EQUINE GRASS SICKNESS Surveillance Scheme
Equine grass sickness (EGS) is a disease of horses which affects parts of the nervous system that control such functions as digestion, salivation and heart-rate. The disease is fatal in over 90% of cases.
To date, there has been no system in place for monitoring when and where the disease occurs. However, the Animal Health Trust has now set up the first ever nationwide surveillance scheme as part of a collaborative project with the Equine Grass Sickness Fund and the Universities of Edinburgh and Liverpool.
This scheme will enable us to identify trends in occurrence of the disease over time and in different areas, and to quantify the real welfare impact. This valuable information will then be used in the future to identify high risk premises for accurate assessment of the benefits of vaccination.
The scheme is absolutely dependent on horse owners and vets reporting cases to
us. If you have experienced, or know of, any cases of grass sickness from the year 2000 to present, please contact Claire Wylie at the Animal Health Trust on 01638 552993 Ext: 1241 or claire.wylie*atsymbol*aht.org.uk
If you would like to learn more about grass sickness and our surveillance scheme, please visit the official website at www.equinegrasssickness.co.uk