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Disease of horses, ponies and donkeys
- Grass Sickness is a disease of horses, ponies and donkeys in which there is damage to parts of the nervous system which control involuntary functions, producing the main symptom of gut paralysis. The cause is unknown but the nature of the damage to the nervous system suggests that a type of toxin is involved.
www.grasssickness.org.uk/advice/grass-sickness-in-horses/
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What is equine grass sickness (EGS)?
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What is equine dysautonomia (grass sickness)?
Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) is a debilitating and frequently fatal disease, affecting grazing horses, ponies and donkeys. Find out more here.
- Introduction
- Distribution
- Species, Breed and Sex
- Age
- Season
- Predisposing Factors
- Causal Agent
- Clinical Signs
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
Grass Sickness is a disease of horses, ponies and donkeys in which there is damage to parts of the nervous system which control involuntary functions, producing the main symptom of gut paralysis. The cause is unknown but the nature of the damage to the nervous system suggests that a type of toxin is involved. The disease occurs almost exclusively i...
Great Britain has the highest incidence of grass sickness in the world and the disease occurs in most areas of England, Wales and Scotland. It is a significant problem in many areas of Great Britain, with eastern counties being particularly at risk. The disease is well recognised in northern Europe, especially Sweden, Denmark and Germany, with fewe...
Grass sickness affects horses, ponies and donkeys, and there have even been cases in a captive zebra and a Przewalski’s horse. It used to be thought that Clydesdales were more susceptible and that Shetland ponies and thoroughbreds were resistant but this has been disproved and the incidence in different breeds reflects their numbers in the general ...
Grass sickness occurs in all ages from 4 months to over 20 years but the greatest number of cases occurs in 2 to 7 year olds with a peak at 3 to 4 years. The reason for the age distribution is uncertain although young foals are very rarely affected. The lower incidence in older horses, and surviving horses in a group in which a case has occurred su...
Cases occur in every month of the year but most are seen between April and July with a peak in May. In some years, a second, smaller peak occurs in the autumn or winter. At least in Scotland, the lowest incidence is in August which may be a weather-associated effect (see below).
Grass sickness, as its name suggests, is strongly associated with grazing but there have been a few cases in animals with no access to pasture. In these rare cases, hay has been implicated as the source of the causal agent. Although most cases have been at grass full-time or during the day, the disease can affect horses which have only a few minute...
The cause of grass sickness is unknown despite almost 100 years of investigation. Many potential causes have been examined over the years including poisonous plants, chemicals, bacteria, viruses, insects and metabolic upsets. A common suggestion by horse owners is that mineral or vitamin deficiencies may be the cause. None have any proven link with...
Grass sickness occurs in three main forms, acute, subacute and chronic, but there is considerable overlap in the symptoms seen in the three forms. The major symptoms relate to partial or complete paralysis of the digestive tract from the oesophagus (gullet) downwards. In acute grass sickness, the symptoms are severe, appear suddenly and the horse w...
The symptoms described above may seem quite clear-cut but unfortunately not all affected animals show all these signs and it can sometimes be very difficult for the veterinary surgeon to distinguish grass sickness from other causes of colic, difficulty in swallowing and weight loss. This is compounded by the fact that there is no non-invasive test ...
As previously stated, treatment should not be considered in acute and subacute cases. However, in chronic cases, if the animals are not in much pain, can still eat at least a small amount and are still interested in life, treatment of chronic cases can be attempted. The correct selection of potentially treatable cases using these criteria requires ...
Aug 28, 2024 · Equine grass sickness is a dysbiosis, or imbalance, in the gut microbiome and so scientists are interested in investigating this. Changes that can affect the microbiome include sudden alterations to management, such as a change of feed, moving yards and/or fields, general stress, or a sudden flush of grass.
What is EGS? Equine Grass Sickness is a disease of horses, ponies and donkeys in which nervous system damage occurs. Gut paralysis is one of the major signs. It is almost always seen in horses which are grazing and rarely occurs in horses with only access to hay and not grass.
Apr 24, 2020 · Grass sickness is an often-fatal condition that typically occurs in grazing horses. It was first recognised in Scotland in the early 1900s, yet relatively little is known about...
Equine Grass Sickness: Exciting times ahead for this difficult and devastating disease of horses. Moredun, with partners from the Equine Grass Sickness Fund (EGSF), the Royal (Dick) School for Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, University of Liverpool, the British Horse Society and World Horse Welfare have produced a comprehensive ...
Equine dysautonomia (grass sickness) is a disease characterized by degeneration of autonomic neurons in the brain, ganglia, and enteric nervous system. Clinical signs include GI hypomotility, ptosis, rhinitis sicca, anorexia, and cachexia.
