There is increasing evidence indicating that molds and mycotoxins are involved in the syndromes in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia this spring. There have been some positive screens for the mycotoxin zearalenone in pasture and
The good news is that the federal government doesn’t have to be in Kentucky or any other state because of the current spring syndromes taking place in the horse populations. They would be required to investigate if there was any indication that
Fluid is drained from the pericardial membrane surrounding the heart of a horse with Pericarditis.
Photo: Stephanie
Actually, the view from the field in Central Kentucky was rather lonely this Thursday, May 10. There were acres and acres of fresh-mown–or being furiously mowed–pastures that are beginning to resemble putting greens. The
Over and over the refrain has been heard for the past two weeks–the horse industry is lucky to have the equine expertise concentrated in Central Kentucky, especially during this time of all-out war against an unknown killer. Dr. Roger Murphy,
Thoroughbred industry leaders, veterinarians, researchers, and farm managers met with the media at the Gluck Equine Research Center in Lexington, Ky., for a press briefing on the current fetal/foal loss syndromes happening in the state. While
Lenn Harrison, VMD, Dipl. ACVP, director of the University of Kentucky’s Livestock Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Lexington, and his staff have been working long hours conducting necropsies and running tests in an attempt to find
Two “syndromes” that began near the end of the third week of April are causing Kentucky farms to lose an excessive number of foals and fetuses due to an as yet unknown cause. The first syndrome results in what mare owners know as “red bag,” or
At the industry-wide meeting on Thursday, May 10, Dr. Steve Jackson, an equine nutrition consultant and owner of Bluegrass Equine Nutrition, and Dr. Jimmy Henning, an extension forage specialist at the University of Kentucky’s College of
Dr. Rhonda Rathgeber, a veterinarian with Hagyard-Davidson-McGee veterinary firm in Lexington, Ky., specializes in performance horse problems. She said in the past 10 days, she has seen “a lot of riding horses lame with an associated colitis
While the numbers are nowhere near those associated with early fetal loss and late gestation pregnancy loss, there is a pattern appearing with horses developing pericarditis (fluid in the sac around the heart), said Dr. Doug Byars, a specialist
As the breeding season winds to a close, you expect to see fewer foals being born. Therefore, there are fewer chances for the current syndrome to affect late-gestation mares. It also seems, however, that the loss of late-term gestations–and
The foal loss syndromes facing Kentucky’s pregnant mares might be just the start of a host of problems that could affect horses of all ages, breeds, sexes, and uses in Kentucky and other states. Whether you have a gelding that is on turn-out, a
In the industry-wide meeting at Keeneland on Thursday, May 10, zearalenone, a kind of mycotoxin, was put forth as a possible cause of the recent rash of late-term stillbirths, critical foals, and early fetal loss. But while experts seem to be in
The old-timers say Kentucky is horse country because of its soil. What’s now growing on that soil could be the cause of a rash of late-term losses in foals, early embryonic death, pericarditis (fluid surrounding the heart), reduced growth rates
Following is a glossary of terms related to the mare reproductive loss syndromes in horses. This will be a living document–we will add to it as requested or as necessary. If you have any terms you would like to see listed on this document,
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