Do you think the Selevit recovery injection (Selenium/Vit E, D, A, etc) has been used regularly at USET/FEI events? I am aware of the Polo pony deaths from years ago. I just wonder, if for instance, HH Azur, or Judgement, or Caracole (just to name a few over the decades) get this “recovery treatment” on a regular basis and lived to tell.
Chromatic’s death is such an unnecassary tragedy.
I can’t believe there is no discussion about that horse’s death here. What happened to him?
There was discussion on the world cup thread when it happened. I haven’t read any recent news/announcements, but when it happened, it was shared that he died suddenly after a “routine electrolyte injection.”
There are public FB posts on the owner’s personal page and her farm’s page (Branscom Farm).
Or Horseshowdiva 
From Nancy Jaffer:
They can say what they like as to cause of death but It looks pretty clear to me why the horse died? Why in the heck did the horse need all of these injections at the same time ( or at all) ???
( quote from article)
the horse had been treated at 10:41 p.m. with 4 milliliters of Legend, 5 of Adequan, 20 of Traumeel, 20 of arnica and 20 of Selevit, a selenium/vitamin combination.
At 10:44 p.m., Chromatic returned to his stall. A minute later, he began to stumble. Chromatic received dexamethasone at 10:48 p.m. He was pronounced dead at 10:59.
( quote from article).
Yep. “Exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage” doesn’t wait that long, generally.
What DOES make sense is a pretty immediate anaphylactic reaction to an off-label cocktail injection. And we have SEEN polo ponies die from the selevit…
Heck, even a missed injection that went into an artery would act that fast. All I’m saying is I believe the vet killed that horse one way or another.
Quote from the article:
“About an hour and a half after the last of the awards ceremony, about two hours after the class, I get a call from [Chromatic’s longtime groom Pepe Rodriguez],” Branscomb, Half Moon Bay, California, said. “He was worried and upset that they were asking him to bring the horse to the vet station. We had been very clear earlier in the week nothing be done to him without [permission from] me personally or my veterinarian, who was not in Riyadh but available by phone. He was concerned because I hadn’t told him the horse was getting a shot.”
Another quote:
"Owners must sign [a horse participation agreement] with USEF when their horse participates in an international competition representing the U.S. That agreement effectively requires owners to loan their horse to the USEF and that, “[f]or purposes of horse welfare, by signing this Agreement the horse owner(s) give their full permission to the USEF and its agents to administer medication to their horse(s) in the interest of the horse(s) welfare and well-being during the loan period.”
Branscomb said she was not consulted before her horse received the injection, which she was told was 20 cc of Selevit. She was upset to learn in the horse’s post-mortem report that he also had Legend, Adequan, Traumeel and arnica in his system, which were drugs she was not aware he had been administered."
20 of Selevit, a selenium/vitamin combination.
[/quote]
I’m in complete agreement w all of you.
This is so upsetting. The poor groom TRIED, and knew it felt wrong. I hope he knows what happened to Chromatic was in NO WAY his fault. I cannot imagine what going through this feels like.
I am utterly speechless, infuriated, and heartbroken. What an absolutely preventable tragedy. I cannot imagine how Pepe (Chromatic’s groom) and KC feel right now. I’m glad she has been working to update the agreement with USEF, but that will never be enough.
I definitely believe it was the cocktail of meds that killed Chromatic. I’m curious, what was the rider’s involvement in the decision to administer the drugs? Neither article mentions whether or not she was aware or even present when he was injected and then died.
I don’t believe she was involved at all, she likely wasn’t even present.
So…if I understand correctly, the USA team vet made this decision??? Given the warning on the label, why would you even do that? I also didn’t know arnica comes in injectable form.
That’s how it reads to me as well. It’s also infuriating that KC said nothing was to be given without her permission and they did it anyway.
Adequan is IM as well, not IV. One would assume it hasn’t been tested and approved for IV use, so that’s off-label as well.
Oh my word! I didn’t catch that one…,I’m thinking unprintable things at the moment. My heart aches for all…
How dangerous to give selenium without consultation - what if the horse had already received a selenium supplement? Bloody hell… I hope she goes after them.
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