Arsenic toxicity in horse

Gilbey

Gilbey

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 June 2004
Messages
515
Location
Cornwall
Visit site
I have put this on the New Lounge page as well.
I have just had a hair test done on one of my horses for minerals, heavy metals etc. It has come back with a huge peak' well off the page, for arsenic. He is a big lad, 17.2hh and we have had him since a foal (now 17). We do however live in Cornwall, mining country and fear that the soil may be heavily contaminated. I fear for my other horses too. We have always had a tendency for lami horses here over the years, and they do VERY well on limited grazing time out. We have never been short of grass even with over 25 horses at one time. Just wondering if any of you have ever had a problem with arsenic and what have you done about it? I do intend to discuss the findings with my vet next week. I can't find much written on Google about this subject other than Phar Lap died of an overdose in the 30's :(
 
Hi BOF. Found a couple of interesting things but nothing really to go on and you have probably read these anyway.

http://vet.sagepub.com/content/34/2/160.refs
http://chestofbooks.com/animals/horses/Health-Disease-Treatment-3/Arsenic-Poisoning.html - scroll down
Another site says that arsenic intoxication, when it can be determined, is usually dips, sprays, powders, or vegetation contaminated by pesticides containing arsenic. Also arsenic intoxication has been found present in pressure treated wood.

http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_6709178_msma-herbicide-toxicity-horses.html appreciate this is in America

Out of interest do you feed a seaweed supplement?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gosh I bet you are worried. I wonder if that 'Happy Tum' supplement which is inert charcoal which reputedly removes toxins from the gut would work? It may be worth contacting Finefettle feeds - i am sure I read that it can help with ragwort poisoning, which is known to have a cumulative effect. Also may be worth contacting a herbalist to get some liver detox herbs too. Good luck!
 
Last edited:
No, don't feed seaweed, though I can see where you're coming from. I did some basic research on Camrosa a few years back - you don't need to look far to find that it contains heavy metals, despite the manufacturers denying this (and being taken to court over it). I'd no more use Camrosa for any reason whatsoever on one of my horses than I would oven cleaner. Conversely, I'd happily give Camrosa a try as an oven cleaner except that it's hideously expensive as oven cleaners go.
 
As you are aware ,There is a lot of Arsenic naturally in Cornwall and in addition there are areas of heavy pollution from smelting tin.Traditionaly the worst areas were not grazed and eventually became woodland. There have been instances where woodland or scrub have been cleared and unwittingly ,stock have been exposed to high levels of Arsenic.Mostly however ,the Arsenic in the soil does little harm as it is not readily absorbed by most plants.I would guess that fertilisers and lime ing will alter the availability of the Arsenic to some extent. The most likely source for Arsenic is however ,from streams. Prettywell every stream in Cornwall is above the safe limmit for Arsenic ,and furthermore it is in a readily absorbable soluble form. I hope this is of help.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top