Equine Grass Sickness Investigation

[Mensio99]

Hi all,

I am appealing for people with first hand experience of grass sickness to come forward and take my survey for a dissertation.

Although the leading hypothesis at the moment is that the disease is caused by a soil- borne bacteria; Clostridium botulinum, it is still only a hypothesis and no one factor has been successfully identified as a definitive cause.

Having a youngster to grass sickness last summer, it became a personal interest of mine. Please only respond to this survey if you have had first hand experience with the disease, whether it be your own horse or a horse on your yard.

Please click on the link below to be taken through to my survey.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/89297Z8

Many thanks,

Saskia

 

[bonny]

I started doing the survey and then stopped as I don't think badgers need any more bad press....

 

[shampain]

Done. No evidence of badgers whatsoever, I'm afraid.

 

[Sven]

There has been a recent case in Guernsey and there are no badgers here.

 

[sarahann1]

Done, though I think there is a clear bias of badgers disturbing the soil as a potential cause. I'd caution soil disturbance can be equally caused by rabbits, moles, other animals, the horses own hooves etc.

 

[Tia0513]

done, no badgers involved with mine either.

 

[happyclappy]

done, no badgers here either.

 

[Worldiscomplete]

Done. We do have badgers but not that near the yard. The yard however was contaminated with roaming chickens and their carcasses. The vet confirmed that she strongly believed this was the cause. I've heard of other cases to that effect thereby supporting the Clostridium botulinum theory. I'm in no doubt that my horse's EGS was as a direct result of chickens which carry botulism.