sheep ate milkweed!

[Mykee]

I let my one sheep out of the pasture today while I brought the geese to the brook, and on the way up she ate the top off of a milkweed plant. Is there anything I can do to help it pass through her system, and how much would she have to eat to be fatal? Thanks.

 

[WallabyOfChaos]

If she only bit the top out of a single plant then she will probably be just fine. Maybe have a bit of a belly ache, but it's very unlikely that you will notice any difference in her behavior. The Merck Vet Manual says to treat milkweed poisoning with sedatives, laxatives, and IV fluids so if you suspect that she has been poisoned then you will need to haul her in to a vet for treatment.

Here is the link to their poisonous plants chart: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/ttox04.htm

 

[Mykee]

She's all right now, so she must have only eaten a little. Thanks for that link; it will be helpful for future reference!

 

[WallabyOfChaos]

You're welcome. I'm glad to hear she is OK.

 

[purplequeenvt]

Our sheep nibble on milkweed all the time and have never had a problem.

 

[Stacykins]

Our sheep nibble on milkweed all the time and have never had a problem.

They must not eat much, then. Here is a quote from the USDA about milkweed and livestock:

"An average-sized sheep that eats 30-100 gms of green leaves of one of the more toxic species is likely to die of poisoning. It may die within a few hours or live 2 to 4 days. Although many milkweeds contain resinoids, most of the ones that cause fatal poisonings contain cardenolides (cardiac glycosides). These cardenolides are similar to digoxin causing electrolyte balances in heart muscle resulting in arrhythmias and cardiac failure."

Quote found here.

 

[WallabyOfChaos]

They must not eat much, then. Here is a quote from the USDA about milkweed and livestock:

"An average-sized sheep that eats 30-100 gms of green leaves of one of the more toxic species is likely to die of poisoning. It may die within a few hours or live 2 to 4 days. Although many milkweeds contain resinoids, most of the ones that cause fatal poisonings contain cardenolides (cardiac glycosides). These cardenolides are similar to digoxin causing electrolyte balances in heart muscle resulting in arrhythmias and cardiac failure."

Quote found here.

Some plants that people call "milkweed" aren't really milkweeds at all and aren't toxic. Maybe they mean one of those?

 

[Stacykins]

You're probably right. It is important though to properly identify species growing in a foraging area, in case there are any problem species.