Attention! Are you feeding persimmons to your horse?

You have to consider many things when feeding a horse. Life stage, activity level, the environment they live in, genetics, climate, and health conditions of the horses should be considered. Most importantly, when feeding horses, the things you give to them should be regarded well, and some foods you do not think are maybe toxic for them. 

Are you feeding persimmons to your horse? – Persimmons 

Persimmons are edible fruit that belongs to the genus Diospyros.  Diospyros kaki is the most cultivated species among Diospyros. Its fruits are sweet and fall off at maturity. It has a fibrous texture. This fruit has a high tannin content that makes the unripe fruits bitter. Some persimmons like hachiya should be eaten after they have completely ripened. Koreans use dried persimmons to make their traditional spices, while matured persimmons are used to make vinegar. And in some countries persimmons are used for making tea. Persimmons also can be used for making cookies, curries, cakes, salads, puddings, etc. Raw American persimmons are a rich source of vitamin C and iron. Unripened fruit contains soluble tannin, and it causes problems in the digestive system together with the acid contained in the stomach. 

Click on this link and know more about persimmons and their causes for horses. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/persimmon

Are persimmons toxic for horses? 

The answer to this question is yes. The American persimmons may be poisonous to horses. The tannins in the fruit can precipitate in the stomach and form a sticky mass known as phytobezoar. Due to having more fruits, the mass can cause ulcers in the belly of the horse. It may lead to the rupture of the stomach. Horses lose weight due to this.

Persimmons contain tannic acids. The concentration of acidity differs from one another. It depends on the season, fruit maturation, and stage of development. This acid causes issues for the horses.

If your horse has ingested persimmons following symptoms can be seen in them.

Weight lose

Lethargy

Mild colic intermittent

Persimmons phytobezoar obstruction is a rare but potentially fatal cause of colic in horses. Consumption of persimmons may also cause colic, diarrhea, and weight loss. This may be caused due to the ingestion of persimmons on horses.

Are persimmons bad for horses?

Eating ripe persimmons so much may block the digestive tract, and due to that, it irritates horses. 33 tp 35 persimmons can develop a blockage on the horse’s digestive system. 

Severe discomfort may not be seen in horses until a few months after ingestion of persimmons. It is tough to diagnose this issue. 

Severe gastric impaction occurs due to having persimmons. The following report is about the gastric impaction that occurs in horses. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3781432/ 

Many cases are reported worldwide where the horses ingested persimmons and cause severe diseases to the horses, and some of those diseases were cured successfully. The following article is also about that kind of incident.  https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/156878903.pdf 

This persimmon fruit is on the list of five plants that cause intestinal obstruction and rumen impaction. If horses have access to wild persimmons, it’s important to take proper care and prevent them from reaching the fruit. When persimmon trees grow around your farm, make sure to keep horses away from them. In case your horse consumes persimmons, seek veterinary attention immediately. The veterinarian will inquire about the horse’s history, assess how much fruit was eaten, and conduct several tests. Based on the findings, appropriate treatment will be given to help your horse recover.