Anyone following Triple Crown races this year knows there’s a lot of controversy about the soundness of Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner Big Brown’s feet. But despite a third hoof problem in his short career–a quarter crack that showed up in his
(PHOTOS/VIDEO) Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown clearly owns some of the Thoroughbred industry’s fastest feet. But many question their soundness, fueled by reports of layoffs, quarter cracks, and special shoes. His current farriers Tom Curl and Ian
Horses evolved to eat a lot of fiber, spending up to 17 hours a day grazing various forage plants. But not all fiber is created equal, especially when it comes to hay.
Hay carries a few challenges compared to living forages. One, compared t
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
The high degree of detail seen with MRI has made it possible for veterinarians to find equine injuries they’ve never seen before. One example of this–MRI evaluation of desmitis in the oblique and straight distal sesamoidean ligaments–was discussed.
Not all MRI units are created equal. Learn about the differences in MRI units.
Skin cancers are seen in horses, and many methods and technologies have been used to treat them. One of the more recent strategies is intralesional chemotherapy, or placing a chemotherapeutic agent directly in the tumor to kill the abnormal cells.
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.
There are many situations when casting a horse’s lower limb can be beneficial, such as when he has a fracture of a pastern bone, a tendon or ligament injury, or a wound that won’t heal because of excess movement. At the 2007 American Association of
Pain originating in the upper cannon bone area, just below the knee or hock, is common in all types of equine athletes. However, it can be difficult to determine exactly what structure is injured; some injuries can only be seen with high-field MRI.
The airways of many breeds of horses, particularly Thoroughbreds, are evaluated via an endoscope and graded before sale. The intent is to identify horses whose airways might have problems that could limit the horses’ performance at maximal
“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
The sacroiliac joint, which forms the articulation between the pelvis and the spine, is often considered a location of elusive pain in horses. However, its deep location and, thereby, limited accessibility make diagnosis (via nerve blocks) and
Many methods have been used to straighten crooked limbs on foals, and in the past staples placed across the “long” side’s growth plate have received somewhat mixed reviews. However, some researchers suggest that this was due to poor staple choic
When an owner suspects that a horse might have eaten something poisonous, the veterinarian is generally the first person he or she calls. In addition to treating any health problems, that veterinarian is uniquely suited to investigate the cause
Osteoarthritis has a major impact on pain and athleticism of horses, and many medications are used to combat it. At the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 1-5 in Orlando, Fla., an in vitro study comparing
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