links because what my mother identified as nightshade here has purple droplet flowers and grows downward over a fence we have (from the wilds beyond it) instead of being a small growth on the ground. I was beginning to wonder if it was nightshade at all, looking at those pictures, but I finally found it under "Climbing Nightshade."

Kudos to those who make and contribute to these informational posts! You may very well be saving somebody's life.

Leia
 
Thanks for the reminder and for all the good information! So glad your babies have been healthy this year - that one looks like he was worth the wait.
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Jan
 
And "Enchanters Nightshade" Yes, I'm not making it up and I'm saving it for a special foal!!
 
Carolyn thank you for this post. It is a good reminder and I'm heading out on my tractor later on to check for this stuff. I've got a couple of mushrooms that are trying to grow and I keep yanking them.

I'm real happy about your pretty colt too and glad the mare came through as well as she did.

You just did us all a great favor! Will keep my eyes open for that stuff. We had lots in Florida and hopefully none here will grow.
 
Frankie, so good to see you. Thank you for updating us on your mare's experience with nightshade. I am glad things are ok for her and foal.

I was just posting on this yesterday on someone's weed thread and remembered you......so glad you are back to help educate on this issue. I look at it this way.....if ya can educate one person on nightshade.....you are potentially saving a horses life or preventing a severe poisoning by knowing what to do in the situation.
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I THANK YOU for sharing your experience.
 
Here is a great link to search night shade varieties AND a great searchable data base you can find just about any plant on this by common or scientific name

plant data base

Glad to hear all is well with the mares and foal
 

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