• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.344-347
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• 2009

Four sheep and five Korean native goats became intoxicated after eating Rhododendron schlippenbachii clippings that a ranchman threw into the animal barn. The clinical signs included loss of appetite, lethargy, nausea, salivation, vomiting, dyspnea, staggering gait, and bradycardia. The animals were treated with atropine and carbo-pulbit. One goat died 8 hours later, and a field postmortem revealed a considerable quantity of rhododendron leaves in the rumen. The other sheep and goats recovered within 3 days after treatment.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.277-280
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• 2017

A 3 year-old black goat was presented to Animal and Plant Quarantine agency for diagnosis in June, 2017. She was intaken feed with Rhododendron schlippenbachii the day before death. The clinical signs included loss of appetite, lethargy, hypersalivation, astasia, yelling. At necropsy, foamy discharge were observed in the airway. Histologically, foreign body, eosinphil and macrophges was observed in alveolar lumen of lung. Grayanotoxin derived from Rhododendrons was detected in ruminal contents. Based on the pathological and toxine examination, we diagnosed this case as grayanotoxin poisoning in a black goat.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.180-182
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• 2009

It is well known that Rhododendron sclippenbashii contains the toxic material grayanotoxin. So, Koreans do not eat it, but they do eat azalea although it contains grayanotoxin. That is why there have been no reports about Rhododendron sclippenbashii intoxication after ingesting it intentionally, not accidentally. In this case, the patient was admitted to the emergency room with several toxic symptoms after intentionally consuming 50 blossoms of Rhododendron sclippenbashii to get rid of thirst. Treatment with saline infusion and atropine was successful and the outcome was favorable enough in this case to produce a complete cure without any sequelae at discharge. But toxic symptoms were seen for 24 hours, although the symptoms usually fade in 9 hours. Therefore, we should carefully treat and observe, for over 24 hours, the patient who intentionally ingests about 50 blossoms of Rhododendron sclippenbashii.