The Case of the Downer Horses

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Acting on a hunch, Dr. Sandigo submitted manure samples from the most recently deceased horse, along with feed and bird droppings from area feed troughs and tissue samples from the burial pit, to the New Mexico State Laboratory. Three days later, the results confirmed Dr. Sandigo's hypothesis: Ravens feasting on the dead animals had ingested the toxin, then had passed it to the horses through their droppings when they visited the feed troughs.

Make no mistake, the botulism toxin is so powerful that even the small amount found in a bird dropping or under a bird's talon is enough to kill a horse.

It is not unusual to find burial pits of dead animals in remote areas. If the soil coverage is inadequate, the decaying tissue is vulnerable to being spread by scavengers, such as ravens, crows, vultures or coyotes to healthy livestock. And make no mistake, the botulism toxin is so powerful that even the small amount in a bird dropping - or a small piece of tissue carried by a talon - is enough to kill a horse.

To prevent further cases of botulism, Dr. Sandigo recommended to the local Navajos that the burial pit be covered with a substantial layer of soil. In addition, he advised all horse owners in the area to allow him to administer a botulism antitoxin. In addition, since decaying hay has also been implicated in some cases of botulism in equines, the doctor advised horse owners to be diligent in monitoring feed quality to prevent outbreaks of the disease. (Decaying rotten hay should not be fed to horses.) Most of the horse owners complied, and no more horses were reported sick.

After a several long days on the reservation, Dr. Sandigo headed down the rough dirt road and into the setting sun. He spied his friends the ravens circling and scouting for their next meal. "Nevermore," he couldn't resist calling to them - "nevermore."

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