Posts: 792 Location: East Tennessee, USA, Planet Earth
From: dredvet@aol.comDate: February 24, 2007 8:26:55 AM ESTSubject: Re: Highly toxic blister beetles killing horses in AL? Coosa Valley Equine Clinic named as treating clinic9 cases total @ this time.1st case began Sat 2-17-07, have a lab definitive. She is alive & still on fluids with significant kidney & liver damage.2nd episode midweek. Owner found 1 dead few hours after feeding hay, 1 died before could get to the clinic & 1 died after <12 hours ICU @ our place. Waiting on absolute lab confirmation though blister beetles IDed in hay, could be in today.3rd episode involved 5 horses with beetle ID in hay. Varying degrees of illness, all will survive, only 1 required ICU, fluids,etc.All came from common hay source/broker that appears to have originated Eastern Colorado. Blister beetles unfortunately go with alfalfa.This outbreak reminds us to watch hay carefully & buy from reputable source. Good hay growers handle the problem well. Our current shortage of local hay leads to alfalfa that may have originally been intended for cattle consumption winding up in the horse markets. Also hay may get diverted in transit via broker trades due to local shortage/demand.Our ??? is how much of this hay wound up in smaller feed markets sold 1 bale @ a time to be fed @ some later date when guards go back down.Had a similar situation in Georgia last year with several dead horses after individual hay purchases from a large breeding farm as a favor, not to mention the farm loss. Take home message is to grower diligence, bonded brokers & final marketer knowing where their product actually goes for accurate alerts (our biggest concern now).Also, if you take $$ for keeping other peoples horses, check your insurance! But you still gotta check your hay!Cheers,Ed Murray DVMPS: The beetles we have seen are not red but the traditional brown/tan/black/grey, there are many toxic species.
Blister Beetles- Birmingham, AL UPDATE
