Many fruits and vegetables are acceptable for horses to consume, but even a small amount of certain seemingly harmless foods can have hazardous effects. The avocado is one of these fruits.
Avocados are tasty, versatile foods that are quickly becoming more popular because of their health benefits.
Although some horse owners might believe it's a great idea to feed their horse a delectable avocado, avocados are harmful to horses. This delicate, tasty fruit might upset your horse, even in small quantities.
Horses may become poisoned if they consume the avocado's stem, leaves, fruit, or seeds. Persin is the primary poisonous substance in avocados. An average-sized horse can die from 30g of leaves per kilogram of body weight. Colic may result even at lower dosages.
The toxin's effects include swelling of the face, mouth, and tongue, as well as respiratory distress and fluid accumulation around the heart. It may have a fatally detrimental effect on your horse.
Can Horses Eat Avocado?
The answer is an absolute no. Avocados are toxic to horses. Avocado trees, leaves, and bark are reportedly dangerous in addition to the fruit.
Avocados have a chemical called persin in them that is bad for horses and can cause colic, arrhythmia, breathing problems, neurological problems, swelling, and even death.
Avocados should never be given to horses as food or treats, and owners should never let their animals graze in locations where they could have access to avocados.
Avocado
Avocados are a fruit with a pear-like form and a rich, buttery flavour. Due to their form and rough skin texture have earned the nickname "alligator pears". Although there are many different kinds of avocados, the buttery Hass variety is the most commonly consumed.
The creamy, light-green centre of an avocado is eaten. It tastes great and feels like butter.
Avocados are regarded as a "healthy food" for humans and may be a source of many different vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Additionally, they provide a good amount of beneficial fat. This fat is mostly monounsaturated, and it has a very low fructose content. Avocados have a wide range of organic substances, such as flavonoids, phytosterols, and carotenoids. This may be the most important thing about them.
Due to its high content of good fat and effectiveness in lowering cholesterol, it has drawn interest in the health community. Especially in comparison to butter and other high-calorie foods, it has fewer calories. Its fatty acid composition is largely derived from unusual, health-promoting substances like phytosterols.
Phosphorus, copper, calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium, manganese, and potassium are among the minerals found in avocados. Vitamins C, E, A, K, thiamine, niacin, B6, and riboflavin are present in plenty in these foods. They are also a great source of dietary fibre, with one serving meeting more than 40% of the daily need.
However, despite being identified as a super-food with such great health benefits for human beings, all parts of the avocado are poisonous to horses. Therefore, even in small amounts, it should never be given to them.
Avocado's Harmful Effects on Horses
The main cause of the majority of the detrimental effects seen in horses when they are fed avocado is the toxic substance ‘persin’ present in the plant. This is due to its high potency and solubility in the aqueous fluids of the body (e.g., blood), giving it the ability to affect several systems of the horse’s body.
Some of the bad things that can happen when a horse eats any part of avocado are listed below.
Colic
When horses consume any part of an avocado, the toxic substance persin, present in the plant, causes an obstruction in their stomach which may result in intense abdominal pain known as colic.
When a horse has colic, it often acts restless, loses its appetite, lays down and paws (throws its legs into the air), rolls around on the ground, and bloats (its stomach gets bigger because it holds on to gas or fluid).
Neurological Dysfunction
A condition that impairs the central nervous system, reducing the effectiveness of brain functions. A variety of symptoms might be caused by physical, chemical, or electrical problems in the brain, spinal cord, or other nerves. Some of these symptoms are convulsions, loss of awareness, weakness in the muscles, paralysis, and trouble keeping your balance.
Irregular Heartbeats
Also known as arrhythmia, it is a disorder that affects the rate or rhythm of heartbeats. It essentially affects the electrical conduction of the heart.
The heart begins to beat either too rapidly, too slowly, or irregularly as a result. Tachycardia is the term for an abnormally rapid heartbeat. Bradycardia is the medical term for an excessively sluggish heartbeat.
Cardiac arrhythmia consequences may include heart failure, sudden death, and stroke.
Respiratory Distress
Avocado exposure frequently results in breathing problems in horses, who then either have to put more effort into breathing or do not get sufficient oxygen, both of which indicate respiratory distress. It is an emergency condition that requires immediate attention.
Some of the symptoms commonly seen in a horse suffering from respiratory distress include shortness of breath, laboured breathing, wheezing while breathing, coughing, runny nose, and increased heartbeat.
Oedema
Oedema refers to swellings that occur as a result of the retention or accumulation of fluid under the skin. It may affect almost every body part and was formerly known as dropsy.
When oedema affects your horse's lower legs, hooves, lips, eyes, tongue, and belly, it results in a swelling that is easy to observe. But sometimes fluid builds up inside an organ, which can cause symptoms like shortness of breath but no visible swelling.
All of these harmful effects of avocado mentioned above occur together at a time. When all of these bad things happen at once, they may kill the horse in the end.
Treatment of Avocado Poisoning in Horses
As of now, there is no particular cure for avocado poisoning. If you think your horse may have had avocado, keep him away from the fruit and keep calm while you wait for a veterinarian. By washing the stomach with fluid, your veterinarian may be able to stop the body from absorbing the poison further. This could stop the avocado from being absorbed and give your horse a few days to feel better.
Most horses quickly go back to their normal state, but the situation is bad for those who have been fed extensively since their hearts and lungs have suffered permanent harm.
Prevention of Avocado Poisoning in Horses
The ideal strategy is prevention. It is important to decide whether to maintain any avocado trees that are growing in your grazing paddocks and to indicate that the paddock is off-limits to your horse. If you want to keep using the field to graze, you have to get rid of the tree.
Final Words
Even though avocado has some nutrients that are good for human health, it is not safe for horses to eat.
As a horse owner, it is important that you never give your horse any part of an avocado, and that you take every precaution to keep your horse from getting to an avocado tree.
Dr Matthew Adeiza, DVM
Ohiani Matthew is a one-health enthusiast, pet lover who enjoys writing. He currently owns a bright Alsatian dog named Rex.
