Sycamore Poisoning

[Eventer2017]

Hi. After a horse has eaten sycamore seeds how long does it take for the symptoms to show? A horse recently moved to our yard and sadly passed away from the poisoning. I am concerned we have the seeds in our area.

 

[Dave's Mam]

Have you looked for seedlings? 2 leafed with reddish stems.

 

[Goldenstar]

There are likely to be seeds in your area they are very very common trees .

 

[Dave's Mam]

Bloody b*****d trees. Serve no purpose & should be burned.

 

[meleeka]

I think symptoms are pretty quick.

 

[OLDGREYMARE]

I have read that horses can die within a few hours of eating the seedlings.You need to search your grazing.I expect they are there ,once you get an eye for the seedlings you might see them everywhere.

 

[Goldenstar]

I found some two weeks ago week I get rid of them by mowing the paddocks .
Anyway the mower was waiting for a part so I left them I went yesterday to top the paddocks and they are all gone ,either frost has killed them or something , presumably rabbits or deer has eaten them .
I don't get many seedlings in relation to the number of trees I am not sure why.

 

[Bradsmum]

I have noticed some seedlings for the first time this year. No idea where they have come from as we have no sycamores nearby so high winds must have brought some in from further afield. Have disposed of those I found and am keeping an eye out for new ones emerging. Does anyone know how many would need to be consumed to be a problem or it is soooo bad that just one could be enough?

 

[Horsewithsocks]

I have noticed some seedlings for the first time this year.

Have a look at the Liphook Equine Hospital website or their FB page they have a lot of information about this

 

[SO1]

I think RVC now do tests on seedlings so you can see if they are poisonous or not.

Do you have trees nearby? Did the horse come from a yard where there is sycamores and what is the advice given from the vet involved with the case of the horse who passed away?

At my old yard a horse died of sycamore poisoning a few years ago, I moved my pony immediately but everyone else took the risk and stayed as far as I am aware there have been no others cases and there had been no incidents prior to that either. It is quite random. I think there is also blood tests that can be done and some vets advise blood testing other horse that might have been exposed to see if they are about to come down with it or not.

 

[popsdosh]

Sycamore trees have been about for yonks what is it in our horse management that has suddenly made them such a problem. Keeping to many horses on bare paddocks? Maybe.

 

[Sukistokes2]

I found seedlings for the first time this year. Tree is not usually in range of the paddocks . Storm Doris helped the tree this year. Easy to spot , I hand pulled, over a week or so all the seedlings I could find. However, I must of missed a couple, as I found them carefully eaten around. GIven the choice they will eat around the odd one. Tempted to try and get the tree removed and replant with another type of tree. Will be hard where I am.

 

[hairycob]

Popsdosh, I had 2 on 6 acres and they weren't bare acres either so that can't be the reason. AM was first described in detail in the 1940s but they didn't have the blood tests then and the symptoms can be confusing - vet thought mine sounded like colic when I phoned. Horses have probably been dying of this forever without anyone realising. However, it is thought that toxin levels in the seeds have risen but the cause isn't fully understood. Climate change may be the driver.

 

[Eventer2017]

Thanks everyone for your responses ��

 

[Fjord]

Sycamore trees have been about for yonks what is it in our horse management that has suddenly made them such a problem. Keeping to many horses on bare paddocks? Maybe.

Apparently the milder, wetter winters mean the seeds have been dropping earlier, which is when they are higher in toxins. I also wonder if many cases in the past were misdiagnosed.