What Became of the “Bad Drug” Victim Horses in Florida?

One month later, the University of Florida Large Animal Hospital has sent the survivors home
The Jurga Report Bad Drug Horses in Florida Update

This is an update of a story that was reported a month ago on The Jurga Report.

Robert MacKay, DACVIM, PhD, BVSc (Dist), veterinarian and professor of large animal clinical sciences at University of Florida Large Animal Medicine, has updated details as a followup to a horse health alert issued by the university on May 12.

Dr. MacKay shared the news today that all four of the surviving horses that had been treated at the University of Florida have now been released to their owners.

On May 6, 2014, seven horses from the Ocala, Florida area were found to be suffering with signs of accidental overdose of the EPM drug pyrimethamine.

One horse was euthanized two days after transfer to the University of Florida.

Dr. MacKay’s message today is that the other six horses have now been discharged from the hospital and have returned home.

“Five of these horses appear to have made full recoveries, while the last horse to leave faces a long road to recovery from laminitis, a life-threatening hoof disorder that sometimes affects sick horses,” the report stated.

Following the discovery of the horses in distress, MacKay and the University issued a horse health alert, in the event that other horses were given the same medication, which was identified to be from a specific compounding pharmacy.

On May 15, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a nationwide “bad drug” alert for the medication.

Horse owners should be vigilant when giving any medication to horses and report any unusual or dramatic reactions by horses on medications.

This afternoon, Blood-Horse.com reported that three owners of the horses have filed a lawsuit against the compounding agency, Wickliffe Pharmacy of Lexington, Kentucky, for damages.

To learn more: Read the original article on The Jurga Report.

Read about the FDA alert for this medication.

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