Cluster of cases of massive hemorrhage associated with anticoagulant detection in race horses.
Abstract: Five horses originating from 4 different California race tracks were submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory for necropsy and diagnostic workup. The 5 horses had a history of sudden collapse and death during exercise. In all of them, massive hemoperitoneum and hemorrhages in other cavities or organs were observed. The liver from these 5 animals and from 27 horses that had been euthanized due to catastrophic leg injuries (controls) were subjected to a rodenticide anticoagulant screen. Traces of brodifacoum, diphacinone, or bromadiolone were detected in the 5 horses with massive bleeding (5/5), and no traces of rodenticides were detected in control horses (0/27). Other frequent causes of massive hemorrhages in horses were ruled out in 4 of the cases; one of the horses had a pelvic fracture. Although only traces of anticoagulants were found in the livers of these horses and the role of these substances in the massive bleeding remains uncertain, it is speculated that exercise-related increases in blood pressure may have reduced the threshold for toxicity of these anticoagulants.
© 2014 The Author(s).
Publication Date: 2014-12-20 PubMed ID: 25525145DOI: 10.1177/1040638714559970Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The study suggests a potential link between the presence of anticoagulants and massive hemorrhaging in race horses, giving rise to questions about toxicity thresholds during increased physical exercise or stress.
Research Background
- Five race horses, originating from four different California race tracks and sharing a history of sudden collapse and death during physical strain, were examined in this research. Their symptoms prior to death pointed to severe internal hemorrhage (hemoperitoneum).
- The liver samples of these five horses and 27 additional horses which were euthanized due to catastrophic leg injuries (serving as control group) were subjected to rodenticide anticoagulant screening.
Findings & Observations
- Anticoagulants – brodifacoum, diphacinone, or bromadiolone were detected in the livers of the five horses associated with massive hemorrhaging.
- In contrast, none of the control horses showed traces of anticoagulants.
- While these results provide a hint towards a possible correlation, the connection between the presence of anticoagulants and the massive bleeding remains uncertain due to only trace amounts being found.
Speculations & Conclusions
- Other common causes of massive horse hemorrhages were ruled out in four of the five cases. However, one horse was found to have a pelvic fracture.
- Given the scenarios, researchers speculate that the horses’ exercise-induced elevated blood pressure might reduce the threshold for anticoagulant toxicity, leading to severe hemorrhaging.
- This observation calls for further studies to firm up the possible link between anticoagulants and hemorrhaging, intending to establish safe operating procedures for the horse racing industry without risk to animal health.
Cite This Article
APA
Carvallo FR, Poppenga R, Kinde H, Diab SS, Nyaoke AC, Hill AE, Arthur RM, Uzal FA.
(2014).
Cluster of cases of massive hemorrhage associated with anticoagulant detection in race horses.
J Vet Diagn Invest, 27(1), 112-116.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1040638714559970 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino branch (Carvallo, Kinde, Nyaoke, Uzal), CADavis branch (Poppenga, Diab, Hill), CASchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA (Arthur).
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino branch (Carvallo, Kinde, Nyaoke, Uzal), CADavis branch (Poppenga, Diab, Hill), CASchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA (Arthur).
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino branch (Carvallo, Kinde, Nyaoke, Uzal), CADavis branch (Poppenga, Diab, Hill), CASchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA (Arthur).
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino branch (Carvallo, Kinde, Nyaoke, Uzal), CADavis branch (Poppenga, Diab, Hill), CASchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA (Arthur).
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino branch (Carvallo, Kinde, Nyaoke, Uzal), CADavis branch (Poppenga, Diab, Hill), CASchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA (Arthur).
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino branch (Carvallo, Kinde, Nyaoke, Uzal), CADavis branch (Poppenga, Diab, Hill), CASchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA (Arthur).
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino branch (Carvallo, Kinde, Nyaoke, Uzal), CADavis branch (Poppenga, Diab, Hill), CASchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA (Arthur).
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, University of California-Davis, San Bernardino branch (Carvallo, Kinde, Nyaoke, Uzal), CADavis branch (Poppenga, Diab, Hill), CASchool of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA (Arthur) fuzal@cahfs.ucdavis.edu.
MeSH Terms
- 4-Hydroxycoumarins / toxicity
- Animals
- Anticoagulants / toxicity
- California
- Hemoperitoneum / chemically induced
- Hemoperitoneum / veterinary
- Hemorrhage / chemically induced
- Hemorrhage / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / chemically induced
- Horses
- Liver / chemistry
- Male
- Phenindione / analogs & derivatives
- Phenindione / toxicity
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Rodenticides / toxicity
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Romano MC, Francis KA, Janes JG, Poppenga RH, Filigenzi MS, Stefanovski D, Gaskill CL. Determining an approximate minimum toxic dosage of diphacinone in horses and corresponding serum, blood, and liver diphacinone concentrations: a pilot study. J Vet Diagn Invest 2022 May;34(3):489-495.
- Zakian A, Mami S, Nouri M, Jalali SM, Tehrani-Sharif M. Brodifacoum toxicosis and abortion in an Arabian mare. Vet Res Forum 2019 Spring;10(2):173-176.
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