Todayโs path rounds are on ๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ is a disease caused by ingesting fungus-infested grain, and is the oldest known ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฑ๐ข๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ (toxicity produced by fungi). In fact, ergot toxicity may have been the underlying โcauseโ of the witches identified in the Salem witch trials! Wild.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
This disease primarily occurs in cattle that are on high grain diets, like those in a feedlot or in a dairy.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Ergotism is caused by ๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ญ๐ฌ (a compacted chunk of fungus) of the fungus ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐. These ergots develop on the seed heads of many grain species, like rye, and contain toxins called ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ข๐๐ฌ. Animals ingest the ergot as part of their diet, and become exposed to the alkaloids. With time, the animals develop the clinical disease we know as ergotism.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
The main effect of ergot toxicity is ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐ฏ๐๐ฌ๐จ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, meaning that the vessels at the very peripheral parts of the animal constrict until very little blood flow is allowed through. This results in ๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ (inadequate blood to a tissue) and cell death. Clinically, this appears as ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ (dried out, dead tissue) affecting the feet, ear tips, and tail. These animals are often severely lame, and the affected tissue can ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก (fall off) entirely. Yikes!
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
This disease would be highly suspected if there are multiple animals presenting with dry gangrene on an operation. From there, doing an assessment of the diet to test for the toxic alkaloids can confirm the diagnosis.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
Removal of the problematic grain from the diet is the best first step for mildly affected animals, but unfortunately there isnโt much for treatment of severely affected animals. These animals are often euthanized due to poor prognosis.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1) An example of a grain crop with black ergots on it.
2) A poor cow with chronic ergotism. Note the nasty lesions on the hind legs, the thinned and crooked tail, and the missing ears!
3-4) Severe dry gangrene resulting in complete separation of the foot from the leg. This case was probably frostbite (since itโs a calf) but this could definitely happen in ergotism!
5) Another example of sad feet from ergostism.
6) A sloughed tail tip of a cow with ergotism.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 1. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-2, 5-6 courtesy of Noahโs Arkive.
Photos 3-4 courtesy of University of Calgary Diagnostic Services Unit.
