Five horses have died from botulism on a family horse farm in Redding, Indiana. According to reports, the horses most likely contracted botulism by eating hay contaminated by toxin-producing bacteria that leads to the disease.
Contaminated hay source of botulism
When botulism bacterium grows, it produces toxins that block the connection between the horse's nerves and muscles.
The botulism bacterium is a spore-forming bacteria that grows in the absence of oxygen and is found world-wide. It is present in soil and in decaying animal carcasses.
Although it occurs less often in decaying plant material, hay can be contaminated during the raking and bailing process. Haylage with its higher moisture levels, a pH above 4.5 and anaerobic conditions provides ideal conditions for the growth of Clostridium botulism.
When the bacterium grows, it produces toxins that block the connection between the nerves and muscles. Affected horses often exhibit signs varying from muscle weakness to paralysis, and they eventually die when their respiratory muscles become paralyzed, or when other health problems arise from being down.
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