Warmblood fragile foal syndrome (WFFS), which causes poor skin quality, mouth lesions, and joint issues—if the foals survive at all—is a worldwide problem. | Photo: iStock

Warmblood fragile foal syndrome (WFFS), which causes poor skin quality, mouth lesions, and joint issues—if the foals survive at all—is a worldwide problem. Not just limited to Europe and North America, where cases have been reported so far, the genetic mutation for WFFS occurs as frequently in Warmbloods in Brazil as it does in Germany and the United States, according to a new study.

Scientists haven’t yet identified any clinical cases in South America’s largest country, but that doesn’t mean its Warmblood population doesn’t carry the mutation. Brazilian Warmbloods carry a copy of the allele responsible for WFFS at a frequency rate of nearly 6%, says Alexandre Secorun Borges, PhD, of the São Paulo State University School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, in Botucatu, Brazil.

“Given this frequency, which is similar to what was seen and described in European and North American studies, we recommend increased discussions to increase knowledge about this disease among South American breeders and veterinarians,” he said. “Further to those discussions, breed associations could decide on ideal control measures, possibly adopting testing regimens already in use by some European associations