What do a horse’s stress level and his saliva have in common? Belgian scientists have found testing the former can measure the latter, and they said this saliva assay could become the test of choice for measuring horses’ stress. “Cortisol levels are
Regenerative medicine describes a group of techniques that uses the body’s natural ability to heal. Platelet-rich plasma is a regenerative therapy that can be used to treat horses with tendon and ligament injuries, arthritis, and certain wounds.
Veterinary students are often taught that dogs are three-legged animals with a spare. It might be surprising to some that the same adage is a suitable description for horses, too. “In horses where conditions exist that prevent the use of traditional
When a veterinarian suspects a horse’s joint is infected, but it is not practical or feasible to obtain a joint fluid sample, he or she should consider using ultrasound to image the joint. Alex Young, BVSc, of the University of California, Davis’
A study showed that oral detomidine gel successfully sedated horses for routine procedures.
High doses of radiation can lead to radiation sickness in humans, but what types of effects might they have on horses? In the wake of the fourth explosion at the Fukushima nuclear power plant following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, concerns
The idea of being able to “unsedate” or “reverse” a sedated horse after minor procedures is a great one, but veterinarians must select their cases carefully and be vigilant about using these drugs properly.
Monitoring lactate levels in samples of peritoneal fluid can help a vet predict which colicky horses require surgery.
Horse respiratory issues discussed during the 2010 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention included PCR testing for specific diseases, ceftiofur antibiotic for pneumonia, and electroacupuncture for chronic respiratory disease.
Veterinarians can reduce a horse’s severe forelimb pain by administering a continuous, low-dose infusion of the local anesthetic bupivacaine, but this method is not suitable for every case, according to researchers from Cornell University’s College
Colicky horses that undergo exploratory surgery and are ultimately diagnosed with an ileal impaction appear to benefit from a single injection of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) into the ileum to resolve the problem, according to veterinarians from
The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) firocoxib had fewer side effects than phenylbutazone in horses after 42 days of treatment, according to scientists from Merial Limited who presented comparative research results at the 2010 Convention
A test able to detect even the smallest amount of insulin in horse urine has recently been developed to aid in the detection of insulin doping in racehorses, according to a group of researchers from the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Racing laboratory.
If a veterinarian suspects heart disease in a horse, running a cardiac troponin I (cTnI) blood test can expedite a diagnosis, according to a team of Cornell University veterinary researchers. Cardiac troponin I is an excellent marker for injury to
It isn’t for lack of effort that the equine industry still doesn’t have new options for treating Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals.
It isn’t for lack of effort that the equine industry still doesn’t have new options for treating Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals. “To date, alternatives to macrolides for effective treatment of R. equi pneumonia in foals have not been identified
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