16 February 2023 - Flipbook - Page 71
HORSEWEEK
FARMWEEK
OCTOBER 28 2021
71
Keep your
horse safe
from Atypical
Myopathy
T
HE
British
Equine
Veterinary
Association
(BEVA) is reminding horse
owners to take steps to
minimise the risks of
Atypical Myopathy.
Bare fields and gusty autumn
weather can heighten the chances
of horses contracting this fatal
disease, which is caused by the
ingestion of sycamore seeds.
Horses do not typically choose to
eat sycamore seeds, however when
pastures are bare, there is a greater
tendency for them to be ingested
as the animals forage for every last
blade of grass. Wind can also cause
seeds to spread faster and further,
potentially reaching fields where
there are in fact no sycamore trees.
Atypical myopathy is caused by
the toxin hypoglyxin A. In the UK,
the most common source of the
toxin is the Sycamore tree (Acer
pseudoplatanus), a member of the
maple tree family.
The Box Elder (Acer negundo)
is the most common tree to cause
the disease in North America. Both
trees share the typical helicopter
shaped fruit that help to distribute
their seeds over long distances,
typically several hundred metres,
but reportedly up to 4km.
The ‘toxic dose’ of sycamore
seeds can vary from less than 100
to several thousand single seeds.
With each tree potentially shedding
SEEDS: There is a greater tendency for sycamore seeds to be ingested as horses forage for every last blade of
grass.
TOXIN: The most common source
of the toxin hypoglyxin A, which
causes Atypical myopathy, is the
Sycamore tree.
more than 20,000 double seeded
‘helicopters’, the amount on pasture
can be considerable. In the spring,
seedlings represent a risk to horses
and can affect hay made from
contaminated pasture. Seedlings
at the edge of watercourses can
also contaminate water supplies,
especially when trampled as horses
walk across them.
Horse owners are advised to take
practical steps to prevent the disease
by limiting access to sycamore seeds:
n Identify trees both around
grazed fields as well as those in
close proximity. Trees are often
easiest to identify in the summer
when in full leaf, rather than in the
autumn, when leaves have largely
fallen. The characteristic maple leaf
shape is easy to spot, although if in
doubt a test is available from the
Royal Veterinary College as a result
of work funded by The Horse Trust.
n Collect seeds or exclude horses
from affected areas using electric
fencing or stabling.
n Feed supplementary hay to try
and prevent horses from excessive
foraging for short blades of grass
and inadvertent ingestion of seeds.
But ensure that hay does not
become contaminated by seeds.
n Don’t rashly fell trees when
laden with seeds as this can cause a
sudden and massive contamination
of the pasture. Consider local
regulations, tree protection orders
and tree ownership if felling is the
only option.
n Monitor horses carefully
even after they have been moved
from affected pasture as disease
can occur up to four days after
exposure.
The most consistent clinical sign
of atypical myopathy is the passing
of dark brown urine (myoglobinuria)
as a result of muscle breakdown.
Horses usually become weak and
reluctant to move and may lay
down, but usually have a normal or
increased appetite.
In the most severe cases the
horse will develop very severe
colic-like signs due to significant
pain. In some horses the severity of
muscle pain leads to euthanasia on
welfare grounds. These signs occur
as a result of the active toxin which
prevents muscles from undergoing
normal energy metabolism. It
can affect all muscles in the body
including the respiratory muscles
and heart.
“It’s imperative to contact your
vet as a matter of urgency if you
are concerned your horse may be
suffering from Atypical Myopathy,”
said BEVA President Huw Griffiths.
“We can use a special blood test,
thanks to research funding from
The Horse Trust, to diagnose and
measure exposure to the toxin. The
earlier we are able to intervene the
more likely a favourable outcome
for the horse.”
IAPF forms enhanced educational partnership with FormaHoof Ltd
H
ERBERT
Spencer,
the
English
philosopher, famously said: “The great
aim of education is not knowledge,
but action.” And this is the great aim of the
enhanced Educational Partnership announced
between the International Association of
Professional Farriers (IAPF) and FormaHoof
Ltd.
Through this new partnership, the IAPF
and FormaHoof will jointly promote a range
of educational initiatives created to give
veterinarians, farriers and equine hoof care
specialists access to the latest developments
in equine hoof care. The advanced
educational training programme developed
by FormaHoof’s team of equine podiatry
experts will also be co-marketed under the
new partnership, and through the IAPF’s
new ‘Partner Credentials’, IAPF members will
be able to take advantage of a unique set of
educational opportunities.
Lester Yoder APF-I, chairman of the IAPF’s
Credentialing Committee, stated: “FormaHoof
will be the first company to participate in this
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
PROFESSIONAL FARRIERS
The International Association of
Professional Farriers is a non-profit trade
organisation created in 2012 to represent
the interests of professional farriers and
others involved in the farrier industry.
The primary objectives of the new
associations include continuing education,
member support and serving as a hoofcare reference for horse owners. For more
information about the IAPF, please visit
www.ProfessionalFarriers.com
JOINT
INITIATIVE:
An enhanced
Educational
Partnership
between the
International
Association of
Professional
Farriers and
FormaHoof
Ltd has been
announced.
(FW42-575NN)
new ‘IAPF Partner Credentialing’ programme.
Through the FormaHoof Academy and other
similar programmes, which are currently
in negotiations, farriers will be able to
take advantage of programmes, which are
presented by supportive educational partners
with similar objectives to the IAPF. These
objectives include enhanced educational
initiatives for the betterment of the horse,
farrier, veterinarian, horse owner and others
involved in the care and custody of the horse.”
At the heart of FormaHoof’s education system
is the FormaHoof Academy, which provides the
theoretical knowledge and practical insights
to help horses overcome a multitude of hoof
related issues, with the support of FormaHoof.
Created for professionals by professionals, the
FormaHoof Certified Applicator course (FCA
course) is based on a combination of video
trainings and accompanying, downloadable
documents, and with more content planned
for the future, is fast becoming an invaluable
resource for equine podiatry specialists
world-wide. Successful completion of the
online course and examination will allow a
farrier to earn 24 IAPF Continuing Education
Credits, and those that are already certified
will be automatically granted these credits.
The course is currently available in English
and German, with more languages coming
soon.
FormaHoof CEO Alexander Papantoniou
ABOUT FORMAHOOF LTD.
FormaHoof provides five-star hoof
protection and rehabilitation solutions
for all Equines. The unique, patented,
liquid fit moulding process creates
a non-invasive, three dimensional,
protective and supportive overlay on
the equine hoof and delivers immediate
results, assisting farriers, trimmers
and vets in the fight against a multitude
of hoof-related disorders. FormaHoof
is a registered Trademark. For more
information about the FormaHoof
Academy, see https://formahoofacademy.
com/
For more information about the
FormaHoof Academy, see https://
formahoofacademy.com/
comments: “At FormaHoof, we understand
the importance of exploration, learning and
education and we are delighted to partner
with the IAPF. To have such a prestigious, likeminded organisation endorse our Academy is
a testament to the quality of the content and
a motivator to the entire FormaHoof Team to
continue our innovation in this space.
One of our primary goals is to give equine
podiatry professionals access to cutting edge
skills development and the creation of our
online Academy - a complete LMS (Learning
Management System) - was in many ways a
first in this industry.
“Through the latest in online training
technology, we are committed to continuing
to lead the way in online training within the
equine podiatry world.”