Latest News – The Horse
MRLS Timeline
2001
April 7–The temperature high in Lexington is 84 degrees; 23 degrees above normal.
April 17–The temperature low in Lexington is 29 degrees; 19 degrees below
Early Fetal Loss Low
According to Dr. Richard Holder, a practitioner with the Lexington, Ky., firm of Hagyard-Davidson-McGee who specializes in mare reproduction and fetal sexing, early fetal loss is occurring this year as it did last year, just at a much lower rate.
“It is out there,” said Holder of early fetal loss associated with mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). “There is a low
Some Farms Seeing No Losses
Reports from Central Kentucky and Ohio note that many farms are seeing no early fetal loss, late-term abortions, or term births of compromised foals. Dr. Roger Murphy, a private practitioner in Central Kentucky who was president last year of the
Superstar Seattle Slew Dead at 28
Seattle Slew, the only horse to win the Triple Crown while undefeated, died Tuesday morning in his sleep at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm near Lexington. On May 7, 1977, exactly 25 years ago, Slew won the Kentucky Derby. Seattle Slew had been the last
Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome Is Back in 2002
“It’s definitely here,” said Doug Byars, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, an internal medicine specialist with the Hagyard-Davidson-McGee veterinary medical center in Lexington, Ky. “It’s not as consistent thus far, but a few farms are bringing us foals routinely. On some farms there is significant early fetal loss, on others it is sporadic.”
“It” refers to mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS) and
Buddha Injury Still Uncertain
Diagnostics were still being done on pre-Derby second choice Buddha on the Monday after the race. His attending veterinarian, Dr. Ken Reed, said while they hadn’t found out a whole lot more, Buddha was sent on Sunday night (May 5) to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., under the care of Dr. Larry Bramlage. Buddha will undergo other testing at the clinic, including a bone scan
Spring Syndromes Review
Just before the Kentucky Derby last year, a series of events took place in Kentucky and surrounding states that resulted in 516 late-term abortions and 2,998 early fetal losses in Kentucky’s Thoroughbred industry alone. There also were about 60 cases of pericarditis (heart problems) and 50 cases of unilateral uveitis (problems in one eye) reported in Central Kentucky horses.
In 2002,
Field Reports Support Preliminary UK Research Results
Field reports from farm managers and equine practitioners attending the Equine Industry Task Force meeting Thursday evening, May 2nd appear to strongly support preliminary research results released by the University of Kentucky College of
Harlan’s Vet Gets A Holiday
Kentucky Derby favorite Harlan’s Holiday is getting a lot of attention this week, including a visit from the veterinarian who cared for him over the winter racing season in Florida.
Dr. Tom Brokken of Florida was invited to the Derby by Harlan’s Holiday’s owners, Jack and Laurie. Barry Berklehammer, who is the racing manager for the Wolfs’ Starlight Stables and owns
Buddha’s Diagnosis Uncertain, But Favorable
Dr. Ken Reed, the attending veterinarian for Derby pre-race second choice Buddha, did a preliminary examination of the colt on Friday before lunchtime after Buddha was withdrawn from the Derby Friday morning because of lameness in his left foreleg. At a little before 1 pm, Reed reported that the cause of the discomfort is not in Buddha’s foot, ankle, or knee, which is good
Buddha’s Prognosis?
Kentucky Derby pre-race second choice Buddha was declared out of the race on Friday morning because of a sore left front foot.
Buddha worked on Thursday and cooled out sound. But on Friday morning when he was taken from his stall at 5
Veterinarians Discuss Current MRLS Concerns
The Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners (KAEP) met Wednesday evening, May 1, to discuss the current status of mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS) in central Kentucky.
A few isolated cases consistent with a
Veterinarians On-Call at Derby
The American Association of Equine Practitioners created the On-Call program 11 years ago to assist media in understanding injuries and treatment of horses before, during, and after upper-echelon equine events. Most of the 70 events covered by On-Call veterinarians last year were Thoroughbred races, with some Standardbred and Quarter Horse events included.
This year’s AAEP On-Call
Investigating Poor Performance
For a horse to perform well as an athlete, all body systems must be in good working order. When one or more systems “breaks down,” the horse is no longer able to perform up to his potential, and the owner, rider, and trainer will likely notice a
Preliminary Results Released in MRLS Caterpillar Study
The University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture has released preliminary results from a collaborative project involving the departments of entomology, veterinary science and the livestock disease diagnostic center. Early results from this

Bacterial Corneal Ulcers in Horses
Quick attention to these infectious eye ulcers can save your horse’s sight.



