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Kidney Problems

Articles ( = TheHorse.com members only )	Date Posted
Human Medical Tools Might Help Foal Live with Diabetes High-tech medical devices normally reserved for humans might prove helpful in managing the health of Justin Credible, the colt with the first documented case of type-1 diabetes. Under the guidance of their treating veterinarian, owners David and Monica Hufana of Carlisle, Ky., are working with two companies--Insulet and DexCom--to develop a system ... Read full story	12/18/2008
Kentucky Colt with Type-1 Diabetes Might Be First A colt born with type-1 diabetes might be the first documented equine case of the illness, according to his veterinarian, Nathan Slovis, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky. The Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse, aptly named Justin Credible (his owners say the name was picked out before he was born), was born on Oct. ... Read full story	12/3/2008
Urinary Tract Problems The urinary tract is a vital system that should never be taken for granted; if a problem develops, it can rapidly become a crisis (Editor's Note: Contributing to this article was Hal Schott, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, associate professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at Michigan State University.) The body produces many wastes ... Read full story	4/23/2008
Peritoneal Dialysis Provides New Hope for Horses in Acute Renal Failure Acute renal failure used to be a death sentence for a horse, but a new procedure pioneered by Laurie Gallatin, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, and successfully used by Sarah Reuss, VMD, a veterinary resident instructor at Texas A&M University, could be a viable option for getting horses with this condition ... Read full story	7/12/2007
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) We keep them in our barns, give them to our animals, and take them ourselves. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are common, but they aren't benign. In this article we'll investigate what NSAIDs are and aren't, and what we should know when treating our horses. Some things are best described by stating what they aren't. In the case of non-steroidal ... Read full story	4/1/2007
Risk Factors Associated with Renal Failure In a recent study, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine researchers looked for patterns in horses referred to the hospital with renal (kidney) insufficiency in order to detect the disorder earlier. Renal insufficiency is often a result of dehydration, and it is commonly associated with horses that are colicking and/or horses with increased ... Read full story	5/1/2006
Urinating Too Often? My 3-year-old registered Paint gelding urinates up to three times in a three-to-four hour period. My veterinarian has checked a blood profile and two urinalyses. The blood profile was normal and the first urinalysis showed elevated protein. The second urine sample was normal. If we are still concerned about a kidney problem, what other tests can we ... Read full story	11/1/2005
Dialysis to Treat Kidney Failure Sometimes horses in renal (kidney) failure don't respond to conventional treatment--fluids, diuretics, etc. Toxins in the blood irritate the stomach, making the horse anorexic and depressed. At that point, dialysis might be the only option. The peritoneum, or lining between the abdomen and body wall, acts like a natural dialysis membrane in horses, ... Read full story	9/1/2005
Cross-species Cooperation Rare teaming of human and veterinary medicine saves suffering mare. This is a segment of an article that printed in the Lexington Herald-Leader on May 8, 2004, and is reproduced with the permission of the newspaper. Not a wisp of straw is in the way as the surgeon eyes the patient waiting for the procedure. That's a good thing, for this physician ... Read full story	5/13/2004
The Depressed Foal "We all know this little guy--he's the one who will stand under the mare getting milk dumped on his face without nursing, sleep too much, just look 'off,' and often be in the hospital," said Robert Franklin, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM, of Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital in Victoria, Australia, during the Western Veterinary Conference held February 15-19 ... Read full story	3/17/2004
Good Nursing: Feeding Sick Horses Blossom is a sorry sight. Suffering from the symptoms of strangles--fever, a snotty nose, and depression--she's been standing with her head in one corner of her isolation stall for hours now, barely moving. What's worse, her morning grain is untouched, and her hay has become part of her bedding, largely un-eaten. Never a plump mare, she seems to have ... Read full story	8/1/2000
Traveling With Older Horses Traveling cross-country with a horse can be an ordeal under the best of circumstances. Add in the geriatric factor, and the potential for problems is immediately compounded. The aging process takes a toll on all horses, and with that war of attrition, the problem potential when traveling rises in disproportional fashion. If the older horse has weak ... Read full story	10/1/1998
The Aging Equine We've all heard the statistics about aging America--as the population of baby boomers rounds the curve of 40, the average age of our society is inching its way up. In recent years, horses have experienced a similar population shift. While 100 years ago they were primarily beasts of burden, seldom kept around once their most productive years were over, ... Read full story	10/1/1998
Life's Curious Brew: Fluids and Electrolytes How would you feel if somebody told you that you are little more than just a bunch of salt water? Well, it's almost true--we and our favorite companion, the horse, are approximately 60% (by body weight) salty water. So now, with the help of a little arithmetic, we can calculate the following: A generic adult horse (named Salty) weighing 450 kilograms ... Read full story	8/1/1997
He's Only as Old as He Feels Advances in medicine and health care have boosted the average human life span from 45 years in the early 1900s to 72 or more years in the 1990s. Parallel advances in veterinary medicine, and horse owners' willingness to care for their horses beyond their utility, also have increased equine longevity. While most individuals are aware that humans are ... Read full story	2/1/1997