Spontaneous poisoning in sheep caused by pseudofruits of Hovenia dulcis (japanese grape): Intoxicação espontânea em ovinos causada por pseudofrutos de Hovenia dulcis (uva japonesa)

An outbreak of spontaneous intoxication by the pseudofruits of the japanese grape (Hovenia dulcis) was observed in a flock of 270 sheep in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, resulting in the death of nine animals. The clinical picture was characterized by digestive, nervous, and respiratory alterations with progression to death after 15 to 48 hours. The main microscopic findings were hepatic necrosis, necrosis of the rumen and abomasum mucosa, pulmonary edema and atelectasis, kidney degeneration, cerebral spongiosis, and vacuolization of Purkinje neurons. Hovenia dulcis is wide spread in Brazil, especially in the south of the country. However, this is the first report of spontaneous poisoning in sheep caused by its pseudofruits.