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Excessive Selenium Kills 21 Polo Ponies

My office is investigating the damage selenium has caused to people who took an over the counter supplement known as Total Body Formula. This week there is news that selenium killed nearly two dozen horses:

The 21 polo horses that died last week shortly before they were to compete in the U.S. Open polo tournament fell victim to a fatal overdose of selenium, a mineral ingredient in a medication meant to help them recover from exhaustion, according to Florida's state veterinarian.

"Signs exhibited by the horses and their rapid deaths were consistent with toxic doses of selenium," Dr. Thomas J. Holt said today of the circumstances surrounding the loss of the horses, which were all owned by the Venezuela-based Lechuza Caracas team.

The medication was prepared by an Ocala, Fla., retail and compounding pharmacy called Franck's Pharmacy at the request of the veterinarian who treated Lechuza's horses while in Florida. Franck's Pharmacy announced last week that an internal review prompted by the horses' deaths showed that the compound, a substitute for a medication called Biodyl that is unapproved for use in the U.S., was mixed incorrectly.

Sources are many, including here.

Full post as published by A Georgia Lawyer on April 30, 2009 (boomark / email).