Acorns Could be to Blame for French Horses’ Deaths
- Topics: Article, Poisoning & Toxicity
At least 10 horses have died in northwest France from poisoning after consuming acorns, according to a treating veterinarian.
The horses had consumed sufficient quantities of acorns to potentially result in tannin toxicity, said Hélène Lemoine, DVM, equine veterinarian in Saint Lô, Normandy, France. Tannin is present in the leaves, bark, and acorns of oak trees and affects the intestinal tract and the kidneys.
“None of the affected horses survived,” Lemoine told The Horse. “As soon as they showed signs of hemorrhagic diarrhea death followed very quickly, usually before we could even arrive on site to examine the horse.”
Strong winds and rain in the region have caused significant quantities of acorns—including unripe acorns, which are more toxic—to fall from the trees recently, often into pastures, Lemoine said. According to the Western Animal and Environmental Anti-Poison Center (CAPAE) in Nantes, France, it takes approximately 3 kg (6.6 lbs) of acorns to poison a 500 kilogram (1,100 pound) horse
Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.
TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.
Start your free account today!
Already have an account?
and continue reading.

Related Articles
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with