🐴Utah based 501(c)3 Equine Rescue and Sanctuary🐴 
01/28/2025
We would like to share Simmer's necropsy report from Utah State University Diagnostics Laboratory.
If you choose to comment, please be kind.
The report is a lot to take in and understand especially if you are not familiar with the equine verbiage, so we asked a vet to simplify what the report said.
Here's a break down of what was found -
Simmer's neurological problems were caused by brain abscesses, which are like small, infected lumps in the brain. These lumps were found on both sides of Simmer's brain. When the doctors tested the infected areas, they found different kinds of bacteria growing there.
Simmer's dam Dolly, had a sickness called strangles while she was pregnant. Strangles is caused by a bacteria called Streptococcus equi. In this case, the doctors didn’t find Streptococcus equi in the abscesses. Instead, they found a different bacteria called Streptococcus zooepidemicus which is a subspecies of strangles. It's rare for it to form this way but foals can contract it while they are developing in the womb, which is exactly what happened with Simmer.
There was nothing we could have done to prevent this for Simmer. He showed ZERO signs of any sickness. He had no cough, no snotty nose, no fever, and no signs of any sort of infection. He was his 5 month old happy and spunky self, until he was down and lifeless 😞
We were reassured this would have happened no matter where he was, who he was with, and was in his blood before he was born.
Rest in greener pastures, little buddy! You are SO missed 😓🌈
