Privet

[rvialls]

I've had a couple of cases recently of laminitis being caused or exacerbated by eating privet. One wasn't too bad, but the other was quite a serious case (the horse got colic as well).

There's not much detailed info in the veterinary texts on the toxicity of privet other than that it is toxic. I can't find any mention of it causing laminitis, but it does apparently cause gastro-intestinal upset, which potentially could then cause laminitis. I was slightly surprised the horses were eating it so readily as it apparently tastes really bitter (didn't fancy trying it myself) - but I guess if the horse is hungry...

Anyway, I thought I'd post this just in case it helps someone get to the bottom of an unexplained case. It's easy not to pick up on that garden hedge that's adjacent to the field, etc.

I'll post this on a couple of other boards as well, but if anyone has access to appropriate boards that I don't, please feel free to cross post.

[TashaKat]

Thanks for the heads up, Richard

[intouch]

I had a very sick dog once, who threw up a single private leaf - the vet said it was likely to have been the cause.  (almost unconscious and minor fits)

[Louise C]

That is funny - someone reckons there is a privet hedge by our field that my horse loves - but having done a search on it I don't think it looks like it - will have to investigate further!

[Louise C]

Thanks Richard for bring this to my attention - we have got some Privet running by our field - well one of them and the last 2 Novembers I move Flynn there and he's got low grade lami.  I thought it was because this grass is richer as it's not grazed so much but maybe it's the hedge.  Another thing to ponder over!

[ParisDiamond]

cheers

[Fizzbw]

I'm seriously wondering if Cirrus' recent problems with lami (and wld) were triggered by him eating ivy from a fallen tree in the field (tree had fallen over fence). The timing fits.

Niki x

[cirocco]

I was always told that privet is poisonous to horses, as was ivy.

Anyone with horses near gardens where there were hedges of priet or trees with ivy were told to add an inner fence to keep the horses away.

[Cloud_cirrus]

There are some similarities between privet and ivy, both contain glycosides which are toxic to cold blooded animals.

Found more research about privet causing problems with horses than Ivy.  Ivy is generally considered less toxic although the toxic action of Saponin Glycoside is not fully understood.  Saponin Glycoside is an expectorant so perhaps Cirrus was self-selecting?

[Fizzbw]

Interesting - maybe he was, not very well done though was it??  Would he have recovered quickly if it was the ivy which had challenged his system too much, or would it take a while - he is recovering pretty slowly, but he did have a lot of infection that worried him more than the lami.

Niki x

[Cloud_cirrus]

Trying to give him the benefit of the doubt  It's a very bitter plant so not usually eaten.

I guess in an already vulnerable horse it doesn't take much to tip them over the edge (because of his previous illness).  I haven't looked up the make up of this yet, but the Black Walnut tree can apparently cause laminitis in horses just by them being bedded down on shavings that contain Black Walnut, this is more in America though, Black Walnut is not a common tree over here.  Would be interesting to find out if that contains Glycoside as well.