[James Kilkelly]

An outbreak of equine atypical myopathy caused by horses eating sycamore seeds has claimed the lives of more than 30 animals across Ireland.

Horse owners are being warned of a surge in cases of the potentially fatal disease linked to horses ingesting the toxin hypoglycin found in sycamore seeds, which are informally known as ‘helicopters’.

Co Down vet Hugh Suffern of Tullyraine Equine Clinic told The Irish Times he has treated 14 horses for atypical myopathy over the last three weeks. Eight of the horses died.

Symptoms generally present for 12 to 72 hours and it is often initially diagnosed as colic. The Department of Agriculture said it is alerting vets and horse owners to a number of fatal cases of equine atypical myopathy diagnosed in recent weeks, specifically in Athlone RVL.

It is advising horse owners to take preventative measures including: * Avoid over grazing of pastures. * Feed additional forage eg hay in overgrazed pasture. * Limit turnout to less than 12 hours per day during autumn and early spring. * If feasible, remove the horses from pastures where sycamore or other maple trees are growing during the risk period.

A statement from the Department of Agriculture said: “Atypical myopathy is a frequently fatal muscle disease of horses, thought to be caused by the ingestion of hypoglycin A, a toxin contained in seeds from the sycamore and related trees from the maple family.

The clinical signs include depression, sudden onset of muscle stiffness, colic-like clinical signs and dark-coloured urine.

Read more......... http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/dozens-of-horses-die-after-eating-sycamore-seeds-1.1983773

[Greengage]

jeez never a dull moment.