In the wake of the fourth explosion at the Fukushima nuclear power plant following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, concerns continue to mount in regards to how much radiation could be leaking from the power plant and how it could impact the health and well-being of the area’s residents. High doses of radiation can lead to radiation sickness in humans, but what types of effects might they have on horses?

Scientists note that in humans severe radiation exposure will have one of three effects:

• Proves fatal within hours;
• Causes certain delayed but fatal effects (such as bone marrow suppression or death from septicemia); or
• Causes negative, yet treatable, gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., diarrhea).

What this means for horses residing near Fukushima is less clear, but according to Nathan L. Dykes, DVM, Dipl. ACVR (radiology), senior lecturer from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., the radiation’s impact on area horses is likely minimal