The latest information on a wide range of horse health topics will be presented at the 2002 AAEP convention. While we can’t give you a preview of them all, we wanted to bring you a representative sample of the educational opportunities. Look for in-depth coverage following the convention in our AAEP Wrap-Up–which mails with the February 2003 issue–and online at www.TheHorse.com during and after the convention.

Lameness: Thoroughbreds, Peruvian Pasos, and More

 At some point, lameness plagues nearly all horses regardless of breed, discipline, and age. Practicing veterinarians and researchers are continually learning more and more about what causes lameness and how to treat it. The annual Dolly Green Lameness series on Sunday, Dec. 8, features the latest on their efforts to learn how to keep horses sound and return them to full use.

Effectiveness of an Oral Supplement for Joint Health–World-famous biomechanics researcher Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, McPhail Endowed Dressage Chair at Michigan State University, will be presenting the results of her study on the effectiveness of an oral joint health supplement on lameness caused by tarsal degenerative joint disease. This double-blind study (in which those evaluating the horses didn’t know which horses had been treated, then the treatment groups were switched and horses re-evaluated) involved gait analysis with Clayton’s digital video analysis of reflective markers on particular areas of the horse as well as analysis of ground reaction forces collected via force plate.

Shock Wave Therapy–Two studies examined the usefulness of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in treating Thoroughbred racehorses and mature competition horses. Scott Palmer, VMD, Dipl. ABVP, of the New Jersey Equine Clinic in Clarksburg, N.J., will present the results of a study that used radial ESWT on 50 Thoroughbreds with bucked shins which had been unresponsive to conventional therapy for at least two months. Oliver Crowe, a veterinarian from the Royal Veterinary School in London, will discuss the other study’s findings on treatment of hindlimb proximal suspensory desmitis (ligament inflammation present for at least three months) with radial ESWT.

Rupture of the Peroneus Tertius Tendon–This tendon helps flex the hock and is part of the reciprocal apparatus that locks the hindlimb in extension so the horse can sleep standing up. Rupture of this tendon might or might not spell the end of a productive career. Find out when Judith Koenig, DVSc, a staff veternarian in large animal surgery at the University of Guelph, presents a study of 25 horses with this condition.

Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis in Pasos–Many veterinarians specializing in Peruvian Pasos have noticed a relatively high frequency of degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis in these horses. Jeannette Mero, DVM, associate veterinarian with Starland Veterinary Services in New York and head of DSLD Research, Inc., will discuss a review of 20 affected Pasos in which ultrasound, gross examination, and histopathological data were compared in an effort to find any predisposing factors to this problem.

Enlarged Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon–Should you purchase a colt for racing which has an enlarged superficial digital flexor tendon? Many consignors and buyers balk at buying immature Thoroughbreds with this problem, even though there are more questions than answers regarding their future performance. Johanna Reimer, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVC, of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., will discuss the findings of a study on whether this condition affected racing performance at two and three years of age.

Curb–This is a syndrome characterized by swelling in the plantar (rearward) aspect of the hock, and can be caused by quite a few particular injuries within the hock. Michael W. Ross, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, in the Department of Clinical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, will present a study in which ultrasound and scintigraphy were used to describe and differentiate between the myriad of injuries that all cause curb.

Desmitis of Distal Interphalangeal Collateral Ligaments–The horse’s foot is a complicated structure, and a problem with any one of its components can cause lameness. The trick is figuring out which one is problematic so you treat the right one.

Tracy Turner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, a professor of equine surgery at the University of Minnesota, will present a study that evaluated desmitis of the distal interphalangeal collateral ligaments (the ligaments holding the coffin bone to the second phalanx and lateral cartilages). This problem should be considered as a differential diagnosis for foot lameness, and can be confirmed or ruled out with diagnostic imaging. Turner will present images and discussions of 22 horses with this problem.

Radiology

 In addition to the Dolly Green section, the convention will feature a radiology panel on Saturday, Dec. 7, to discuss optimal usage of X rays in diagnosing hoof and leg problems.

Sue Dyson, MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, FRCVS, of the United Kingdom’s Animal Health Trust, will present a study on the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing the cause of lameness in 18 horses with palmar foot pain. The MRI images obtained in these cases helped differentiate core lesions from tears and splits in various soft tissue structures, and helped clarify navicular bone abnormalities.

William Widmer, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVR, will review foot radiology with an emphasis on the navicular region, with an eye to better understanding the radiographic changes associated with the syndrome.

Mark Martinelli, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, Associate Surgeon (Orthopedics) in the San Luis Rey Equine Hospital in Bonsall, Calif., will present the clinic’s experience with using special radiographic views, scintigraphy, and ultrasound to diagnose difficult lamenesses in performance horses.

Nutrition

 On Thursday, Dec. 5., three speakers will give presentations during an in-depth session on Current Concepts in Equine Nutrition. The first talk will be by David Pugh, DVM, MS, of Auburn University, who will discuss nutritional problems of older horses and how to develop a feeding program for the older horse.

These horses are not able to assimilate phosphorus and nitrogen as well as younger horses, are at risk for liver and kidney disease, are more prone to colic, lose weight easily, have dental problems, or might be faced with arthritis. Pugh will discuss how diet can help the older horse through his golden years, even if health issues are present.

After his talk, Ginger Rich and Les Breuer will discuss recent developments in equine nutrition that can be applied on the farm and in the clinic