Equine Health

Medicine & Husbandry

Fatal Inherited Quarter Horse Disease Traces to Poco Bueno

Recently researchers have discovered that the sireline associated with the brutal disease hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) can be traced to the Poco Bueno line. Although the disease, which causes the cells within the deep layers of the skin to have a lack of adhesion and therefore come “unglued," has been known to exist since the 1970s, recent drastic increases in the number of cases have been attributed to the double up breedings on the Poco Bueno line.

Between 1998 and 2002 over 1,200 offspring of known HERDA carrier stallions were sold at public auction, and over one-half of those offspring, based on genetic law of averages, will also be carriers. Although owners of carrier stallions have been notified, the names have not been made public.

Two known popular breeding lines that are carriers of the gene are Doc O’Lena and Dry Doc. Once the disease has been identified in a horse, there is no cure and the average life span for an affected animal is two to four years. Horse owners can send pedigrees involving potential matings to determine the degree of probability of the offspring inheriting either the gene of the disease itself to the Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. Contact us for more information.