Two Dead Ponies From AM.

[Aarrghimpossiblepony]

Just found out about two ponies that died at the weekend from
Atypical Myopathy (AM).

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/32081/new-study-links-sycamore-tree-to-atypical-myopathy

It's not something I have come across before, so as this is the danger season thought I would give people a heads up.

Absolutely tragic for the three children that owned them. Especially as they bought one of them from the field where they were both poisoned but he had been living there for two years previously (most of the time on his own).

For the first time in two years he was getting some care and attention having been almost left to rot by his previous owners. Last year, I had my pony in the same field from November until February, and the way the pony was neglected was one of the reasons I left.

I found the older girl cleaning up the field today which shows how well they tried to look after them as both died on Sunday. I have to admit, that's more than I would be able to do.
So sad.

 

[rowan666]

oh dear, poor kids thats so awful for them

 

[CrazyCobLady]

So sad.

 

[hobo]

It would not let me read it but when my vet came the other day he had been with a little pony that died as he was there more than likely AM very sad.

 

[Aarrghimpossiblepony]

It would not let me read it but when my vet came the other day he had been with a little pony that died as he was there more than likely AM very sad.

Sorry about the link, it's working for me.
It's possible it's the same vet, we are near the Dorset border.

Having read up on it, it warns about lack of fodder being a contributary cause. They eat the sycamore seeds.

The problem with these ponies was that the the field looked well covered in grass, I doubt anybody would think they weren't getting enough. And as the children weren't that knowledgable I had already told them they needed to get in some hay/feed in from November and for the rest of the winter. At the moment the grass round here is very good.

What's so rotten for them is that they moved their pony to this field in August, and because the owners of the other pony were so useless, they offered to buy him. Since then they have been up everyday, before and after school. Whereas I doubt the previous owners would have even known he had died for a couple of weeks.

 

[Lickety-Split]

It's possible it's the same vet, we are near the Dorset border.

Having read up on it, it warns about lack of fodder being a contributary cause. They eat the sycamore seeds.

The problem with these ponies was that the the field looked well covered in grass, I doubt anybody would think they weren't getting enough. And as the children weren't that knowledgable I had already told them they needed to get in some hay/feed in from November and for the rest of the winter.

I am in the Dorset area and my homebred three year old passed away from AM at the weekend. It seems to be rife in this area at the moment as my vets have already dealt with half a dozen cases.
IMHO I do genuinely think that it is the luck of the draw as to which ones get it although younger ones seem to be more susceptible. I have owned horses for several decades and my horse was fit, healthy and well fed and I called the vet as soon as she looked a bit off colour yet she was dead within hours. It was devastating to watch my little girl deteriorate so quickly so I just hope that more can be done to raise awareness and research this disease.

 

[kat2290]

How awful for you I'm so sorry

Is it thought that she became ill due to eating the sycamore seeds? Or can it be caused by other things too? What a horrible disease

 

[TGM]

Sycamore seeds do now seem to be identified now as the main culprit, according to a recent study - see this link for more details:

http://www.beva.org.uk/news-and-events/news/view/438

It is very prevalent at the moment, presumably because the strong winds have brought down so many seeds. A friends pony is in a local hospital with AM at the moment and I understand that they have dealt with several others in the last week.

 

[Lickety-Split]

How awful for you I'm so sorry

Is it thought that she became ill due to eating the sycamore seeds? Or can it be caused by other things too? What a horrible disease

Thank you, it is truly devastating. She had a really big field but what with all the wind we've been having the seeds ended up everywhere and the vet was pretty sure that's what it was.
I was so spooked I upped sticks with the others immediately and left my private stables for a local yard with very few trees where I have monitored them around the clock as I couldn't live with having another die in my arms... I knew about this illness but i didn't realise how prevalent its become. With the high mortality rate I now realise just how ocd careful I should have been...

 

[charlie76]

Can I ask if the horses that have contracted it been out 24/7? We lost three to it at my old yard , all three were out 24/7 and we 20 yrs plus.
I have a scycamore in one of my fields and Im grazing the adjacent field, the tree is fenced off but the seeds still blow about. They have tonnes of grass and are only out for three hrs a day but I still worry.
The vet said a few dotted about shouldn't be an issue, its if they eat lots of them but I won't risk it. I'd rather they had less time out.

 

[Lickety-Split]

Yes mine was out 24/7, from what I have read afterwards theoretically having them stabled some of the time does reduce the risk. I would also say wearing a grazing muzzle could reduce the chances.