Final answer:
Black walnut toxicity in horses can lead to laminitis, a serious inflammatory condition in the hooves, which makes movement painful and difficult. Other plants such as white snake root contain tremetol, which affects both animals and humans by disrupting lactate metabolism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Black walnut toxicity in horses leads to a condition known as laminitis, which is an inflammation of the sensitive laminae in the hoof. Symptoms of laminitis can include lameness, increased hoof temperature, and difficulty walking. Though black walnut shavings are often the culprit, the precise chemical within the black walnut that causes laminitis is not yet fully understood. It is imperative for horse owners to avoid using black walnut in any form as bedding because the toxin can be absorbed through the hooves, even if the horse does not directly ingest the wood.
Addressing the toxicity found in other plants, for instance, the white snake root plant contains tremetol, a metabolic poison that hinders the metabolism of lactate. This toxin, when ingested by cows and then passed onto humans via milk, can cause severe symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and tremors, which are exacerbated by exercise since lactate levels rise during physical activity and cannot be adequately metabolized due to the effects of tremetol.