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by eichenluft on 23 April 2009 - 18:04
Pharmacy Releases Statement on Polo Pony Deaths
April 23 2009, Article # 14033
Franck's Pharmacy Chief Operations Officer Jennifer Beckett released the following statement April 23:
"On an order from a veterinarian, Franck's Pharmacy prepared medication that was used to treat the 21 horses on the Lechuza Polo team. As soon as we learned of the tragic incident, we conducted an internal investigation that was led by an outside lawyer and, upon its conclusion, we immediately alerted the state Department of Health and Board of Pharmacy. The report, which we are furnishing to these agencies, concluded that the strength of an ingredient in the medication was incorrect. We will cooperate fully with the authorities as they continue their investigations.
"Franck's Pharmacy has been providing patients, physicians and veterinarians with custom medications for more than 25 years. We are in the healthcare profession and are committed to improving the health of our patients.
"We extend our most sincere condolences to the horses' owners, the Lechuza Polo team and the members of the United States Polo Association. We share their grief and sadness.
"Because of the ongoing investigations, we cannot discuss further details about this matter at this time."
by jdh on 23 April 2009 - 19:04
This is interesting, but it seems unlikely that such ingredients as normally found in Biodyl could possibly cause such a universal and catastrophic reaction unless formulated in a grossly abnormal proportion and dosage. Even so the ingredients are relatively benign, and we should remember that many good supplements and pharmaceuticals are banned or have yet to be approved in the U.S. more for financial and political reasons than for reasons of their safety, merit, or suitability for usage.
News outlets in general are far more concerned with demagoguery than accuracy in reporting such a story. We have already seen it reported that the horses were given an "ILLEGAL" vitamin compound. Now we are being told that they received a compound that MAY or MAY NOT be SIMILAR to the banned compound.
Are we to suppose that an athlete who takes an ATP supplement in addition to Selenium, Magnesium, Potassium and B-12 is in violation of U.S. drug laws since the combination approximates the formula of a banned "substance"?
That is pretty silly!
There might well have been a catastrophic error in the compounding of the custom formula, or even some overt malfeasance that could take some time to uncover. There is even an outside chance that those conspiracy theories could come into play.
Jonah
by Sunsilver on 23 April 2009 - 22:04
Injectable solution Treatment of muscle disorders in all species
Composition Each 100 ml of Biodyl contains Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12).....................................................................................................0.05 g Sodium selenite............................................................................................................................. 100 mg Potassium aspartate semihydrate ........................ ....................................................................... 1.000 g Magnesium aspartate tetrahydrate................................................................................................ 1.500 g Excipient q.s. ................................................... .......................................................................... 100 ml
Indications Fatigue, convalescence, poor start in young animals, travel sickness, conditioning racehorses and jum-pers, myopathy-dyspnea syndrome in calves (delayed type), white muscle disease, muscular dystrophy in herbivora, stiff-lamb disease, enzootic paraplegia in lambs, myositis in horses, azoturia (tying-up).
Selenium/selenite is toxic in large doses.
Potassium can cause irregular heartbeat and death in large doses.
Magnesium is important in muscle contraction, and can also cause irregular heartbeat and muscle spasms.
The most common type of medication error is in moving the decimal point in the wrong direction. This can mean the dose will be increased by 10 or even 100 times the required dose.
by jdh on 23 April 2009 - 23:04
It is my understanding that Biodyl also contains ATP (adenosene triphosphate) key to cellular metabolism.
The horses were reported to all suffer from pulmonary edema and hemorhage. While I do not know the specific mechanism, a vet who specializes in equine health made some comments consistent with yours regarding selenium and potassium. Jonah
by jdh on 23 April 2009 - 23:04
It is my understanding that Biodyl also contains ATP (adenosene triphosphate) key to cellular metabolism.
The horses were reported to all suffer from pulmonary edema and hemorhage. While I do not know the specific mechanism, a vet who specializes in equine health made some comments consistent with yours regarding selenium and potassium. Jonah
by SchHBabe on 24 April 2009 - 13:04
Dopers suck! It's bad enough when human athletes pump themselves full of performance enhancing concoctions. At least that is done with knowlege of the risk and consequences. How pathetic when people dope up their animals for competitive advantage.
Hopefully the equine community will take note and the cheaters will think twice about doping their valuable horses, and hopefully the canine community will never be tempted to pull the same BS to cheat in competition. Pfui!
Yvette
by Rezkat5 on 24 April 2009 - 13:04
Very sad!
Like someone said, just needs to be a decimal point off in the calculation to have drastic effects.
I don't remember who, but a celebrity, who's baby was given the wrong dose of heparin and almost died.
When I worked at the vet, I was always double checking my calculations and making sure that I was pulling up the right product. Some of the bottles are so close in labeling. Luckily with the animals it goes by their weight and you kind of get an idea if the dose is a little too high.
Kathy
by Sunsilver on 24 April 2009 - 13:04
Just found this on the FDA drug site:
One of the possible life-threatening side effects of Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin b12) is pulmonary edema and congestive heart failure.
by eichenluft on 24 April 2009 - 13:04
molly
by Sunsilver on 24 April 2009 - 14:04
Vitamin B12 is simply that: a VITAMIN, and would give no performance advantage whatsoever.
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