SPOT (Nite Spot X State Stenographer) Passes Away.

[reedhill]

17 hand "Frame Overo" positive stallion "SPOT" http://www.pedigreequery.com/spot10 has passed away at his farm in PA at Hillrise Farm, owned by Janet Best. Janet and Reed Hill Farm had just signed a lease contract on the 19th to stand Spot in TN to RHF's mares. January 20th Janet woke up to go to the barn in deep snow only to find Spot lying down (sitting up with his head between his knees) dead. Two other mares in the barn had also died. The vet that managed to come out said all three died from Botulism Poisoning from the hay, which is deadly in 24 hours if ingested. Spot and the mares are VERY missed by Janet! We are shocked and very sad that this happened, not being able to to do anything to bring them back. Janet currently has 3 overo positive daughters at the farm by Spot and 2 mares in foal to him for 2011. Spot has not produced any colts up until 2010. Maybe he will suprise the world and give Janet one gorgeous colt in spring, we shall wait and see.

[HeadlessHorseman]

......OH NO......

HOW does that happen????? Makes you wonder.....

I feed mine all from the same bales.....Just like her I bet....

I will have her in my prayers tonight....


HH

[KBEquine]

It is an unfortunate fact of life that there are several parts of Pennsylvania where botulism is an issue for horses. Some of it is ingested via the hay & some places, it is airborne.

When we lived in York county (south central PA, just north of the Maryland border), we vaccinated all the horses because of botulism - having lost a very colorful and sweet mare & foal. In Cumberland county (south central PA, just 1 county north & west of York), our vets were surprised when we ask for the botulism vaccine -- it is not an issue here.

And several years ago when we bought a stallion from southwest of Pittsburgh, the vets would NOT innoculate the stallion before he arrived (because they didn't stock the vaccine, because it wasn't an issue there).

I believe Spot stood in the general vicinity of Pittsburgh - it still amazes me how localized the botulism issues are.

Condolences to Spot's loved ones. It is a hard way to lose one.

[reedhill]

Janet's vet told her - Botulism most often occurs when an infected animal like a field mouse is baled up in tight bails and decays until there is nothing left but the spores. These spores are anerobic and once in the horse's body they live without air and multiply rapidly. They give off a deadly toxin. We are accustomed to looking and smelling for moulds but this may not be so visible at all. CORRECTION, Janet lost (2) and was able to save the third horse/mare. They were stalled side by side and each got a third of the same bale. It is not contagious she told her, it has to be eaten. Very deadly and desceptive.

[KBEquine]

Exactly - the spores that the field mice, etc., can ingest are very localized. If you live in an area with no botulism issues & buy hay at auction or even from 10 miles away, the hay might come from a nearby area where you'd never expect an issue, only to find out it does have botulism - and you would NEVER know, because it is difficult to get information on it.

Glad to hear that one horse was saved.

[Jorge]

Oh my goodness!

What else can we say.....................................................

So sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May the God Lord continue with you ---yes Janet, continue with you--- in this, not easy to comprehend very tough momentl

Sincerely,

[HeadlessHorseman]

There is a vaccine for this???? DO most administer it in those areas?????

My stomach hurts for her....

I do remember one time I was picking up bales in the field...and smelled death...I looked around and saw a dead rabbit???? so I went a few rows over...

HH

[KBEquine]

There is a vaccine for this???? DO most administer it in those areas?????

My stomach hurts for her....

I do remember one time I was picking up bales in the field...and smelled death...I looked around and saw a dead rabbit???? so I went a few rows over...

HH

Yes - a vaccine. BUT whether a vet knows about the vaccine & recommends its use depends heavily on whether the actual problem is known to exist in the geography the vet covers. I mean, there are cures for malaria, but here in the snow country of Pennsylvania, it is outside the general experience of our doctors, so not a disease they regularly suspect, even if the symptoms appear.

Botulism in horses is a lot like that. If your vet suggested a vaccine for all your horses but also said the problem wasn't likely to occur in the area where your horse is located, would you spend the money to vaccinate? If it is $30+/horse, if you have 1 or 2 horses, maybe. If you've got more, maybe not, without proof that your horses NEED it.

I wasn't suggesting that there was reason to know this issue existed where this horse lived - or that there was anything at all the owners could have done to prevent the tragedy.

I was suggesting that botulism seems to exist in pockets of locations - and generally, a "new" location isn't considered until a tragedy occurred.

Where I used to live, a few horses died of symptoms that "could have been" botulism (there were other causes that they would have needed to rule-out before making a definitive diagnosis) & then the botulism vaccinations were prescribed as a preventative (and when no horses who'd had the vaccines died of what 'could have been botulism' most horses were vaccinated, because it seemed to work.

For these horses and their loved ones, it is a tragedy, even though it might have alerted the vets to suggest the vaccinations for other local horses.

[TrueColours]

Oh what an awful shame. I feel SO badly for her!!!

RIP Spot and the other horses as well ...

[scrappyt]

I never vaccinated my horses for botulism, because I was not in a very high risk area, until I saw a horse that was treated for it.
The $25 vaccination was well worth it after seenig the thousands of dollars it took to treat a very sick horse, I realized it was not worth the risk.
Very painful to watch and long expensive recovery.

[HeadlessHorseman]

Can you get the vaccines at Tractor Supply or Valley Vet cheaper???? If you have lots of horses that could save some big bucks buying the whole vial....

Scrappyt....are you in PA or pretty close?????

HH

[BlazingColours]

Very sad indeed. {{HUGS}} to the family/.

[helen in FL]

Oh that is horrible. He was one I always loved.

[summerhorse]

How terrible! I'm so sorry for her loss. RIP Spot and mare

[Nessa]

Sorry to hear of the tragic loss of Spot and the other mare. My condolences to Janet and everyone that loved them.