The following statement was posted on the “Whisper Syndrome” message board yesterday (https://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/whisper_syndrome/). It was made by Thach Winslow, DVM, the veterinarian who treated horses on a farm in Shawsville, Va., one of which died of a yet to be determined illness. The horse’s

A flurry of interest arose this week on an Internet message board started by individuals who think their sick horses’ fatal diseases are linked. As a result, veterinarians are cautioning horse owners not to jump to conclusions in diagnosing their own animals or linking past cases with the alleged disease, because at this time, no disease claims have been substantiated.

Since March 2,

Illinois agriculture and health officials reported in early January that a LaSalle County horse tested positive for rabies at the Illinois Department of Agriculture laboratory in Galesburg on Dec. 10, 2004. Eleven people received preventive rabies treatment following exposure to the horse. Another domestic animal rabies case–a cow–was confirmed in eastern Bureau County on Jan. 13.

Test

A federal judge in Lexington, Ky., has ordered that the body of American Saddlebred champion Wild Eyed and Wicked be exhumed for additional forensic testing. The exhumation was set to begin on Feb. 2.

Wicked was one of five top Saddlebreds that were injected with an unknown, necrotizing (tissue-killing) substance on June 28-29, 2003, at Double D Ranch in Versailles, Ky. In the following

Scientists recently isolated the parasite that causes the neurological disease equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) from the blood of an immunocompetent horse–a normal, healthy horse. This research could lead to a better understanding of the way the single-celled protozoan parasite Sarcocystis neurona (which causes EPM) attacks a horse and the best ways to prevent and fight

New equine herpesvirus type-1 findings from a research collaboration between George Allen, PhD, professor in the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center in Lexington, and Nicholas Davis-Poynter, PhD, head of equine infectious diseases at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, England, have been released. They consented to a lay press releas

Three Standardbred racehorses in Nova Scotia have been euthanatized due to the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus type-1, and at least one other horse was suspected to have the illness. Two of the horses that were euthanatized and the suspected case were detected at the Truro Raceway in central Nova Scotia. The third horse that was euthanatized was at a Nova Scotia breeding farm and

The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) recently released its consensus statement on guidelines for treatment, control, and prevention of strangles, which is caused by Streptococcus equi. The 12-page paper took about a year to complete and reflects the input of researchers and veterinary clinicians across the country. The document was published in the January

A Standardbred mare euthanatized last Friday (Feb. 18) at the Meadows racetrack in Meadowlands, Pa., had the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus type-1 infection, according to University of Pennsylvania veterinarians. The barn where the mare was stabled has been placed under quarantine and veterinarians and trainers are watching other horses at the track for signs of illness.

This i

Central Kentucky equine abortion accessions so far in 2005 do not indicate mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). The University of Kentucky’s Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) is posting the number of abortion accessions of all breeds weekly along with comparisons to totals from 2004. MRLS struck horses in several states (including Kentucky) and Canada in 2001 and 2002. The problem

Officials from Michigan’s Office of Racing Commissioner (ORC) are requiring all horses entering any of seven licensed pari-mutuel facilities in the state be vaccinated for equine herpesvirus (EHV), in an effort to keep the virus confined to Northville Downs, where it has been detected in four horses. Three of those horses had to be euthanatized because the neurologic form of EHV type-1 caused

Discussion in the session primarily revolved around personal experiences with courses in acupuncture and chiropractic, incorporation of what they’ve learned in these courses, payment for these services, and the reminder that Western medicine should never be forgotten when treating patients.

To determine whether equine shock collars could eliminate aggressive behavior, Kennedy looked at a group of 15 horses that were either aggressive toward a new horse in the pasture, aggressive toward a horse on the opposite side of a fence, or aggressive within an established herd.

A major use of prostaglandin is to manipulate mares’ estrous cycles. Some side effects observed when mares are treated with labeled doses of these medications include sweating and colic, and as a result owner distaste for using the drugs is growing.

The conditions under which a veterinarian is asked to complete a purchase exam have great bearing on how much he or she is able to ascertain about the horse and its current state of health and athleticism. A roomful of veterinarians discussed the ins and outs of purchase exams at the 50th annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention in Denver, Colo., Dec. 4-8, 2004. Whil

Equine seizures can be disturbing to witness, and they can be puzzling for a veterinarian to diagnose, simply because the veterinarian isn’t always there to watch the horse as it has a seizure. Diagnostic tests can be expensive and time-consuming, but are necessary to determine the cause of the seizures and help identify ways to prevent them in the future.