Top Equine Surgery Studies of 2012 (AAEP 2012)

Dr. Lisa Fortier recaps studies on upper respiratory tract health, colic, lameness, and racehorse health.
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Equine practitioners are undeniably busy individuals, making farm calls, caring for patients, and evaluating test results on a daily basis. To help veterinarians keep up to date on the most recent and relevant research, three veterinarians review the top studies in the fields of surgery, medicine, and reproduction at the annual American Association of Equine Practitioners’ convention. This ever-popular session, called the Kester News Hour, kicked off the 2012 convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Anaheim, Calif.

Lisa A. Fortier, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of Large Animal Surgery at Cornell, University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, N.Y., highlighted the year’s top equine surgery-related studies.

Upper Respiratory Topics

Fortier began by discussing some of the first published studies in which researchers examined the use of dynamic videoendoscopy (in which the horse undergoes the exam while exercising on a high speed treadmill or working under saddle) to evaluate equine upper respiratory issues. In one study researchers used the relatively new technology to evaluate 129 performance horses presented for evaluation of exercise noise or decreased performance; researchers fitted the horses with a videoendscope before exercise riders put the animals’ through their normal routines. Study results showed that 91% of horses presenting with exercise noise and 71% of those presenting with poor performance were diagnosed with some type of dynamic airway obstruction (such as structural collapse; axial deviation of the aryepiglottic fold; and dorsal displacement of the soft palate, or DDSP). What’s more, Fortier said, the obstructions–with the exception of DDSP–worsened during times of "increased rider intervention," such as head flexion, spurring, circling, or jumping. Additionally, Fortier said, all of the dynamic airway obstructions identified via videoendoscopy were associated with both upper and lower airway inflammation. Fortier stressed that veterinarians should treat underlying airway inflammation in these cases

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Erica Larson, former news editor for The Horse, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

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