Weight gain and obesity in horses should be avoided to prevent insulin resistance, increased insulin and leptin blood levels, and laminitis, and to maintain a healthy metabolic state.

To date, “it is unknown whether obesity is the primary cause of or contributes to metabolic abnormalities or whether these abnormalities are inherent characteristics of the animal,” wrote a group of

Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is the most common cause of blindness in horses and is believed to affect approximately 10% of the equine population. The exact cause of ERU remains unclear, although researchers have shown that recurrent bouts of inflammation involving activated T-cells (cells largely responsible for cell-mediated immunity) lead to destruction of the retina.

In an

Curcumin, an extract of the spice turmeric, is a natural product with potent anti-inflammatory properties that also exerts beneficial effects on cartilage metabolism. Scientists believe curcumin inhibits degradative enzymes such as metalloproteinases and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and reduces cartilage cell apoptosis (programmed cell death).

To study the effect of curcumin on cartilage

Horses with persistent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP), an important performance-limiting abnormality of the upper respiratory tract, have a different anatomic location of the larynx than horses with only intermittent DDSP, report Cornell University researchers.

DDSP affects approximately 10% to 20% of racehorses and is diagnosed by observing the caudal border of the soft

Horses fed a diet of only forage have greater bacterial stability and fewer “bad” fecal bacteria, such as Streptococcus spp, than horses that are also fed concentrates. This finding, reported by a group of Swedish researchers, provides opportunities for the industry to develop more targeted feeding strategies to support equine health and welfare. “Diets rich in readily

The bacterium Stenotrophomonas maltophilia can be associated with chronic lower airway disease in horses, reports a group of Danish researchers.

S. maltophilia is a Gram-negative bacterium that is causing disease more often in humans, particularly among the immunocompromised population, but it is only rarely reported as causing infection in animals.

The

Horse manure needs to be ‘cooked’ for a specific length of time and at high enough temperatures to result in sufficient reductions in viability of roundworm (Parascaris equorum) eggs and Rhodococcus equi populations, report French researchers.

Composting, a popular method of managing horse manure generated on both small and large acreage farms, must be closely controlle

Can you adequately treat your horse’s inflammatory airway disease if you have little control over his environment and face strict drug withdrawal times? Researchers have proven that anomalies of the equine upper respiratory tract, such as left laryngeal hemiplegia (roaring) and dorsal displacement of the soft palate, negatively impact performance. But

Abnormalities of the upper respiratory tract are second only to musculoskeletal disorders as leading causes of poor performance in athletic horses. While a small number of horses with mild upper airway issues can be managed medically, many horse owne

A single mutation in the genome of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) was “necessary and sufficient” to cause neurologic disease in horses in a new study, reported Cornell University researchers.

All strains of EHV-1 can cause respiratory disease and abortion, but only a subset of EHV-1 strains can cause neurologic disease said Nikolaus Osterrieder, DVM, DVM Habilitation (equivalent to PhD),

Despite the remarkable advances in understanding neurologic disease in horses, including the identification of the single genetic mutation that gives rise to the neuropathogenic form of equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1), virologists continue to experience frustrations when it comes to studying EHV-1 in the experimental setting.

EHV-1 causes abortion, neonatal death, and

The number of equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1) infections caused by the neuropathogenic form of the virus has been steadily increasing over the past 51 years, report researchers from the University of Kentucky.

Clinical observations suggest that neuropathogenic strains of EHV-1 (i.e., strains of EHV-1 with a single mutation in the gene that encodes the enzyme called DNA polymerase) have

Nonchemical parasite control strategies, fecal egg count monitoring, and controlled quarantine treatments all can delay the development of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in horses.

These were the recommendations made by a group of German researchers from the University of Veterinary Medicine in Bünteweg,

Special laboratory equipment is not needed to produce bacteria-free platelet concentrates (commonly referred to as platelet-rich plasma), but stringent attention to proper aseptic technique is essential.

Equine veterinarians are using platelet concentrates more often for the management of musculoskeletal disease. They can be prepared using a variety of methods, and they are often injecte

Previous studies evaluating the behavioral responses of horses to different types of bridles found that horses perform at least as well, if not better, with a bitless bridle than a jointed snaffle.

To probe deeper into the issue, Robert Cook, FRCVS, PhD, and Daniel Mills, BVSc, PhD, IL TM, CBiol MIBiol, MRCVS, tested their hypothesis that a horse’s behavior would change–for the