Grass Sickness

[Uniique]

As part of my dissertation for my second year of my HND at Guildford College, Merrist Wood campus I’m looking at whether the breed of horse effects the likelihood of getting EGS at whether it effects the prognosis. I would be very grateful if owners with horses/ponies who have suffered from EGS could fill out this brief questionnaire.



What date was the horse diagnosed with EGS?



What was the age and gender of the horse?



Where there any stress factors which could have triggered the onset of EGS?



What region was the horse was the horse in when it was diagnoses with EGS?



What breed is the horse?



Did the horse suffer from acute/ sub – acute or chronic EGS?



How was EGS diagnosed?



Did you choose to:

• Euthanize without treatment?

• Euthanize during treatment?

• Euthanize post treatment?

• Or treat it and the horse made a full recovery?



If the horse was treated, what treatment did they recieve?



Did the horse live in or out?



I appreciate that some of the information provided in this questionnaire is going to be sensitive to most horse owners. However any information you supply will be strictly confidential. No names will be mention in the study and the information supplied will not be used for any other purpose.



Thank you for your time.



Sam Boseley

Sam.boseley@yahoo.co.uk

 

[suzysparkle]

I've known 4 Horses who have had it so I'll answer for all of them!! The details on age may not be exact but pretty close.



What date was the horse diagnosed with EGS?

3 were a few years ago so can't really remember. 1 was the end of last year.

What was the age and gender of the horse?

1 - 18 year old gelding
2 - 4 year old gelding
3 - 6 year old mare
4 - 4 year old gelding

Where there any stress factors which could have triggered the onset of EGS?

No 3 mare was in foal while diagnosed. No 4 the 6 year old gelding had recently been brought from Ireland to the UK. Nothing for the other two.

What region was the horse was the horse in when it was diagnoses with EGS?

No 1 was in Edinburgh area. 2 was Perthshire. 3 and 4 Morayshire/Aberdeenshire (on the border of the two).

What breed is the horse?

No 1 I can't remember. I think an Irish type. 2 was a Trakehner. 3 a Welsh Cob and 4 an Irish Sports Horse.


Did the horse suffer from acute/ sub – acute or chronic EGS?

No 1 was acute and died shortly after diagnosis.
No 2 was acute but survived.
No 3 was sub acute and survived long enough to have her foal then died shortly after.
No 4 was acute and died within a very short space of time.

When I say died they were all PTS as death would have resulted anyway.

How was EGS diagnosed?

In each case by a vet - no idea what they did.


Did you choose to:

• Euthanize without treatment?

Yes to 1. Treatment it was deemed would be ineffective as the case was very severe.
• Euthanize during treatment?

Yes to No 4.

• Euthanize post treatment?

Yes to No 3.
• Or treat it and the horse made a full recovery?

Yes to No 2.



If the horse was treated, what treatment did they recieve?

For No 2, the vet gave the Horse an injection of something and said it would either kill or cure him. Wouldn't say what it was!! It cured him and the Horses body was promised to Edinburgh vet college when he eventually passes away. As for the others, although I know treatment was attempted I don't know what. Sorry for the vagueness but I didn't own any of these Horses.

Did the horse live in or out?

All of them lived out.

To add... The one who had the foal, the vets think he (the offspring) may potentially be immune to it.

Oh - I do know of one more. This was about 20 years ago. A 14 year old TB gelding. All I know is he died of it but don't know what form he had.


Happy to answer anything else if you want.

 

[Uniique]

Thank you so much for your contribution. Real apprectiated! I know they are not your but do you happen to know why one was PTS post treatment?
Thanks Sam

 

[suzysparkle]

This was the mare that was in foal. After she had the foal she 'gave up' the fight if that makes sense. Treatment was given whilst in foal and I guess she hung on as long as she could.