Florida Imposes Transport Inspection, Restrictions on Texas Livestock

Anyone planning to transport horses out of the state of Texas should be prepared for health inspections and possible delays. Florida has imposed an official restriction on all hooved livestock from Texas. Here's the official announcement:

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today announced restrictions on the importation of animals from states affected with vesicular stomatitis following a confirmed case in Texas, the first such case reported in the United States since 2006.

Vesicular Stomatitis is a highly contagious, viral disease that affects horses, cattle, swine and occasionally sheep, goats and deer. The virus can also cause flu-like symptoms in people working with infected animals. Signs of vesicular stomatitis include blister-like lesions in the mouth, on the tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves and teats. While the virus is rarely fatal, it does result in significant weight loss and milk production loss. It is also difficult to distinguish between this virus and foot-and-mouth disease, a devastating livestock disease found outside the United States. States and other countries often impose movement restrictions on animals from vesicular stomatitis-affected areas.

The United States Department of Agriculture, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, have confirmed the finding of a positive horse, with clinical signs on a ranch in Starr County, Texas. (Scroll down the blog to read the official news from earlier this week.)

Florida requires veterinary inspection of susceptible animals coming from states affected with vesicular stomatitis.

Hoofed animals entering Florida from Texas will require prior permission for entry and must be accompanied by an official certificate of veterinary inspection. The certificate of veterinary inspection must state that the animals are free of clinical signs of vesicular stomatitis and have not been exposed nor located within 10 miles of a positive premises, within the previous 30 days. In addition, any hoofed livestock from states that are affected with vesicular stomatitis are required to have documentation to show they have been tested and found negative within 10 days of movement to Florida.

Polo Deaths: Florida State Vets Says Selenium Levels Were Elevated in Dead Horses

by Fran Jurga | 28 April 2009 | The Jurga Report

A perfunctory statement has been released by the State of Florida regarding the best guess for the cause of much-publicized and tragic death of the polo ponies in South Florida last week.

Florida State Veterinarian Thomas J. Holt today reported that an overdose of selenium was the probable cause of death of the 21 polo horses that collapsed prior to a competition in Wellington on April 19.

In a memorandum to Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson's office, Dr. Holt stated that the animals had "significantly increased selenium levels" in samples tested. He reported that the findings obtained at the department's Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Kissimmee were confirmed by independent testing conducted at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, the University of California-Davis Animal Health and Food Safety lab, and at testing facilities at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. The three universities assisted in the laboratory testing.

"Signs exhibited by the horses and their rapid deaths were consistent with toxic doses of selenium," Dr. Holt said.

Selenium is a trace mineral which is essential for normal cell function and health in animals, and is often included in small quantities in supplements and feed for horses. Large doses, however, can be fatal to animals.

Commissioner Bronson expressed gratitude for the work done at the University of Florida, which conducted necropsies on 15 of the horses and performed extensive toxicology testing. He also thanked the University of California-Davis and Cornell University for testing conducted in their labs.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Bronson noted that the deaths of the horses have triggered an investigation by a number of state agencies, including the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and he emphasized that the inquiry is ongoing.

He said that no further information on the investigation can be disclosed at this time to prevent the investigation from being compromised.

The Jurga Report will continue to report on the investigations as they move forward.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Statement on Polo Horse Deaths

This is the statement I have been waiting for, from the State of Florida, which confirms that the deaths of the polo ponies in Wellington, Florida on Sunday afternoon were not related to a disease outbreak or public health concern.

TALLAHASSEE -- Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson has launched an investigation into the deaths of 21 horses that collapsed after arriving in Wellington, Florida, for a polo match. Initially, 14 horses died by Sunday evening and an additional seven died overnight.

Because of the very rapid onset of sickness and death, state officials suspect these deaths were a result of an adverse drug reaction or toxicity. At this time there is no evidence that these horses were affected with an infectious or contagious disease as there are no other horses affected at this time.

The department's Division of Animal Industry, headed up by the State Veterinarian, is involved in the investigation. The department's Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement is also participating and working with local law enforcement.

The horses have been transported to a Department of Agriculture laboratory in Kissimmee and to the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine for necropsies and toxicology testing. It could take several days before any test results are in or a cause of death is known.

"Obviously, this is a tragic situation and we are working hard to determine what happened," Bronson said. "But it would be irresponsible to speculate on what may have killed the horses. We will wait until the facts are in before making any specific comments on the case."

The horses were part of a team from Caracas, Venezuela, scheduled to play Sunday in match at the U.S. Open Polo Championship in Palm Beach County. The Lechuza Caracas team had been kept at the team's complex near the polo stadium. The horses were reportedly not showing any signs of illness as of Sunday morning. When the horses were offloaded at the event, some of the animals were dead and the remaining animals were showing severe symptoms of depression, respiratory problems, poor coordination, and recumbency. Despite treatment by veterinarians on site, these animals also died within a brief period of time.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services officials will wait until test results are available before determining the next step in the investigation.

(end of statement)

So, the new question is: What happened to these horses? The answer: we may never know who did what to those horses and whether it was intentional or accidental. We all surely want to believe that it was an accident.

Yesterday was a dark, dark day for animal welfare and the credibility of horse sports. There's a lot of explaining to do but unless criminal charges are filed and an arrest is made, I wonder if we will ever find out what really happened.

Please read more posts on the Jurga Report about this news story.

Polo Tragedy in Florida as Venezuelan Horses Die at US Open

Reports from Wellington, Florida tonight are that a growing number of horses, as many as 14 and possibly more, died this afternoon and that several horses are gravely ill on the grounds of the International Polo Club Palm Beach, according to spectators and reports published on the web sites of the the Palm Beach Post, Sun Sentinel and Palm Beach Daily News.

While the accounts on the three web sites disagree on details, all three reports agree that the horses were all part of La LeChuza Caracas, the South American team headed by Venezuelan banker Victor Vargas. The team, one of the highest-regarded in the world, has been participating in the International Finals tournament in Wellington. The horses that died were very valuable animals.

Update: an 11 p.m. report from KTLA-TV agrees that 14 horses died and suggests the worst, that all the horses may have suffered a drug reaction and that some horses went down in the trailer en route to the match and were dead on arrival.

At this time this situation does not appear to be initiating any kind of a widespread health alert to the general horse population in Florida or to affect any livestock transport into or out of the state or county. An announcement should be made in a day or two from the state veterinarian or agriculture officials, who will conduct post-mortem examinations of the bodies. Several reports suggest that the bodies are being turned over to the diagnostic laboratory in Kissimmee, Florida.

I will update this post if I have more details. Thanks to everyone who has supplied information so far; I hope this is one of those stories that is not as bad as it sounds. I'm sorry that it is difficult to do much more than pass on links to local reports when a story breaks on Sunday afternoon, but it is safer than quoting an incorrect report published elsewhere.

Video: Everyone Is Talking About...The Sliding Diva!

by Fran Jurga | 2 February 2009 | The Jurga Report at Equisearch.com



Plenty of prize money and international prestige were at stake at this weekend's Exquis World Dressage Masters Weekend series in Wellington, Florida. Congratulations to winners Stefan Peters, Anky van Grunsven, and Michael Barisone, winners of the Grand Prix, Freestyle, and Grand Prix Special, respectively.

But if it was a dressage show, why is that everyone is talking about Anky's exhibition of western riding?

That's right! The Olympic gold medalist came from Europe to compete in dressage but wowed the American crowd with an exhibition of her new skills in reining.

Rumor has it that Anky may try to make the Dutch reining team for the Alltech World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky in 2010.

The video from Dutch television gives you an idea of what Anky's demo may have been like. This demo was at Jumping Amsterdam in Holland recently. Anky is riding her American Quarter horse, Hilda's Smart Chic.

Anky rode Hilda's Smart Chic in a demo at Jumping Amsterdam recently.

Still photo courtesy of Anky van Grunsven.

Contaminated Round Bale Haylage Blamed for 100 Surrogate Mares' Deaths on Florida Embryo Transfer Farm

State officials and veterinarians in the Ocala, Florida region are investigating a massive death event at an embryo transfer farm near Summerfield. In the past 10 days, dozens of broodmares began showing neurological signs of distress, and often dropped dead in the fields. About 100 horses are believed to be dead.

The farm owners believe the cause to be something in haylage bales, which they purchase from an outside contractor. The farm, which houses 400 "rescued" mares used in embryo transfer services, is the contractor's sole customer, so it is hoped that whatever contaminated the bales was limited to that source.

"[The horses] started trembling and fell on the ground. It was like they were having seizures," said the farm owner, who is also a veterinarian and said that attempts were being made to determine the cause of the horses' deaths.

Moldy hay is a common problem with horses. Dead animals can contaminate hay as well, but probably would not be present in so many bales. That leaves the possibility of botulism.

Dr. Carol Clark, a veterinarian with Peterson & Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala, provided background information. In the case of botulism, the bacteria Clostridium botulinum produces spores, which stick to the hay when it is cut and baled. The spores become bacteria, which produce a deadly toxin. The bacteria thrive in environments absent of oxygen. In some cases, grass that is cut and wrapped begins to ferment, which is conducive to the deadly bacteria's growth if not handled correctly, Clark said. She commented that the processed hay ("haylage") is typically given to cattle because they are less susceptible to botulism.

The veterinarian/owner said the hay he gave his sick horses was haylage, but that it was "inoculated" to make it safe for horses.

According to an information paper from the government of Ontario on haylage for horses, the warning signs of botulism are that affected horses:

• usually have muscle tremors.
• may be so weak that they cannot stand up.
• lose control of their tongue so it may hang from their mouth.
• can't eat and they drool because they can't swallow.
• may walk stiffly with a short stride or they may be weak and stumble. Their tail may lose its tone.

Please read the complete information paper if you are hoping to save on your hay budget and feed haylage to horses. There are specific commercial haylages made just for horses, with particular grasses and harvesting techniques.

A mysterious footnote to the botulism theory is that it is standard procedure for broodmares to be vaccinated against botulism, since young foals are highly susceptible to the infection.

In an interesting twist of events in this story, a representative of the State of Florida said that it would not be involved because it only investigates health problems related to horse feed, not grass-based hay.

The farm, known as EquiTransfer, is home to about 400 mares, primarily surrogate "receiver" mares, who are used in embryo transfer services provided by the farm, which technically leases the mares for the purpose of carrying another mare's foal and giving birth. One of the owners commented that the farm used "rescued" mares. In 2006, the farm performed 700 embryo transfers and, according to its website, is the largest embryo transfer farm in the Southeast. The farm seems to specialize in breeding Paso Fino horses, plus some Gypsy Vanners, via mare surrogates of any and all breeds.

Ocala.com reports that there had been complaints from local citizens about the condition and welfare of the mares but that no action had been taken by authorities.

Farms like EquiTransfer are increasingly coming under criticism by animal welfare advocates as being the horse equivalent of puppy mills for dogs. One mare can provide several embryos per year although opponents warn that repeated breeding and flushing may put the mare at risk for infection, as well as saturating the market and decreasing the gene pool for breeds for which it is a popular practice. However, sabotage is apparently not suspected.

"It was a surprise to everyone. It was an isolated incident. It's very sad. We rescued those horses to be surrogate mothers," said one of the owners on a local television broadcast.

Click here to watch a video news reports from Central Florida's WFTV. Read an article in today's Gainesville Sun about this tragedy here.

Blogger's Comment: Information for this post was provided via an alert from the RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service. (Thank you!) It is rare for one news story to touch on or hint at so many of the pressing issues in the horse industry today: cost cutting measures on farms, vaccination procedures, feed safety, veterinary ethics, farm management, horse rescues, the cost of hay, market breeding, consumer protection (or lack thereof), ethics of breeding, overbreeding, puppy mills: It's all there. As I was investigating this story, I became more and more amazed. I imagine I will write more stories in the months to come about poisoning of horses from contaminated hay. This one, however, will hopefully and probably not be equaled. Photo below courtesy of Flickr close-up expert fivefiveandahalf.

Florida Equine Piroplasmosis Investigation Continues

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services continues to keep the horse industry informed about the discovery of horses with the rare and contagious disease of Equine Piroplasmosis (EP).

A total of 18 premises are currently under state quarantine due to exposure to EP. Since the investigation began, 25 premises have been quarantined, with approximately 200 horses being tested for the disease. Seven of the 25 premises have been released from quarantine as a result of negative testing and an extended time since exposure to the disease.

During the investigation this week no additional premises have had horses test positive, leaving the current number of positive premises at 6. Only 3 of the quarantined premises have positive horses still residing on the farm.

The investigation is continuing and animals are still being traced and tested. Tick surveillance is continuing as well. There have been no exotic ticks found and all testing on ticks collected has been negative for EP.

There are no state restrictions placed on Florida horses at this time and the only country that has placed restrictions on Florida horses is Canada, which will not accept any horse that has been in Florida within the past 21 days. The State Veterinarian’s Office is continuing to work with the United States Department of Agriculture in an effort to have the Canadian restrictions reduced or lifted but for now, they remain in effect.

Florida Authorities Continue to Quarantine Farms withe EP-Positive Horses

Last weekend two additional horse facilities in Florida were identified as being exposed to Equine Piroplasmosis (EP), according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The disease is believed to be spreading via horse movement in the Manatee County area. The latest premises, located in Dade and Lake Counties, were quarantined after finding that one horse at each location tested positive for EP.

These cases bring the total number of quarantined premises to 19 and the number of horses testing positive to 20, on 6 of the quarantined premises. All of the horses testing positive are closely linked via movement and common premises.

Because there is a close association between all 20 positive horses, the spread of the disease is believed to be due to management practices, such as the improper use of hypodermic needles, that result in the transfer of whole blood between horses.

State health authorities report that tick trapping and surveillance is ongoing but no foreign ticks have been found and no domestic ticks have tested positive for the organism that causes EP.

Canada has issued an order banning entry from any horse shipments originating in Manatee County.

EP was believed to have been in control in the USA for the past 20 years or so. It is a disease carefully monitored by health officials. The USDA has strict import rules about horses coming from countries where EP is found. Finding it here was a big surprise for everyone, and a health concern that complicates the big picture of equine disease in this country.

Florida Disease Update: Four Additional Horses Infected with EP

(This information is provided by the State of Florida. Please see the previous post on this blog about Equine Piraplasmosis (EP) in Florida for much more in-depth information. This post is simply an update.)

Further testing on samples from horses on the index premises in Manatee County, have
indicated that four additional horses on the premises are infected with the organism that
causes Equine Piroplasmosis (EP). The four positive horses were stabled in the barn with the
initial clinical horse. All other horses on the premises, which are managed separately from the
horses in the barn, were negative on testing. In addition, 20 ticks found at the premises were
identified as the Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum), which has not been shown to
transmit the disease between horses.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the transmission on the index premises may have
been caused by use of common needles between horses and not spread naturally by a tick
vector. The Department is continuing its investigation including additional horse and tick
surveillance of the area. As a precaution, 3 adjacent premises and 1 contact premises have
been placed under quarantine pending further sample collection and testing.

Today the State of Florida issued an additional update:

While Tropical Storm Fay delayed investigation efforts earlier in the week, additional samples were collected and tick inspections performed yesterday. Further horse testing and tick surveillance will continue over the weekend.

Currently the only premises with evidence of EP is the one index premise in Manatee County. There have been no additional clinical cases reported at this time.

While no states have restricted movement of Florida horses, Canada has advised the United States Department of Agriculture they will not accept horses originating from Manatee County, effective immediately. This ban will stay in effect until further notice.

Equine Piroplasmosis Case in Florida: First US Case Since 1988

Equine piroplasmosis is spread by ticks. It can be carried by several types of ticks, including the American dog tick, according to the AVMA.

Many horses are not allowed to be imported into the US because they come from countries where the disease of Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) is found. The US has not had a case since 1988, and the import restrictions have always been credited with eradicating the tick-borne disease.

So, today's news from Florida is a shock. We will print here the entire health warning from the Florida Department of Agriculture and warn Florida horse owners to keep an eye out for strange behavior and disease symptoms. The web site of the Florida authorities will be at the end of this post.

The infected horse is a seven-year-old Quarter horse gelding in Manatee County.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), an outbreak of EP in Florida in the 1960s was traced to a horse imported from Cuba. At the 1996 Olympics in Georgia, horses from EP-infected countries--which make up about 90% of the world--were not allowed to compete in the eventing, because of the risk of infecting countryside tick populations in the state. On the US and Canada, Australia, Japan and the British Isles are technically free of this disease.

Here's the official warning from the State of Florida:

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson announced today that a Manatee County horse has been diagnosed with Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) - an animal disease that the U.S. has been considered free of since 1988.

Blood and tissue testing of a seven-year-old gelding that had been euthanized after a three-week illness confirmed the presence of the disease in the animal.

State officials immediately quarantined the premises in which the horse resided, as well as two adjacent properties containing horses pending a determination of their status.

An ongoing investigation is being conducted by the State Veterinarian’s Office to determine the source of the disease and whether it has spread beyond the immediate area where the infected animal was housed.

EP

Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) is a blood-borne parasitic disease primarily transmitted to horses by ticks or contaminated needles. The disease was eradicated from Florida in the 1980’s, and the tick species believed to transmit EP in other countries have not been identified in Florida in many years. This disease is not directly contagious from one horse to another but requires direct blood transfer. Human infection with equine piroplasmosis is extremely rare.

Acutely affected horses can have depression, fever, anemia (decreased red blood cells) jaundiced (yellow) mucous membranes and low platelet counts. EP can also cause horses to have roughened hair coats, constipation, and colic. In its milder form, the disease causes horses to appear weak and show lack of appetite. Some horses become chronic carriers of the disease.

ADVICE TO VETS AND HORSEOWNERS

Veterinarians, horse owners, and others in the equine industry in Florida are asked to monitor their horses carefully and contact their veterinarian if they suspect this disease. Because it is a disease that the U.S. has been free of for two decades, suspected cases must be reported to the Office of the State Veterinarian by law.

With the exception of the quarantined premises, there are no EP movement restrictions on horses within Florida or between Florida and other states. Horses entering Florida from other countries with Equine Piroplasmosis will continue to be tested prior to and following entry according to the current rule.

WHAT HORSEOWNERS SHOULD DO

1. Monitor your horse for the presence of ticks. Use commercially available topical products labeled for ticks if your horse is in an area where tick infestation is a problem. Most of these products are synthetic pyrethrins. Include an avermectin product in your deworming program to provide systemic treatment for ticks. Ask your veterinarian if you are unsure.
2. If you find large numbers of ticks or suspect piroplasmosis, please contact your veterinarian.
3. Do not share needles between animals during the administration of any medication or vaccinations. EP and other diseases can be spread by the introduction of blood cells from an infected animal into an uninfected animal during routine administration of injectable medications.
4. Continue your normal equine activities.

Additional updates and information will be posted to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry web site at: http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/ai/.

© 2006-2007-2008 The Jurga Report: Horse Health Headlines. All rights reserved.
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Florida Horse Health Alert: 2008 EEE Deaths Up to Nine

Part of the problem with mosquito-borne illnesses becoming more prevalent is the mosquito itself. The Asian Tiger Mosquito (ATM) has invaded the southeastern USA; it was carried from Asia in container loads of used tires that were not inspected for mosquitoes and falls under the heading of "invasive species". This new breed of skeeter is particularly well-suited for spreading diseases. The University of Florida is trying to educate people that the mosquitoes around them have changed their stripes.

As convoys of horse vans and trailers prepare to head north from Florida after the winter polo, horse show and racing seasons end next month, the warm climate that lured horsemen to the Sunshine State may play a cruel and deadly trick on them.

Already, nine cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) have been confirmed in Florida since the beginning of 2008, even though the peak season does not begin until May. There were a total of 18 cases of EEE in 2007 for the entire year.

Sadly, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture, six of the dead horses had not been vaccinated and two had not received booster shots. Only one horse was current with vaccinations.

EEE is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and is transmitted to horses by infected mosquitoes. Signs of the virus include fever, listlessness, stumbling, circling, coma and usually death. The disease is fatal in horses in 90% of the cases.

So far this year EEE has been confirmed in horses in Putnam, Lake, Polk, Columbia, Clay and Volusia counties, all of which were fatal. Volusia has been hit the hardest, with four of the nine cases having been found there.

If you live in Florida and if you have been in the state with your horses recently (or plan to go), please consult your health records and be certain that the horse's vaccination status for EEE is up to date.

For more information, and continuing updates on occurences of the disease in Florida, please read the state's Department of Agriculture web site's recent update.

Dr. Byars to Assess Wellington Situation at Thursday Meeting

The following is a press release received by The Jurga Report from Stadium Jumping Inc., via USEF. Phelps Sports' contact Ken Kraus reported this afternoon that Stadium Jumping is providing the location for the meeting but is not involved in the meeting.

(begin press release)
Wellington, FL – January 3, 2007 – Stadium Jumping, Inc. the producers of the Winter Equestrian Festival, the nation’s largest and longest running equestrian series, has announced that the Jockey Club will once again be made available for an important public forum to discuss the on-going EHV outbreak. The gathering will take place on Thursday morning at 11 a.m. The club is located alongside the Internationale Arena on the showgrounds located at the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club in Wellington, Florida.

This will be the second Thursday in a row that area equestrians have assembled at the Jockey Club to discuss the EHV outbreak in Wellington.

“We feel it’s important to make our facility available for these types of community discussions,” said Eugene R. Mische, the President of Stadium Jumping, Inc. “We’re happy that Dr. Byars has agreed to lend his expert opinion to this on-going situation, and I look forward to hearing his assessment of where we’ve been and where we stand now. I also think it’s important,” Mische added, “that our area horsemen have a chance to voice any concerns they may have as we work our way to the start of the 2007 WEF show season.”

The key meeting was requested by Dr. John Steele and Dr. Ben Schachter, two respected Wellington area veterinarians, with over eighty years of experience between them. The meeting was called to bring concerned area equestrians up to date on the current EHV situation in Wellington, and will feature Dr. Doug Byars, the former head of Internal Medicine at Hagyard-Davidson-McGee in Lexington, Kentucky. The panel will also include Dr. Fred Petersen.

Byars is a recognized expert on the EHV virus, and will bring to the meeting his independent assessment of the EHV outbreak in Wellington following a complete tour of the area ‘hot spots’ on Wednesday.

Everyone in the Wellington community is welcome to attend this forum, beginning at 11 a.m. on Thursday.

(end press release)

Background article for horse owners on Equine Herpes Virus and, in particular, EHV-1, from the American Association of Equine Practitioners

Photo: John Steele DVM, show horse specialist veterinarian from Vernon, NY, and Ben Schacter DVM of Wellington Equine Associates in Lake Worth, Florida, were instrumental in bringing equine disease specialist Doug Byars DVM to Florida to assess the EHV outbreak. Dr. Steele travels to Florida in the winter months to provide services to his clients at their winter shows. Photo kindly provided by Kenneth Kraus/PhelpsSports.com