There is a whole slew of plants that are toxic or poisonous to horses. Some will simply make your horse sick and some can be fatal.
Thankfully, most poisonous plants have a foul or bitter taste and horses will avoid them. (I'm personally convinced that most horses are smart enough to know which plants are "bad").
However, if your horse is on a dry lot or where grazing is scarce, they may be tempted to try some of those plants and it's a good idea to identify the plants and get rid of them.
I'm a very visual person and I like pictures, not just descriptions! So, here is a link to a good, illustrated guide to plants that are known to be toxic or poisonous to horses:
http://wric.ucdavis.edu/information/poisonous.pdf
Showing posts with label poison. Show all posts
Showing posts with label poison. Show all posts
Friday, June 27, 2008
How can you tell if your horse has eaten a poisonous plant?
Signs of poisoning include:
If you suspect your horse has been poisoned, do not delay! Call your vet immediately.
- Colic
- Muscle spasms
- Tremors (shaking)
- Staggering
- Difficulty swallowing
- Drooling
- Irregular heart beat (slower or faster than normal)
- Confusion
- Unusual spookiness or panicking for no apparent reason
- Urinating more than usual or the urine is an abnormal color
If you suspect your horse has been poisoned, do not delay! Call your vet immediately.
Can colic cause blindness?
Colic itself would not normally cause blindness but certain types of poisons can cause colic and blindness.
One of the most common poisonings in horses is called moldy corn poisoning. It happens most often between late fall and early spring, after corn has been stored that has too much moisture in it, or has been stored in an already damp area, which makes the corn moldy. Moldy corn will be discolored with shades of pink and/or red to reddish-brown colors in it.
Moldy corn poisoning causes what is known as the blind staggers. A horse that has eaten moldy corn will exhibit signs such as circling and staggering, doesn't blink when you wave your hand in front of their eyes, confusion and will panic for no apparent reason. A horse can die from moldy corn poisoning in just a day or two once these signs begin HOWEVER it IS possible save them if the signs are detected and a vet is called soon enough. (Of course, get the corn away from the horse or get the horse away from the corn immediately!)
If you suspect that your horse has eaten moldy corn, don't delay, call your vet!
One of the most common poisonings in horses is called moldy corn poisoning. It happens most often between late fall and early spring, after corn has been stored that has too much moisture in it, or has been stored in an already damp area, which makes the corn moldy. Moldy corn will be discolored with shades of pink and/or red to reddish-brown colors in it.
Moldy corn poisoning causes what is known as the blind staggers. A horse that has eaten moldy corn will exhibit signs such as circling and staggering, doesn't blink when you wave your hand in front of their eyes, confusion and will panic for no apparent reason. A horse can die from moldy corn poisoning in just a day or two once these signs begin HOWEVER it IS possible save them if the signs are detected and a vet is called soon enough. (Of course, get the corn away from the horse or get the horse away from the corn immediately!)
If you suspect that your horse has eaten moldy corn, don't delay, call your vet!
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