Selenium toxicity

[Rosie111]

Hi everybody,
I am worried sick as my vet has taken bloods for suspected selenium toxicity. The only sign has been my mare's mane and tail has literally fallen out. Has anyone else been faced with this too please?
My mare was out 24/7, but I have now brought her in until the blood tests come back. It is so frightening. Thank you
Rosie

 

[SEL]

Sorry I haven't - are you in the UK? Most areas have pretty low selenium here so it sounds very unlucky. I hope you get answers.

 

[Shay]

Are you in the US? Do you have locoweed in your paddocks?

There is no treatement for selenium toxicity - just supportive care until the body can flush out the poison. It sounds like this might be chronic rather than acute so you have a reaosnable chnace. You do need to idenitfy the cause. Are there other horses in the paddock too? They may need to come off.

 

[Rosie111]

Thank you Shay and Sel for replying,

I am in the south east of England. I have had my horses on my paddocks for 15 years and never had this problem before, but apparently because of the drought we are having, the roots of the grass & weeds tap further down into the soil and in so doing have picked up more selenium than usual. I don't fully understand why, but that is what research in the USA indicates. My vets have not come across this before and so can't help me with knowing how long before the effects of the excess selenium lessen and my mares mane and tail may start regrowing again. It would have been so good to "talk" with someone who had been through a similar experience.
Thank you again for your replies.
Rosie

 

[PapaverFollis]

I would maybe try posting on a US horse forum like Chronicals of the Horse or whatever it is called. Selenium toxicity is really very rare here, unless over-supplementation has happened.

I hope your mare gets better soon.

 

[ester]

Yes I would suggest as PF says, is it worth getting a grazing analysis too?

 

[Shay]

Wow. Incredibly rare here - outside of a mistake with supplementation.

Ester is right about getting a grazing analysis. Species known to accumulate selenium that also grow in the UK - as far as I can tell - are willows, mustard plants, rapeseed. Does your horse have access to any of these?

You might be able to get more first hand experiences on a US site simply because selenium poisioning is more common there. Or the Polo community in Agentina. Love and hugs. Let us know how you go.

 

[SEL]

I was wondering if zeolite might help and from a Google it's a possibility. Worth a try because it won't cause any harm.

You can buy in the UK now but make sure it's high grade.

 

[PapaverFollis]

My grazing is high enough in selenium that I don't have to supplement it but thats very rare. It's not high enough to cause toxicity even so. Interesting re. willows accumulating selenium though. I was going to plant willow hedges... maybe I'll steer clear, stick to hawthorn and dog rose, apart from in bits that will be well fenced off.

 

[HazuraJane]

Did not know that about willows. My horses love snagging a mouthful of willow leaves every now and then.
In the US there is a company that will test horse's body hair for accumulation of toxins.

OP: best wishes for your mare, and I mean that.
I hope an effective therapy for your mare's condition takes her back to normal as quickly as possible.

 

[Shay]

Hoping you are OK OP. Any update?