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Twenty-one polo horses die in Florida

Officials are still trying to determine what caused the death of 21 polo horses in South Florida Sunday. The animals, owned by a team from Caracas, Venezuela, had just arrivedat the U.S. Polo Tournament in Wellington when 14 of them collapsed. Another seven were disoriented and staggering. Dr. Scott Swerdlin of the Palm Beach Equine Club, International Polo's consulting veterinarian group says 14 died at the grounds, one was euthanized and the others died within45 minutes at the Venezuelan team’s barn.

Swerdlin believes the deaths were due to feed or shots. He does not believe it was intentional. The horses suffered pulmonary edema, which means fluid accumulated in their lungs, and cardiogenic shock, Officials say whateverkilled the horses was not airborne or contagious. Necropsies will be conducted on the horses with the preliminary findings expected late Monday or Tuesday.