# Goat ate Japonica?



## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

One of my boys got a mouth full of Japonica that was in a compost pile. I grabbed it our immediately, but don't know if he swallowed any. If he did, when will he show signs of poisoning? I have milk of magnesia, mineral oil and pepto, but that's all. Sorry, if these answers are already on here, just in a panic to handle this asap. I don't know if Toxi-ban is available from feed store, but I'll call them now.


----------



## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

I drenched him with pepto, hoping this will coat his stomach and help. Again, I don't know if he got any, but don't want to chance anything. I read about burning toast and grinding charcoal to mix with water, not sure if I should do this not knowing if he ingested any or not. Also, just learned the Japonica has been in the compost pile since fall, but it didn't appear to have broken down at all. I wonder if this makes a differnce, maybe not much oil left in the leaves? I know some types of leaves are even more poisonous when dried though.


----------



## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Well, he doing good so I guess he must not have swallowed any. I now have some charcoal based med on hand.


----------



## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

Sorry I missed this post somehow? Glad everything worked out fine.


----------



## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Me too! Just curious, if a goat does eat something poisonous such as Japonica or Rhoddy, how long does it take them to shows symptoms?


----------



## cryptobrian (Apr 26, 2012)

Signs usually show up within the first 6 hours, according to Purdue(1) and IVIS(2). However, the thing about most all toxins is that quantity matters ... toxicity is dose dependent, so there is a dose below which there is no ill effect. Several references, including both I've cited, put the toxic dose around .2% of body weight.

So, for a 175lb goat, the toxic dose (the dose when clinical signs appear, not necessarily the lethal dose) would be .35lbs or 5.6 ounces. That's probably a handful of leaves (though the IVIS reference also notes that 2 or 3 leaves may produce severe toxicosis ... perhaps smaller goats).

The point here, though, is that while you need to be careful, if your goat grabs just a leaf before you can catch them, it probably is OK (and that's been my experience hiking regularly through heavy mountain laurel). Just be careful not to let your guard down simply because your goat appears to eat a leaf or two with no ill effect ... it's a matter of dose and another leaf or two may take them down.

(1) http://www.vet.purdue.edu/toxic/plant10.htm
(2) http://www.ivis.org/advances/Beasley/Cpt14c/IVIS.pdf


----------



## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply. I read your post right after you posted it, that's great information, thank you!


----------



## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

What is Japonica? I am a horticulturist and Japonica is a very common name used in many plants to describe as being from Japan. Acer japonica, Pieris japonica, the list is endless.


----------



## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

The plant I was referring to is Pieris japonica.


----------



## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

Huckleberry said:


> The plant I was referring to is Pieris japonica.


Thanks. How is the boy doing now?


----------



## Huckleberry (Mar 12, 2010)

Good, the only side effects he had were from all the pepto I drenched him with :roll: Poor guy...


----------



## joecool911 (Jul 3, 2010)

Excellent. Good to hear.


----------

