21 TB Polo Horses Mysteriously Drop Dead
 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/19/dead.horses/index.html

What could hit them all that fast? Something airborne? Some 40-60 total horses get cycled through per team during a match it said. You'd think there'd be signs of illness sooner than 2 collapsing if were something like West Nile.

A toxin or poison.

They read a post on DT where RollerDoc quoted SDJCOM.

I think I just heard on TV that it's now 21 horses dead. Not sure though.

I realize 25% of DT readers feel I "don't get it", but I have to think that these horses were administered some kind of concoction what was either supposed to enhance or hinder their performance, depending on who administered it.

I thought the same thing. Perhaps the concoction was to be diluted prior to administering?

this is a very sad and scary story.

Supposedly it was tainted steroids (Winstrol) administered by a South American vet (I'll see if I can find a link)

I think the tainted steroids theory has already been discounted (not sure). Lots of rumors flying. Nothing real on the veterinary lists yet.

Here's the most current info I just found: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/30305180/

rumor is that a vet injected them with SOMETHING (duh i guess)..

Really a sad story..

Rumor is they died after being told they were goint to be the first to see Ralph Lauren's fall collection.

http://news.aol.com/article/21-horse...o-match/435339

Yes 21 dead. They're also looking into the hay, water, etc. I suppose for a contaminant which totally makes sense. Are there any other horses currently exhibiting symptoms or are the rest seemingly healthy?

I heard there is one horse left alive, being treated on IV's.

My guess (and I don't know anything other than what's published in the news, and that's crazy speculative now) - possibly something wrong in the insect spray used on the horses.

The article you linked said many of the horses started to show symptoms right off the van. I wonder if carbon monoxide poisoning could be possible.

They're about to cover the story on ABC News.

I think they've heavily updated it since I first read it. There's a lot of new info. Hmm.

From this article, it may take days or weeks to know for sure. How unfortunate and so sad for everyone involved :(

http://abcnews.go.com/US/Health/Wire...7377176&page=1

Just terrible. :(

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-raci...y-horse-deaths

Horrible beyond words . I'm guessing it must be a poison .

I'm loving the clarity of this quote from that Bloodhorse article: "A combination of something with an error in something that was given to these horses caused this toxic reaction," he said."

tainted biodyl, 21-of the 26 horses were given it, 5 that were not are the only ones that lived

sickening considering how they died and obviously suffered.

Only can hope for a Chop-Chop Chavez II is the tyrant 'we' think he is

http://ph.merial.com/swine/products.asp

Biodyl (VR-1683)
Injection solution containing metabolic constituents (adenosine triphosphoric acid or ATP, magnesium and potassium aspartate, sodium selenite, and vitamin B 12) for debility, convalescence and myopathies.

COMPOSITION: Injectable solution
SELENIUM (sf of sodium selenite)........................0,045 g
POTASSIUM ASPARTATE....................1,000 g
MAGNESIUM ASPARTATE ....................1,500 g
Excipient containing cyanocobalamin 0050 g and 5000 g. glycine ......... qsp 100 ml

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION:
Equine : Slow intravenous Injection of 20 ml every 4 to 5 days (4 to 5 -- injections in total).

from CNN
 

Pharmacy that supplied medicine for polo ponies that later died says the medicine was incorrectly prepared.

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That compounding pharmacy (Francks) is well-known. They will be lucky to survive.

Big trouble for the compounding pharmacy world, and internet drug sales. Huge trouble.

It was verified today that the polo ponies died of an overdose of selenium.

(HI everyone)

This story was very sad around here. Pharmacy is going to pay dearly for that mistake or their insurance company anyway.

I couldn't even watch the news reports as they made me cry. Very sad. RIP poor ponies.

Very sad indeed. Does anyone know whether the vet wrote the wrong amount of selenium or the pharmacy prepared it incorrectly? Either way, I would think the pharmacy should have caught it. I think selenium would have to be given in a ridiculously high amount to be that toxic that rapidly. If there is a vet or someone who knows more about selenium on this board, I'd like to hear your thoughts. My working horses are supplemented with selenium, as are many racehorses, for 2 reasons. I am in a low-selenium area, and the amount of selenium added to commercial horse feeds is at such a low dose as to be completely inadequate for a working horse. I have my horses tested at Michigan State every so often to make sure I'm on track with the selenium.

Suzanne

i remember, vaguely, a discussion about selenium on this board a year or more ago. i think it's a touchy thing-something you need, but not very much of. this case bore that out only too well. a shame that a mistake cost so many horses their life.

The pharmacy has already publically said they prepared the prescription incorrectly (too much of an ingredient)

Yes, it was a high amount, but it doesn't take much. Sudden death like that happens with ruminants who are accidentally overdosed with selenium, too.

Didn't they say it's not typical to give horses something like this the day of a match? Even if the pharmacy had prepared it properly, seems like its administration was unusual.

Some doctor not associated with the team said at one point it wasn't typical to give vitamins the day of a match (if I remember right)

But the horses were getting a mineral (electrolyte type) supplement to help with the heavy exercise workload they have at a match. That's why it's given, so nothing unusual about that. Wouldn't be much use to give it on a non-heavy-exercise day.