Answers And Allegations In Polo Deaths

((HT: Miami Herald/Palm Beach Post/Andrew Abramson))

The Florida Department of Agriculture confirmed today that the horses suffered from hemorrhaging of the lungs.

''The thing that is consistent with all the horses is hemorrhaging and pulmonary edema,'' said Mark Fagan, spokesman for the agricultural department. ``That's consistent through all the necropsies so far, and we certainly expect that with the remaining few necropsies.''

Fagan said that an official cause of death wouldn't be released until the toxicology reports are completed -- those results aren't expected until the end of the week, at the earliest.

Fagan said that investigators are following a report in the La Nacion newspaper of Buenos Aires where a captain of the Lechuza Caracas polo team said the horses were injected with a vitamin supplement called Biodyl that is not approved for use in the United States, Fagan said.

''I will tell you certainly screening for Biodyl will be done, and we're trying to get some answers about Biodyl,'' Fagan said.

The Florida Animal Diagnostic Lab in Kissimmee is testing samples of the bedding, hay, feed and water collected from Wellington.

Fagan said that any medications or supplements that the horses received would show up in the toxicology report.

Pulmonary edema is fluid accumulation in the lungs that causes respiratory failure. It can be caused when the heart is unable to remove fluids from the lungs.

As for the criminal investigation, Fagan said he's unaware of any search warrant being issued at the polo grounds.

Richard Jordan was in Wellington for the results of the necropsies...