A diarrhea treatment might also be useful for preventing diarrhea in horses recovering from colic surgery, said researchers in a new study.
"Diarrhea following colic surgery is common with certain conditions such as colonic volvulus (twisted gut) and sand impactions due to the added injury to the intestinal mucosa that occurs in these cases," said Diana M.
Equine herpesvirus-5, which had previously been reported in horses in the United States, is also present in the European horse population, researchers recently reported. They found the virus in horses without any signs of disease (known as subclinical infection) and those with various respiratory signs or fatigue.
"EHV-5 is more or less considered as an immune-modulating
Horse owners’ selection and preparation of their animals’ feed has a greater influence on concentrations of dust and endotoxin in the stable than the type of bedding used, researchers recently reported.
Blood glucose tests might provide useful information to veterinarians treating horses with severe, persistent colic, potentially helping them to predict the severity of the horse’s condition and its chance of survival.
Colicking horses with high blood glucose levels might be more likely to die than horses with lower blood glucose levels, said authors of a new study. The
A blood sample is usually a key step in diagnosing a horse as insulin resistant. But a recent study showed that one sample might not give enough information for an accurate diagnosis, because the horse’s blood sugar and insulin fluctuates daily. “Your veterinarian should probably take at least two samples on different days,” recommended Shannon E. Pratt, PhD, of North Carolina State University, wh
Many medical procedures are performed while the horse is under standing chemical restraint, but anesthesia in horses can be risky. One study cites an almost 2% mortality rate for equine patients within seven days of receiving general anesthesia.
“It may be especially difficult to correctly dose sedative drugs in very old or debilitated patients. Similarly, very anxious or excited
Ultrasonography is a valuable tool for detecting pregnancy and establishing pregnancy loss, but it can also be used to evaluate equine fetal growth, said W.K. (Karin) Hendriks, DVM, Dipl. ECAR. Veterinarians could use a combination of transrectal and transabdominal ultrasounds to provide good information about fetal development.
Because it is difficult to define normal development
A laser device for measuring horses and ponies might give more reliable and objective measurements than a traditional stick, researchers said. Ponies currently competing in Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) events must not measure more than 151 cm with shoes or 150 cm without shoes when measured at the event.
Researchers working on a recent study repeatedly measured 15 research horse
Many people have offered solutions to overcome the problems of inconsistent performance while mares are in heat. One method popular with owners today is the implantation of marbles as glass intrauterine devices (IUDs).
“The original paper that described this technique suggested that the marble might behave like an early pregnancy and delay the mare’s return to heat,” explained Caroline M
New research comparing biomarkers in a horse’s blood with X rays showed these tests might be useful for predicting whether the animal is at risk of developing a bone or joint disorder, such as arthritis, said the study authors.
Training mature racehorses produces a decrease in the protraction (extension) time of the forelimb and might reduce the risk of training-induced injuries, said Marta Ferrari, DrMedVet, PhD, MRCVS, of Park Veterinary Centre in Watford, U.K, and colleagues at London’s Royal Veterinary College in a new study.
The researchers aimed to investigate the effect of training on stride
If your horse is at risk for intestinal stones or enteroliths (a common cause of obstruction-induced colic in horses), consider replacing an alfalfa-based diet with grass hay, said Diana M. Hassel, DVM, PhD, of Colorado State University.
Anytime a horse develops fever, malaise, and a stumbling gait or inability to stand, owners should contact a veterinarian immediately–they might be dealing with equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). In addition, the animal should be quarantined to prevent transmitting the virus to other horses through nasal secretions, said Gillian A. Perkins, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Cornell University, who recently
A change in your approach to horse stall cleaning might result in improved air quality in the stable, report researchers from Georg-August University of Gottingen, in Germany.
“Acupuncture is real medicine, based on anatomy and physiology,” she explained. “Getting the best results comes from seeing what’s right in front of us–muscle tension, imbalances in the nervous system, and the health impact of stress, malnutrition, and under- or over-exercise. Belief systems imported from China only muddy the message.”
Inflammatory markers in horses’ blood might tell veterinarians when the animals are at risk for adverse events after surgery.
“Monitoring the recovery of the patient closely in the postoperative period allows the surgeon to detect infection and other complications of the surgical procedure early, thus increasing the chance of successful treatment and minimizing problems with healing of
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