Re: Horrible effects of Ragwort poisoning

M

Marzipan

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Dec 7, 2005
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I'm posting this in the Cafe area to make people aware, but it can be moved if you want. I never know where to post things! :)

I've never experienced the effects of ragwort until this evening. Some of you may know I work at a horse sanctuary. We rescued two mares in January that were very thin and badly neglected. One was three, the other nine. Both were doing well and gaining weight, but the nine year old mare showed signs of problems with her pelvis (unlevel).

Recently she wasn't gaining as much weight as the other one and at the weekend she looked quite stiff, something we put down to her pelvis. Yesterday, she was starting to look a bit more stiff on her legs, but still grazed and seemed ok in herself. This morning she trotted into her stable and then rapidly went downhill from there. The vet was promptly called and it was thought it was either a neureological problem or liver problem so blood tests were done. Meanwhile she became much worse and by this evening was constantly banging her head, walking into things and struggling to stand up. The vet was phoned several times and the tests eventually came back to say her liver had effectively packed up. Bella was put to sleep this evening.

Last week she was a happy horse, that we were looking to rehome and this week shes gone. We can't prove it, but the land where she was before was full of ragwort and nobody bothered to dig it up. With little to eat over the harsh winter, we think she has eaten the dried ragwort over the last couple of years she has been there and this has eventually led to her liver failure.

We hope that the other horses there and the other mare we rescued don't have the same problems.

Sorry, long post and I know the majority if not all of you will be extremely vigilent, but as someone who had never experienced it first hand, I just wanted to let people know how cruel and horrible it is.

RIP Bella :(
 
How terribly sad. Our dear old Gem has been diagnosed with degenerative liver disease, she too was exposed to ragwort between the age of 6 and 12, then we bought her, it's a wait and see period for Gem, she too looks well but her hind legs are deteriotating, the farrier is struggling to do her feet and she has to be propped up against the stable wall. RIP little mare.
 
how awful, poor girl hugs to you and everyone else involved in her life i hate ragwort its evil stuff that does sadly cause liver problems in horses and ponies if eaten, i always check my haylage and remove it if i see it also double check my fields its horrid stuff poor bella R I P bella:(
 
It is nasty stuff and although we dont really get much at all in our paddocks, we still spray them or pull them up.

Generally if the horse has plenty of grass to graze on they will leave ragwort alone and they do have to consume a lot to get any effects.

Horses that eat ragwort at 5% or more of their total daily diet for more than 20 consecutive days can be expected to die within 6 months. So they do need to eat a fair amount of the stuff.

So no panic needed just be vigilent and ensure that you get rid of it as soon as you see it, especially if you dont have much grass in the paddock.

You are by law meant to control ragwort on your land.
 
Thank you everyone. :)

I think my main reason for posting was because I was always under the impression that it would present more signs and symptoms and not just lay dormant and attack so suddenly (although I'm glad it wasn't drawn out.) It was a bit of a wake up call as to the severity of it.

Claire 1605, that was the case we think, with this mare, they had very little else to eat and with there being lots of ragwort in their fields and no effort to control it then its quite likely.
 
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