What was the hottest news in equine veterinary medicine in 2009? During the popular Kester News Hour session at the annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention, three top veterinarians (who focus on equine reproduction, internal medicine, and lameness/surgery) summarized the top news topics and the most significant research reports of the year for a record crowd of equine veterinarians.

The presenters during the 2009 convention, held Dec. 5-9 in Las Vegas, Nev., were:

• Scott E. Palmer, VMD., Dipl. ABVP (Equine Practice), hospital director and a staff surgeon of the New Jersey Equine Clinic in Clarksburg, N.J., and past president of the AAEP and American Board of Veterinary Practitioners;
• Margo L. Macpherson, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACT, associate professor and section chief in Reproduction at the University of Florida, and past president of the American College of Theriogenologists; and
• Bonnie R. Rush, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, professor of equine internal medicine at Kansas State University, winner of the 1996 and 2003 Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teacher Award, and the 2002 Pfizer Award for Research Excellence, and the 2004 Outstanding Woman Veterinarian of the Year

Compounded medications The very public death of 21 polo ponies in April 2009 due to an incorrectly formulated compounded vitamin/mineral supplement (excessive levels of selenium) "was one of the biggest stories of 2009, drawing international attention to the sport of polo and the profession of medication preparation," said Palmer.

Macpherson noted that several factors contributed to the situation, not just a single mistake