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Strangles: A Worldwide Problem That Researchers Say Needs Better Monitoring

One of the more common equine respiratory diseases is strangles, a contagious bacterial infection caused by Streptococcus equi. Most horses recover from strangles with no complications, though the disease can make some horses very sick. Ten percent of horses remain carriers once they are infected, meaning they don't show clinical signs, but they can spread the disease.

Because of the potential significant health and welfare consequences – and the economic costs associated with the disease – finding additional information about the strangles is crucial.

Dr. Catriona Mitchell and colleagues from 18 countries used DNA sequencing techniques to analyze 670 Streptococcus equi isolates from 19 countries. The researchers found different variants of the disease. Strangles in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Argentina are closely linked. The research team determined that the movement of horses and global trade help spread the disease.

The team suggests that labs utilize an online surveillance platform called Pathogenwatch to monitor the emergence and spread of new strains of strangles. This will assist with interventions and policy-making decisions.

The authors suggest that strangles be recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as an internationally important disease. They also suggest that identifying horses that are infected with strangles before or immediately after travel would limit the movement of the disease.

Read the full article here.

Old Friends Pensioner Slim Shadey Euthanized With Leg Fracture Following Colic Surgery

Two-time graded-stakes winner Slim Shadey has died. The 13-year-old gelding had been a pensioner at Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement farm based in Georgetown, Ky., since 2019.

Old Friends attending veterinary, Dr. Bryan Waldridge, released this statement: “Slim Shadey showed signs of colic and was referred for further diagnostics and treatment. Exploratory surgery revealed a twisted large intestine that was corrected. Unfortunately, he fractured a hind leg recovering from anesthesia. Bone fractures during recovery from anesthesia are uncommon, but an inherent risk of equine anesthesia.”

Slim Shadey was bred in Great Britain by Phil Cunningham and spent two seasons racing throughout England and Ireland. He made his U.S. debut for Cunningham and trainer Simon Callaghan in 2012 at Santa Anita, kicking off what was to become his banner season.

In February of 2012 Slim Shadey captured his first graded-stakes, the Grade 2 San Marcos at Santa Anita (a race he would capture again in 2013). Then, in September of that year, Slim Shadey took the top spot in the G2 John Henry Turf Championship, which served as a stepping stone to a run in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf, where he finished eighth.

By 2014 Slim began a series of claims to trainers David Jacobson and John Servis (for owner Michael Dubb), before ending with owner Michael Hui and trainer Mike Maker in June of 2018 at Belmont Park.

Retired in 2019, Slim Shadey ended his career with 83 starts, 14 wins, and earnings of $1,278,855.

“Slim Shadey was on Old Friends' radar for nearly two years,” said Old Friends President Michael Blowen. “Between Michael Dubb and Michael Hui, I knew he was in great hands. When Hui called to say he was ready I was overjoyed. Today I was equally devastated,” Blowen continued. “You try to do what's best and, even then, it doesn't always work out.”

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Veterinarians: Dewormer Resistance Must Be Addressed To Avert Equine Welfare Disaster

Though veterinarians and equine caretakers around the world have stressed the importance of forgoing the once-standard practice of rotational deworming, a recent study shows that dewormer resistance is still looming. Currently, small redworms and large roundworms are resistant to all available dewormers; no new dewormers are currently in creation.

Members of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) anthelmintic working group wrote to the Veterinary Record to express their concern over the findings of a small-scale study. Dr. David Rendle and his colleagues state that a “anthelmintic resistance disaster” is looming unless horse owners change horse-keeping ways.

The study found that although there has been an uptick in the number of fecal worm egg counts (FWECs) performed, there has not been a corresponding downward trend in dewormer sales. The BEVA working group gathered information on the number of fecal worm egg counts completed and the sale of dewormers in the U.K. from 2015 to 2018.

Though FWECs increased by 29 percent, the doses of dewormer sold only fell by 2.9 percent over the same period. The sale of these drugs dropped 8 percent between 2015 and 2016, and then rose every year after that.

If the deworming guidelines were being followed correctly, and dewormers would only be given when a FWEC deemed them necessary. There should be at least twice as many FWECs completed as doses of dewormer sold. However, the data shows that there was only one FWEC completed for every 11 doses of dewormer sold.

The authors also point out that moxidectin sales remained high throughout the study period though experts have noted that it should not be used as a routine dewormer in horses.

Kentucky Boarding Operation Owner Wanted On 13 Counts Of Animal Cruelty Related To Neglect Case

A Kentucky boarding operations owner is the subject of a criminal complaint in Bourbon County, Ky., alleging 13 counts of animal cruelty in the second degree after horses in his care were found starving. Xavier McGrapth has not yet been arrested on the charges, which arose out of a neglect investigation by county and state officials that began in late March.

Animal cruelty in the second degree is a Class A misdemeanor in Kentucky.

Around two dozen horses were discovered at a property McGrapth was leasing; half of those horses were determined by a veterinarian to be neglected.

McGrapth advertised his services on Facebook under business names McGrapth Breaking and Training and Whispering Creek Thoroughbreds, offering breaking and training for young horses and broodmare board. McGrapth ran those operations out of a property owned by longtime Central Kentucky horseman Steve Johnson.

The Bourbon County Sheriff's Department released the following statement to media about the case earlier this week:

“On the afternoon of March 19, 2021, the Bourbon County Sheriff's Office received a complaint of equine welfare at a farm on Brentsville Road here in Bourbon County. Deputies responded to the scene and immediately started an investigation into the welfare of the equine[s] present. The Bourbon County Sheriff's Office has received support from The Kentucky Department of Agriculture, who assisted us with locating and contacting owners and started the process of relocating horses to a safe environment for care and treatment. They are also assisting with the investigation and have sent an investigator to work closely with us throughout this case.

“As of now all the horses have been identified and the process of relocating them to various locations is coming to an end. The Bourbon County Sheriff's Office has identified a suspect in the case and a criminal complaint has been issued. This investigation is still ongoing, and all authorities involved are actively working together to bring this to a close.”

Johnson said that he had rented the barn and surrounding paddocks to McGrapth last year after vetting McGrapth's references, and had no issues until November when McGrapth fell behind on his rental payments. At least one of McGrapth's clients, many of whom are based out-of-state, was satisfied with his care of broodmares for the 2020 foaling season and sent him horses again this year.

On March 19, locally-based client Alyssa Evans visited McGrapth's operation to check on her pregnant mare and discovered two dead horses in a field near the barn. Additional checks revealed other horses in poor body condition. Evans removed her mare from the property and contacted law enforcement and Johnson. Johnson said the barn McGrapth leased was at the back of his property and the horses visible in the front of the parcel looked a little light but were not in bad shape. Johnson urged McGrapth to provide them more feed and said he hadn't seen the horses that were being kept in the back of the barn until around the time Evans contacted him.

“It was his business, and I will tell you I did not go back and monitor his operation, primarily because it was his operation and I didn't consider that to be my responsibility,” said Johnson. “I tried to help him out. I gave him hay.

“It took me three days to get the barns cleaned properly. Why people will do this, I really don't know.”

Johnson said he hasn't been able to reach McGrapth or seen him on the property in six weeks, during which time he fed the abandoned horses until officials could verify ownership and supervise their removal. He also said McGrapth told him he had client horses at other facilities but does not know how many or where they may be.

McGrapth's clients, many of whom say they had no written contract with him, were attracted to him in part because of his competitive board rate. Now, several of them are questioning whether their horses will recover from the neglect they suffered in his care.

One pregnant mare, sold by McGrapth for a client, lost significant weight in the two weeks she was in McGrapth's care. By the time her purchaser picked her up at another facility, veterinarians determined her overall health was “extremely poor” and questioned whether she would be able to survive foaling or nurse a foal if she did survive.

Amanda Scarsella said she sent McGrapth six horses – five young horses in training and one mare by Uncle Mo named Fresh Face, whose fate is still unclear. All five are recovering from various levels of starvation, significant skin disease, and lice infestations. Three of them are expected to improve enough to make it to the track; the other two – both colts from the only crop of Effinex – will have a much longer road to recovery and Scarsella said while she's hopeful for their futures, their careers may be over before they'd begun.

“I've been trying to stay up to date through the other owners, the sheriff and those who helped rescue them. With that being said it's been draining in every way,” said Scarsella, who is based in New York. “Ultimately I feel responsible because they are like my kids. I try to compartmentalize the Kentucky ordeal to deal with it as I can when needed so I can concentrate on running my farm here and foaling mares at night. I'm mostly a one woman show so it's quite a challenge but I'm managing.”

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