The single most important cause of premature delivery of a foal is placentitis. It accounts for nearly one-third of late-term abortions and fetal mortality in the first day of life.
Performance of a thorough placental examination, he said, requires a basic understanding of placental anatomy and some familiarity with the gross features found in a normal placenta.
During the foaling season, Bain said, veterinarians are frequently called upon to deal with a foal that is the product of a mare with placentitis. These foals, he said, can range from being extremely early–300 days–with small size and organ function incompatible with life to a full-sized foal nearer to full-term gestation with minimal effects.
Mary DeLorey, DVM, owner of Northwest Equine Dentistry in Washington, began Horseman’s Day at the 50th annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Denver, Colo., Dec. 4-8, 2004, with a presentation titled “Everything You Wanted to Know About Equine Dentistry.” “Just a float isn’t enough anymore,” she told her listeners. “Comprehensive dental care is needed.” She said
At Horseman’s Day at the 50th annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Denver, Colo., Dec. 4-8, 2004, Sally Vivrette, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, of Triangle Equine Veterinary Services in Cary, N.C., discussed strategies for keeping the performance horse healthy and fit.
“Maintaining a performance or pleasure horse represents a substantial investment of time and
The best chance to improve the survival rate of a newborn foal, she said, is adequate advance disease prevention and planning. The disease prevention includes a comprehensive vaccination program, Zimmel told her listeners.
Christy Malazdrewich, DVM, MVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, assistant clinical professor at the University of Minnesota, discussed metabolic problems at Horseman’s Day at the 50th annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Denver, Colo., Dec. 4-8, 2004. She gave clear-cut descriptions of two baffling conditions–Cushing’s disease and metabolic syndrome. She opened with this
Ken Bedell, DVM, of Cornell University, addressed one of the newer maladies that has shown up in the horse world–equine motor neuron disease–at Horseman’s Day at the 50th annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Denver, Colo., Dec. 4-8, 2004. He characterized the affliction as any disease that targets the nerves that coordinate the muscle structure, such as
“Adverse effects of administration of rhEPO to horses are potentially fatal.” He said that administration of the compound is associated with severe anemia that can cause death.
The results of this study suggest that moderate to severe tracheal mucus accumulation is a risk factor for poor racing performance in Thoroughbred horses. Indeed, horses with little to no tracheal mucus placed nearly twice as well in a race compared with horses with moderate to large amounts of tracheal mucus.
Overall, Standardbred mares given furosemide, Morley said, finished 0.18 seconds faster than untreated mares; treated geldings finished 0.05 seconds faster than untreated geldings, and treated stallions finished 0.11 seconds faster than untreated stallions.
K.W. Hinchcliff, BVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, visiting fellow at the University of Melbourne in Australia, at the 50th annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Denver, Colo., Dec. 4-8, 2004 discussed the effect of EIPH on race times when furosemide was not administered. The study involved examinations of horses competing in competitions where furosemide is not
There were a couple of take-home messages from Dyson’s presentation. One was that sacroiliac joint problems can dramatically compromise a horse’s ability to perform, and the other was that using an analgesic injection can be a valuable technique in diagnosing sacroiliac problems.
Equine infectious anemia is characterized by fever, anemia, jaundice, depression, edema, and chronic weight loss.
The immune systems of humans and horses are what keep us alive. Without a properly functioning immune system, disease would run rampant, with serious illness and death being the ultimate outcome.
Gain an understanding of how the horse is constructed and what this means in the realm of form to function.
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with
