Horse owners should have equine survivors of West Nile virus (WNV) re-examined by their veterinarians before putting the animals back into work. In a study of Minnesota horses which survived clinical WNV infection, 40% showed WNV residual effects at six months after diagnosis; these neurologic effects can make the horse more dangerous to ride or drive. Julia Wilson, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, is an

Several researchers have been working the past few years to determine if any U.S.-registered equine vaccine had advantages over others. It turns out that the serologic responses to–and protection given by–these vaccines varies significantly.

Comments collected on the draft U.S. Animal Identification Plan (USAIP) have been largely characterized by misunderstanding and frustration, according to one government official. The plan, which at this time is not an official program of the USDA, was designed to establish a timely traceback system to minimize the  the spread of foreign animal diseases, such as foot and mouth disease, an

Lunn presented studies that he and six other scientists completed comparing immune responses between commonly used, commercially available vaccines.

Genetics, racing surface, number of starts, age of the horse, pre-existing disease, conformation, and trauma have all been implicated as potential factors in the cause of racing and training injuries.

According to a Feb. 23 ProMED-mail post, Kashmir, India, could be experiencing an equine anthrax outbreak.

In late December 2003, an India Times article reported that, “Veterinarians here have raised alarm over the spread of anthrax amongst livestock. Over 135 horses from a state-run stable have died due to the deadly disease. The numbers are rising.” According to the

Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is widespread in the northeastern United States, with nearly 50% of adult horses in some areas infected or with a history of infection. Thomas Divers, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVECC, and others at Cornell University recently completed research that confirmed the consistency and predictability of how

There’s been a lot of speculation about the analgesic effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) and radial shock wave therapy (RSWT)–no one has identified the duration or mechanism of analgesia.

Very little scientific research has been done in the way of comparing the effectiveness of equine vaccines. However, several researchers have been hard at work over the past few years trying to determine if any particular U.S.-registered equine vaccines had advantages over others. It turns out that the serologic responses to–and protection given by–these vaccines varies significantly. Hugh

Junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB) is an inherited disease that causes skin lesions over pressure points of the body in newborn Belgian foals and results in large areas of skin loss. The disease is a lethal condition and affected foals typically are euthanized shortly after birth.

Acyclovir is an anti-viral drug with a high activity and selectivity for herpesviruses. It has been used in equine outbreaks, even though past studies have not established a clear-cut benefit of using the drug.

White and 10 other veterinarians from private and university equine hospitals in the United States and Canada investigated whether a dose of 1 mg/kg/day would prevent occurrence and recurrence of gastric ulcers in racehorses.

If there are any two words that can cause a foaling operation’s manager to shudder, they are probably “Rhodococcus equi,” since the bacterium is considered the most common cause of severe pneumonia in foals.

Veterinary application of shock wave therapy has come a long way in five years, with many veterinarians now finding it helpful in the treatment of their patients. Rather than the “What is this all about, and does it work?” questions of past forums on the subject, the general consensus question at the 2003 AAEP Convention’s shock wave therapy table topic was, “How can I make this technology

If you’ve had equine cases of West Nile virus (WNV) pop up in your county, most of the equids in the area probably were exposed to the disease or even infected by the time those infections occurred. That is why it’s extremely important to vaccinate horses at least two months before the WNV season.

Editor’s note: A letter to the editor from Fort Dodge Animal Health cited inaccuracies in this article and has been included below.

A new West Nile virus (WNV) equine recombinant canarypox vaccine received USDA registration approval on Dec. 23, 2003, and could pave the way for a new generation of equine