: a disease usually of horses, cattle, and sheep that is caused by chronic poisoning with locoweeds
Word History
First Known Use
1900, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
locoism
noun
lo·co·ism ˈlō-kō-ˌiz-əm
1
: a disease of horses, cattle, and sheep caused by chronic poisoning with locoweeds and characterized by motor and sensory nerve damage resulting in peculiarities of gait, impairment of vision, lassitude or extreme excitement, emaciation, and ultimately paralysis and death if not controlled
2
: any of several intoxications of domestic animals (as selenosis) that are sometimes mistaken for locoweed poisoning