LAST week, a prize-winning, two-year-old, Clydesdale colt was found lying down in his paddock at home in Northern Ireland and was experiencing difficulty standing up.

The paddock was adjacent to a field with a sycamore tree (the tree was a distance of over 30m away) and this particular paddock had been grazed for over a decade with no problems ever noted. However, the owners suspected that the horse was suffering from sycamore seed poisoning and acted quickly – the horse was transported to Troytown GreyAbbey Equine Veterinary Hospital for intensive veterinary treatment.

Upon arrival, the horse was put into intensive care where he received supportive nursing care, anti-inflammatories, fluids and electrolytes.

Unfortunately the colt’s condition deteriorated rapidly until he could no longer stand up and, despite intensive treatment, he could not be saved.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGE

Veterinary Surgeon, Warren Schofield of Troytown GreyAbbey told The Irish Field: “This is an indiscriminate disease, it can affect horses of all ages and it is thought that over 70% of horses that become affected will die from the disease.”

“Many horse owners are unaware of the harm that these seeds can cause and, as stated earlier, very little is known about sycamore seed poisoning. By highlighting this case, we are trying to emphasise the serious nature of this condition and how important it is for horse owners to be vigilant each year during the risk period and to take action.”

Another point for horse owners to note is that the signs of sycamore seed poisoning can often be mistaken for colic, as they appear very similar, so do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian immediately if your horse displays such signs. If your horse is suffering from sycamore seed poisoning and is showing the common signs the horse’s condition can deteriorate very rapidly.

A special word of thanks to Sidney’s owners for sharing their story.