Michael Ball, DVM

Michael A. Ball, DVM, completed an internship in medicine and surgery and an internship in anesthesia at the University of Georgia in 1994, a residency in internal medicine, and graduate work in pharmacology at Cornell University in 1997, and was on staff at Cornell before starting Early Winter Equine Medicine & Surgery located in Ithaca, New York. He was an FEI veterinarian and worked internationally with the United States Equestrian Team. He died in 2014.

Articles by: Michael Ball, DVM

Vital Signs

To establish a baseline set of measurements when the horse is healthy, do your “hands-off” observations first. Then after watching the horse, measure its heart and respiratory rates.

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Facts About Blood

Blood is an essential component of the mechanism whereby oxygen is transferred from the lungs to all of the body’s organs and tissues. So just how much blood does a horse have anyway?

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The Essential First Aid Kit

The preparation of a horse first aid kit for your stable is easy to make and–in an emergency–can be of great importance. Once you have assembled such a kit, make sure everyone knows this golden rule: its contents are for emergency use only.

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The Right Stuff

David O’Connor and Leon Harrel come from two totally separate equine worlds and compete in disciplines that have very little in common. They also are far removed from each other geographically. O’Connor, winner of the individual Olympic gold

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Basic Concepts in Nutrition

The options and opinions on what to feed your horse are numerous. My goal in this article is to review the differences between the simple-stomached creatures (such as ourselves, dogs, cats, etc.) and the horse. In addition, we will take a look”P>The options and opinions on what to feed your horse are numerous. My goal in this article is to review the diff

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Shot Spots

All in all, vaccine reactions are very rare, and the process of vaccination against a disease process is one of the best ways you can safeguard your horse’s health. Vaccination is one of the most impressive discoveries of modern medicine; the ability to protect a horse against the ill effects of several severe and often fatal diseases is a huge benefit. However, you should understand the

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A Shot in the Dark

Author’s note: This article is intended to improve your understanding of drugs commonly used in equine veterinary care; it is not a “treatment guide” for the lay person. No medication or combination thereof should be given without veterinary consultation. Medications given in the wrong circumstance, via the wrong route, and/or in the wrong combination can hurt or kill. The administration o

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Thrush: Phew! Stinky Feet!

Thrush is very common, and it typically is a mild disease that can be easily treated. More importantly, it can be prevented with adequate foot management and good stable husbandry. However, if you choose to ignore these preventive measures, or you come into possession of a horse with thrush, it needs to be addressed immediately and aggressively as complications and chronic lameness issues can resu

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Venereal Disease in Horses

Venereal diseases are those that can be sexually transmitted. "Vener" is the Latin term for sexual intercourse and, hence, the origin of the term "venereal." The outcome of sexually transmitted diseases in horses can vary

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Ovariectomy

Ovariectomy is a procedure that generally is performed to remove an abnormal ovary. Occasionally, an ovariectomy is performed in fillies or mares which have particularly bad behavior during their heat cycle in an effort to make them more

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Tendon Injuries in Horses

Tendon injuries can be extremely frustrating. The best way to deal with them is to make every effort to prevent them, or if possible, limit the degree of damage that occurs. Certainly some tendon injuries occur acutely without any warning, but

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Hoof Repair

When your farrier and/or your veterinarian discuss how to solve the hoof problems you are encountering with your horse–be it from injury or disease–you will be better able to understand your options, and get your horse back on his feet in the short

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Navicular Problems: Symptoms and Treatment

Lameness emanating from the caudal aspect of the horse’s foot can be caused by a variety of problems. Here’s a review of what the horse’s navicular bone is, what it does, problems that can occur, and potential treatments.

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