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
“Not all obese individuals are insulin-resistant, and not all IR-affected horses are obese. But IR-associated medical problems are more likely to develop in concert with obesity in individuals born with IR,” said Nat Messer, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, an
Insulin resistance is a part of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). There are three criteria for identifying the horse with EMS: Insulin resistance, prior (founder lines) or current laminitis, and general obesity or regional adiposity (areas of abnormal
Manipulating the estrous cycle in mares is a big part of many breeding operations, and medications play various roles in the process. There are several options for inducing ovulation, including human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG),
What’s the one word that strikes fear into the hearts of all horse owners? Colic. It can strike any horse at any age for a myriad of reasons–there’s impaction colic, gas/spasmodic colic, strangulating colic, and many other versions. At the
If hoof structures are poorly developed, then they will be less capable of going barefoot and, even when shod, not as ready for withstanding continuous training. To avoid sore feet, the quality of the trimming and shoeing and interval between shoeing
More than half of all equine lameness is due to noninfectious joint disease and injury. It can happen from one bad step, but it’s most likely due to cyclic (repeated) trauma.
The lack of dopamine is critical, as the activity of the pars intermedia is normally inhibited (controlled) by dopamine. Without dopamine, the pars intermedia produces much more hormone than it should, causing the clinical signs of PPID.
The first thing most guides on handling emergency situations will tell you to do is be prepared for that emergency. Know what can happen, what you’ll do in that situation, who you’ll call, what supplies you’ll need, etc. For an equine health
“It is our responsibility to have the horse so well trained that we can do whatever we need to do without a problem,” he stated. “Our horse does not have the right to hurt anyone. It’s not because the vet smells funny that a horse hurts him
Medication options for PPID include pergolide, cyproheptadine, trilostane, and chasteberry extract. One disadvantage is that no treatment is currently FDA-approved for PPID in horses.
Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction–PPID, or Cushing’s disease–is the most common disease of horses and ponies 15 years of age or older. Although it’s not fully understood yet, researchers are learning more about how to treat and prevent it.
Unfortunately, no perfect PPID test (one that is 100% accurate with a single-sample test) yet exists. At the 2006 AAEP Convention, Harold Schott, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, professor of large animal clinical sciences at Michigan State University,
One of the biggest challenges in successful equine reproduction is uterine inflammation. Increased inflammation can destroy spermatozoa before they have a chance to fertilize the egg, and it can create a hostile environment that kills an embryo.
“Old age need not be a burden,” said Loving. “Considering all the premium health care we can offer our horses today, there is no reason they shouldn’t be living into a ripe old age in the greatest of comfort.”
People are always looking for tips on how to do things better–particularly horse breeders looking for ways to get healthier foals. Benjamin Espy, DVM, Dipl. ACT, a practitioner from San Antonio, offered insight on many areas of equine reproduction
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