LAVENDER FOAL SYNDROME FACT SHEET

 As the name suggests, LAVENDER FOAL SYNDROME (LFS) causes Arabian foals to be born with an unusual coat color.  Affected foals usually die within a few days of birth from serious neurological problems.  It is a lethal genetic disorder that seems to require both parents to be carriers and affects both male and female foals.

The underlying defect causing LFS is not known; currently there is no treatment for it; and until an affected foal is born, there is no way of predicting which horses are carriers.

The only documentation of this disease is in the late Ann Bowling’s book, Horse Genetics (CAB International, 1996).  She describes foals with ‘dilute’ coat color and neurological problems including joint rigidity and rapid eye movements.  Other foals have been described as having intermittent convulsions and are often in the position of opisthotonus, where the neck is arched back and the legs are stiff.

Although LFS could be confused with oxygen deprivation at birth, and often is associated with a difficult birth, the unusual coat color is an additional clue for an LFS diagnosis.

At Cornell University’s James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health, research to find the LFS gene is already underway, following the presentation of one such foal at Cornell’s Hospital for Animals in June 2000.  By comparing the clinical signs of Lavender foals with similar syndromes in other species, several genes have been identified as good candidates for harboring a mutation that might cause LAVENDER FOAL SYNDROME.

Research at the Baker Institute is currently focused on identifying the normal horse sequence for the most likely of these genes.  This normal sequence can then be compared to that from affected foals in the hope of identifying the underlying genetic defect.  It is crucial to collect as many samples as possible from affected foals; this enables us to eliminate the possibility of mistaking the normal variation found within any species for a disease-causing mutation.

The aim of the Cornell study is to discover the genetic cause of this tragic disease with a long-term view to producing a carrier test.

For any breeder who has an affected foal born this breeding season, we urge you to contact the research group at Cornell’s Baker Institute.  Ideally we would like to review the foal at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals, but if the distance is prohibitive, there are several samples that a vet could collect.  For details on sample collection, you or your vet should contact the number below.

Blood samples from known carriers, especially close relatives of the affected foal, are also important to the project.  Before sending any samples or to learn more about LAVENDER FOAL SYNDROME, please contact Dr. Helen Bird (607-256 5621; email heb9@cornell.edu).  Inquiries will be treated in confidence.
           (as of 2/01)