Texas
Texas A&M Veterinarians Work Around The Clock To Save Newborn Foal
Large animal internal medicine resident Sally Alpini and Dr. Amanda Trimble examine Vicky, a German warmblood filly who came to the Texas A&M University Large Animal Teaching Hospital in need of intensive care immediately following birth.
Photo by Jason Nitsch ’14/Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Queen Victoria, the German warmblood filly, proved her strength at a young age, just like her namesake, the United Kingdom’s former monarch who took the throne at only 18 years old.
Almost immediately after birth, the foal, nicknamed Vicky, became separated from her mother, Queenie, after rolling into an adjoining stall. Their few hours apart would have serious consequences because Vicky missed out on some of the special care a mother horse, called a dam, provides in the first few hours of a foal’s life.
When her owner, Dr. Gavin Britz, learned of the incident, he turned to the Texas A&M Large Animal Teaching Hospital (LATH) to nurse Vicky back to health, a two-week process that involved intensive care, special techniques and surgery.
While Vicky came to the LATH in great need of exceptional veterinary care, she left a healthy, spunky filly thanks to her talented veterinary team and dedicated owner.
Building A Legacy
Britz, a Houston neurosurgeon, has loved horses since he was a boy. He has participated in jumping and dressage competitions over the years, and his current focus is on breeding, specifically for the German warmblood.
“I’m setting up a warmblood breeding operation and bringing some of the best horses in Europe to America,” Britz said. “One of my close friends, a world-class German breeder named Stefanie Lohmann, owned Queenie before and said she wanted me to have her because she’s such a special mare.”
When Britz purchased Queenie, he wasn’t just getting the mare; she was also pregnant with a foal sired by Vitalis, a famous warmblood stud.
Because of transportation delays, Queenie didn’t arrive at Britz’s stable in Chappell Hill, Texas, until about two-and-a-half weeks before her due date. She then went into labor sooner than expected, giving birth a week early — late in the night on Valentine’s Day.
The barn manager found Vicky in the adjoining stall only hours later, but the foal had already missed out on colostrum — a preliminary form of milk that contains extra nutrients, antibodies, and antioxidants that is normally passed from mother to baby in the first few hours after birth.
“When we found her, the baby was not doing well,” Britz said. “We contacted the local vet, who said to bring her down to their hospital. After we took her there, they said she probably wasn’t going to survive, but we could try and take her to Texas A&M.”
Britz knew that the Texas A&M School of Medicine graduates whom he helped train at Houston Methodist were talented and dedicated to their craft, so he trusted that the veterinarians, staff and students at the LATH would exhibit the same qualities and would have the skills and determination to save Vicky’s life.
Faculty, staff and students at the Texas A&M University Large Animal Teaching Hospital played a critical role in returning Vicky to health. The foal was weak and lethargic after being separated from her mother shortly after birth and required two weeks of intensive treatment.
Photo by Jason Nitsch ’14/Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Every Trick In The Book
When Vicky arrived at the LATH on Feb. 15, she was extremely weak, not nursing well and showing an abnormally lethargic demeanor.
“Vicky had what we call neonatal sepsis and failure of passive transfer — basically, she had a bacterial infection that was making her sick. She also hadn’t nursed and wasn’t getting the nutrients she needed for energy, so she was very weak,” said Dr. Amanda Trimble, a clinical assistant professor of equine internal medicine at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
“If a foal doesn’t get colostrum in the first few hours of life, developing sepsis is a huge risk, because they are born without an immune system, so they can’t fight off any insult to their little bodies unless they get important antibodies from the mare,” Trimble said.
Because Vicky was so young, Queenie accompanied her to the LATH and proved to be a very dedicated mother. The two were kept in a special stall that allowed the veterinary team to begin stabilizing the foal while remaining in sight of the mare.
Vicky received intravenous fluids and supplemental glucose to make up for the loss of nutrition; plasma for antibodies and immune system support; and antibiotics and anti-inflammatories to address the infection and pneumonia.
Once Vicky was stabilized, the veterinarians noticed that she still had a dull demeanor and decided to also apply a technique called the Madigan squeeze, which can stimulate neural pathways that are normally stimulated during birth.
If the natural process doesn’t happen correctly, which can occur during a rapid delivery, the foal is left in a lethargic, sleep-like state, similar to how it was in the womb — a condition known as neonatal maladjustment syndrome.
“Essentially, it’s like we re-birthed her,” Trimble said. “We apply a nice, steady pressure around the thorax for 20 minutes, and it feels like going through the birth canal again and something resets.”
After several days of intensive, around-the-clock care, Vicky’s overall condition began to improve, but a new problem also arose — her umbilicus, the location where her umbilical cord had been located, started showing serious signs of infection.
“Her umbilicus wasn’t completely normal the first week, but we weren’t as concerned as we were about the sepsis initially. We wanted her to stabilize before we took her to surgery,” Trimble said. “But during the second week, it got really big — almost tripled or quadrupled in size — so I called Dr. (Dustin) Major and our surgery team. Together, we concluded we couldn’t wait any longer and that it needed to be removed immediately.
“The thing that we worry about with umbilical infection is that abscesses can form internally, and because of where all the blood vessels go from the umbilicus, the infection can spread to other organs as well,” she said.
Major, a clinical assistant professor of large animal surgery, removed the now-unnecessary umbilicus and its internal vessels to ensure the infection was gone, after which Vicky improved and was soon fully recovered.
Aptly Named
Vicky had not received her official name during her time at the LATH, but once she was discharged and sent home, Britz knew just what to call her.
“She was born on Valentine’s Day, so that was part of the ‘V,’ along with having the sire Vitalis,” Britz said. “Because you always name the baby after the mother, you then get Queen Victoria. You’ll know she’s from my line because my other top mare is called Queen Elizabeth.”
Many faculty, staff and students were involved in ensuring Vicky’s recovery. In addition to Trimble and Major, Drs. Bridget Savitske, Jake Trautmann, Sally Alpini, and Abigail Blanton contributed, as well the internal medicine and soft tissue surgery teams and several fourth-year veterinary students.
Reflecting on the experience, Britz is thankful that he trusted the LATH with Vicky’s recovery.
“I was very impressed with the veterinary care and, particularly, with the communication,” he said. “I told the CEO of my hospital that we, as physicians, can learn something from the way Texas A&M handled the communication and made sure I was informed about everything.”
Likewise, Trimble is grateful that Britz and his barn manager ensured that Vicky arrived quickly.
“Infants can get sick really quickly; they can be fine one day and then the next day they might need this level of care,” she said. “Fast recognition is important, as well as knowing the normal milestones that a healthy, happy foal should be meeting. If they’re not meeting them, having the owner or the caretaker recognize that and getting them veterinary care is key to the foal surviving.”
Vicky nurses her mother while on the way to recovery during a two-week stay at the Large Animal Teaching Hospital at Texas A&M University.
Photo by Jason Nitsch ’14/Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
A North Texas woman is apologizing to her neighborhood after being held hostage for more than 24 hours during a standoff that shut down a Providence Village subdivision and disrupted school bus service.
CBS News Texas obtained a post from the woman, who wrote, “I am so sorry, everyone, all of you have such wonderful families, and I’m sorry to bring this monster to us.”
Neighbors responded with support, telling her, “We are here for you,” and “Don’t be sorry, we were just so worried for you.”
Suspect faces multiple felony charges
Authorities said the woman was rescued by the FBI and SWAT after allegedly being held by 57‑year‑old Michael Miller. He faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful restraint, aggravated kidnapping, burglary of a habitation, and violation of bond/protective order.
Miller received bonds on all charges except aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His total bond on the remaining charges is $4.5 million.
Neighbors sheltered in place for more than a day
Residents of the Foree Ranch subdivision are now trying to return to normal, but many say the experience is still lingering.
Preston Turner said he walked into the situation unexpectedly.
“I went to leave my house roughly on Monday morning, around 1 a.m., to go help a friend out that was in need,” Turner said. “I opened my garage, and I was approached by two SWAT members, and they were telling me to hurry up and close my garage and that we could not leave the house.”
Turner, his wife and children spent the next 24-plus hours hosting neighbors who lived across the street from the victim’s home. He streamed the standoff live on TikTok until authorities asked him to stop for safety reasons.
“And once I got the stream going, her family was on the stream, and they were asking me to continue because they wanted to know what was going on. So, very concerned about her,” he said.
Turner said he could see when Miller was arrested and placed into an SUV before being taken to jail.
Families describe fear and uncertainty
Up the block, Ruby Condensa and her family sheltered in place as the hours dragged on.
“It went on for so long. Um, at one point, I honestly did not know what was going to happen after we hit the 20-hour mark and I woke up, and I heard them,” Condensa said.
Her nearly two‑year‑old son Kai is used to playing outside, and she believes the uncertainty added to his anxiety.
“Kai, he’s a baby. He doesn’t know, but I think that obviously it was a lot just being inside. And I know my anxious energy might’ve been a little on him because it was a scary situation. Um, if it was that scary for me, I can’t even imagine what her and her family went through.”
Community gives victim space, offers support
Neighbors chose not to visit the victim’s home on Wednesday, saying they wanted to give her space after the traumatic event. But they made clear they are ready to help.
“It’s really sad, and I feel for her, and I hope that she can heal from that,” Condensa said. “And I know that, um, our neighborhood has really rallied around her, and if she needs anything. I know a lot of us would be there to help her in whatever way she needs.”
ABILENE, Texas — A Florida truck driver has been charged with intoxication manslaughter after a crash at a rural intersection left a South Texas man dead, authorities said.
Miguel Angel Casanova, 68, of Saint Cloud, Florida, suffered minor injuries in the crash and was wearing a seatbelt, according to investigators. After receiving treatment at Hendrick North Emergency Care, he was arrested on the charge.
RELATED| Abilene man charged with Intoxicated Manslaughter
Authorities identified the victim as Adam Lee Reyna, 26, of Mission, Texas. Reyna, who was driving a 2019 Dodge Ram pickup, died at the scene and was pronounced dead by Justice of the Peace Mike McAuliffe. His seatbelt use was not immediately known.
According to a preliminary investigation, Casanova was traveling westbound on County Road 54 and approached a stop sign at the intersection with State Highway 351. Reyna was traveling northbound on the highway toward the same intersection.
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Investigators said Casanova failed to yield at the stop sign, and the vehicles collided.
The impact caused Reyna’s pickup to catch fire, and it was destroyed, authorities said.
RELATED| Abilene man indicted for intoxication manslaughter
Further investigation determined Casanova was intoxicated due to an overdose of medication at the time of the crash.
The investigation remains ongoing.
DALLAS — Texas can require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools, a U.S. appeals court ruled Tuesday in a victory for conservatives who have long sought to incorporate more religion into classrooms.
The 9-8 decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a boost to backers of similar laws in Arkansas and Louisiana. Opponents have argued that hanging the Ten Commandments in classrooms proselytizes to students and amounts to religious indoctrination by the government.
In a lengthy majority opinion, the conservative-leaning appeals court in New Orleans rejected those arguments in Texas, saying the requirement does not step on the rights of parents or students.
“No child is made to recite the Commandments, believe them, or affirm their divine origin,” the ruling says.
The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups that challenged the Texas law on behalf of parents said in a statement that they anticipate appealing the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The First Amendment safeguards the separation of church and state, and the freedom of families to choose how, when and if to provide their children with religious instruction. This decision tramples those rights,” they said in the statement.
The mandate is one of several fronts in Texas that opponents have fought over religion in classrooms. In 2024, the state approved optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools, and a proposal set for a vote in June would add Bible stories to required reading lists in Texas classrooms.
The decision over the Ten Commandments law reverses a lower federal court ruling that had blocked about a dozen Texas school districts — including some of the state’s largest — from putting up the posters. The Texas law signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott took effect in September, marking the largest attempt in the nation to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools.
From the start, the law was met almost immediately by a mix of embrace and hesitation in Texas classrooms that educate the state’s 5.5 million public school students.
The mandate animated school board meetings, spun up guidance about what to say when students ask questions, and led to boxes of donated posters being dropped on the doorsteps of campuses statewide. Although the law only requires schools to hang the posters if donated, one suburban Dallas school district spent nearly $1,800 to print roughly 5,000 posters.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, called the ruling “a major victory for Texas and our moral values.”
“The Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and it’s important that students learn from them every single day,” he said.
Tuesday’s ruling comes after the appeals court heard arguments in January in the Texas case and a similar case in Louisiana. In February, the court cleared the way for Louisiana to enforce its law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Republican Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said the Texas ruling “adopted our entire legal defense” of the law in her state. In Alabama, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey also signed a similar law earlier this month.
“Our law clearly was always constitutional, and I am grateful that the Fifth Circuit has now definitively agreed with us,” Murrill said in a statement posted to social media.
Judge Stephen A. Higginson, in a dissenting opinion joined by four others on the court, wrote that the framers of the Constitution “intended disestablishment of religion, above all to prevent large religious sects from using political power to impose their religion on others.”
“Yet Texas, like Louisiana, seeks to do just that, legislating that specific, politically chosen scripture be installed in every public-school classroom,” Higginson wrote.
The law says schools must put donated posters “in a conspicuous place” and requires the writing to be a size and typeface that is visible from anywhere in a classroom to a person with “average vision.” The displays must also be 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall.
Texas’ law easily passed the GOP-controlled Legislature and Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have backed posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
___
Associated Press writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report from Honolulu, Hawaii.
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