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Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
New Treatment for Equine Herpesvirus Tested in Horses
A novel experimental treatment for equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1) called RNA interference shows promise, but more research is needed before this technology becomes commercially available. EHV-1 evades the horse's immune system during infection and can lie dormant in the horse's body. For these reasons, making an effective vaccine against ... Read full story
 11/21/2009
Sexed Equine Semen Available Commercially in 2010
The ability to have stallion semen sorted for sex-selected foals is being offered on a commercial basis through a new alliance between Sexing Technologies and Equine Reproduction Innovations. The use of sex-selected semen in conjunction with intracytoplasmic sperm injection will be offered to horse breeders for the 2010 breeding season. Why used ... Read full story
 11/12/2009
Study: Horse Manure Storage Conditions Impact Fecal Egg Counts
Environmental conditions during collection and storage of equine fecal samples impact the resulting fecal egg counts (FECs), report parasitologists from both Denmark and the United States. "Due to the concern regarding anthelmintic resistance in horses, counting strongylid eggs in equine fecal samples pre- and post-deworming has become an ... Read full story
 11/9/2009
First Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Conference Coming in March
The UC Davis Center for Equine Health, in collaboration with the Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center, and the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, is pleased to announce the 1st North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Conference to be held March 5-6, 2010, in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley just east of Santa Barbara, Calif. The conference is ... Read full story
 10/25/2009
Model for Studying EHV-1 Neurologic Disease Successfully Established   *
In contrast to a recently published study on EHV-1, the late George Allen, PhD, a University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center scientist, described a model to study equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) and myeloencephalopathy and identified major risk factors critical to experimental reproduction of this syndrome. In his article, published in December ... Read full story
 10/21/2009
Osteoarthritis: Turmeric Spice Might Provide Natural Remedy   *
Curcumin, an extract of the spice turmeric, is a natural product with potent anti-inflammatory properties that also exerts beneficial effects on cartilage metabolism. Scientists believe curcumin inhibits degradative enzymes such as metalloproteinases and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and reduces cartilage cell apoptosis (programmed cell death). To study ... Read full story
 10/13/2009
Animal Genetic Testing and Research Lab Benefits Horse Owners   *
Established in 1986 as the Horse Bloodtyping Laboratory, the University of Kentucky Animal Genetic Testing and Research Lab (AGTRL) offers a number of testing services of value to practitioners, horse owners, and breed registries. After being housed in the Dimock Animal Pathology Building for 23 years, the program relocated to the Gluck Equine Research ... Read full story
 9/15/2009
Aseptic Platelet-Rich Plasma Preparation Essential in Equine Practice   *
Special laboratory equipment is not needed to produce bacteria-free platelet concentrates (commonly referred to as platelet-rich plasma), but stringent attention to proper aseptic technique is essential. Equine veterinarians are using platelet concentrates more often for the management of musculoskeletal disease. They can be prepared using a variety ... Read full story
 9/15/2009
Equine Research Hall of Fame to Add Four New Members   *
Four scientists will be inducted into the University of Kentucky Equine Research Hall of Fame Oct. 25 at Keeneland Race Course by the Gluck Equine Research Foundation. Douglas F. Antczak, VMD, PhD, of Cornell University, I.G. Joe Mayhew, DVM, of Massey University, Alan J. Nixon, BVSc, MS, Dipl. ACVS, of Cornell University and Peter J. Timoney, FRCVS, ... Read full story
 9/3/2009
Predicting Equine Postoperative Infections  *
Inflammatory markers in horses' blood might tell veterinarians when the animals are at risk for adverse events after surgery. "Monitoring the recovery of the patient closely in the postoperative period allows the surgeon to detect infection and other complications of the surgical procedure early, thus increasing the chance of successful treatment ... Read full story
 9/1/2009
Equine Reproduction Advances: Filly Born a Year after Dam's Death  *
Mira, a foal born Aug. 4, runs happily in Binghamton, N.Y., even though her mother died almost a year ago from a ruptured intestine. Her birth was made possible through a team at Cornell that might be among the first to successfully extract and ship eggs from a dead mare for remote fertilization and implantation. After the mare died at the Cornell ... Read full story
 8/14/2009
Grants Support Equine Gene Expression, Wobbler Syndrome Research at UK   *
James MacLeod, VMD, PhD, John S. and Elizabeth A. Knight chair and professor of veterinary science at the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center and director of UK's Equine Initiative, was recently awarded two grants totaling more than $1.1 million over three years. Three other equine researchers in UK's College of Agriculture were also collectively ... Read full story
 8/12/2009
Equine Sinus Surgery Aided by CT Scan   *
Paranasal sinus surgery is a challenging operation that can encounter complications, such as pneumocephalus, a condition in which air is trapped inside the brain. Veterinarians recently used a computed tomography (CT) scan to decide the best way to treat a Quarter Horse with a benign bone tumor growing in the paranasal sinus. As a result, the horse ... Read full story
 7/31/2009
Cornell Veterinary Immunologist Wins Research Award  *
Margaret Bynoe, PhD, assistant professor of immunology at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named as the 2009 recipient of the Pfizer Animal Health Award for Research Excellence, which recognizes the outstanding research efforts and productivity of faculty members in the early stages of their careers. An award ceremony has ... Read full story
 7/22/2009
Equine Stem Cell Research Supported by Fellowship  *
A University of Guelph researcher has been awarded a prestigious post-doctoral fellowship worth more than $1 million over three years to advance research on the use of stem cells to treat cartilage injuries in horses. The fellowship will allow Thomas Koch, DVM, PhD, to continue the work he began as a graduate student in the Department of Biomedical ... Read full story
 7/20/2009
WCVM Student's Horse Anatomy Project Goes Live  *
When Dane Tatarniuk began his summer research project in 2008, the second-year veterinary student wasn't expecting to play a role in developing a minimally-invasive surgical technique for treating sinusitis in horses. "My initial project was to investigate the normal anatomy of the horse's nasal maxillary opening--the opening that leads from the ... Read full story
 7/16/2009
Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center Expansion in Progress   *
A state funded $28.5 million renovation and expansion project at the University of Kentucky's Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) in Lexington began in April 2009 with a targeted completion date of early 2011. The renovation project will more than double the current facility, with the resultant structure encompassing 65,531 square feet. The ... Read full story
 7/10/2009
Commentary: Horse Health Research Needs Funding   *
Research is an important, but not always visible, part of the horse industry. Basic research is often conducted in laboratories away from horse farms and racetracks. However, results from basic research are frequently the starting point for clinical research discoveries used in veterinary practices all over the world. The Department of Veterinary ... Read full story
 7/9/2009
Equine Respiratory Disease Diagnosis Aided by Fluid Evaluation   *
Respiratory disease in horses can be accurately assessed through laboratory evaluation of respiratory fluids, according to a new review by French and Belgian researchers. When combined with clinical examinations, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and tracheal washes reveal important information leading to the diagnosis and proper treatment of respiratory ... Read full story
 7/9/2009
Equine Sinus Infection Treatment Balloons at WCVM  *
A few years ago, a magazine article describing a minimally-invasive treatment for people with chronic sinusitis caught the eye and imagination of Chris Bell, DVM. What if such a treatment could be adapted for use in horses? Last summer, the chance to test that theory came up for Bell when second-year veterinary student Dane Tatarniuk began working ... Read full story
 7/3/2009
Equine 'Breathalyzer' Helps Diagnose Lower Airway Inflammation   *
Based on diagnostic tests currently used in human medicine, researchers from the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom have reported preliminary findings on the use of an easy and non-invasive analysis of "exhaled breath condensate" that could lead to improved diagnosis and monitoring of lower airway disease in horses. Lower airway inflammation ... Read full story
 6/24/2009
Colic Alarm Presented at Equine Science Society Meeting   *
Developed by a team at Utah State University, a proposed equine distress monitor system combines a tilt sensor, accelerometer, and wireless technology interfaced with a computer in order to alert horse owners to animals in distress. The team has filed a provisional patent and is seeking a manufacturer. Rebecca Lewis, BT, presented results of system ... Read full story
 6/15/2009
Equine Online CE Courses Available from OSU  *
The Ohio State University's online continuing education (CE) Web site became available last February, bringing versatility to CE in the fast-paced veterinary profession. All courses are about an hour to 90 minutes in length and range in cost from $40 to $60. Three new equine courses are now available via Online CE. Walter Threlfall, DVM, MS, PhD, ... Read full story
 6/10/2009
University of Kentucky Equine Research Newsletter Coming Soon   *
The Bluegrass Equine Digest, a new monthly e-newsletter providing information from the country's premier equine-only research facility and the University of Kentucky's new Equine Initiative, will launch June 28. It was developed through a partnership with UK's Gluck Equine Research Center and the Equine Initiative, and presented by TheHorse.com. The ... Read full story
 6/3/2009
Study: Hylauronan Dressing Doesn't Aid Distal Limb Wound Healing   *
Results of a clinical study showed that distal limb wounds treated with a dressing containing esterified hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan) showed no improvement in healing as compared to untreated wounds. To evaluate the effect of an esterified hyaluronan bandage on wound healing, Stefan Witte, DVM, of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, ... Read full story
 5/30/2009
Equine Jaw Fracture Repair Aided by New Technology  *
Advances in screw and plate technology are leading to improved clinical and aesthetic results in the treatment of even the most complicated jaw fractures, according to Swiss researchers. By using the new locking compression plate (LCP) system, surgeons are able to provide a more stable repair system that aids complete healing with fewer and less ... Read full story
 5/28/2009
New Cloning Technology Might Mean Improved EHV Vaccines  *
Japanese researchers recently reported the use of the technology "Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) cloning," which enabled the scientists to clone the entire genome of a virus in bacteria. The technique could be used to mass produce infectious equine herpesvirus type-4 (EHV-4), allowing researchers to study differences in this and related viruses' ... Read full story
 5/19/2009
UC Davis Vet School Opens Stem Cell Laboratory   *
Focused on providing the latest in stem cell therapies for horses, the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine has opened its new Regenerative Medicine Laboratory at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. The new laboratory provides a state-of-the art facility for processing, culturing and storing stem ... Read full story
 5/19/2009
Live on TV: Your Exercising Horse's Upper Airway   *
Upper airway problems can ruin a good horse, whether they slow him down or cause airway noise that hurts his show placings. But they haven't always been easy to sort out because the upper airway couldn't be examined under natural exercise conditions (with rider, tack, competitors, etc). Today there's the Dynamic Respiratory Endoscope (DRS, developed ... Read full story
 5/12/2009
ELISA Blood Test for Equine Pregnancy Tracking Available   *
Horsemen have a new option when checking mares for pregnancy this breeding season. Biotracking, a company created by Garth Sasser, PhD, a professor of animal science at the University of Idaho, came up with a blood test for ruminants (BioPRYN) a few years ago. Now BioPRYNes, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test that detects estrone sulfate ... Read full story
 5/7/2009
Researchers Work to Better Diagnose, Treat Neurologic Herpesvirus   *
In their efforts to understand how equine herpesvirus-1 myeloencephalopathy (EHM) works, researchers are discovering better ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent the spread of the disease. In a review paper published in The Veterinary Journal, researchers with the University of California, Davis, summarized new developments and their implications. A ... Read full story
 5/5/2009
Stem Cell Therapy Effective for Tendonitis in Cornell Study   *
Horses faced with career-ending tendon injuries might possess the power to heal themselves. According to Alan J. Nixon, BVSc, MS, Dipl. ACVS, and colleagues from Cornell University, veterinarians might be able to effectively treat horses with injuries to their superficial digital flexor tendons (SDFT) by injecting stem cells directly into the injured ... Read full story
 4/25/2009
Toxin Test Might Identify Horses with Diarrhea that Could be Debilitating  *
Early identification of a toxin produced by the diarrhea-causing bacterium Clostridium difficile, in the feces of horses with diarrhea might help identify which horses are at risk for developing serious disease, report researchers from the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. Diarrhea in horses can range from a mild, self-limiting ... Read full story
 4/14/2009
Scar Wars: Improving Visual Outcomes in Corneal Ulcer Correction  *
"My job is to help horses see better, and to help you guys to help horses see better," said Dennis Brooks, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVO, a professor of ophthalmology at the University of Florida at the fourth annual Promoting Excellence Symposium of the Florida Association of Equine Practitioners (FAEP), held Sept. 25-27, 2008, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. ... Read full story
 4/7/2009
AAEP 2008: Endoscopy During Exercise Without a Treadmill   *
Dynamic obstructions of the equine respiratory tract are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed with resting endoscopy. So veterinarians usually perform endoscopy on exercising horses using treadmills, in order to try to reproduce the exercise conditions. However, treadmills are only available in limited places and facilities. At the 2008 American Association ... Read full story
 3/20/2009
Breeding the Focus at Alltech's Equine News and Brews Series' First Event   *
Alltech, which bills itself as having "natural solutions to animal nutrition," is sponsoring a series of roundtable discussion forums with speakers addressing cutting-edge issues from reproduction to traceability in the sport horse to the aging horse. The first presentation, held Feb. 26 in Lexington, Ky., featured prominent equine reproduction scientist ... Read full story
 3/10/2009
AAEP Convention 2008: Testing for Clostridium difficile  *
Clostridium difficile bacteria can cause severe, sometimes fatal colitis in horses. When a horse develops severe diarrhea (particularly if blood is present), C. difficile might be suspected, but veterinarians must confirm the infection to make sure they treat the the right organism. Toward that end, Carlos Medina-Torres, MV, MSc, a DVSc candidate at ... Read full story
 2/25/2009
Laryngeal Model Provides Framework For Surgical Advances   *
To test novel techniques for managing laryngeal hemiplegia, more commonly referred to as "roaring," a research team from Cornell University has created a working model of the equine larynx. Dysfunction of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve resulting in paralysis, either partial or complete, of the left arytenoid cartilage is a common cause of poor ... Read full story
 2/11/2009
New for Veterinarians and Equine Professionals  *
A year-round guide to what's available for assisting veterinary professionals--from novel gadgets to emerging therapies. Whether he's in the clinic or on the road, your vet tends to everyone's needs but his own. Good thing there are groups working to make his life easier. Here's a month-by-month look at conveniences for veterinary professionals. ... Read full story
 2/1/2009
Histology Goes 3-D with Imaging Technique  *
State-of-the-art diagnostic imaging technology is being optimized by Belgian researchers to create three-dimensional images of a microscopic object--without destroying the object being studied. "Current methods of evaluating the internal structure of objects on a microscopic scale is an invaluable tool in medicine but necessitates fixing the tissues ... Read full story
 2/1/2009
Florida Vet School Launching Forensic Sciences Program   *
Call it "CSI: Animal Edition." But this isn't television. In this real-life drama, necropsies, assessment of skeletal remains for abuse and trauma, and crime scene analysis of hair, fibers, and bloodstains are used to solve cases of cruelty to animals. University of Florida (UF) officials announced Jan. 15 that they are partnering with the American ... Read full story
 1/19/2009
Diabetic Foal: Human Glucose Monitor Attempt Fails  *
A continuous glucose monitoring device normally used in humans has proven no match for the typical foal antics of Justin Credible, a foal with the first recorded case of type-1 diabetes. Owners David and Monica Hufana had hoped to use the monitor, which has a sensor that sits under the skin, to help them keep track of Justin Credible's glucose levels ... Read full story
 1/12/2009
Commentary: Equine Medicine Has Come a Long Way  *
While I was in veterinary school 20-some years ago, the first ultrasound machine was being "explored" by board-certified veterinary radiologists at university veterinary schools. Pain medication for horses was mostly limited to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs of phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine, and dipyrone (no longer available). Other ... Read full story
 1/7/2009
MRI Diagnostics: Uses and Limitations   *
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an imaging technique that uses magnetic fields to create various types of cross-sectional and three-dimensional images. While commonly used by physicians, MRI has only been used in equine clinical cases for the past decade and has come into widespread use just within the past five years. This modality provides superior ... Read full story
 1/5/2009
New Surgery for Deep Corneal Abscesses  *
Deep lamellar endothelial keratoplasty, a surgical technique for managing deep corneal abscesses in horses, is both effective and cosmetically pleasing according to University of Florida veterinarians. Caryn Plummer, DVM, Dipl. ACVO, from the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine explained, "Corneal abscesses are an important cause ... Read full story
 12/27/2008
Endoscopy-Assisted Dentistry Improves Traditional 'Shot In The Dark'  *
After investigating the technique in more than 300 horses, Austrian researchers have concluded that endoscopic evaluation of the oral cavity as part of a routine dental examination is a safe and effective means of thoroughly assessing horses' dentition. This is particularly true for subtle lesions of the cheek teeth that would otherwise be missed during ... Read full story
 12/26/2008
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
Test Reveals Arabian Sire as Carrier of Neurologic Disorder   *
A prominent Arabian horse breeding operation based in the United Arab Emirates recently became the first to publicly announce one of its stallions is a carrier of cerebellar abiotrophy (CA). Albidayer Stud released the news that World Champion Arabian stallion Marajj is a carrier for the inherited neurologic disease, for which a DNA test recently became ... Read full story
 12/15/2008
West Nile Virus DNA Vaccine for Horses Introduced   *
West Nile-Innovator DNA, a vaccine for horses to aid in the prevention of viremia caused by the potentially deadly West Nile virus, was launched by Fort Dodge Animal Health, a division of Wyeth, Dec. 4. Developed in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this represents a tremendous milestone in DNA science and ... Read full story
 12/5/2008
Fracture Recovery: A Stem Cell Case Study   *
Bailey, a 12-year-old Quarter Horse mare, presented to the University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital with a severe fracture of her right front long pastern bone. Although the prognosis for saving her life was guarded, the owners elected to pursue treatment. Veterinarians started with a CT scan to assess blood supply around ... Read full story
 11/26/2008
Meet Core Sponsors of UC Davis Regenerative Medicine Group   *
Motivated by a desire to help broaden the exploration of regenerative medicine as a treatment option for companion animals and horses, Dick and Carolyn Randall of Cupertino, Calif., provided core funding to launch a five-year, $2.5 million study of the therapeutic potential of adult stem cells. Mr. Randall, a retired business executive and Quarter ... Read full story
 11/24/2008
Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine in Horses  *
Regenerative medicine technology in humans and animals is advancing at a much faster pace than most of us realize. It has offered hope to thousands of humans suffering from diseases and injuries that destroy or damage vital cells. In animals, much of the research has been focused on orthopedic injuries in horses and dogs: bone fractures, arthritis, ... Read full story
 11/21/2008
Washington State Offers Radiation for Equine Cancer   *
During the past few years, the oncology team at Washington State University (WSU) has successfully treated several horses with cancer using radiation therapy. Previously, this type of treatment was considered an unrealistic option for horses with cancer. But WSU's advantage is its linear accelerator. One of the most advanced machines in the world ... Read full story
 11/6/2008
Rhodococcus equi: Saskatchewan Researchers Accept the Challenge   *
Ask Marianela Lopez, DVM, PhD, how long she has been studying Rhodococcus bacteria and she says, laughing, "Since I was born? Well, truthfully, since I began my PhD at Washington State University in 1996--it does seem a lifetime ago." Lopez is a member of a new team studying Rhodococcus equi infection of foals, supported by an award from the Heather ... Read full story
 11/3/2008
Cribbing: Can You Stop It?  *
A modified laser surgery has shown promise. Many horses kept in unnatural environments and subjected to the stress of performance careers resort to repetitive behaviors (called stereotypies) such as cribbing, weaving, or stall walking. The cribbing horse grabs a surface with his top incisors, arches his neck, opens his throat, and swallows air with ... Read full story
 11/1/2008
Equine Telecardiology Progresses  *
Earlier this year, a veterinarian in Connecticut performed a basic exam upon a senior horse prior to sedating him for a routine dental procedure. The 19-year-old gelding was a standard pasture puff--in he was in good condition, basically healthy, and a low-maintenance kind of guy. But when she put her stethoscope to his chest and heard what sounded ... Read full story
 10/21/2008
Laser Surgery Now Available at the Ontario Veterinary College   *
Horses in Ontario, Canada diagnosed with upper airway problems such as "roaring" (also known as left laryngeal hemiplegia) no longer need to be treated under general anesthesia. Nor do they have to shop south of the border for their laser surgery needs. According to Judith Koenig, Dr Med Vet, DVSc, Dipl. ACVS, ECVS, an assistant professor in the ... Read full story
 10/20/2008
Equine Genome Horse Course Available for Viewing   *
The latest Horse Course from the University's of Kentucky's Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center and Gluck Equine Research Center and presented by Fort Dodge Animal Health is now available for viewing on TheHorse.com. This presentation is on the Equine Genome and tells us what genomics breakthroughs are teaching us about our horses' physiology, and ... Read full story
 10/9/2008
Bone Marrow Stem Cell Therapy Effective in Equine Tendon Study  *
While not nearly as controversial as research involving embryonic-derived stem cells in human medicine, the veterinary world is certainly divided on the clinical benefits, or lack thereof, of bone marrow-derived stem cell therapy for tendon injuries in horses. Most recently, Roger Smith, MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, Dipl. ECVS, MRCVS, a professor of equine ... Read full story
 9/29/2008
Equine Anhidrosis: Researcher's 'Sweat Equity' Led to New Test   *
Florida researcher Robert MacKay, BVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Florida, has developed a new means of assessing and quantifying quantifying clinical signs of horses that are incapable of sweating. Anhidrosis--the inability to produce sweat--is problematic in athletic horses ... Read full story
 9/28/2008
Equine Ambulance Hits the Road for Marion duPont Scott Center   *
They travel up to five hours one way to staff an event--and during the whole trip, they hope their services won't be needed when they get there. The five-member ambulance crew from Virginia Tech's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center and their well-equipped rig provide emergency care and transport services to horses that incur injuries in steeplechase ... Read full story
 9/19/2008
Equine Laser Surgery Now Available through Wisconsin Vet School  *
Lasers are changing the options available to horse owners whose animals need surgical procedures. "Laser surgery can not only save horse owners money for certain procedures, it can also be more effective than traditional surgery, with fewer complications," said Sabrina Brounts, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, a veterinary surgeon at the University of Wisconsin ... Read full story
 9/19/2008
Soring Inspections Stepped Up at Walking Horse Celebration  *
Compliance with the Horse Protection Act (HPA) appeared to decline at the 70th Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, dropping from 98% in 2007 to 95% at this year's event, according to USDA figures. The Celebration took place over 10 days in Shelbyville, Tenn., wrapping up Aug. 30. The HPA forbids soring, which is the use pain-causing chemicals, ... Read full story
 9/12/2008
$28.5 Million Expansion for Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center  *
State and local government officials, including Gov. Steve Beshear, joined representatives from the University of Kentucky (UK) College of Agriculture today to break ground on a $28.5 million expansion and renovation of UK's Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center. "The investment in this facility is key to supporting animal agriculture, a vital part ... Read full story
 9/12/2008
Commentary: The Future of Racehorse Injury Prevention  *
I testified as part of the "Breeding, Drugs, and Breakdowns: The State of Thoroughbred Horseracing and the Welfare of the Thoroughbred Racehorse" Congressional hearing June 19. It was both disillusioning and enlightening. I naïvely thought I was invited along with three other veterinarians to talk about all the issues influencing fatal injuries in ... Read full story
 9/4/2008
The Olympic Veterinary Clinic: It's All in the Details  *
Olympic veterinary services manager Christopher Riggs, BVSc, PhD, DEO, DipECVS, MRCVS, led a group of foreign media representatives through the impressive Olympic veterinary clinic and facilities at the Sha Tin Racecourse, host to all competition except for the eventing cross-country. Riggs was a few minutes late in meeting the Aug. 15 tour group, ... Read full story
 8/19/2008
Forensic Study Reveals Some Trexler Horses Starved to Death   *
Three horses exhumed from Richland, S.C., properties once belonging to the Trexler family died from starvation, according to a preliminary report issued by Melinda D. Merck, DVM, senior director of veterinary forensics for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Investigators exhumed the remains of several horses. The ... Read full story
 8/15/2008
Splitting Hairs: New Drug Test Uses Hair, Not Urine   *
German researcher Patricia Anielski is raising the bar when it comes to drug testing in horses. Anabolic steroids such as testosterone propionate can be detected in hair samples to identify current and even previous abuse of the substance. "Anabolic steroids such as testosterone propionate are capable of enhancing muscle growth and improving performance ... Read full story
 8/5/2008
Wounds, Leg Trauma, and Respiratory Problems--Health Care Inside and Out  *
Discussions of products to treat wounds, leg trauma, and respiratory problems. If you've been a horse owner for any length of time, there's a pretty good chance you've amassed an arsenal of products that claim some pretty spectacular results. While many might have delivered the goods, unless the fundamentals of a problem have been addressed, you very ... Read full story
 8/1/2008
New EHV-4, Neurologic Disease Tests Introduced  *
IDEXX Reference Laboratories has introduced two new diagnostic products to help equine veterinarians diagnose equine respiratory disease and neurologic disease. The new tests include an equine herpesvirus type-4 (EHV-4) RealPCR Test and the Equine Neurologic Disease Panel. The IDEXX EHV-4 RealPCR Test is a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ... Read full story
 7/24/2008
Sarcoids Beware: Electrochemotherapy in Horses 'Highly Effective'  *
In an effort to find a cure for sarcoids, common skin tumors in horses, a group of researchers have spent the past 15 years developing electrochemotherapy (ECT)--a treatment modality that uses a combination of chemotherapeutic drug administration with the direct application of electric pulses to skin tumors. The result? A highly effective, affordable, ... Read full story
 7/17/2008
Rapid and Reliable Test for Diarrhea-Causing Toxin Identified   *
Toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium difficile can cause diarrhea in adult horses and foals. The high economic impact associated with treatment costs, considerable animal losses to disease associated with mortality and debilitation, and the potential for spread of infection to other susceptible animals and even humans make this an important ... Read full story
 7/13/2008
Stall-Side Airway Test will be Available Soon  *
English researchers are working to move airway disease screening and diagnostics from the lab into the barn. Equine HealthCare, a company based in the U.K., is developing a new respiratory diagnostic test based on measuring the amount of hydrogen peroxide--which can indicate airway inflammation--in exhaled breath condensate. Horse owners would be ... Read full story
 7/10/2008
In the Spotlight: Radiation Therapy for Equine Cancer Patients   *
While radiation therapy might seem like an unrealistic option for managing horses with cancer, Janean Fidel, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVR, Dipl. ACVIM, from Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine suggests the opposite. She attests that radiation therapy is a viable option for numerous equine tumors, including melanomas and sarcoids. "Even ... Read full story
 7/8/2008
WSU Researchers Awarded $1.4 Million to Study Equine Infectious Anemia   *
Faculty members at Washington State University have been awarded a $1.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the equine infectious anemia (EIA) virus in horses. The grant was awarded to Susan Carpenter, PhD, a professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, along with her departmental colleagues ... Read full story
 7/3/2008
Commentary: Diagnostic Laboratories a Key Component of Equine Health   *
This issue of The Quarterly contains several articles on diseases of horses that run the gamut of conditions. These diseases include an infectious neurologic disease in adult horses that only a few years ago appeared for the first time in this country, a viral infection of mares that causes abortions, and a type of cancer in mares. One constant is ... Read full story
 7/2/2008
Castration Technique Could Reduce Complications  *
A new sterilization technique that leaves a stallion's testicles in place but nonfunctioning might provide a safe, simple, and reliable alternative to traditional castration methods, according to Iranian researchers. In the "Section-Ligation-Release" (SLR) procedure, a horse's testicles are not extracted as in standard castration techniques. Instead, ... Read full story
 6/30/2008
Big Brown's Owners Prepare to Open Belmont Equine Hospital   *
At the beginning of 2008, International Equine Acquisitions Holdings (IEAH) anticipated that its biggest event of the year would be the opening of the $17-million equine medical facility it built and funded a stone's throw outside the gates of Belmont Park. Little did IEAH know that a horse owned by the partnership would steal the thunder by winning ... Read full story
 6/21/2008
Zoo Performs First Reverse Vasectomy on Horse  *
Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo have revealed they reversed a vasectomy on an endangered horse to allow it to reproduce naturally--the first-known operation of its kind on an endangered species. Veterinarians said Monday that the surgery was performed in October 2007 on a Przewalski horse named Minnesota. Luis Padilla, ... Read full story
 6/17/2008
IDEXX Now Offers 48-hour R. equi Testing Results  *
A rapid PCR test is now available through IDEXX/EBI to detect virulent or avirulent strains of R. equi bacteria, the leading cause of foal pneumonia. IDEXX noted that its R. equi test uses PCR methods that are more rapid and sensitive than culture, and can identify virulent R. equi. "Horses are unique in that the R. equi strains which cause disease ... Read full story
 6/7/2008
Sound Choices  *
Many equine therapy devices are available, but which ones work? Keeping your horse in action or getting him sound and back into battle: twin goals of just about everyone who works with competition horses or who spends a chunk of time playing with their pleasure horses. Consequently, an entire industry of physical therapy devices has emerged, promising ... Read full story
 6/1/2008
Researchers Focus on Safety for Equine Athletes   *
Four veterinarians took to the podium at the International Equine Summit, held in Lexington, Ky., April 28-29 to discuss research involving equine athletes. All discussed studies with which they are involved, with the ultimate goal of making competition safer for all equine athletes. Panelists included: Lisa Fortier, DVM, PhD, an associate professor ... Read full story
 5/30/2008
Genetic Concentration: Too Much of a Good Thing?  *
"For years we've taught the industry about reproduction, but we haven't taught about breeding," said Gary Carpenter, executive director of the American Quarter Horse Foundation during a roundtable at the International Equine Summit, held in Lexington, Ky., April 28-29. Fellow horsemen Dan Kenny, owner of Dan Kenny Bloodstock in Lexington, Ky., and ... Read full story
 5/24/2008
Veterinarians Begin Testing New Equine Recovery Device  *
A version of a device designed to help brain injured and bariatric human patients to move more freely might also be used to assist down horses recovering from injury and surgeries. "We were doing applications to support a 1,000-pound person," said Ken Messier, president of Enduro Medical Technology (EMT), the Connecticut-based developer of the Secure ... Read full story
 5/20/2008
See No Evil: Merits of Standing Enucleation Revealed  *
In the first multi-institutional study of its kind, researchers recently reported that eye enucleation (surgical removal of the eye and associated structures) with the horse standing and sedated is safer and more economical than the traditional method of enucleation in fully anesthetized horses, and it's equally effective. Veterinarians typically ... Read full story
 5/13/2008
Permanent Tracheostomy Safe and Effective in Select Horses  *
Creating a permanent hole in the windpipe of horses through a procedure known as a tracheostomy might be the treatment of choice for horses afflicted with specific diseases of the upper respiratory tract that could not be successfully treated by alternate strategies. "While the procedure itself is not novel, information regarding post-operative complications, ... Read full story
 5/8/2008
Diagnostic and Surgical Arthroscopy in the Horse  *
Arthroscopic surgery, developed in the horse in the 1970s, is the keyhole technique by which surgery is performed on equine joints for traumatic injury, fractures within joints, soft tissue injury, and abnormal joint development in young horses, such as osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). Arthroscopic surgery involves inserting an instrument known as ... Read full story
 5/7/2008
Cataracts in Horses   *
Maria Kallberg, DVM, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Florida veterinary school, reported on cataracts in horses at the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners, held Dec. 1-5 in Orlando, Fla. She explained that a cataract is an opacity of the lens or lens capsule that obscures vision, as opposed to nuclear sclerosis, which is ... Read full story
 5/6/2008
Artificial Insemination: It's Not How Much You Have, It's Where You Put It  *
When it comes to artificial insemination in horses, the site of deposition might have a big impact on the procedure's outcome. Placing semen directly into the uterine horn containing the ready follicle could allow breeders to use far less ejaculate per mare, maximizing stallion fertility rates, and reducing the likelihood of endometritis, according ... Read full story
 5/3/2008
Learning with Florida Vets  *
More than 170 equine practitioners from Florida gathered in the Bahamas to hear the latest on reproduction and sports medicine Ahhh, the Caribbean life ... toes in the sand, margarita in hand, and ocean water warm as a bath and clear as an aquamarine. Throw in a bunch of veterinarians and researchers discussing equine reproduction and lameness and ... Read full story
 5/1/2008
Repairing Hernias with Subcutaneous Mesh  *
Incisional hernias (protrusion of abdominal contents through a gap in an incision beneath the skin) occur in up to 17% of horses receiving abdominal surgery, reported Gal Kelmer, DVM, MS, clinical assistant professor at the University of Tennessee's College of Veterinary Medicine, during the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, ... Read full story
 4/29/2008
Arthroscopy Gives a Valuable View  *
Utilizing an arthroscope--a slender instrument for visualizing the environment inside joints--can be a good move when radiographs fail to elucidate the bony cause of a horse's lameness. Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, head of surgery at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, presented ... Read full story
 4/28/2008
Review of Available MRI Systems  *
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a very powerful tool for imaging limbs and even heads of horses to detect injuries and other problems. However, not all MRI units are created equal; differences in field strength affect their price tags and their abilities to demonstrate lesions. During the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, ... Read full story
 4/26/2008
Wooden Shoes for Chronic Laminitis  *
The chronically laminitic horse is often a very tough case to manage because displacement of the coffin bone within the foot leads to a lot of pain and damage, in addition to the damage that allowed the displacement in the first place. At the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Orlando, Fla., Stephen O'Grady, ... Read full story
 4/23/2008
Medical and Surgical Treatment of Uveitis   *
Mary Utter, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVO, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania veterinary school, continued the discussion on eyes at the In-Depth session on Ophthalmology held during the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Orlando, Fla. She underscored the observation made by other ... Read full story
 4/19/2008
ACell Tendonitis Treatment Study   *
"Tendonitis of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is a common injury in horses, especially racehorses and event horses," began Ty Wallis, DVM, a third-year resident in equine surgery at Colorado State University (CSU). "It's usually hyperextension-related, and affected horses have a prolonged convalescence and high rate of recurrence." Wallis ... Read full story
 4/16/2008
Muscle Disorders in Warmbloods Easily Diagnosed through Biopsy  *
Owners of Warmbloods with debilitating--or sometimes just plain baffling--muscle disorders can get useful and reliable answers about their horses' conditions through a relatively simple muscle biopsy. So say University of Minnesota researchers, who in a recent study also reported that the most common muscle disorders identified in these types of breeds ... Read full story
 4/16/2008
Sacroiliac Injection Technique  *
The sacroiliac joint, which forms the articulation between the pelvis and the spine, is often considered as a location of elusive pain in horses. However, its deep location and, thereby, limited accessibility make diagnosis (via nerve blocks) and injection-based treatment difficult. At the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, ... Read full story
 4/15/2008
Alternate Catheter Site  *
Catheters placed in the jugular vein are commonly used to medicate or give fluids to horses in equine hospitals. One potential complication of catheters is thrombophlebitis, or blood vessel wall inflammation resulting in clot formation. When this occurs in the jugular vein, it hampers the flow of blood out of the head. This can cause facial swelling, ... Read full story
 4/7/2008
Surgery for Triple-Level Spinal Cord Compression  *
Spinal cord compression in the neck, more technically known as cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy or CVSM, can cause notable incoordination and affects about 2% of racing Thoroughbreds. Probably the most well-known horse affected by CVSM was Thoroughbred champion racehorse and sire Seattle Slew, whose successful surgeries were well-publicized. ... Read full story
 4/4/2008
Preliminary Study Performed on New Laminitis Treatment Technique  *
Gene therapy is a rapidly growing field of medicine that involves delivering a specific gene into the body to treat a specific disease. New study results generated from a research company based in Texas add to the body of evidence supporting the use of this technique to treat chronic conditions--such as laminitis--in horses and other large mammals. ... Read full story
 4/4/2008
A Clearer Picture (Imaging Technologies)  *
Advancements in imaging technologies make diagnoses easier. For decades veterinarians have relied upon a number of different imaging tools, from radiographs to ultrasonography, to diagnose lameness, pregnancy, and soft-tissue-related conditions. In recent years a host of advanced imaging modalities such as digital radiography, CT, scintigraphy, and ... Read full story
 4/1/2008
Texas A&M Vet Hospital Adding Imaging and Cancer Center  *
The Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences will be adding a veterinary imaging and cancer treatment center. "The College of Veterinary Medicine is dedicated to maintain state-of-the-art instrumentation that improves the clinical services we provide our patients, their ... Read full story
 3/31/2008
Surpass vs. Bute for Arthritis  *
Osteoarthritis medications were a hot topic at the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Orlando, Fla., with four presentations on various medications during one half-day session alone. In particular, David Frisbie, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of veterinary clinical sciences at Colorado State ... Read full story
 3/31/2008
Diagnosing Coxofemoral Subluxation with Ultrasound  *
Subluxation (partial dislocation) of the coxofemoral joint between the femur and pelvis in horses is rare; only two cases have been reported in the literature. However, six cases were seen at the University of California, Davis, in a three-year period, suggesting that perhaps this problem is somewhat more common than previously thought. At the 2007 ... Read full story
 3/28/2008
Giving Omeprazole Intravenously  *
In the past few years, we've been hearing how many more horses have gastric ulcers than we used to think. We also know that oral omeprazole paste (GastroGard, manufactured by Merial Limited, Decatur, Ga.) effectively treats and prevents ulcers. But what about horses that can't take an oral paste (such as those with gastric reflux)? How do you manage ... Read full story
 3/27/2008
Computed Tomography for Imaging the Stifle   *
The stifle joint is often implicated in cases of lameness, but it can be a notoriously tough joint to image. Radiography, ultrasonography, nuclear scintigraphy (bone scan), and diagnostic arthrography (joint evaluation) all can be used, but they all have limitations. And no currently available MRI units are big enough to accept a horse's stifle for ... Read full story
 3/26/2008
The State of Stem Cell Therapy   *
Stem cell therapy has received a good deal of attention in both human and veterinary medicine in recent years. It holds theoretical promise for treating conditions ranging from traumatic tendon and cartilage injury to liver failure, Parkinson's disease, and nerve/spinal cord damage, but it is still in its infancy. At the 2007 American Association of ... Read full story
 3/22/2008
Stapling the Gut   *
These days, in many species incisions are often closed with staples rather than stitches--and they're not just for external use any more. At the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Orlando, Fla., Christina Ellis, DVM, a veterinarian with Peterson & Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala, Fla., described the use ... Read full story
 3/21/2008
Fighting Equine Influenza: Winning the Battle but Losing the War?   *
Over the course of a few short months, the Australian horse flu outbreak cost the country approximately $100 million AU ($92.6 million US) and caused racing, breeding, and other performance horse-related activities to effectively grind to a halt. Australia, which was influenza-free until August 2007, was hard hit by this virus. The combination of ... Read full story
 3/18/2008
Tool to Detect Osteoarthritis in Athletic Horses Developed   *
Italian researchers have devised a novel technique for evaluating osteoarthritis in performance horses via measurement of metabolic products in synovial fluid. They do this by using a specialized imaging technique for liquids known as proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, or 1H NMR. Osteoarthritis is a debilitating, painful, degenerative ... Read full story
 3/16/2008
Study: Corneal Transplants Safe and Effective in Horses   *
According to a retrospective study involving 206 horses, corneal transplants can successfully restore vision in horses with a variety of eye problems including melting ulcers, iris prolapsed, stromal abscesses, and in horses that were not responsive to medical management. The overall success rate was 88.5%. Corneal transplants can be performed using ... Read full story
 3/9/2008
French Government Moves to Enhance Equine Research Facilities  *
New scientific partnerships and facilities will be added in the coming years to the French equine research hub in Lower Normandy in order to maintain its position on the international level, according to the French Minister of Agriculture and Fishing. Faced with growing competition from other worldwide horse health markets, including Lexington (U.S.), ... Read full story
 2/21/2008
Grayson-Jockey Club Funding 24 Equine Research Projects  *
The board of directors of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has approved a record allocation of $1,226,457 for equine research in 2008. The funds will underwrite a slate of 14 start-up projects and 10 second-year proposals. This marks the foundation's fourth consecutive year of record funding and the second consecutive year that it is providing ... Read full story
 2/15/2008
Surgical Hardware: The Testing of the Screw   *
A headless, tapered screw made out of tough, lightweight metal could put a new twist on surgical implants used in pastern arthrodesis. For years, riders in Western performance events such as reining, cutting, and barrel racing have encountered a serious problem with their horses' pastern joints. Thanks to all those quick starts and stops that are ... Read full story
 2/9/2008
TheHorse.com Videos: Vet Procedures
New glaucoma procedure (Courtesy Dr. James Clinton) (0:51 min) 12/13/07 Read article University of Georgia staff corrects uterine torsion using ropes, a plank of wood, and a burly volunteer (0:41 min) 11/6/07 Read article Dr. Bruce Lyle's Matscan pressure mat for gait analysis (1:21 min) 8/27/07 Read article Matscan to assess and ... Read full story
 2/4/2008
Troedsson Selected to Lead Gluck Equine Research Center  *
The University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture has named an internationally-recognized scientist with more than 24 years of research and clinical experience in equine reproduction as its new chair of the Department of Veterinary Science and director for the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center. Mats Troedsson, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, who currently ... Read full story
 12/27/2007
2007 Morris Animal Foundation Equine Research Wrap-Up  *
The results of equine research funded by the Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) in 2007 added to scientists' understanding of foal pneumonia, hereditary muscle disorders, laminitis, and pharmacology. Summaries of MAF-funded equine studies completed in 2007 are listed below. The Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) will fund about 120 animal health ... Read full story
 12/14/2007
Horse Recovering from New Glaucoma Procedure  *
VIDEO | A horse that underwent a rare endoscopic laser eye procedure is showing normal intraocular pressure (IOP), a key indication that the procedure has brought his glaucoma under control. In November, veterinary ophthalmologists from the Animal Eye Clinic in Medford, N.J., performed a new procedure called endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation on the ... Read full story
 12/13/2007
Good Genes: Genome Research has Broad Applications for Horse Health   *
Research into the equine genome is revealing the tiny source of many big problems affecting horses. Scientists received a whole new set of tools when the first version of the equine DNA sequence--the genetic code of horses, arranged into the correct position--was unveiled in February 2007. With these tools they can better understand the physiology ... Read full story
 11/29/2007
Insulin Levels Might Help Measure Likelihood of Laminitis   *
Researchers have found that administering fructan carbohydrates or dexamethasone might be a useful method to identify ponies at risk of developing laminitis. Their report was recently published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. "Being able to identify which ponies are at risk for laminitis will enable us to initiate preventative ... Read full story
 11/26/2007
New Minnesota Equine Hospital Offering the Latest in Sports Medicine  *
Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, calls it "the Mayo Clinic of horse medicine." The veterinarian walked briskly past a treadmill room where horses gallop 30 mph in place. She stopped briefly at a surgical recovery room where the entire floor can become an inflatable cushion within seconds. She pointed out therapy rooms where injured horses ... Read full story
 11/14/2007
Progesterone Test Makes Reproductive Management Less of a Nightmare  *
New research has revealed that a commercially available progesterone test is reliable and practical, and it can help veterinarians manage breeding mares more efficiently. According to researchers from the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal in Canada, the success of equine reproductive management relies on a veterinarian's ... Read full story
 11/13/2007
Veterinary Ophthalmologists Using New Equipment to Correct Glaucoma   *
Next week, veterinary ophthalmologists at The New Jersey Equine Clinic in Clarksburg, N.J., will perform an endoscopic laser procedure on a horse with glaucoma--one of the first equine uses for a new piece of equipment in the ophthalmologists' toolbox. James M Clinton, VMD Dipl. ACVO of Medford, N.J., hopes to restore vision in the horse's eye using ... Read full story
 11/10/2007
Freezing Embryos  *
With breed registries admitting more than one foal per mare per year, the use of frozen embryos is becoming more mainstream. The freezing of equine embryos is getting increased attention from researchers. For years embryo freezing for horses has lagged well behind the same procedure in the bovine industry. The reasons have been quite basic. First, ... Read full story
 11/1/2007
Equine Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Isolated; Suitable for Variety of Uses  *
Stem cells have been isolated successfully from the equine umbilical cord. Once collected, these cells (referred to as umbilical cord matrix cells) can then be preserved frozen, cultured, and differentiated into a host of cell lines, including bone, cartilage, fat, and those of the nervous system. Currently, stem cells are obtained from either fat ... Read full story
 9/22/2007
Where Does It Hurt?  *
One of the most frustrating aspects of diagnosing and treating lameness in horses is that they can't tell you where it hurts. But a relatively new technology to the equine world is helping some veterinarians pinpoint lameness problems. Bruce Lyle, DVM, a veterinarian who focuses on foot care in Aubrey, Texas, has been using a Matscan pressure measurement ... Read full story
 8/27/2007
ACell Therapy for Injuries; Powder Form Again Available   *
Tissue-engineered products such as extracellular matrix (a graft material that can be implanted at the site of damaged tissue) are being used by a growing number of equine veterinarians to stimulate swifter and better healing for tendon and ligament injuries. One commercially available product, ACell Vet Powder (derived from urinary pig bladder matrix), ... Read full story
 8/17/2007
Low-Tech Option Can Be Used to Correct Uterine Torsion   *
Uterine torsion can be corrected using ropes, a plank of wood, and a burly volunteer, according to Laura M. Riggs, DVM, a clinical instructor of large animal surgery at the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine. Click here see this technique. Riggs uses these tools to help roll around a mare's twisted uterus while the ... Read full story
 7/12/2007
Lactate Provides Useful Indication of Prognosis  *
Lactate, the ionized form of lactic acid, which is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, can provide objective insight into the prognoses of equine patients, according to Robert Franklin, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of the Equine Medical Center in Ocala, Fla. Franklin presented on this topic at the 2006 AAEP Convention. Franklin said lactate tests are good, ... Read full story
 7/4/2007
"Old Time" Veterinarians Discuss Advances in Equine Medicine  *
The Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club invited a panel of six "Old Time Veterinarians" to speak at the group's June 5 meeting. The veterinarians discussed 35 years of advances in veterinary medicine and technology. The panel included: David Fishback, DVM, Richard Holder, DVM, Larry Bramlage, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, Gordon Layton, DVM, David Parrish, ... Read full story
 6/25/2007
A Joint Barometer  *
A protein called serum amyloid A (SAA) could help veterinarians assess the condition of a joint before it becomes severe, according to Danish researchers. Joint disease is a major source of lameness in performance horses, and researchers are always striving to identify factors that can give veterinarians an idea of a joint's condition before the disease ... Read full story
 6/10/2007
Magnesium Bone Cement Aids Fracture Repair  *
Biocompatible magnesium phosphate bone cement might be a better option for aiding fracture healing in horses than the calcium phosphate cement more commonly used today, according to a study performed by researchers at The Ohio State University. Equine fractures are often complicated by extensive soft tissue damage, reduced blood supply in the area, ... Read full story
 5/21/2007
Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium: Laminitis: Coming Out of the Dark  *
Some people make it their life's work to study and shed light on some poorly understood aspect of equine veterinary medicine. Their trailblazing work changes the way we evaluate and understand that problem, and it provides the information we need to improve how we care for horses in today's world. Italian equine podiatry veterinarian Lorenzo D'Arpe, ... Read full story
 4/27/2007
Gait Analysis for Horses  *
There has been a long journey over a relatively short span of time in the world of equine gait analysis. The first studies utilized high-speed cameras and a treadmill and took place at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences some 35 years ago, with Sune Persson, DVM, PhD, as one of the guiding lights. Today, that rudimentary science has evolved ... Read full story
 4/1/2007
Serology  *
The horse's immune system is a window to its world. The biochemical analysis of blood components can give the veterinarian valuable information about disease exposure and immune responses. When a horse is exposed to an antigen (a disease-causing substance, often a microorganism, that stimulates the immune system), the immune system responds by producing ... Read full story
 3/1/2007
Genome Sequence will Benefit Performance Horse Breeding, Management   *
The newly completed equine genome sequence will be an invaluable asset for those looking to breed and manage the ideal equine athlete, as well as giving researchers a whole new set of tools for investigating equine disease, according to Claire Wade, BSc, PhD, a senior research scientist at the Broad Institute, a part of the Massachusetts Institute ... Read full story
 2/15/2007
Horse Genome Map Complete  *
The first genome map of a horse is complete, providing scientists with a new set of tools for investigating equine disease, scientists at the Broad Institute, a part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announced Wednesday (Feb. 7). To read the release click here. According to Ernie ... Read full story
 2/9/2007
Better Diagnosis of Bone and Soft Tissue Injuries Through MRI   *
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive imaging technique that has been used for human diagnosis since the 1980's but is a relatively new diagnostic tool in treating horses. It provides incredibly sharp and detailed pictures of soft tissues inside of the body by using a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy. An MRI system at Virginia ... Read full story
 2/8/2007
Horse Genome Assembled; Information Available to Researchers   *
The first draft of the horse genome sequence has been deposited in public databases and is freely available for use by biomedical and veterinary researchers around the globe, leaders of the international Horse Genome Sequencing Project announced today (Feb. 7). The $15 million effort to sequence the approximately 2.7 billion DNA base pairs in the ... Read full story
 2/7/2007
UK Announces Expanded Equine Programs  *
Amid a crowd gathered in one of the University of Kentucky's equine research barns, UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. and College of Agriculture Dean Scott Smith today announced a new equine undergraduate program and significant improvements to UK's Maine Chance Farm on Newtown Pike north of Lexington. The expansion of its equine programs was orchestrated ... Read full story
 1/30/2007
Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Equine Practice: Great Information and Growing Pains   *
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become one of the most popular go-to tools for diagnosing the causes of lameness in horses, in large part because it allows us to see all the components of a horse's living limb for the first time. Now we can see pictures of a horse's limb that look eerily like the anatomy diagrams or dissections in a textbook, ... Read full story
 1/7/2007
Mobile Veterinarians (Mobile Veterinary Equipment)  *
In the early days of the large animal veterinarian, all medical supplies had to either fit into the back of a small car or a satchel. A bucket of cold water, a rough piece of burlap, and a hard bar of soap were the only things available for washing up. When veterinary medicine advanced, diagnostic equipment was the stuff of hospitals, so veterinarians ... Read full story
 1/1/2007
Therapeutic Equipment  *
Higher, faster, stronger. It's human nature to push our horses to the edge, whether it be in the jumping ring, reining pen, or on the racetrack. But when our willing equine partners exert themselves on our behalf, they can sometimes push tissues past their limits. And when microtraumas--tiny, almost imperceptible signs of stress to tissues, ranging ... Read full story
 12/1/2006
Beyond House Calls  *
If you have been at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio, this week, you've seen them there. If not, you'll have about 30 more chances to meet the Equine Sports Medicine veterinary team members within the next year. The team is comprised of veterinarians and technicians who traverse the country each year setting up shop at major ... Read full story
 10/20/2006
Vet-Stem Secures Exclusive Veterinary Rights for Fat Derived Stem Cells  *
Vet-Stem, Inc., has announced that a license agreement with the University of California has been completed which secures Vet-Stem's exclusive rights to stem cells derived from fat for veterinary use. The veterinary rights for stem cells from fat were originally shared between the University of California and Pittsburg University. A license agreement ... Read full story
 10/11/2006
New Recommendations Facilitate Modernization of Drug Manufacturing  *
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final guidance on quality systems, a set of formalized practices and procedures to ensure quality of human and veterinary drugs and human biological drug products during manufacturing. This guidance enhances FDA‚s current requirements for ensuring manufacturing quality known as the current Good Manufacturing ... Read full story
 10/8/2006
Animal Health Trust to Install Standing MRI  *
The Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, England, has announced that it will be acquiring a standing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit to expand its equine diagnostic capabilities. "In 2000, a high-field MRI scanner was installed at the Animal Health Trust, mainly for small animal use," announced the Trust this week in its E-newsletter. "However, ... Read full story
 9/30/2006
ACVIM 2006: Detecting Fluid Shifts in Dehydrated Patients  *
Veterinarians could use a non-invasive procedure to detect fluid shifts in dehydrated horses and respond with treatment more readily than with usual methods such as blood work. C. Langdon Fielding, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, a staff veterinarian with Loomis Basin Equine Medical Center in Loomis, Calif., said the technology, called multi-frequency bioelectrical ... Read full story
 9/14/2006
ACVIM 2006: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Research  *
There are many reasons why wounds fail to heal. Some wounds, especially chronic ones, are hypoxic, meaning they lack oxygen. Therefore, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can be used to re-oxygenate wounds and help them heal. Two researchers--one who treats humans and another who treats horses--described their experiences with HBOT on June 2 at the American ... Read full story
 9/14/2006
Equine Medical Genetics Chosen as $2.5-Million Consortium Project  *
Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) and the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine (UM) jointly announced on Aug. 9 that the foundation has committed to raise $2.5 million over five years to fund the top-ranked consortium project titled "Program in Equine Medical Genetics." This international project will be based out of the University ... Read full story
 8/14/2006
Spinal Taps Not Necessary for EPM Testing?  *
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) has been widely regarded as the only definitive way to diagnose the disease. This test can be difficult, expensive, and potentially dangerous, and according to new research from Colorado State University, it might not be necessary. Researchers found that a blood serum sample ... Read full story
 8/1/2006
Researchers Develop New Bacteria Identification System  *
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a new low-cost system that analyzes scattered laser light to quickly identify bacteria for applications in medicine, food processing and homeland security at one-tenth the cost of conventional technologies. The technique - Bacteria Rapid Detection Using Optical Scattering Technology - works by shining ... Read full story
 7/28/2006
Progress on a Diagnostic Test for DSLD/ESPA  *
Scientists at the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine are studying a new diagnostic test that will detect a common disease of the musculoskeletal system of the horse before he exhibits lameness or other performance problems. The test will detect excess accumulation of proteoglycans--molecules that help organize connective tissue ... Read full story
 7/25/2006
Research Summit Addresses Need for Increased Funding for Equine Projects  *
How to increase funding for equine research was the primary focus of a collaborative equine research summit held in Lexington, Ky., April 19 - 20. Hosted by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation, Inc., over 35 leading researchers, industry leaders and funding agencies gathered to develop a blueprint for future success in ... Read full story
 6/27/2006
New MRI Technology Assisting in Diagnostic Imaging  *
COURTESY MARK HERTHEL Alamo Pintado is the first veterinary facility to offer this high caliber MRI. Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center has added Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to its facilities in Central California. Utilizing a Siemens Magnetom Espree, it is the first installation of this magnet for use in a veterinary environment. The magnet ... Read full story
 6/2/2006
Stem Cell Therapy  *
They were a couple of hard-luck cases: Two horses with torn suspensory ligaments. For close to two years they were lame, their injuries unresponsive to conventional therapies, with no effective means of resolution in the offing. Recalls Doug Herthel, DVM, Alamo Pintado Equine Medical Center, Los Olivos, Calif., "I was disgusted with laying up horses ... Read full story
 6/1/2006
Electronic EIA System Approved for Exports  *
GlobalVetLink L.C., an Internet-based business designed to allow animal health authorities to track and regulate animal movement nationally, has developed technology now recognized by the USDA for international shipments of horses. Electronic laboratory forms carrying equine infectious anemia (EIA), or Coggins, test results are now being accepted ... Read full story
 5/30/2006
Hurricane Pony Receives Prosthetic Limb, Helps Kids  *
Molly, a 15-year-old Appaloosa pony, survived Hurricane Katrina when it hit Louisiana. She was rescued from her pasture near New Orleans after the storm and given a new home with Pony Paradise. However, Molly's storm tragedy didn't end there; a rescued pit bull that had shown no previous aggressive tendencies attacked her and several other ponies, ... Read full story
 5/11/2006
Cloning Success Rates Increase for Horses  *
Three years after the birth of the first cloned mule and horse, scientists are reporting improvements in the number of viable cloned equine embryos that are carried to term. A Texas A&M University (TAMU) researcher says that five clones of cutting horse champion stallion Smart Little Lena are on the ground and thriving, along with a clone of a ... Read full story
 5/3/2006
University of California Davis Completes Installation of Eklin Digital Radiography Platform  *
(Edited press release) Eklin Medical Systems, PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System), and Practice Information Management (PIMS) software for the veterinary care market, announced the company has completed installation of its Eklin Digital Practice solution at the University of California (UC), Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. The ... Read full story
 4/10/2006
Grayson-Jockey Club Funds Record Research  *
The board of directors of Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation has approved a record total of $957,260 for equine research projects in 2006. in a meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 27, the board approved launch of 12 new projects, continuation of eight projects entering their second year, and two special projects--the first Storm Cat Career Development ... Read full story
 4/10/2006
Belmont Bash To Benefit Equine Research, World Hunger  *
The charity event formerly known as the Belmont Ball and the Belmont Celebration will have a new name, a new location, and a new entertainment format when it debuts on Thursday, June 8. The event, hosted by the New York Racing Association and The Jockey Club, will benefit the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation (GJCRF) and World Hunger Year (WHY). The ... Read full story
 4/5/2006
Lameness Diagnosis at Home   *
A University of Missouri-Columbia (UM) veterinarian and his associates have developed a motion detection system for diagnosing and quantifying equine lameness and spinal ataxia (incoordination). Kevin Keegan, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of veterinary medicine and surgery at UM, says the portable system should be useful to the equine practitioner ... Read full story
 4/1/2006
Helping Older Horses Get Up
Q: I have an older horse that sometimes lies down and has trouble getting up. My vet thinks it is advanced arthritis in his stifles. Do you have any rescue equipment that you have used to lift a horse up? Thank you for the compassionate work you do with horses. Sharon Loucks A: There are several pieces of emergency rescue equipment ... Read full story
 3/1/2006
AAEP Convention 2005: Kester News Hour  *
What's new and hot in veterinary medicine? What if you could get two of the world's foremost equine veterinarians to dig through the mountain of research that is published each year and tell you what is really significant for your and your horses or your practice? That describes the annual Kester News Hour at the American Association of Equine Practitioners ... Read full story
 2/17/2006
AAEP Convention 2005: Technology Update   *
Many of horse owners and veterinarians feel like new technologies are leaving us in the dust on a regular basis. The Technology Update Table Topic session at the 2005 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 3-7 in Seattle, Wash., was designed to bring practitioners up to speed on the latest in digital radiograph systems, ... Read full story
 2/17/2006
Veterinary Equipment   *
As research involving veterinary equipment results in more and more sophistication, both veterinarians and horse owners face something of a dilemma. For the veterinarian, the question involves how much a practice can afford to invest in the latest equipment. For the horse owner, the question often involves how much more he or she is willing to pay ... Read full story
 1/1/2006
Shock Wave Therapy Can Help Promote Bone Healing and Reduce Pain
Shock wave therapy is a treatment that is increasingly used by veterinarians to treat orthopedic problems such as bone fractures and navicular disease. According to Christopher Byron, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, an assistant professor of equine surgery at the University of Illinois (UI), shock wave therapy can promote bone growth and healing and minimize pain. Contrary ... Read full story
 11/7/2005
AAEP For Education  *
This year's annual meeting of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) in Seattle, Wash., offers a myriad of educational opportunities for veterinarians and horse owners, and has a trade show that features new products and services for veterinarians. For more information on educational opportunities, visit www.aaep.org. Following ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Florida Mobile Diagnostic Unit   *
The University of Florida (UF) College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville is on the cutting edge with its first-of-a-kind Mobile Equine Diagnostic Science rig, which is referred to as the MEDS unit. The $450,000 custom-made truck takes modern technology to the field. The 24-foot box behind the crew cab is equipped for digital radiology, echocardiography, ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Visualizing Joints During Surgery  *
Arthroscopic surgery in horses is commonly performed to remove abnormal pieces of cartilage, called osteochondral (OC) fragments, from the surface of joints. Visualization through an arthroscope is typically aided by distending the joint with sterile fluid. In certain joints (such as the fetlock), fluid distention is often insufficient for visualization. ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Science and Horsemanship  *
Over the past two decades, the work of Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, has elevated equine sports medicine to a whole new level. As the first incumbent of the Mary Anne McPhail Chair at Michigan State University, Clayton brings an element of modern science to the ancient art of horsemanship. Her revolutionary research is generating valuable information ... Read full story
 9/1/2005
What's New in Equine Vaccines?  *
For most of us, equine vaccines seem pretty simple and boring--halter and restrain horse, pop in a needle and release contents, then a short time later the horse will be protected against that disease. But it's a lot more complicated than that, and the various factors affecting immunity and vaccination provide seemingly limitless possibilities for ... Read full story
 8/1/2005
Treadmills for Diagnosing Lameness   *
Quiet progress in using sophisticated techniques for diagnosing lameness has been taking place in research laboratories around the world. Researchers from Missouri to Australia and from Virginia to Switzerland are perfecting techniques for utilizing high-speed cameras and treadmills to diagnose obscure lamenesses and help determine correct trimming ... Read full story
 7/1/2005
Treatment of Equine Heart Arrhythmia   *
Human defibrillators are being used successfully to treat horses with irregular heartbeats (fibrillation). Kim McGurrin, DVM, a graduate student at the University of Guelph's College of Veterinary Medicine, developed a procedure as part of her doctoral research that can cure horses of an irregular heartbeat without the use of medication. The procedure ... Read full story
 7/1/2005
Hoof Radiographs   *
Your horse is limping and a detailed visual exam by your veterinarian reveals a small black spot, suggesting a puncture wound. Your veterinarian radiographs the hoof: The X rays confirm the diagnosis, clearly showing the direction and depth of the puncture. But for other hoof disorders, radiographs can fail to determine a cause of lameness, and your ... Read full story
 5/1/2005
AAEP Convention 2004: Emerging Technologies Table Topic  *
Tablet computers, Metron PX, Hi-8, true digital, megapixels, lithium vs. NiMH batteries, inverters, iGo Juice, Photoshop--what do all these things have to do with the equine veterinarian? The message of the Emerging Technologies Table Topic was they can do quite a lot to help. "You get into a lot of these things out of necessity, not fun and games," ... Read full story
 2/14/2005
AAEP Convention 2004: Equine Anesthesia  *
John Hubbell, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVA, professor of anesthesiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University, presented a historical perspective on equine anesthesia at the 50th annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Denver, Colo., Dec. 4-8, 2004. He highlighted the rapid, recent advances in anesthetic ... Read full story
 2/14/2005
The ART of Breeding  *
Successful breeding of horses is not always as easy as presenting a receptive mare to a fertile stallion. There are many things that can go awry with the reproductive process. Broodmares that were once fertile and produced many excellent foals might one day face the realities of repetitive foaling injuries, chronic uterine infections, or simply old ... Read full story
 2/1/2005
DNA Vaccine Awaits Approval   *
A new vaccine to protect horses against West Nile Virus (WNV) has been developed and submitted for USDA review. If approved, it would be the first commercially available DNA vaccine for any mammalian or animal species. Steve Chu, DVM, PhD, senior vice president, Global Research and Development, Fort Dodge Animal Health, explained the conceptual DNA ... Read full story
 1/1/2005
Minimizing Abdominal Adhesions   *
Small intestinal strangulation or distension colic can produce ischemia (lack of blood flow), depriving tissues of oxygen and nutrients. As blood flow is restored, known as reperfusion, newly circulating blood triggers several cellular reactions resulting in generation of oxygen radicals and inflammation that promotes fluid and cellular leakage into ... Read full story
 10/1/2004
AAEP's Focus on Joints   *
The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) held its annual Focus meeting on July 22-24 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Ky., to commemorate the first gathering of the group 50 years ago at that site. Two of the founding veterinarians attended meetings this year: Robert Copelan, DVM, and Alex Harthill, DVM, both of Kentucky. This year's ... Read full story
 9/1/2004
First Look Inside the Live Equine Heart   *
On July 9, a human interventional cardiologist and an equine veterinarian in Lexington, Ky., successfully completed the first step of a landmark procedure to repair a heart problem in a 5-month-old Thoroughbred colt called a ventricular septal defect (VSD). At best, the problem could cost him his athletic career if not corrected. At worst, it could ... Read full story
 9/1/2004
New Method for Lyme Disease Diagnostics  *
Horse owners will now be able to know the results of a Lyme disease test within minutes instead of having to wait for as long as a week. A new test, the Snap 3Dx assay, to confirm Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative bacterial agent for Lyme disease, has been developed by IDEXX Laboratories. Reported equine infections in northeastern U.S. have been ... Read full story
 7/16/2004
First Look Inside the Live Equine Heart (video added)  *
On July 9, a human interventional cardiologist and an equine veterinarian in Lexington, Ky., successfully completed the first step of a landmark procedure to repair a heart problem in a 5-month-old Thoroughbred foal called a ventricular septal defect (VSD). At best, the problem could cost the colt his athletic career if not corrected. At worst, it ... Read full story
 7/12/2004
Advanced Diagnostics   *
Lameness is one of the most common problems encountered in equine veterinary medicine. The majority of lameness cases are localized to areas within the distal limb; however, the sources, causes, and locations of lameness are diverse. The cause of lameness in horses can be quite complex and often hard to determine. In addition to traditional methods ... Read full story
 6/1/2004
Measuring Hemoglobin and Red Blood Cells in the Field   *
Many equine illnesses and injuries require rapid determination of blood's oxygen-carrying capacity. Hemoglobin (Hg) can be measured, and packed cell volume (PCV) can be estimated, providing a good indication of how much oxygen can circulate. However, Hg measurement requires transport of a blood sample to a laboratory. It would be useful if practitioners ... Read full story
 6/1/2004
Pursuing Hope   *
Referral centers are godsends to the equine community. Often housed in state-of-the-art buildings, featuring the latest in scientific technology and equipment, and manned by specialists, referral centers offer a strong ray of hope when the best efforts by veterinarians in the field just aren't enough. There is a down side, of course: They can be expensive. ... Read full story
 5/1/2004
Educational Event after Rolex Thursday April 22  *
Spectators at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in Lexington and area horse owners will have the opportunity to hear about some of the latest veterinary technologies for the sport horse from top veterinarians on April 22 after the first day of dressage rides concludes. The event will be held in the Kentucky Horse Park South Theater from 4-6 p.m.; ... Read full story
 4/21/2004
Gait Monitoring System Introduced  *
Farriers got an eyeful of what the future might hold for them at the highest levels of equestrian sport at the American Farrier's Association (AFA) Convention, held in March 2004 in Rochester, New York. This future is specialized video monitoring of horses at work to help make adjustments to their shoes for better performance. Courtesy Haydn ... Read full story
 4/13/2004
What's Wobbler Syndrome?   *
One day you notice something amiss in your horse--a little clumsiness in his gaits, a subtle lack of coordination. He's not lame, but something's not right. You suspect equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), the leading diagnosed cause of neurologic problems in North American horses. Should you get a veterinarian out? Absolutely! But be prepared. ... Read full story
 4/1/2004
Safety Issues of Shock Wave Therapy   *
Scientists have confirmed that shock wave therapy (SWT) has an analgesic (pain-killing) effect on horses that had been observed anecdotally, and they also found the therapy does not have a harmful effect on bone. Scott McClure, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, assistant professor of surgery at Iowa State University, and colleagues showed that there is a potential ... Read full story
 3/1/2004
A Prosthetic Eye for the Horse   *
When Brian Gilger, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVO, associate professor of ophthalmology at North Carolina State University (NCSU), examined a Thoroughbred gelding referred to NCSU's College of Veterinary Medicine, he discovered thick, cloudy material throughout the anterior chamber of the right eye that obscured his view of the inner eye. Using ocular ultrasonography, ... Read full story
 3/1/2004
AAEP 2003: Kester News Hour  *
With researchers worldwide working on solutions to various horse health problems, there is a veritable mountain of information being published continuously. Much of this information is included in AAEP convention presentations, but some of this valuable research was either too new or brief to be included in the program. Thus, the Kester News Hour has ... Read full story
 2/18/2004
AAEP 2003: MRI in Navicular Horses  *
"Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has added to our knowledge of navicular disease, in large part because for the first time we can see into the horse's foot," said Robert Schneider, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, equine orthopedic surgeon at Washington State University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital. His presentation at the 2003 convention of the American Association ... Read full story
 2/3/2004
AAEP 2003: MRI of the Distal Limb  *
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is becoming more available and helpful as researchers learn more about MRI in the horse. Tim Mair, BVSc, DEIM, DESTS, Dipl. ECEIM, MRCVS, of the Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic in the United Kingdom, presented the basics of MRI and his experience imaging 96 horses (83 of which had pathology) at the 2003 American Association ... Read full story
 2/3/2004
Oxygen Therapy for Horses   *
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) might be most easily recognized as the technology used to treat the "bends" or decompression sickness in divers. Its use as a medical treatment for humans is not new, but has undergone a resurgence in recent years. Many medical schools now have hyperbaric centers, and there is a list of Medicare-approved conditions ... Read full story
 2/1/2004
Aging Changes in Muscles   *
Electromyography (EMG) aids in differential diagnosis of neurogenic (controlled by the nervous system) versus myogenic (taking place or functioning in ordered rhythmic fashion because of the inherent properties of cardiac muscle rather than specific neural stimuli) disorders in the muscle. The technique involves systematic placement of a needle into ... Read full story
 2/1/2004
Healing Under Pressure   *
Oxygen is one of the most crucial components of the energy production process that fuels body tissues. It sustains life and enables injured tissues to heal. In recent years, a very effective procedure for helping heal many ailments has developed from the idea that for optimum healing, more oxygen than is normally contained in and surrounding our bodies ... Read full story
 2/1/2004
New WNV Equine Recombinant DNA Vaccine Approved   *
Editor's note: A letter to the editor from Fort Dodge Animal Health cited inaccuracies in this article and has been included below. A new West Nile virus (WNV) equine recombinant canarypox vaccine received USDA registration approval on Dec. 23, 2003, and could pave the way for a new generation of equine vaccines in the United States. Merial has been ... Read full story
 2/1/2004
AAEP 2003: Preparation of the Mare for Normal Foaling  *
Tom Riddle, DVM, of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., began the in-depth session on "The Foal: Birth to One Month" with a discussion on how to prepare the third-trimester mare for normal foaling. His discussion included his management procedures within his Kentucky veterinary practice, which deals mainly with Thoroughbreds. However, ... Read full story
 1/31/2004
Reproduction/Perinatology Forum at AAEP 2003  *
Veterinarians interested in reproduction and perinatology (the foal immediately after birth) crowded into the Reproduction/Perinatology Forum at the 2003 American Association of Equine Practitioners' convention to discuss mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS), terminology for the mare breeding soundness examination, vaccination of broodmares with ... Read full story
 1/31/2004
Glass Horse Model Expanded  *
The popular three-dimensional electronic horse model, "The Glass Horse CD," which offered a novel look at the gastrointestinal anatomy of the horse when it was introduced in November of 2001, has a new companion that depicts the structures of the equine distal (lower) limb. This CD, called "Elements of the Equine Distal Limb," should be available for ... Read full story
 1/7/2004
Rapid Testing for West Nile Virus   *
By the 2003 West Nile virus (WNV) season, a majority of state laboratories had obtained (or were establishing) the capacity to run the IgM Capture ELISA, the most common quick test for the disease. The test measures a class of antibody produced early after infection, can be performed on serum samples drawn from suspect cases, and takes two to three ... Read full story
 1/1/2004
New Treatment for Tendon and Ligament Injuries  *
A medical device derived from the lining of urinary bladders of specially bred pigs shows promise for healing equine tendon and ligament injuries, according to Rick Mitchell, DVM, of Fairfield Equine Associates in Newtown, Conn. Mitchell recently addressed a group of veterinarians at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash., about the technology and his positive ... Read full story
 12/31/2003
Graded Stakes Drug Testing Plan to Begin in July  *
The American Graded Stakes Committee has set July 2004 as the target date for implementation of a more stringent drug testing policy for all graded stakes that will require tests for more than 140 parent drugs and their metabolites. The committee initially hoped to launch the testing protocol, which would be required for a stakes to keep its grade ... Read full story
 12/30/2003
New West Nile Virus Equine Recombinant DNA Vaccine Anticipated  *
Editor's note: A letter to the editor from Fort Dodge Animal Health cited inaccuracies in this article and has been included below. A new West Nile virus (WNV) equine recombinant canarypox vaccine awaits USDA approval; once available, it could pave the way for a new generation of equine vaccines in the United States. Merial has been developing this ... Read full story
 12/4/2003
Diagnosing Grass Sickness   *
Equine grass sickness is so named because it occurs in the spring in pastured horses which are eager to eat plentiful green grass. Its cause is unknown, but the result is destruction of the nerves of the gastrointestinal system, which is often rapidly fatal. While extremely rare in North America, grass sickness is a problem in Scotland, northern England, ... Read full story
 11/1/2003
Research Sets Standards for Studying Effects of Cold Therapies  *
Horse owners everywhere cold-hose or ice their horses' legs to help reduce inflammation, but there hasn’t been much agreement among researchers on its effects, or the success of various methods of cooling. However, a recent University of California-Davis (UC Davis) study determined that one type of cold therapy significantly reduced the temperature ... Read full story
 10/20/2003
Analyze This! (Blood Tests Part 2)  *
Blood tests are a part of veterinary care known as laboratory medicine (for more information, see "What Blood Can Tell You" in the August 2003 issue of The Horse, article #4514 online). Laboratory medicine is used by your veterinarian--along with physical examination findings--to aid, confirm, or disprove a suspected diagnosis. While the first part ... Read full story
 10/1/2003
Shock Wave Therapy for Horses  *
What is shock wave therapy? Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) focuses a highly concentrated, powerful acoustical (sound) energy source to a focal area. The shock waves induce increased activity of bone-producing cells and might also lead to increased circulation in the focal region. As a result, the focal area undergoes a more rapid healing ... Read full story
 9/1/2003
First Cloned Horse Born  *
The world's first cloned horse, created by Italian scientists from a single skin cell taken from a mare, has been born, according to a Washington Post article. The birth of the healthy foal, announced in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature, brings to nine the number of mammalian species that scientists have cloned from adult cells, along with sheep, ... Read full story
 8/6/2003
What Blood Can Tell You   *
Your veterinarian wants to do some blood tests on your horse. It's a common term to anyone who has been around horses very long, but it is also a very non-specific term. What kind of tests, and what will the results tell him (and you)? Before you can understand what blood tests are and how they can help diagnose ailments in your horse, it's a good ... Read full story
 8/1/2003
She Ain't What She Used to Be   *
The aging process takes its toll in many ways on horses and humans. When women reach a certain age, for example, they experience menopause, a transitional period when Nature serves notice that they no longer can bear children. With horses, that stage of life is less pronounced, with some mares capable of bearing foals almost up to the time of death. ... Read full story
 8/1/2003
Second Mule Clone Born   *
The research team that made headlines in May after producing the world's first equine clone--a mule named Idaho Gem--on June 9 has repeated its success with the birth of another mule--Utah Pioneer. Researchers Gordon Woods, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACT, and Dirk Vanderwall, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, from the University of Idaho (UI); and Ken White, PhD, from ... Read full story
 8/1/2003
Injured Saddlebreds Under Continual Treatment: Growth Factor and Hyperbaric Therapy  *
The five American Saddlebreds that were injected with a caustic substance the weekend of June 28-29 are on the road to recovery, according to Ric Redden, DVM, founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky. Redden has been checking on the horses daily along with several other veterinarians, and reported that hyperbaric oxygen ... Read full story
 7/11/2003
First Equine Clone is a Mule   *
The landscape of equine reproduction research dramatically changed May 29, when a University of Idaho (UI) and Utah State University team announced they were the first to clone a member of the equine family--the mule--according to an article to be published in the journal Science. The research team includes Gordon Woods, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACT, UI ... Read full story
 7/1/2003
Anesthesia Options for Foals   *
Young foals are notoriously difficult to anesthetize because of their extreme sensitivity to most anesthetic drugs. Ideally, foals are anesthetized using only an inhaled anesthetic. One inhalant, isofluorane, has proven itself easy to use with relatively mild adverse effects. A newer inhalant, sevofluorane, has been successful in adult horses which ... Read full story
 6/20/2003
Evaluating Spinal Cord Disease   *
Spinal cord disease in horses is fairly common, but it can be difficult to precisely diagnose. Ancillary tests such as cerebrospinal fluid analysis, contrast myelography, and electromyelography can be helpful, but also somewhat risky. There is another diagnostic technique used in humans that is not painful and has no serious side effects. The technique ... Read full story
 5/1/2003
Cremello Gene Found  *
Researchers at the Laboratoire de Genetique Biochimique et de Cytogenetique in the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) at the Centre de Recherche de Jouy-en-Josas, France, recently identified the gene that produces the cremello coat color in the horse. The cremello color is a dilution of all basic coat colors, and produces a pale (cream) ... Read full story
 4/1/2003
Kick-Starting the Immune System  *
You've just got to love the way the first vaccine research was conducted. In 1796, English physician Edward Jenner noticed that dairy workers who caught cowpox (a mild disease) did not get smallpox (a deadly, virulent disease). So Jenner took material from a cowpox sore and scratched it into the arm of a healthy, 8-year-old boy. After said boy came ... Read full story
 3/1/2003
Lasers for Removing Skin Masses   *
Skin masses in horses have historically been removed by surgical excision (cutting them out). Regardless of the type of mass, the surgeon's goal is to remove all of the tissue, limit hemorrhage, and prevent infection while achieving the best possible cosmetic outcome. Equine surgeons at Purdue University have been using a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser ... Read full story
 3/1/2003
AAEP Convention: Milne Lecture 2--Bone and Fracture Treatment  *
Following his in-depth presentation on bone remodeling and bucked shins (see article #4066 at www.TheHorse.com), David M. Nunamaker, VMD, Dipl. ACVS, Jacques Jenny Orthopedic Surgery Chair at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, continued the Milne State of the Art Lecture at the 2002 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention ... Read full story
 2/27/2003
AAEP 2002: Kester News Hour  *
Probably the best-attended session of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) annual convention, the Kester News Hour provides brief reports of studies that were too new or too brief to be included in the longer scientific sessions. Larry Bramlage, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, the president-elect of the AAEP and a surgeon at the Rood and Riddle ... Read full story
 2/3/2003
AAEP 2002: Could Power Dentistry Equipment Cause Harm?  *
The use of power equipment in the field of equine dentistry has been a great aid to equine practitioners. One advantage is that it lets the practitioner complete major dental corrections before sedation wears off. However, could these power tools be harming horses' teeth? According to a recent study done by Gordon Baker, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVS, ... Read full story
 1/28/2003
Colorado State's Orthopaedic Research Center Opens  *
A formal dedication ceremony and open house was held Nov. 1 to launch Colorado State University's (CSU) Orthopaedic Research Center, which will further its mission of medical investigations benefiting both animal and human health. Led by Dr. Wayne McIlwraith and his team of scientists, the Orthopaedic Research Center will continue the same pioneering ... Read full story
 11/13/2002
AAEP Preview: State of the Art Lecture  *
Innovation in equine medicine is the hallmark of the AAEP Convention's State of the Art Lecture, and this year will be no different. David M. Nunamaker, VMD, Chairman and Jacques Jenny Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery of the New Bolton Center's Department of Clinical Studies, will present New Bolton Center research on bucked shins and fracture treatment ... Read full story
 11/1/2002
Periodontal Disease in Horses Becomes a Priority  *
University veterinary hospitals and private practitioners have begun to treat and prevent periodontal disease in horses with a new piece of dental equipment called the Equine Dental System. The Universities of Georgia, Illinois, and California (Davis) are working in partnership with the developer of the equipment, a pharmaceutical company, and a dental ... Read full story
 10/30/2002
Testing Supplement Efficacy  *
How do you know if something, anything from a car to a blender to a vitamin supplement, works? You test it in a manner consistent with the way it’s going to be used, using specific, relevant measures of performance, and evaluate it according to those parameters. Unfortunately, many equine nutritional and performance-enhancing supplements did not ... Read full story
 10/10/2002
New CSU Semen Facility Meets International Standards  *
The new stallion barn at Colorado State University’s Equine Reproduction Laboratory, specifically designed to meet the requirements for exporting semen internationally, is now complete and prepared to handle client requests around the world. The new facility is comprised of 1,200 square feet for semen collection, a barn to house 10 stallions for the ... Read full story
 9/11/2002
First Foal Produced from Deceased Mare's Shipped Oocytes   *
The first foal produced from oocytes that were harvested from the shipped ovaries of a deceased mare was born recently. This successful procedure, completed by researchers at Colorado State University (CSU), opens a door for owners with valuable, difficult-to-breed mares or mares incapable of carrying a foal to term. Ed Squires, MS, PhD, Director ... Read full story
 9/1/2002
Researchers Produce First Foal With Deceased Mare's Shipped Oocytes  *
The first foal produced with oocytes harvested from the ovaries of a mare and shipped across the country for transfer into a surrogate mare was born recently at Colorado State University (CSU). “The ability to successfully obtain viable oocytes from transported ovaries means we can offer breeders a lot more options when dealing with the death of a ... Read full story
 7/3/2002
Foal Hyperbaric Chamber Studies Commence In Kentucky   *
Two landmark clinical studies examining the effects of treating foals with septic (infected) joints and "dummy foals" (those which suffered from lack of oxygen prior to or during delivery) in hyperbaric chambers have begun in Lexington, Ky. Hagyard-Davidson-McGee (HDM) veterinary hospital has two of these devices that deliver 100% oxygen in a pressurized ... Read full story
 6/1/2002
Modifying Semen Extender  *
Stallion semen is particularly susceptible to freeze-thaw damage, so multi-step procedures are being developed and evaluated to slowly extend and cool the semen prior to freezing it. In addition, the common semen extender INRA82, developed at INRA-Haras Nationaux in Nouzilly, France, is being modified with various additives in an attempt to improve ... Read full story
 6/1/2002
IV Complications  *
What would happen to your horse if both of his jugular veins were damaged so that they were off-limits for taking blood for testing or administering medications and hampered the drainage of blood from his head? Sometimes an intravenous (IV) injection of medication or administration of fluid can cause inflammation of a vein (thrombophlebitis) or blockage ... Read full story
 5/1/2002
Foal Hyperbaric Chamber Studies Commence  *
Two landmark clinical studies examining the effects of treating foals with septic (infected) joints and “dummy foals” (those which suffered from lack of oxygen during delivery) in hyperbaric chambers have begun in Lexington, Ky. Hagyard-Davidson-McGee veterinary hospital has two of these devices that deliver 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber to ... Read full story
 4/12/2002
Stallion Behavior Immunization   *
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone or GnRH can be thought of as the master reproductive hormone. In stallions, GnRH is responsible for initiating a hormonal cascade that stimulates production of testosterone and other hormones necessary for breeding behavior and normal sperm production. However, there are times when sexual behavior and aggression are detrimental, ... Read full story
 3/1/2002
Rare Donkey Born Through Embryo Transfer in Australia  *
Monash University reproductive research is helping save the world's most endangered donkey breed. In a world first, a rare and prehistoric-looking Poitou donkey foal has been born to a surrogate Standardbred horse after embryo transfer from the biological mother, who was bred by artificial insemination. The foal brings to only three the number of ... Read full story
 2/6/2002
New IgG Stall-Side Test Kit   *
The equine industry has new technology adapted from the livestock industry to do a "stall-side" test of whether foals received an adequate amount of protective antibodies in colostrum (IgG test). This is commonly known as failure of passive transfer. Wendy Vaala, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM, a private practitioner in New Jersey, has used this device for a year, ... Read full story
 2/1/2002
AAEP Convention 2001: Gastrointestinal Disease   *
Milne Lecture Hundreds of veterinarians waited patiently in line in San Diego, Calif., on the afternoon of Nov. 26--and not at the airport. They were waiting in the AAEP trade show to purchase a copy of "The Glass Horse," a digital, three-dimensional electronic horse model developed by James N. Moore, DVM, PhD, and two of his colleagues at the University ... Read full story
 2/1/2002
Value of Digital Venograms  *
A recent 10-horse study by Bruce Lyle, DVM, a primary care equine practitioner in Aubrey, Texas, looked at using digital venography (injecting radio-opaque dye into a blood vessel to measure blood flow in the foot) to enhance a practitioner's ability to reasonably predict the course of laminitis early on, stimulate thought for new treatments, and to ... Read full story
 1/24/2002
"Glass Horse" Unveiled at Veterinary Convention  *
Hundreds of veterinarians waited patiently in line in San Diego, Calif., on the afternoon of Nov. 26—and not at the airport. They were waiting in the American Association of Equine Practitioners convention trade show to purchase a copy of “The Glass Horse,” a digital, three-dimensional electronic horse model developed by James N. Moore, DVM, PhD, and ... Read full story
 1/3/2002
Daily Reports About the Latest in Veterinary Care from AAEP  *
More than 300 topics will be covered at this year’s Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) on Nov. 24-28 in San Diego, Calif. The major sessions will include several presentations each on Western performance horse lameness, athletic horse lameness, antimicrobials, handling and breeding with frozen semen, joint ultrasonography, ... Read full story
 11/21/2001
Sperm Sorting  *
Sex pre-selection in horses might become a commercial reality. The sperm sorting method initially was developed by USDA scientists about 12 years ago. XY Inc., a Fort Collins, Colo., biotech company, now can sort more than 2,000 male- and female-producing sperm each second (a five-million-sperm dose in about an hour). Sperm sorting initially will be ... Read full story
 11/2/2001
Test-Tube Foals Born In England  *
Europe's first successful intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) foals were recently born in Newmarket, England, as a part of a research program designed to create better sport horses. The foals were born March 21 and 28. Professor Twink Allen, BVSc, PhD, ScD, DESM, MRCVS, is the head of the research group that performed the studies at the Mertoun ... Read full story
 11/1/2001
Pacemaker Recipient Gives Birth   *
A Thoroughbred/Irish Draught mare received a pacemaker in groundbreaking surgery at Great Britain's Royal Veterinary (UK) College's Sefton Equine Hospital in February. Seven-year-old Xena was weak and collapsing on admission to the equine hospital; she suffered from a rare heart condition known as third-degree heart block, which slowed her heart to ... Read full story
 11/1/2001
Thermography: Hot Images and a Hot Topic  *
When preparing the equine athlete, the typical trainer anticipates long-term soundness, yet agonizes about injury. Horsemen know that as the horse performs to a higher standard, he will probably experience varying amounts of soreness and pain. Just as no one can predict how the equine athlete will perform, so no person can forecast the effects of stress ... Read full story
 10/16/2001
Anesthesia: Down, Not Out  *
Put a horse down. Euthanized. Humanely destroyed. The list goes on. It is how we in the business describe the unsavory, but sometimes necessary, task of killing a horse. Sometimes an animal becomes sick or crippled from a chronic problem, such as laminitis, and it is more humane to end the suffering; or a mare suffers complications from foaling and ... Read full story
 10/10/2001
Bioabsorbable Screws  *
A unique type of bone screw made of a most unlikely material is making waves in equine fracture repair at the Equine Research Centre in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. The results indicate that the screws also could have important applications in human bone surgery. Surgeon John Field, BVSc, heads a team that is exploring the use of the 4.5 mm-wide screws, ... Read full story
 10/9/2001
Colorado State Lab Produces Foals Born from Frozen Mare's Eggs  *
The first foals produced from eggs harvested from a mare, frozen, and then thawed, were born recently at Colorado State University's Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory. Researchers say this is an important breakthrough since now scientists will be able to preserve reproductive material from the female as well as the male. The technology ... Read full story
 8/3/2001
The Foundation of Health  *
Secretariat, one of the most admired horses in recent years, was humanely destroyed in 1989 because of intractable laminitis. This devastating inflammation between the bone and hoof has been the finish of many horses, ever since the horse was domesticated. Secretariat's condition evoked an outcry from horsemen and sportsmen that demanded some new approaches ... Read full story
 5/1/2001
Shockwave: Waves of the Future  *
A new method of treating orthopedic injuries in horses is gaining interest among veterinarians and horse owners. Veterinarians around the world are using extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) and are encouraged by the results they are seeing with this technology. This article will summarize current research and applications of ESWT in human and ... Read full story
 5/1/2001
Battling Bugs  *
Researchers soon will be able to track down disease-causing bacteria just like law enforcement officers match a criminal to a crime--by a method of fingerprinting. Officials at the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratories (TVMDL) in College Station, Texas, are teaming up with a "DNA-fingerprinting" company called Bacterial BarCodes to simplify ... Read full story
 2/1/2001
Shock Wave Therapy Symposium To Be Held  *
Veterinarians will have the opportunity to learn about the physics and technology of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) in Shelbyville, Kentucky on Saturday, March 3, 2001. Studies on various aspects of ESWT will be presented, including those of Jack R. Snyder, DVM, PhD, of the University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital ... Read full story
 1/19/2001
Foals Born From Frozen Eggs at Colorado State  *
The first foals produced from eggs that were harvested from a mare, frozen, then thawed, were born recently at Colorado State University’s Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology Laboratory (ARBL). Researchers say this is an important breakthrough since scientists now will be able to preserve reproductive material from the female as well as the male. ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Embryo Transfer in Equine Breeding Programs  *
Once an experimental technology, embryo transfer has become an integral part of breeding programs throughout the world. Experience and technological improvements have made it a productive and relatively reliable procedure. Unlike the in-vitro fertilization procedures commonly used in human infertility treatments, both conception and early embryo growth ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
AAEP Convention Preview: State-of-the-Art Topic  *
Milne Lecture Features 3-D Anatomy Software The Frank J. Milne Lecture is named for AAEP past president and distinguished life member Frank J. Milne. Each year, the lecture focuses on subjects and techniques considered "state of the art" by the equine veterinary industry. We've long known that "hands-on" learning helps an individual grasp a concept ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
The Breaking Point--Catastrophic Injuries  *
Catastrophic injuries, involving the fracture of a bone, take a heavy toll on racehorses in training and in competition. Research through the years has given the veterinary surgeon additional tools and knowledge to deal with these life-threatening injuries, and the result has been a higher survival rate than was recorded in the past. To help make ... Read full story
 10/1/2000
Teaching From Life  *
As a horse owner, have you ever wondered exactly what something looks like inside your animal? Have you considered what your veterinarian went through to learn? Veterinary and animal science students can tell you that it isn't always pleasant to take gross anatomy courses. Dissections and examinations of tissue are an integral part of learning. Now, ... Read full story
 10/1/2000
Hearing Heartbeats  *
To assist veterinarians in discerning normal from abnormal heart sounds, an interactive equine medical CD was created with recordings of 13 equine heart sounds and associated ultrasound images. The recordings include murmurs, atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular block, and premature ventricular contractions. The sounds are included in the latest ... Read full story
 10/1/2000
Heads Up! Loose Horse!  *
Here we go again! California is trying to pass legislation that on the surface "appears" to be a good thing, but, in reality, will cause harm to our horses. It got through the Assembly without anyone in the horse industry knowing much about what was going on. If it passes the Senate, then it will be up to the governor to veto this poor piece of legislation ... Read full story
 7/1/2000
Alternative Therapies: Quality or Quackery?  *
There's a Great Divide in the equine community. It's not the endless squabbling among hard-core breed or discipline disciples, and it's not the uneasy relations between animal-rights groups and equestrian enthusiasts. It's the split between those horse owners and equine practitioners who favor a solidly "conventional" approach to veterinary medicine, ... Read full story
 6/1/2000
Gait Analysis  *
Ever since the 1880s, when Edweard Muybridge set up a series of cameras to capture the character of footfalls of a racehorse, we’ve been fascinated by how horses move. No doubt you’ve seen that early sequence of photos, which demonstrated that the artists who produced hunting prints and racing scenes were wrong: horses didn’t trot or gallop in great ... Read full story
 9/1/1999
Breakdown Breakthrough   *
New research has identified a promising diagnostic technique that should decrease the incidence of breakdowns of elite equine athletes at the track and help save the lives of young foals with infections at the breeding farm. "The potential for this technology is immense" said Equine Research Centre (ERC) president Dr. Andrew Clarke. It offers the ability ... Read full story
 6/25/1999
There Was a Crooked Foal  *
A newborn foal, teetering on spidery legs, has a knock-kneed, awkward charm that can melt the hardest of hearts. But it's not so charming if, after a couple of weeks, his legs still look as if they're bending in all the wrong places. Some crookedness of the limbs is to be expected in most newborns, but generally it resolves of its own accord within ... Read full story
 5/1/1999
Canadian Equine Research  *
The University of Guelph, located in Ontario, Canada, is home of the world renowned Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). The university is a research-intensive and student-oriented facility. Its written mission is to serve society and to enhance the quality of life through education with a global perspective. The university offers a wide range of programs, ... Read full story
 4/1/1999
Vaccinations for Horses  *
Vaccines have been true godsends the world over. Diseases that once laid waste to large segments of the human population now are held in check by vaccines. One of those killing diseases, smallpox, has been eradicated. Much the same has happened in the equine population, although perhaps in less dramatic terms--that is until just recently. The current ... Read full story
 4/1/1999
LSU Helping Animals And Humans Reproduce   *
The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center's reproductive physiology research program started with one main focus--helping farm animals reproduce efficiently and at the least cost to livestock producers. Along the way, this research program, which was established in 1973 under the direction of Robert Godke, PhD, has gained a worldwide reputation ... Read full story
 2/1/1999
Genetic Testing: The Secret World Of Genes  *
Anyone who reads this magazine likely agrees that horses are amazing creatures. Valued for their speed, their beauty, and their grace, not to mention their generosity of spirit toward humans, horses are a continuing marvel even to those of us who work with them every day. And now, as researchers delve into the secrets of the DNA strands that make horses ... Read full story
 12/1/1998
Protection and Perception: The AAEP On-Call Program  *
Of the 84 horses pre-entered in the 14th Breeders' Cup Day of championship racing for Thoroughbreds, 10 did not answer the call to the post the next Saturday. Two horses had a "system" disease that took them out of training. One horse (a longshot) was "not training well" and was withdrawn. Two other horses had minor problems that weren't lamenesses, ... Read full story
 1/1/1998
When the Bone Breaks  *
They shoot horses, don't they? We all know about the rather depressing traditional "cure" for a horse with a broken leg. But there's good news--they "shoot" them a lot less often these days. The reason is that remarkable advances in equine fracture repair now mean that many horses which in years past could not have been saved, are not only recovering ... Read full story
 9/1/1997
Magnetic Therapy  *
Horses are electrically charged. So are people. Sound a bit bizarre? Because of this electrical presence, the use of magnets has been a part of the therapeutical approach to treatment of injuries and other maladies since the 18th century. All of the cells in a horse--the same is true for humans--have a natural, resting electric current flowing through ... Read full story
 7/1/1997




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