CHINCOTEAGUE, VA - The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company has announced the full recovery of four ponies afflicted with Pythiosis, or swamp cancer.
According to the Fire Company, the four ponies have overcome the potentially deadly illness and are now undergoing hoof trimmings to allow them to return to island life.
One mare, Katet, had contracted swamp cancer and was taken to Oklahoma to regrow a hoof and also provide resources to study the disease. Katet, the Fire Company said Monday, has been retired from the island and will live a domestic life following the illness and hoof issues.
The Saltwater Cowboys say Katet will continue to have an impact on the island herd as her particular strain of Pythiosis vaccine could save more lives through vaccination and immunotherapy. The strain of the vaccine also helped two children survive a swamp cancer infection, according to the Fire Company.
In addition to the recovery of the four ponies, the Fire Company also provided an update on a filly orphaned last week after her mother, Wildfire, was humanely euthanized due to an unknown illness.
“Wildfire’s Filly is doing very well and has been adopted full time by her ‘stepmother’ EJ,” the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company said Monday night. “We are very hopeful that she will develop at a normal pace into a large and stunning filly.”
