Aconitum spp. is toxic to horses. The reported severity is severe. Also known as Monkshoods, Baneberries, Cohoshes, and Winter Aconites and Columbian Monkshood.
If your animal ate this plant, call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control on (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661. Fees may apply.
Drooling Bloat Cardiac Arrhythmias Difficulty Breathing Weakness Incoordination Paralysis
The color of each symptom follows the severity scale above.
Aconitum, also known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, devil's helmet, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous, frequently toxic perennial plants are chiefly native to the mountainous parts of the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia, growing in the moisture-retentive but well-draining soils of mountain meadows.
Members of the genus Aconitum contain substantial amounts of highly toxic alkaloids (such as aconitine, mesaconitine, and pseudaconitine), especially in their roots and tubers. Ingestion of as little as 2 mg of aconitine or 1 g of plant material may cause death from respiratory paralysis or heart failure. Mild to severe toxicity may be experienced from skin contact. Symptoms such as numbness and tingling and feelings of coldness in the face and extremities usually appear within one hour of exposure, and sometimes almost immediately. Other features may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, dizziness, difficulty in breathing, headache, and confusion. In severe poisoning, sensations of tingling and numbness spreads to the limbs, and pronounced motor weakness occurs. Cardiovascular features include low blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythm. Death usually occurs within two to six hours in fatal poisoning. Treatment of poisoning involves close monitoring of blood pressure and cardiac rhythm. Gastrointestinal decontamination with activated charcoal can be used if administered within an hour or so of ingestion. Drugs such as atropine, lidocaine, and amiodarone may be used to treat dysrhythmias. Cardiopulmonary bypass, Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and hemoperfusion may be useful if symptoms are refractory to treatment with these drugs.
Also recorded as Aconite, Aconites, Monks-Hood and monk's-hoods.
More from the Ranunculaceae family:
Countries with the most wild observations, from GBIF data.