14 TB Polo Horses Mysteriously Drop Dead

[dellinger63]

sickening considering how they died and obviously suffered.

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

[Riot]

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).

[31lengths]

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

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[Riot]

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.

[Riot]

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

[Buffymommy]

(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.

[largo1]

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

[Danzig]

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.

[Riot]

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.

[Merlinsky]

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.

[Riot]

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.