***********************************
A ProMED-mail post
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: Tue 18 May 2010
Source: The Tennessean [edited]
Four horses at Spring Hill stables die from botulism and 6 more are
hospitalized
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Many in the area have experienced tough times recently, and Spirit
Horse Stables is no exception. In fact, the business has gone through
the worst tragedy in its history. The Spring Hill riding stables lost
4 of its horses to a rare form of botulism poisoning last week [week
of 10 May 2010] and another 6 are hospitalized. "I can't even tell
you how absolutely devastated we are," manager Nancy Haines said.
"These horses were and are greatly loved. Some of them the owners had
since we opened in 1996."
The often-lethal botulism is the result of bacteria in decaying
matter. The horses can be infected through a cut or by ingesting even
a small amount of the toxin.
Although the cause of the Spirit Horse infections hasn't been
determined at this point, Haines believes the bacteria grew in wet
hay the horses ate, perhaps due to the recent floods. The property
drained well but still got very wet.
[The owners] had never had an animal come down with the illness since
the stable's founding.
"The bacteria grow in areas where it doesn't dry out and where there
is a great amount of protection from the air," said DeWayne Perry,
the county's agriculture extension officer [that is, its growth is
anaerobic. - Mod.MHJ] In the past, cases have been documented where a
horse had gnawed on a hunk of feed that was compacted in the bottom
of a feeding trough or where a tightly rolled bale of hay hid a
festering contaminant such as a dead snake or rabbit.
The horses at the stables which didn't make it include Kat's Meow, a
paint pony who started as a rescue case; Chica, a quarter horse mare
who was good for beginning riders; Minx, the stable's best show pony;
and Ever, a gelding pony who used to follow his little girl owner
around "like a little puppy dog," Haines said.
A vaccine is available for the illness, but it's fairly rare so vets
often don't recommend it for a regular course of inoculations, except
for at-risk horses. The other 11 horses that remain at the Spirit
Horse Stables have all just recently received the vaccine. "We just
can't lose any more horses," Haines said.
[Byline: Bonnie Burch]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[Treating horses for this condition is not cheap and this riding
stable is suffering financially as a result. Presumably the horses
were fed a contaminated batch of hay. If that is the case and it is
May, the horses do not have access to pasture. I refer members
needing to know more about this condition to read the previous
ProMED-mail posting 20100408.1129.
To find (this) Spring Hill -- it is a common town name in Tennessee
-- go to
The HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map of the state is available
at
[see also:
Botulism, equine, bovine - USA (02): (WI), RFI 20100408.1129
Botulism, equine, bovine - USA: (WI) 20100404.1084
2009
----
Botulism, equine - USA: (WY) 20090502.1651]
...................................mhj/mj/mpp
*##########################################################*
************************************************************
ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
information, and of any statements or opinions based
thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
and its associated service providers shall not be held
responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
or archived material.
************************************************************
Donate to ProMED-mail. Details available at:
************************************************************
Visit ProMED-mail's web site at
Send all items for posting to: promed@promedmail.org
(NOT to an individual moderator). If you do not give your
full name and affiliation, it may not be posted. Send
commands to subscribe/unsubscribe, get archives, help,
etc. to: majordomo@promedmail.org. For assistance from a
human being send mail to: owner-promed@promedmail.org.
############################################################
############################################################
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment