Equine Grass Sickness: Welfare Challenges in Scotland

Equine grass sickness is a poorly understood and often fatal neurological condition with a particular prevalence in Scotland that causes severe welfare impacts in affected horses.

Key Facts

Equine grass sickness causes neurological damage with three forms: acute, subacute and chronic
Scotland and northeast England have the highest incidence rates in the world
The disease is associated with grazing and has been linked to Clostridium botulinum toxin in some studies
Chronic cases with good appetite can recover with intensive nursing over months; acute cases are rapidly fatal

Welfare Considerations

Acute grass sickness causes profound depression, colic, difficulty swallowing and rapid deterioration requiring euthanasia. Subacute cases involve persistent distress from colic and dysphagia. Chronic cases require months of intensive nursing including hand-feeding, supportive care and rehabilitation. Welfare priorities include prompt recognition and diagnosis, early euthanasia for acute and severe subacute cases, and dedicated nursing for chronic cases showing recovery potential.

What You Can Do

Learn to recognise early signs of grass sickness including sweating, depression and difficulty swallowing
Seek urgent veterinary assessment for any horse showing these signs on affected land
Consider euthanasia early for acute cases to prevent prolonged suffering
Support the Equine Grass Sickness Fund research into causes and prevention