Understanding Grass Sickness
The UK has the highest incidence of equine grass sickness in the world so it's important that we try to understand what it is about the way we manage our horses here that's putting them at risk. Although many questions remain unanswered, researchers are starting to unravel this mysterious killer and find new ways in which we can help to minimise its occurrence.
The first reported case of Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) occurred in Scotland just over 100 years ago, yet horses of all breeds and ages are still dying from this distressing disease. Although the cause of EGS is not yet known, there's strong evidence to suggest that the bacterium Clostridium botulinum plays a role. It's thought that a toxin produced in the horse's gastrointestinal tract by this soil-borne bacterium causes damage to the nervous system, leading to symptoms that may include colic, difficulty eating and defecating, patchy sweating, muscle tremors and rapid weight loss. Few horses survive EGS.
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Identifying the cause
Numerous investigations have examined the possibility that various agents, including poisonous plants, bacterial toxins, insects and viruses, are to blame for EGS but so far no one has managed to definitively identify a cause.
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Factors found to increase the risk
A study conducted by Helen McCarthy and funded by The Horse Trust investigated the causes of EGS and why multiple cases are seen on certain premises. Also investigation into soil type, clostridial antibodies and the immune system.
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Gathering data
The real problem with investigating new strategies for tackling EGS is not a lack of technical expertise but a lack of basic knowledge about the disease - what are the true numbers of cases occuring each year, and where is the most risk?
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Further information about grass sickness and the scheme is available at www.equinegrasssickness.co.uk where both questionnaires can be downloaded.
