Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss 21 horse deaths in Florida

By now many of you have probably heard about the sudden death of 21 Polo horses in Florida.

I wondering if it could have been an aflatoxin (produced by mold) in the feed as sometimes is the case with fish feed? Anyone know if this mold could effect horses (it's fatal in fish).

Anyone know if any horse feed components come from China as in the same problem we've had in dog and human food from there recently? (No I'm not bashing China but there has been a history of feed contaminants, and the spiking of feed with malamine to alter protein level readings.)

I don't have any horses but wondered if any of you could fill us in that do. I do know we have one vet on the site.

As a horse and stable owner it's scary news. I've been following it on a website managed by the University of Kentucky Veterinary College http://www.thehorse.com They're pretty sure it was caused by a toxin. My concern, knowing how crazy things get at competitions is whether it was accidental or intentional. Those big $ horses are handled by grooms that notice every hair out of place, and I'm sure they would of noticed anything questionable about their feed if you could tell by sight, touch, or smell. Theo can vouch that we've had horses here that would refuse to eat if they even thought something was different about their feed. They have refused feed fresh from the dealer, because it was from a different Purina plant that they normally don't get their supply from.

I don't know what the protocol is for mentioning another website is on the forum, but I do know that I get a lot of Purina fish food coupons at equine events, and all the Purina reps in this area keep up with Pond Boss.

Thanks Fish Wife. That's very interesting.

I do know for a fact that the Purina fish feed DOES NOT have any ingredients from China and I'm sure it's the same with their other feeds. That's one reason why I will stick with Aquamax.

Sounds like an investigation for CSI! Unfortunately I'm not confident they are that good in real life.

Make that "CSI: Horse", Cecil.

Of course if someone purposely poisoned the horses (criminal) wouldn't it be one for the regular CSI?

Maybe there was a Navy horse? NCIS!

I just read additional information that 19 of the horses that died were just hauled to the event from the owners farm, where he kept a total of 60 horses. Two horses that were scheduled to compete, but were not hauled because they appeared to be ill, also died. The 39 horses that were not scheduled to compete that day did not get sick. Makes me believe that what happened was not related to feed. Also, the horses were hauled to the event in at least two different trailers. I think we'll all have to wait for the toxicology report on this one.

Cecil Baird 1, if your concerned about feed stuff from China for your fish, you had better take the time to read the labels at the grocery store when you shop for yourself. I've started doing it when we went through the dog/cat food recalls. It may take me longer to grocery shop, and I may pay a few cents more for somethings, but I'm not worried that it came from the same place that poisoned baby formula.

I just plain don't buy stuff made in China unless there is no other choice, I don't care how expensive the other option is...

I'll bet ya do and just don't know it. We all do.

You're absolutely right Brettski amd Fishwife. I was amazed a few months ago when country of origin labeling became mandatory, how much beef and pork is not even from our country! Years ago when i was a meat cutter we would get some frozen box beef from Argentina but all the other meat products were as close as from our state! I'm seeing product of Mexico or Canada on lot of what appears to be fresh beef and pork! And most of the fish comes from China.

I don't have a problem with free trade. Just don't sell me or my pets poisoned food.

Have you looked at the labeling of fruits and vegetables? It is nearly all from Mexico.
Any fruits and veggies always get plunged in water with a little clorox for 10 minutes. Also when I open chicken, before cooking I do the same thing. My kids and wives think I'm crazy. Neither I nor people who eat my cooking will get salmonella or other problems stemming from food processing not being done correctly. Now if it is already spoiled, that's a different story. I have a pretty good eye and nose for that sort of stuff though. Eating out scares the heck out of me. But, It's part of life in the fast lane.

I'm not claiming nothing I buy is from China, they make so much of our junk its about impossible to not get a lot of their junk. If at all possible, I avoid it though...

My best friend works for the health department in Charlotte, NC. The stories he tells me about the restaurants he does sanitation tests on is enough to make you feel sick and certainly not want to eat out anymore!

Be American.Buy American.Made in China

Purina has posted on their website:

"Notice to our customers

Several horses from a Venezuelan-owned polo team recently died at an event in Florida. The cause of death is unknown, and an investigation is underway. To ensure that our customers have accurate information, Purina reports that no Purina or LAND O LAKES brand products were being fed to these horses."

The only thing that I know for sure that doesn't come from China are Chinese fortune cookies. I kid you not! Next that you see some look at the wrapper. They are made in the U.S.

On another note I'm seeing items more and more that do not have where they are made, or they say "distributed in the U.S." Kind of suspicious if you ask me.

We also have a few horses here in SW Ohio and have been waiting eagerly to find out what happened. Very sad any way you slice it!
Ill second what was spoken earlier about horses being very picky eaters and wont touch something if its any different then the norm when it comes to feeding/eating.
Salmonid

I can take it a step farther. When my wife was a teenager she worked at a restaurant that recycled the left over salads off of people's plates. She didn't work there very long needless to say.

When this event hit the news I immediately sent a text to Dr. Mark Griffin, of Purina Mills. He responded quickly, already knew about it and said Purina had dispatched their best equine specialists to Florida to assist the investigation.
On the radio news tonight, the reporter said toxicology reports are still out, but that each horse that died had received an injection of some sort of vitamins or performance enhancing, prescription medications. None of the horses that lived received the injections.

Sounds fishy...

Sounds like they got their answer:

http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/949...ement>1=39002

snippet: "WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (AP) - An official at a Florida pharmacy said Thursday the business incorrectly prepared a supplement given to 21 polo horses that died over the weekend while preparing to play in a championship match."

Wild stuff, must have been pretty dang toxic for a single dose delivered to 21 horses killing 21 horses.

I wonder how much those horses were worth all together? Millions I am bettting!

Sounds like somebody's gonna be in trouble!

The estimate I read put the value of the horses at $2.1 million.

A vet student at our 4-H meeting last night said that they got the saline solution too strong. So it could come out that the toxic ingredient was too much salt.

What's interesting is a regular pharmacy was the one that mixed it. According to one source messed up prescriptions for people are not uncommon. Wrong product, wrong doses, etc.

Did anyone know 75,000 people are killed by doctors every year that make mistakes on drugs?

From "The Horse" website:

"Lechuza also issued a statement to AP acknowledging that a Florida veterinarian wrote the prescription for the pharmacy to create a compound similar to Biodyl, a French-made supplement that includes vitamins and minerals. Biodyl is not approved for use in the United States."

Lechuza is the owner of the horses that died.

It makes me think of the quote: What a tangled web we weave when we choose to deceive.