About 75 veterinarians gathered to discuss common lameness problems faced by gaited horses during the 2009 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention.

Foot lameness was the first topic of discussion, especially the high heel/low toe problem. Solutions included shoeing changes, for example with a wedge under the low heel to match the high heel.

Anothe

Equine veterinarians commonly prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for horses to treat a myriad of diseases, including colic, respiratory disease, and lameness. NSAIDs are also very common in human medicine, and include such drugs as aspirin and ibuprofen. Most horse owners have probably used NSAIDs too, such as phenylbutazone, or “bute,” in one of their horses

The two major endocrine disorders affecting horses–equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID or equine Cushing’s disease)–were hot topics at the 2009 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Las Vegas, Nev., Table Topic session on Equine Endocrine Disorders.

The more recently described EMS is a condition that fir

The 2009 World Equine Veterinary Association Congress, held in Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil, included discussions of Rhodococcus equi, which causes foal pneumonia; sleep disorders and seizures; guttural pouch problems; late-term abortion; and tendon sheath problems/lameness.

Manual therapy was defined, with an explanation of the terms mobilization, manipulation, and adjustments. Educational opportunities for those wishing to pursue training in manual therapy techniques was provided to those in the group, and some attendees shared their educational experiences at the different certification programs.

Synthetic racing surfaces were the topic that raised the most concern among the approximately 80 veterinarians from the United States, Canada, and Europe in attendance at the Lameness in Racehorses Table Topic held during the 2009 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention.

A discussion of opinions on synthetic surfaces and practitioners’ perspectives of di

The purpose of the Table Topic on Rehabilitation held during the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Las Vegas, Nev., was to educate veterinarians on the opportunities and use of rehabilitation techniques in equine practice.

Rehabilitation is defined as attempting to restore to a former capacity or to bring to a condition of health or useful activity.

A variety of sarcoid and skin tumor treatments and management topics were discussed by veterinarians during a Table Topic at the 2009 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention. All veterinarians in the room had treated skin tumors and were willing to discuss their successes and failures.

Since sarcoids are the most common skin tumor in the horse, their treatme

The Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) Table Topic attracted an audience of about 60 veterinarians at the 2009 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Las Vegas, Nev. The audience ranged from practitioners to researchers to USDA personnel who participated in a question and answer session about this foreign animal disease that caused concern at multiple stallion collec

Timing of mare insemination with cooled and frozen semen was one of the hot topics at a session of veterinarians at the 2009 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Las Vegas, Nev. The topics discussed in the AI With Cooled and Frozen Semen Table Topic section ranged from industry preference for frozen or cooled semen, to strategies for insemination for optimizing p

Researchers already know that horses have the physical equipment for scotopic (night) vision, with more rods than cones and a reflective structure in the retina.

Understanding the genetics of horse color could be a gateway to a deeper understanding of the molecular biology of the horse. Worldwide collaborative efforts, such as the Horse Genome Project, seek to identify and understand the entire DNA sequence of the domestic horse. Discovering the mode of inheritance of observable traits such as

The topic of coat color and coat patterns is of great interest to horse breeders. Color can substantially increase a horse’s marketability. All else being equal, a buyer is often willing to pay more for a horse with an attractive color pattern.

Trainer Chip Woolley Mine That Bird will undergo surgery later today for an entrapped epiglottis, but the horse is still pointed toward the Shadwell Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 29. Woolley said the surgery would be performed by Patricia Hogan, VMD, Dipl. ACVS, at the Ruffian Medical Center.

Earlier on Aug. 17, the winner of the Kentucky Derby worked five furlongs in 1:03.83, the