They may lean against a wall but stay standing until just before death. Muscle tremors and lack of coordination force them down. Once down, horses have convulsions before coma and death. A less common form of ELEM affects the liver. The signs are severe swelling of the lips and nose, bloody spots in the mucous membranes, lowering of the head, reluctance to move, abdominal breathing, cyanosis and bloody urine.
Death usually occurs within hours or days.
Equine aflatoxicosis is another condition produced by molds. But aflatoxicosis is rarely reported in horses. Aflatoxin signs in horses are similar to those of ELEM but are more likely to occur in young horses than older horses. They may have bloody diarrhea. Fusarium-infected corn kernels may be pink to reddish brown.