[sabrina]

Friend just lost one of her best mares yesterday to grass sickness, 2nd person I have heard of this week.

[harepits]

How sad :0( virus in Hampshire also causing problems in Horse community, resulting in sudden death

[lachlanandmarcus]

Im paranoid about it because a neighbour lost an endurance horse to it. Its why despite having bags of land, our two dont live out 24x7.

[WaltDisneyWorld]

I'm really new to keeping ponies (2 sheltands for Christmas ) could someone explain what grass sickness is please so I know what to look out for. Many thanks.

[jesse]

Its a bit like a severe colic, needs a vet for diagnosis really
Thats a worry its been in Hants, I'm nearby in surrey
, I found a link that has lots on info, but they dont really know for sure what causes it
Current research indicates a CLOSTRIDIUM bacteria in the soil, keeping the horse in good health helps them
stay unaffected, good gut health and no stress etc , but there are some environmental factors too, eg cool dry weather spells, or pasture previously affected

read here for more info and advice

http://www.grasssickness.org.uk/egsf-page.aspx?pageID=46

I refuse to have nightmares tho, I already do my best to keep the pasture in good condition , and my pony healthy. Wish there was a test kit ......

Sincere condolences to those horse owners who have lost beloveds

jesse

[lachlanandmarcus]

I'm really new to keeping ponies (2 sheltands for Christmas ) could someone explain what grass sickness is please so I know what to look out for. Many thanks.

Biggest risk is for young horses out 24x7 grazing without supplementary feeding, on acid soils, in cool dry weather, esp where soil is disturbed (allowing the botulism like organism to be exposed). The conditions closely match those of NE Scotland where GS was first seen and where we live!
It strikes also when horses are stressed eg if they are transported on a long journey.

Symptoms arent that different from colic to start with but sometimes the horse will have bits of food expelled from the nostrils (because gut has packed up working). They tend to go downhill a lot quicker than colics too. My horse had suspected GS but thank God it turned out to be a combination of choke and colic (never thought Id be glad to have those two).

Reducing the risk - if turning out 24/7, feed hay/other feed as well and away from grass for a period each day. Dont disturb areas of bare soil more than you have to (eg  mole hills) and try an minimise stress factors esp with young horses.

But theres no cast iron way of avoiding it, it's a terrible disease. If it were a disease of cattle they would have spent a lot more money in researching the causes and cures.

[sabrina]

Reason I feed my lot all year ,  in the past they have had it in top racing stables. years ago it almost wiped out all the Clysdale horses in Orkney. It can kill within hrours or last for weeks. Some animals do recover but they are never 100 per cent. 

[WaltDisneyWorld]

Thank you for explaining grass sickness. My two boys are not out 24/7 just turned out in the day to stretch their legs as long as its not pouring with rain or frosty grass, then brought into their stable at night. They have their hay in their racks and a small handful of foal nuts divided between the two of them, this has enabled me to get them to follow me from paddock to stable. 

[Brijjy]

Would grass sickness in a horse look a bit like a human having a heart attack? My dads Welsh sec D stallion died and the vet said it was grass sickness but didn't do any tests. The horse went downhill in a couple of hours and actually died on the floor with his head in my dads arms. He did look just like he was having a heart attack.

[Rosemary]

Barry Buddon, next door to us, is reputed to be the epicentre of grass sickness. Story is that horses that fought in the Crimea brought the bug back to the army camp. Hmm, they didn't metion THAT in the sale partuculars for Dalmore.

[VSS]

I've just been over to see to a neighbour's pony (he is away for the day) and found him in a right state - plasered in sweat, obviously been rolling all night (raw patches on the corners of his eyes) green gunge coming out of his nose, and coughing up watery stuff.

Called the vet and his diagnosis was intestinal blockage - dry hard faeces in the rectum, no gut noises, very high heart rate and purple mucus membranes.. Only a welsh section A so too small to do a diagnostic rectal examination. I asked about grass sickness but he though that it was unlikely to be that in a native pony that was only a 2 year old. With the owner's permission we had to out him down.

Not the most fun way to spend a Sunday morning!

[jaykay]

Oh no! I'm glad you went to help but what a horrid thing to deal with.
Does the vet have any idea why it haooened?

[sabrina]

Sounds very much like grass sickness. Strange thing for the vet to say. Having seen it myself in young and old over the years. Just as well you were on hand to save that poor pony from any more stress.

[Rosemary]

What a shame  Rotten thing to happen at any time but especially when you're minding someone else's pony.

[jinglejoys]

A girl at school in the 60's lost her pony to grass sickness I always think of Mississippi the lovely coloured pony when I hear about it.I think I've heard it is more common in Scotland is this correct?