Re: RC: "Sleeper" foals or Lavender Foal Syndrome

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

Maryanne, I don't know a lot about this syndrome, other than it appears to be an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, it is neurological, it has been linked with one prominent Egyptian line here but is apparently not limited to that one line (although have not heard of it in horses that are not of some modern Egyptian ancestry so far).  According to what little information I've seen on the disorder, death generally occurs by 48 hours or so.  It is unknown at this point if some cases may also die in utero and be seen as mid or late term abortions, but that is suspected as well.  I'll see if I can hunt up the contact info for you on the folks who are active in researching this condition.

Heidi