“Exposure to cattle feed with the approved amount of ionophore is rarely a cause of intoxication in horses,” says Gaskill. Risk of exposure Horse feed can become contaminated with ionophores if manufacturers producing a variety of feed types don’t follow proper cleaning protocols between formulating batches for different species. Where they do, long-term prognosis can be poor.” “Unfortunately, a lot of these horses don’t make it. “They may also have weakness in the legs, or you could see the horse thrashing if they are having difficulty getting up, because the skeletal muscles are affected as well,” she adds. Clinical signs of consumption can include a loss of appetite, rapid heart rate, sweating, colic, and unexpected death. ABVT, senior research associate in Cornell University’s Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences. “Ionophores are cardiotoxic to the horse-they damage the heart muscle,” says Karyn Bischoff, DVM, MS, Dipl. Farmers also use these as antiprotozoal agents to control Coccidiainfections.ĭanger to horses Horses are more sensitive than other livestock to ionophores, which influence ion transfer across cell membranes and, thus, affect how nerves and muscles function. These antibiotic feed additives, such as monensin, are used as growth promotors in cattle and poultry diets. Horses ridden on trails might also take a quick bite out of curiosity, notes Ralston. Risk of exposure Horses are often exposed to oleander when people toss clippings into pastures. Relatively small quantities (0.005% of the horse’s body weight, or 0.05 pounds for a 1,000-pound horse) are considered lethal. Common in the southern United States, oleander grows only in climates where temperatures remain above freezing.ĭanger to horses Potent cardiac glycosides in the plant affect the heart’s ion balance, causing irregular heart activity that can ultimately result in cardiac failure and death. This common decorative perennial evergreen shrub produces white, pink, or red flowers in spring and summer. Decorative wreaths made with yew are another potential source of exposure when hung where horses can access them. Risk of exposure Most yew poisonings occur when clippings are erroneously tossed into a pasture after trimming, with leaves remaining toxic even after they wilt. “It’s not uncommon for horses to be found dead with the plant still in their mouth,” Ralston says. The plant’s alkaloid toxin taxine causes cardiac and respiratory failure, often within minutes. They are commonly used in landscaping across much of North America.ĭanger to horses As little as a mouthful or two of yew can be lethal, says Sarah Ralston, VMD, PhD, professor in Rutgers University’s Department of Animal Sciences. American, English, Japanese, and Western yew are ornamental evergreen hedge-type plants that grow red berries in the fall.
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