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Horse health news

Rhonda Sedgwick Stearns
For the July 25, 2009 edition of Tri-State Livestock News.

As the horse racing industry continues striving to improve the health and welfare of equines, a new study released recently from the University of Pretoria, Colorado State University (CSU) and the University of Melbourne indicates the drug Furosemide decreases bleeding in the airways of racehorses.

A press release on DVM360.com says reports from CSU indicate, “The study demonstrated that giving furosemide before a race dramatically decreased the incidence and severity of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH). Horses were three to four times more likely to have evidence of bleeding without furosemide, and were seven to 11 times more likely to have severe bleeding without it.” The blinded study involved 167 horses. Each ran in two races, one week apart, with each receiving furosemide before one race and saline solution before the other race. Endoscopy was performed 30 to 90 minutes after racing to detect blood in the animal’s airways.

“The results of this study do not eliminate debate about the use of this medication in racehorses, but it does provide evidence needed to aid in making sound policy decisions,” explains researcher Dr. Paul Morley of CSU’s veterinary college. An estimated 90 percent of Thoroughbred racehorses are given furosemide prior to racing to control bleeding in the respiratory tract. Furosemide sales are estimated at $30 million each year.



My email inbox brought an all points bulletin to be on the lookout for stolen horses last seen near Fort Lupton, CO on July 10th. A light grey gelding standing 15.1 and branded with a broken arrow has a strip face and knee-high white socks on right front and left hind, with a white pastern on right hind. These markings don’t show up from a distance because of the horse’s very light background color. Gone missing at the same time is a 15.1 hand mare, described as Palomino but with very dingy, more flaxen-colored mane and tail, star, thin line and snip on her face, no white feet, carrying a reverse FVF connected brand on her left shoulder and an IT on her left hip. A reward is offered for recovery, and any information is sought – call Dixie Pring at (719) 649-0090, Jack Hadley at (719) 251-6699, Shay-Lee Hadley at (719) 251-9293 or your local sheriff. You can also email hadleysa3signs@yahoo.com or firewaterfredjones@gmail.com with tips or information.

Speaking of crimes against horses, an unspeakable incident in South Dakota that has entire rodeo associations up in arms has probably already come to your attention. In order to offer no loopholes against criminal litigation we are not commenting on the case except to inform you that prayers are welcome and donations for vet bills can either be sent to First National Bank of South Dakota; Attention Wendy Halweg Dually Benefit; 210 North Lawler, Mitchell, SD 57301 or made through PayPal at justicefordually@gmail.com.



This is one of those times we hope the law enforcement and judicial systems work as they’re designed to work and justice is served.

More and more we become a ‘global village’ and the issues of horse abuse worldwide affect horse lovers everywhere. We talked here some time ago about a group called ‘the Adventurists’ planning to run a 1,000 kilometer horse race across Mongolia. Worldwide furor continues to rise against this travesty, in what one source describes as “an equestrian fire-storm of protest, with editors, endurance racers, Long Riders and even mainstream explorers, all joining their voices in an unprecedented condemnation of this dubious event. Thousands of acts of individual equestrian patriotism have resulted in horse-lovers from 26 countries signing the petition protesting against the race, a Vet Net advisor denouncing it as being ‘in total disregard to the welfare of the horses,’ and the Barefoot saddle company withdrawing its support.”

The Long Riders Guild says, “The Adventurists will receive more than $130,000 in fees from the contestants. Likewise, the Mercy Corps charity will receive a minimum of $50,000. But when asked how much the herders, who are risking their 800 horses, would be getting, the evasive answer was ‘a fair amount.’ In a scene reminiscent of buying Manhattan from the Indians for $26 in beads, while Morgan and Mercy Corps get rich, naïve Mongolians are being enticed into selling their sacred equestrian heritage for pennies. Thus, no amount of last-minute window-dressing by the Adventurists and Mercy Corps can disguise the fact that this is an act of equestrian colonialism perpetrated by cultural predators. This race represents a new type of equestrian cancer, one in which arrogance, wealth, racism and social privilege come together for a mounted holiday in an exotic land.”

If you’re inclined to join the worldwide protest by phone or email, contact Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent, events manager at the Adventurists, ants@theadventurists.com – + 44-(0)1779-541-515; or Geri Manzano – Mercy Corps Donor Relations Representative +1-800-292-3355, ext. 250 – donorservices@mercycorps.org.

The July issue of Equine Disease Quarterly keeps the specter of Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) before us. Last December three Quarter Horse stallions and one Paint stallion that had stood the 2008 breeding season along with 18 other stallions at a facility in Kentucky specializing in semen collection for artificial insemination were identified as CEM positive. Stallions from this premise had relocated on numerous occasions throughout several states since 2004.

At the end of May 2009, 20 stallions, five mares and a gelding were confirmed by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories as positive for Taylorella equigenitalis, the causative organism for CEM. These stallions are in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Texas and Wisconsin; mares are in California, Illinois and Wisconsin and the gelding is in Iowa. They’re in treatment with antibiotics and being re-tested, but tracing of stallions and mares has so far identified 272 stallions and 667 mares in 48 states as “infected or exposed to CEM by AI, natural cover, or location on the same premises.”

With a breeding season just passed we pray these statistics have not increased and scattered. In other horse health news, horses continue to die in one Florida county from Eastern equine encephalitis; and Quebec is also having serious issues with the mosquito-borne and usually fatal disease. Vaccination is recommended.

Looks like that’s the end of our ol’ lariat rope for this time…

As the horse racing industry continues striving to improve the health and welfare of equines, a new study released recently from the University of Pretoria, Colorado State University (CSU) and the University of Melbourne indicates the drug Furosemide decreases bleeding in the airways of racehorses.

A press release on DVM360.com says reports from CSU indicate, “The study demonstrated that giving furosemide before a race dramatically decreased the incidence and severity of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH). Horses were three to four times more likely to have evidence of bleeding without furosemide, and were seven to 11 times more likely to have severe bleeding without it.” The blinded study involved 167 horses. Each ran in two races, one week apart, with each receiving furosemide before one race and saline solution before the other race. Endoscopy was performed 30 to 90 minutes after racing to detect blood in the animal’s airways.

“The results of this study do not eliminate debate about the use of this medication in racehorses, but it does provide evidence needed to aid in making sound policy decisions,” explains researcher Dr. Paul Morley of CSU’s veterinary college. An estimated 90 percent of Thoroughbred racehorses are given furosemide prior to racing to control bleeding in the respiratory tract. Furosemide sales are estimated at $30 million each year.

My email inbox brought an all points bulletin to be on the lookout for stolen horses last seen near Fort Lupton, CO on July 10th. A light grey gelding standing 15.1 and branded with a broken arrow has a strip face and knee-high white socks on right front and left hind, with a white pastern on right hind. These markings don’t show up from a distance because of the horse’s very light background color. Gone missing at the same time is a 15.1 hand mare, described as Palomino but with very dingy, more flaxen-colored mane and tail, star, thin line and snip on her face, no white feet, carrying a reverse FVF connected brand on her left shoulder and an IT on her left hip. A reward is offered for recovery, and any information is sought – call Dixie Pring at (719) 649-0090, Jack Hadley at (719) 251-6699, Shay-Lee Hadley at (719) 251-9293 or your local sheriff. You can also email hadleysa3signs@yahoo.com or firewaterfredjones@gmail.com with tips or information.

Speaking of crimes against horses, an unspeakable incident in South Dakota that has entire rodeo associations up in arms has probably already come to your attention. In order to offer no loopholes against criminal litigation we are not commenting on the case except to inform you that prayers are welcome and donations for vet bills can either be sent to First National Bank of South Dakota; Attention Wendy Halweg Dually Benefit; 210 North Lawler, Mitchell, SD 57301 or made through PayPal at justicefordually@gmail.com.

This is one of those times we hope the law enforcement and judicial systems work as they’re designed to work and justice is served.

More and more we become a ‘global village’ and the issues of horse abuse worldwide affect horse lovers everywhere. We talked here some time ago about a group called ‘the Adventurists’ planning to run a 1,000 kilometer horse race across Mongolia. Worldwide furor continues to rise against this travesty, in what one source describes as “an equestrian fire-storm of protest, with editors, endurance racers, Long Riders and even mainstream explorers, all joining their voices in an unprecedented condemnation of this dubious event. Thousands of acts of individual equestrian patriotism have resulted in horse-lovers from 26 countries signing the petition protesting against the race, a Vet Net advisor denouncing it as being ‘in total disregard to the welfare of the horses,’ and the Barefoot saddle company withdrawing its support.”

The Long Riders Guild says, “The Adventurists will receive more than $130,000 in fees from the contestants. Likewise, the Mercy Corps charity will receive a minimum of $50,000. But when asked how much the herders, who are risking their 800 horses, would be getting, the evasive answer was ‘a fair amount.’ In a scene reminiscent of buying Manhattan from the Indians for $26 in beads, while Morgan and Mercy Corps get rich, naïve Mongolians are being enticed into selling their sacred equestrian heritage for pennies. Thus, no amount of last-minute window-dressing by the Adventurists and Mercy Corps can disguise the fact that this is an act of equestrian colonialism perpetrated by cultural predators. This race represents a new type of equestrian cancer, one in which arrogance, wealth, racism and social privilege come together for a mounted holiday in an exotic land.”

If you’re inclined to join the worldwide protest by phone or email, contact Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent, events manager at the Adventurists, ants@theadventurists.com – + 44-(0)1779-541-515; or Geri Manzano – Mercy Corps Donor Relations Representative +1-800-292-3355, ext. 250 – donorservices@mercycorps.org.

The July issue of Equine Disease Quarterly keeps the specter of Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) before us. Last December three Quarter Horse stallions and one Paint stallion that had stood the 2008 breeding season along with 18 other stallions at a facility in Kentucky specializing in semen collection for artificial insemination were identified as CEM positive. Stallions from this premise had relocated on numerous occasions throughout several states since 2004.

At the end of May 2009, 20 stallions, five mares and a gelding were confirmed by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories as positive for Taylorella equigenitalis, the causative organism for CEM. These stallions are in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Texas and Wisconsin; mares are in California, Illinois and Wisconsin and the gelding is in Iowa. They’re in treatment with antibiotics and being re-tested, but tracing of stallions and mares has so far identified 272 stallions and 667 mares in 48 states as “infected or exposed to CEM by AI, natural cover, or location on the same premises.”

With a breeding season just passed we pray these statistics have not increased and scattered. In other horse health news, horses continue to die in one Florida county from Eastern equine encephalitis; and Quebec is also having serious issues with the mosquito-borne and usually fatal disease. Vaccination is recommended.

Looks like that’s the end of our ol’ lariat rope for this time…