Did Vitamin Supplement Biodyl Cause Death of Polo Horses?

 The deaths of 21 polo horses from Venezuela’s Lechuza Caracas team at the U.S Polo Championships in Wellington, Florida may be linked to Biodyl, a vitamin supplement.

Juan Martin Nero, of Lechuza Polo, told an Argentine newspaper that the horses were given Biodyl which is a combination of vitamin B12, a form of selenium called sodium selenite and other minerals.

The vitamin supplement Biodyl can be given to horses to help with exhaustion. Five horses that did not receive the Biodyl are fine.

The polo horses started collapsing Sunday as they were being unloaded from their trailers at the International Polo Club Palm Beach. Some died there and others died hours later.

A spokesperson for Merial, the  company that makes Biodyl, said the company is confident its product is safe. Florida authorities are investigating the polo horses deaths to determine if they were intentional or accidental. Toxicology tests are pending.

The vitamin supplement Biodyl is not approved for use in the United States.