Please can anyone help....really not sure what to do next

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YummyHorses

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Both my horse (mare) and daughters pony are unwell. I first noticed my daughters pony looking a little tucked up and just not himself about a month ago so got the vet out. She agreed with me that he just didn't look himself so took bloods.

Results came back recording a very high (almost treble what it should be) reading on his liver. Suggestion from vet that it could be hay or pasture (some form of micro-toxin) or worse case ragwort poisoning. As the pony lives with my mare we decided to take bloods from her - they also came back high. Which on the positive suggested no ragwort - although cant be sure on this until do a biopsy.

Decided to see if we had a bad batch of hay (with this micro-toxin on it) so changed hay suppliers and for the last two weeks they have remained on the same pasture but different hay. Results came back tonight and they are worse - on both horses which suggests its not the hay but could be my pasture. Vet has now said that both horses are to be on 2 weeks box rest - so no pasture and same hay. Really just trying to work out what is causing the problem. She will take bloods again in 2 weeks. If not better after that then they both will be scanned and have a liver biopsy.

Both do not look well - the white of the eye is more yellow, whilst the pony is alert he has a stare about him and my mare is just low and not very energetic. They are both youngish - early teens and were fine up until about 6 -8 weeks ago.

I guess what I am asking is whether anyone else has had a similar problem with pasture? Any experience of this micro-toxin that can form but can not be seen apparently? If so what did you do? Who did you consult? And how did you get rid? How long did it take? And what did you do with the horses in the meantime?

All advice welcome......thanks so much.
 
Sorry to hear about your horse and pony, I know that mycotoxin poisoning is a problem in some countries and I imagine with any warm/ wet weather then mycotoxins will have a field day. There are mycotoxin binders available which might be worth discussing with your vet to see if they think it might help.
Other than that would it be worth feeding something like horsehage for a while to guarantee the forage is safe?

Hope they pick up soon.
 
Thanks Touchstone....forgive me but what's a microtoxin binder? And do you know how to control the growth of the microtoxins.....where do they come from.....someone said to plough up and re-seed but then said that they could come back again? Is that right?

Ta.
 
Hi, all that I'm aware of is that mycotoxins are a toxic fungus that can affect grains and pasture/hay.

Wet and warm conditions are ideal for it developing and it seems to be more prevalent amongst certain pasture grasses such as ryegrass and red clover, there are some articles here:- http://horsehints.org/MoldsMycotoxins.htm

http://www.understanding-horse-nutrition.com/mycotoxicosis.html

I would imagine that when the weather turns cold it will be killed off, but would follow your vets advice as to when grazing will be safe.

A mycotoxin binder is usually made from clay or yeast cell walls and is supposed to literally bind the mycotoxin and carry them harmlessly out of the body, Alltech produce one here:- http://www.happyhorseproducts.co.uk/mycotoxins/mycotoxins/mycosorb-equine-formula.asp

I hope that your horses are soon feeling better, it must be very worrying for you.
 
Hi all - yep I do have oak trees but the horses are fenced away from them. I guess they could have got the odd one or two acorns but don't think this is the cause.

I have read tons about Mycotoxins this evening and it all adds up. I will speak with my vet in the morning about a binder to see if that will help. I suspect its our pasture where the fungus has grown and from my reading I could plough up and re-seed and it could be back next year.

Its very scary, the thought of your horses grazing in a field of lovely grass that's causing them harm......I just didn't know.
 
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