Vets issue warning to horse-owners amid outbreak of deadly equine neurological disease

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An outbreak of equine grass sickness in south-west Scotland has been blamed on this year's "unusual weather conditions".

Machars Veterinary Services, based in Dumfries and Galloway, wrote on social media: “Attention all horse owners: we are currently dealing with an ‘outbreak’ of grass sickness locally with multiple losses.

“Grass sickness is a disease of horses and ponies which causes paralysis of the digestive system.

“Sadly, it is inevitably fatal once symptoms develop, with no vaccine or effective treatment.

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“Cases in south-west Scotland are usually very rare, however we believe the unusual weather conditions this year may have predisposed to the development of the disease.

“It is not a contagious disease, however it is not uncommon to see multiple horses affected on the same premises, and/or pockets of disease within an area.”

The vet urged horse owners in the area to consider whether reducing grazing times might be appropriate for their animals.

The Equine Grass Sickness Fund, a charity set up to fund research into the disease, said it had seen an "influx of equine grasssickness cases following a period of changeable weather".

"Cases have been seen throughout the whole of the UK, so we would like to remind owners that EGS does not discriminate, and can affect racehorses and family Shetland ponies alike" the charity said in a social media post.

“If you suspect your horse has symptoms of grass sickness then call your vet ASAP.”.

The EGSF said the cause of the disease is unknown but that it occurs almost exclusively in horses with access to grass, and that there are a number of possible risk factors.

It said current research is looking into whether a soil-borne bacteria called Clostridium botulinum type C is behind the disease.

Incidence of the disease then rose markedly, and in Scotland in the 1920s hundreds of horses, mainly draught animals, died annually from grass sickness.

It is thought the losses were so severe that the introduction of tractors was artificially accelerated as a result.

Today in some parts of the UK it has been estimated that approximately one in 200 horses of all breeds die annually from the disease.