Post-Bushfire Horse Health

This article is from the February 2020 Horse Deals magazine.

Post-Bushfire Horse Health with Dr Meg Redenbach BVSC/BVS of Eastwood Vets, Bairnsdale

Whilst the main risk to equine health during bushfires is the flames and smoke, there are a few other risks that aren’t usually considered. The dangers of radiant heat and returning horses to ashy paddocks can result in alternate issues, if the horses are not managed correctly.

Meg, originally from Bairnsdale, completed her Veterinary Science studies in 2015 at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. Following graduation, she has worked predominately in mixed practice at Korumburra Veterinary Clinic and Gippsland Veterinary Hospital. Meg returned to work in Bairnsdale in December 2018 and in March 2019, Meg and her partner, Mark, purchased the Bairnsdale Animal Hospital and then Eastwood Vets was born.

Heavy Metal Toxicity

During the stress of a bush fire, horses and cattle activate fight or flight mode which results in them using up all their magnesium stores. Once magnesium is depleted in their bodies they will go looking for sources of magnesium to replenish the bodies stores. In bushfires, the most available and highest source of magnesium and salts is in the ash from buildings that have burnt. Ash from a bushfire, once in their stomachs, settles out on the bottoms and becomes as hard as concrete. Immediately this may result in cases of colic, but long term the heavy metals in the ash from buildings that have burnt seep into the horse’s system and can cause heavy metal toxicity. This can take up to six months to develop and the easiest way to prevent it is through feeding practices now. Try to feed horses off the ground as much as possible. Feed hay on tarps, rice hulls or rice shavings so that the horses aren’t picking up ash as they go. Water is also another source of ash containing heavy metals so keeping a small amount of fresh-water available and changing regularly is important. Animals drinking from dams, especially in drought conditions, will get a large amount of heavy metals from the dam. Deep damns may be OK as the heavy metals settle out to the bottom and usually the first six inches of water is not contaminated.

Supplementing Magnesium

Find a good quality magnesium supplement and feed at twice the label recommendation for the first week. Continue at the label recommended dose for three months.

Radiant Heat

During a bushfire, animals will have experienced extreme radiant heat which may not be evident immediately. Radiant heat causes the subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin) to boil. With time if the fat remains hot, hair will start to fall out, an abscess will form and burst and you can be left with a large difficult to manage wound. When you find animals that may have been exposed to radiant heat; hose with cold water to help the subcutaneous fat cool and reduce formation of these abscesses.

Hot Ash

Animals walking around on bush fire affected land will be picking up hot ash in their hooves. This will look fine at first but the ash sets like cement in the hoof and maintains its heat. With time, this will cause damage to the blood vessels in the feet and result in animals becoming laminitic, which may or may not be treatable. In order to prevent laminitis, remove them from bushfire affected paddocks whenever possible. Otherwise, clean out feet twice daily.

Feeding

When supplement feeding animals in bushfire zones, be very careful not to overfeed on high-quality feed such as lucerne. Instead, one biscuit of lucerne and ab lib (overfeed) on low-quality grass hay. Be sure to spread the hay around to encourage normal grazing/roaming whilst eating. Overfeeding on high quality feeds such as lucerne has the potential to create a whole other set of problems.

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