Recent News for Diseases and Conditions
Article
Feeding the High-Octane Horse
August 01, 1998
But because forages are not high-energy feeds, the athletic horse's diet needs to be supplemented in order to provide enough energy for him to perform at peak capacity. Traditionally, this is done by feeding grains, which are rich in carbohydrates... Read More
Article
Equine Respiratory Disease Part 2: The Lower Airway
August 01, 1998
The lower airway consists of the lungs and the air tubing (bronchi) that supplies them. The lungs have some very interesting and unique protective mechanisms that put forth a great effort to prevent infection. Obviously, the air... Read More
Article
Rx: Responsible Drug Use
August 01, 1998
Tranquilizers can calm a nervous, first-time dam and allow her to accept her foal; anti-inflammatory drugs may... Read More
Article
VS Update 7/28/98
July 31, 1998
Colorado became a case positive state on July 23, 1998, with the isolation of VSV, Indiana strain, from a horse on a premises located in Boulder County. Nine additional investigations were reported, six of which were positive for VSV. There were... Read More
Article
Texas Horses Cooler Than Humans In Sweltering Heat At Racetracks
July 24, 1998
The United States is experiencing a record-setting summer, with temperatures in the Southwest topping the 100-degree mark day after day. The suspects among the causes of this heat streak range from global warming to La Niña,... Read More
Article
Hay Alternatives
July 01, 1998
Although regular baled hay is the mainstay of equine diets across North America, it's sometimes more trouble than it's worth. Heavy to stack, bulky to store, prone to vitamin breakdown, and -- heaven forbid! -- also spontaneous combustion, not t... Read More
Article
Common Respiratory Problems
July 01, 1998
The main goal of the respiratory system is to transfer oxygen from the air we breathe to the red blood cells, where the oxygen will be transported throughout the body and be available for all organs and tissues. In addition, carbon dioxide, a waste... Read More
Article
Cooling Overheated Horses
July 01, 1998
Q: With summer upon us, I am concerned about exercising my horse in hot weather. What can I do to make sure my horse is properly cooled out? Are there steps I can take before, during, and after exercise? ... Read More
Article
Periodic Ophthalmia (Moon Blindness)
July 01, 1998
Periodic ophthalmia, otherwise known as recurrent uveitis, uveitis, or moon blindness, can be a devastating disease of the equine eye. It also, unfortunately, is a disease that we really don't know much about. The hypothetical... Read More
Article
USDA Amends EIA Quarantine Regulations
June 12, 1998
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is requiring that all horses classified as reactors for equine infectious anemia be quarantined at least 200 yards from healthy horses in livestock facilities under state or federal... Read More
Article
Infectious Diseases in Horses
June 01, 1998
Viral infections of the equine respiratory tract are a veterinary challenge. They occur frequently and result in major economic loss to the horse industry. Currently available vaccines are not completely effective in controlling respiratory... Read More
Article
Dew Poisoning/Scratches
June 01, 1998
Some call the affliction dew poisoning. Others use the term scratches. Still others refer to it as grease heel or cracked heel. There are yet others who call it mud fever. Whatever the term, the affliction is the same--a form of dermatitis ... Read More
Article
Summer Haircoat Tips
June 01, 1998
A guide to ensure your horse's hair coat stays healthy all summer long.... Read More
Article
New Mexico Announces Detection Of Vesicular Stomatitis
May 23, 1998
As of May 18, two horses in New Mexico have been diagnosed with vesticular stomatitis (VS).The virus (Indiana type) was isolated from one horse on a premises in Otero County, New Mexico. Another horse on the same... Read More
Article
FDA Approves Restricted Use Of Clenbuterol For Horses
May 23, 1998
On May 11, 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ventipulmin (clenbuterol hydrochloride) Syrup for use in horses affected with airway obstruction, such as occurs with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), also known... Read More
Article
The Fat Farm: Nutrition for the Overweight Horse
May 01, 1998
Is your mare looking a bit rotund lately? Does her gait have a waddling roll to it? Has her spine disappeared in a dimpled groove along her back? Has she outgrown her girth, her winter blanket, and the stall door? If she’s not due to foal, then... Read More
Article
Barns and Stalls: The Air In There
May 01, 1998
Horse owners often tend to build and manage their barns more for their own comfort than for their horses'--and horses have far greater cold tolerance than we do. What might feel chilly to us often is perfectly comfortable for our hairy friends.... Read More
Article
Umbilical Hernia
May 01, 1998
I have been told that my horse has an umbilical hernia. What exactly is an umbilical hernia and what can be done to correct it? A hernia is defined as a "protrusion of an organ or tissue through an abnormal opening." The... Read More
Article
The Battle of the Bugs
May 01, 1998
We don't tend to give external parasites--creepy little critters like mites, lice, and ticks-a lot of consideration in our day-to-day horse management, but they can have just as much impact on our equines' health as the internal parasites (worms and ... Read More
Article
Sponge Case Could See Federal Indictment
May 01, 1998
An indictment by a federal grand jury could be returned as soon as Monday in the Churchill Downs sponging case, according to a report by ESPN cited by the Associated Press. ESPN reported... Read More
Article
British Paper Offers Theory on Bleeding
May 01, 1998
British scientists on April 27 released a paper with a new theory which they think explains why horses bleed during exercise. The authors, who include Professor Bob Schroter of Imperial College, London, and Dr. David Marlin o... Read More
Article
VSV Might Be Useful For Humans
April 03, 1998
Yale University lab researchers recently modified the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) to kill HIV-infected human cells. Even better, the human VSV left the human cells unharmed. Such a treatment might swiftly stop HIV... Read More
Article
African Horse Sickness Detected In South Africa
April 02, 1998
African Horse Sickness (AHS) has been detected in the Western Cape of South Africa with confirmation of at least 12 horses being fatally stricken by the disease. Due to the outbreak, a ban has been placed on all horse exports... Read More
Article
Avoiding Travel Fatigue
April 01, 1998
Although most horses seem to tolerate travel it is a stress to some degree to all horses. Horses lose body weight and run the risk of respiratory disease during travel. Because of the risks no matter how seasoned the showman moving horses... Read More
