Rare stallion fights dangerous infection at Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Through care at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, a 19-year-old Akhal-Teke stallion named Kiergen fought off a dangerous infection.  

Not only is Kiergen a beloved companion, but as an Akhal-Teke, he carries valuable genetics. Kiergen is owned by the Akhal-Teke Foundation, a Lexington, Virginia, nonprofit run by Patricia Johnston and Kevin Matthews.

“As an ancient, primitive breed, Akhal-Tekes are kind of famous for being tough,” said Matthews.

Often called “the most beautiful horses on earth,” the Akhal-Teke is a sensitive, athletic breed that excels in endurance. One of the most famous Akhal-Tekes was Kiergen’s great-great-grandfather, a black stallion named Absent. Absent helped bring home four Olympic medals in dressage, a sport dominated by European-bred horses.

The Akhal-Teke descends from Turkoman horses, a landrace breed from central Asia raised for centuries by nomadic tribes and built to survive in the Karakum Desert of modern-day Turkmenistan. Many believe that the Turkoman and Akhal-Teke have been foundational to the development of other breeds, like the thoroughbred. 

"They act like they know they are royalty — and they've been royalty for thousands of years,” said Matthews.

But one day, Kiergen’s caretakers noticed the stallion in distress. He was lethargic, and his his neck was stiff and swollen. 

"His neck was almost like a caterpillar, swollen and bulging,” said Matthews.

An emergency veterinary referred Kiergen to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital with concerning vital signs. 

At the teaching hospital, Kiergen was diagnosed with clostridial myositis, a painful bacterial infection. With clostridial myositis, bacteria enter the body through a deep wound or an intramuscular injection, and they quickly turn muscle tissue necrotic. This often causes the skin to slough off, and without treatment, it can quickly turn fatal. An ultrasound of Kiergen showed pockets in his neck where the bacteria had released gas. 

Kiergen received round-the-clock care to monitor his condition. He received antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, fluids, and pain relievers intravenously to fight the infection and the pain.

One major concern was the amount of swelling so close to his trachea. 

"The constant monitoring during those first 48 hours was crucial to make sure the swelling wasn't cutting off his airway,” said Emilee Lacey, a large animal internal medicine resident who worked with Kiergen. "He really is a fighter. He's defied the odds and responded well to the high doses of antibiotics and the really good support from our staff, too."

"With all that close watching and treatment, by the third day in the hospital, when they had the tentative schedule for surgery, he had healed to the point where there wasn't enough of a pocket to drain,” said Matthews.

After nine days, Kiergen was discharged and returned home to the Akhal-Teke Foundation, where he’s gradually getting his appetite and energy back.

“It was really an exciting recovery,” said Matthews.

With their long, elegant necks and shiny, metallic coats, Akhal-Tekes turn heads wherever they go. But despite their captivating looks, Akhal-Tekes are a rare breed. It’s estimated that there are less than 300 Akhal-Tekes in North America, and that number is slowly dropping. Matthews estimates that only about 10 Akhal-Teke foals are born each year in North America.

The Akhal-Teke Foundation continues the legacy of Phil and Margot Case in preserving and promoting the breed. In the 1970s, the Cases introduced the Akhal-Teke breed to America, managing to import several horses despite the Iron Curtain.

"We launched the Akhal-Teke Center with Kiergen as one of our flagship stallions. We've been breeding him this year as part of the conservation breeding program to increase the numbers,” said Matthews. "Kiergen has a ton of personality, and he's a great representative of the breed. He's a really sweet friend who we really treasure in our horse family.”

For Lacey, treating Kiergen was another way to give back.

"My favorite part of my job is taking care of these older horses,” Lacey said. “They have given us so much of their life, and to be able to help them in their time of need — and help their owners, too, in their time of need — really means a lot. “