So very sorry. Crossing fingers that the last test somehow comes back negative. I truly feel for everyone involved, but especially the 15 year old who had so many hopes and dreams riding on this horse…
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This really brings tears to my eyes. My heart breaks for all involved and especially for Gabby, who will never even get to meet her horse. I will admit I know nothing about importing horses, and will probably never need to, but what has happened seems wrong on so many levels. I would hope that in the future the USDA would take some better steps to make sure that this does not happen so some other family. To have the horse in quarantine for 7 weeks without allowing for something more to be done just seems terrible.
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I know. They’re pushing to euth, but wouldn’t give antibiotics! Yes, it’s not great to give a course of antibiotics when they’re maybe not indicated, but surely it’s the lesser evil if the other outcome is euthing a healthy animal.
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I wish that there was something that I could do to help. I am just a kid but I can try to help do some fundraising for Gabby or try to reach out to people to help her find a horse that wouldn’t replace Hireno but might help. I can’t imagine being in this situation and it seriously hurts my heart for everyone involved. I am so sorry to all of you. Please send me a message and I can try to help.
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In what time frame after fever and bloodwork?
I’m going to side with USDA that this horse is a risk. Especially considering this is a fully eradicated disease in NA.
Would you be comfortable having him come to your barn?
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From what I read, the horse has tested negative on the WB for Glanders since day 1.
This is just heartbreaking. They are going to euthanize a healthy animal over a test that has been shown to not be 100% effective. There are other ways of dealing with this. Someone should care.
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You’re exactly right. The horse has always tested negative on the Western Blot. We aren’t aware of any studies for the WB giving false negatives. There are studies showing the CFT throws false positives in up to 10% of cases.
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Also with clinical signs which could be consistent with this particular ZOONOTIC eradicated disease in NA.
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And it could be a temp from the stress of what he is going through. Or a bacterial infection that was ignored by the quarantine vet. I am not saying this horse should be set free but there is should be an option other than euthanizing. Like remaining in quarantine until they figure this out.
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I agree with you about euthanization at this point in time. What I don’t agree with is the assumption on this board that this horse is 100% clear of Glanders infection. Sure the risk is low but if my license was on the line I wouldn’t clear him yet either. This is a convoluted case with probably not much precedence to go on.
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Wiping out glanders in this country was considered a triumph of American veterinary medicine and the government. We are no longer familiar with the disease here, but before it was wiped out in this country it was considered as a major illness with bad economic effects for the horse industry. According to Wikipedia it is also fatal to humans as well as horses, and in WWI it was used in biological warfare against equines and humans.
I no longer own horses, but I most certainly do approve of the USDA doing all it can to keep this disease out of this country.
On the other hand I feel so sorry for the girl, her family and the horse. This sounds like a true nightmare.
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I get the feeling it would be too cost-prohibitive for the family to keep the horse in quarantine any longer, and they are not pursuingthis route. What an unfortunate situation.
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As I read it, the usda is not requiring euthanasia. But the strict control and cost of moving him has convinced the owners to go that route of it seems he will never text clear. Am I correct?
The USDA is allowing only one more test. If the horse fails, the USDA is requiring euthanasia, or that the horse be sent back to Europe. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has told the family Europe will euthanize the horse as soon as it arrives.
If this was the case, and there was concern, why was the horse not treated for anything while in quarantine, up until the very recent past? They should have done SOMEthing if the horse was thought to been sick. “poop” or get off the pot, so to say.
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God this is so tragic. That poor animal, what a horrible way to end your life. I really hope their lawyer can work out a miracle…
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Thanks for the clarification. It is sad.
Many years ago, my vet treated a puppy and it bit her. When it died, she just for safety sent it’s brain for testing and it had rabies. The state tracked down all the puppies and euthanized them since they had just adopted. None of them tested positive but it was necessary.
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So no treatment proves he wasn’t sick?
Doesn’t work that way.
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So NA eradicated Glanders. Why can’t the same be done in Europe? I feel bad for the horse but I’m with the USDA on this.
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Frankly- I am disappointed in the USDA. I frequently interact with them for work (and the FDA) and it is well documented that Western Blot has a higher diagnostic specificity, and CFT has antigenic cross-reactivity- leading to false positives.
I am not sure who is making the calls in the diagnostic testing- but it is not industry standard. CFT is a fine test- a positive is easily confirmed by WB.
