Never is timing more important than during a dystocia; managing a difficult birth is truly a matter of life or death. But better understanding of dystocias and the urgency for veterinary intervention means more mares and foals are surviving than ever before.
Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), often called equine Cushing’s disease, has been treated with the drug pergolide for years. The main reason pergolide was initially the treatment of choice was largely based on the drug’s effectiveness in treating people with Parkinson’s disease, a human endocrine disorder, according to Ronette Gehring, BVSc, MMedVet (Pharm), MRCVS, Dipl. ACVCP,
Despite the fact that opioid drugs, such as morphine and methadone, have been known to cause serious side effects in some horses, a researcher from Scotland maintains that they are a good choice for treating severe pain in horses.
Just like people, some horses have a high metabolism and can eat more food without becoming overweight. Therefore, it is important to tailor each horse’s feeding program to meet his individual needs, according to the results of a recent study by a team of Icelandic researchers.
A recent study confirms that strains of the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria in found in companion animals–including horses–resemble strains found in humans. According to Frances Moore, DVM, veterinary pathologist, and Sanjay Shukla, PhD, molecular microbiologist at Marshfield Labs and Marshfield Clinical Research Foundation in Marshfield, Wis., this means that …
The best way to train a horse is to use techniques that “align with the horse’s view of the world,” according to Paul McGreevy, BVSc, MRCVS, PhD, MACVSc, associate professor of veterinary science at the University of Sydney in Camden, New South Wales, Australia, who recently published a paper on the topic.
Geneticists have created tools and tests that help horse breeders select for healthy foals. Furthermore, access to the equine genome means scientists can examine common diseases and conditions and find ways to prevent (and one day treat) them.
A simple blood test to measure plasma D-Dimer concentration in horses with colic might help veterinarians predict severity of cases, as concentrations are higher in horses with severe gastrointestinal (GI) disease, according to a group of University of Barcelona researchers.
Equine grass sickness (EGS) is an often fatal neurologic disease affecting primarily young grazing horses, and a team of researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland are working to find its cause. Their findings regarding bacteria in the feces of affected horses compared to non-affected horses were recently published in the Equine Veterinary Journal.
Several New Jersey horse owners have filed a lawsuit against the highway toll collecting company E-Z Pass and the Delaware River Port Authority, claiming the electronic toll collection system has overcharged them repeatedly to cross the Commodore Barry Bridge, which spans the Delaware River and connects New Jersey to Pennsylvania.
Just because turned-out horses might not use run-in sheds often does not mean these structures are not an important part of husbandry, says Camie R. Heleski, MS, PhD, a Michigan State University instructor and researcher with an interest in studying horse behavior and welfare . Heleski and her colleagues recently completed a study in which they examined daytime shelter-seeking among horses.
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture announced an initiative to ensure that horse owners and dealers are aware of–and following–the longstanding regulations for bringing horses into the state from another state.
A 2-year-old mare from Monmouth County, N.J., was euthanized this month after contracting Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). This is the first 2010 case of EEE to be reported in the state. The mare was not vaccinated against EEE, which causes inflammation of the brain tissue and has a significantly higher risk of death in horses than infection from West Nile virus (WNV), a viral d
Neuromuscular diseases, which affect the function of muscles and the way they interact with the nervous system, can lead to performance issues, said Kelsey A. Hart, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, internal medicine clinician and graduate fellow at the University of Georgia’s department of large animal medicine, at the recent American Veterinary Medical Association meeting in Atlanta, Ga.
When it comes to horse management, “experience is the best teacher.” According to a recent study by Swedish researchers, experienced staff might help protect your horse against orthopaedic injuries. The study tried to ascertain which horses at riding schools suffered fewer orthopaedic injuries. The researchers examined 99 horses at eight riding schools that carried life
A recent study found that using rectal swab samples could be an alternative way to test for the Lawsonia intracellularis bacteria that causes equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) if the foal has decreased or no fecal output. EPE is an emerging intestinal disease found in weanlings. Because th
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