Blister Beetle Toxicosis in HorsesChristine Navarre
blister beetle n. Any of various beetles of the family Meloidae, such as the Spanish fly, that secrete cantharidin, a substance that blisters the skin and is toxic to livestock that consume hay contaminated with the beetles. Also calledmeloid. ...
You only need to seek medical attention in severe cases of blister beetle exposure. This includes when it gets in your eyes and when it’s swallowed. If you or your pet has swallowed blister beetles or products made with them, you need to call poison control as soon as possible. Their n...
poisoning or death. While horses are usually the most affected, you should continue to monitor your pet’s health for signs of blister beetle bites. Check forsymptoms of poisoningsuch as anorexia, salivation, a purple-blue line on the gums and bloody urine or stools. Consult a veterinarian ...
Wagner shares data from studies showing that 1 milligram of cantharidin per 2.2 pounds of body mass can be lethal for horses. Each adult blister beetle may contain 1 to 5 mg of the toxin, with the striped species averaging about 5 mg and the ash-gray species averaging 1 mg. For perspecti...
“I have seen stripped [by blister beetles] trees in a straight line several hundred feet long.” If inadvertently harvested and bailed in large numbers with alfalfa, the blister beetle, which contains a toxic chemical compound called “cantharidin,” can poison domestic animals, especially horses...
Blister beetle poisoning (cantharidiasis) of horses has been well documented. Primary exposure to blister beetles is through consumption of contaminated lucerne hay. Confirmed cases of bovine cantharidiasis due to natural exposure have not previously been documented in veterinary literature. This report...
feed alfalfa hay, a concern in many parts of the country is the risk of blister beetle poisoning.Blister beetles are small (1/2 to 1 inches in length) insects that contain and secrete a chemical substance called cantharidin, which is extremely toxic to people and animals, especially horses....