Well, we finally figured it out.It really was red clover as someone
suggested (and our vet looked for).It’s not in all the hay and it’s not in great amounts.The vet and I went completely through 2
bales and just saw very consistent hay.But yesterday we found some clover.At this point 4 of 7 horses have shown symptoms and only 2 of those have
been extremely noticeable.Only 1
is slobbering now.
So I have been doing web research and basically, the wet
year we had promoted the growth of a fungus/mold called Rhizoctonialeguminicola.It creates black patch disease on the clover and an alkaloid called slaframine which affects the horses. Some are more sensitive than others.
The primary symptom is excess salivation, but also could see
eye discharge, bloat, frequent urination, diarrhea,
weigh loss and abortion. All the
web sites say that the symptoms should go away after 3 days of removing the
horse from the infected pasture.Well, it’s not pasture for me, its 20 tons of hay that has been
paid for and stacked in our barn.
I can’t find anything that indicates any long term
effects if they keep getting this hay and I don’t have a lot of
options.One site said they didn’t
even recommend going after the pasture situation if there weren’t
symptoms other than the salivation (if that didn’t bug you).Well, no other symptoms and their level
of salivation is not huge, but the things that do concern me are 1) dehydration
is definitely an issue in our sport and I don’t want to push that and 2)
it’s 15 degrees out right now and their lips/nose have got to be awfully
cold, maybe at risk for frostbite when it gets even colder?
I will talk to our hay broker, who is a friend, but I don’t
want to put them in a financial bind and don’t know if the hay grower has
any responsibility.I’m
hoping I can get at least a few tons to feed before and during the coldest
weather and when we get to ride season.
Or else I really need to get some horses sold so I can
afford more hay – anyone want to save some nice
horses from a slobbering existence?Any other suggestions?
