please check your fields for sycamore :(

[palominoponeh]

Something i really didn’t want to write but just a very important reminder to be cautious of sycamore trees this time of year….. yesterday i lost my 3 year old colt freddie to sycamore poisoning…. there is so little the vet can do for it and unfortunately after two vet visits he passed yesterday. The field he was in has had horses and donkeys in for years upon years and nothing has ever happened, it’s just so unfortunate that he managed to pick up some of the sycamore from a tree near the field. Ive heard there is a rise in cases this year because of the mild weather, the seeds drop quicker and they’re more toxic. So check your fields, and hug your ponies because you never know how quickly they can be ripped away from you, and leaving your other horses upset without them ??

 

[Barton Bounty]

So sorry to hear this! thats dreadful ?

 

[cauda equina]

Poor Freddie, I am so sorry xxx

 

[Fjord]

I'm so very sorry ?

 

[Snow Falcon]

What a sad loss, so sorry.

 

[Marigold4]

So sorry for this awful news. Thank you for posting this. I checked my field and found some sycamore helicopters in mine for the first time today. Quite a bit earlier than previous years. I'll move them to safer fields this pm.

 

[Cragrat]

that's horrid, I'm so sorry

 

[Sandstone1]

So sorry

 

[palominoponeh]

So sorry for this awful news. Thank you for posting this. I checked my field and found some sycamore helicopters in mine for the first time today. Quite a bit earlier than previous years. I'll move them to safer fields this pm.

Yes apparently this year they’re all dropping earlier than usual and there’s been a rise in cases….. thank u all for your lovely messages, i’m absolutely devastated but if this post even gets one person to be more cautious that’s all i can do ?

 

[PurBee]

That’s sad news, im so sorry to hear about your youngster.

I once had a pallet of haylage delivered loaded with sycamore seeds. I got a full refund, but researching the toxin in them, studies showed that level of toxin in seeds from one tree differed from other trees, and presumed environmental changes altered the toxin level.
That is possibly why youve not had issues with that tree before.
The uk had a very unusually dry summer this year so maybe that has caused toxins in known potentially toxic trees to become concentrated?
Youngsters tend to be curious about nibbling new things they find too.

Heartbreaking for you, but wise to give a reminder to all to be watchful of tree seed drop this autumn.
Acorns, beech nuts and sycamore seeds being the most common toxin issues for horses that love to eat them.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

So very sorry to read this. Devastating loss for you. We have had to fence off part of one winter field because there as just so many lying on the ground this year from a neighbours trees. We are going to try and go over it all with the lawn mover hoping that will collect them all up.

 

[Rumtytum]

So sorry, no wonder you are devastated.

 

[SO1]

So sorry for your loss. One of my friends lost a horse to this about 8 years ago. It was a youngster too and the fields had had horses in for many years too. There was no shortage of grass either.

I think it is a bit like Russian roulette as not all seeds and seedlings carry the poison.

After what happened to my friends youngster I would never a horse on land with sycamore now.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

What a horrible thing to have happened..I have no words of comfort but I’m sending you a hug .

 

[ycbm]

I am so sorry, that's a devastating loss. It is frightening how many sycamore trees there are around the grazing of the livery stables I'm at. A friend of mine has her whole drive lined with them. If feels like it can only be a matter of time.

Incidentally, it's not the sycamore that's poisonous, it's hypoglycin A, which is only in some sycamore, not all, and I understand can be in parts of the tree and not others.

There is a test available, but of course if it's patchy it isn't going to be that easy to be sure your own trees are safe

https://www.rvc.ac.uk/equine-vet/ne...ing-available-at-the-royal-veterinary-college
.

 

[SEL]

I'm so sorry - I've seen vet warnings recently on FB and it sounds like there's a lot of cases this year.

 

[nagblagger]

So sorry..sending virtual hug..

 

[Laurac13]

So sorry ? friend lost a foal a few years ago to the same , sending hugs x

 

[SashaBabe]

So sorry. What a horrible thing to happen. x

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[onemoretime]

Something i really didn’t want to write but just a very important reminder to be cautious of sycamore trees this time of year….. yesterday i lost my 3 year old colt freddie to sycamore poisoning…. there is so little the vet can do for it and unfortunately after two vet visits he passed yesterday. The field he was in has had horses and donkeys in for years upon years and nothing has ever happened, it’s just so unfortunate that he managed to pick up some of the sycamore from a tree near the field. Ive heard there is a rise in cases this year because of the mild weather, the seeds drop quicker and they’re more toxic. So check your fields, and hug your ponies because you never know how quickly they can be ripped away from you, and leaving your other horses upset without them ??

I am so very sorry to read this. 3 is far too young to die.

 

[paddy555]

Yes apparently this year they’re all dropping earlier than usual and there’s been a rise in cases….. thank u all for your lovely messages, i’m absolutely devastated but if this post even gets one person to be more cautious that’s all i can do ?

I'm so sorry about Freddie and what you have been through. RIP Freddie. This is the 2nd death I have heard of from AM this week.

Just in case someone has missed this problem the link below gives some more info about sycamore poisoning. I read as long ago as Aug that this could well be a bad year due to stress because of the drought. I did my hedging about a month ago and there were so many more seeds than I have ever seen in past years. So many trees had bunches and bunches of them. In the past the "helicopters" were far more prevalent on the larger trees but there were a lot more this year on very young trees. I'm sure it has been very windy in many places which has also helped considerably with wind dispersal of the pods.

https://www.bhs.org.uk/horse-care-a...rse-health/equine-diseases/atypical-myopathy/

once again I am sorry about Freddie and I am sure that more will now be aware after your post.

 

[meleeka]

so sorry to read this Thinking of you. Fortunately I don’t have sycamore, although I have found a couple of helicopters that have blown from a tree nearby. I have acorns instead, which I’m also paranoid about.

 

[Pmf27]

So sorry for your loss ? xo

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I’m so sorry for your loss xx

I am another who has a paddock lined with sycamore and in the heatwave I had to close a lot off as the seeds were dropping everywhere. It’s still closed now as the leaves are shedding and I spent ages this morning raking them up.

 

[Wizpop]

So very sorry to read your heart breaking news So thoughtful of you to think to warn others as you cope with your loss.x

 

[southerncomfort]

I'm so very sorry. Its a truly horrible way to lose a horse.

Their are 2 trees overhanging my yard that have never produced any seeds. Until this year, when I realised to my absolute horror that they are sycamores.

I've spent hours sweeping up and collecting the seeds. I'm waiting for a tree surgeon to get back to me with a quote to get rid of them.

 

[asmp]

So sorry to hear of your loss. Our yard had sycamores for years then one year a young little cob ended up at the vets because of them. He did survive but he was in for a few days. The sycamores were all cut down after that.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I’m so, so sorry. ?? Can I ask, what were his symptoms?

Don’t mean to take over the post PP, but we currently have a horse on our yard awaiting the emergency vet. He started skin twitching on the weekend, had a bath which made no difference and it’s got progressively worse. Today his entire body is twitching all over and he’s going mad. To dangerous today get in the stable with him. He is trying to rub himself but also spinning, digging, going up vertical, almost looks like he has a swarm of wasps on him. Keeps looking at his gut/sides.

Someone mentioned sycamore poisoning but not sure if the symptoms are similar.

 

[Floofball]

I’m so, so sorry. ?? Can I ask, what were his symptoms?

Don’t mean to take over the post PP, but we currently have a horse on our yard awaiting the emergency vet. He started skin twitching on the weekend, had a bath which made no difference and it’s got progressively worse. Today his entire body is twitching all over and he’s going mad. To dangerous today get in the stable with him. He is trying to rub himself but also spinning, digging, going up vertical, almost looks like he has a swarm of wasps on him. Keeps looking at his gut/sides.

Someone mentioned sycamore poisoning but not sure if the symptoms are similar.

Hi, the link Paddy555 shared on his post above has lots of good info ??