Tue 15th Sep 2015Atypical Myopathy awareness this AutumnSycamore trees are shedding are now Arriving to the Polo Times office this morning, the Sycamore trees on the drive have begun to shed. Seeing the classic “helicopter” seeds on the road reminded us that the threat of Atypical Myopathy is greatly increased at this time of year. Polo Times first highlighted the issue in the November/December 2014 issue. By the end of 2014, the number of Atypical Myopathy (AM) cases (also known as Seasonal Pasture Myopathy) reported in the UK had reached the highest levels in Europe, according to The British Horse Society’s latest newsletter. Atypical Myopathy is a highly fatal muscle disease, most commonly seen in young horses out to graze in Autumn and Spring, in both the UK and Northern Europe. It causes severe damage to muscles, affecting postural and respiratory muscles. What clinical signs to look out for: - Weakness
- Muscle tremors
- Pain
- Lethargy
- Reluctance to walk
- Recumbancy (lying down with difficultly standing)
- Discoloured urine (brown-red)
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
These are often confused with signs of colic. If you are at all worried you should call you vet as soon as possible. The survival rates are thought to be at less than 25%, unless an early diagnosis is made. The Animal Health Trust and Irish Equine Centre are working together with the Université de Liège to extend understanding of the condition after such a dramatic rise in cases. Prevention of the disease requires restricting horses from gaining access to sycamore seeds. To help prevent this condition make sure to: - Avoid using pasture with sycamore maple and box elder trees
- Fencing off areas where seeds/leaves have fallen
- Reduce stocking densities down to ensure that there is enough grazing
- Supplementing the pasture with extra forage
Photograph: Sycamore seeds have begun to fall already this Autumn |