U.K. Transportation Conference to be Held

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director July 1, 2003

The 2nd International Conference on the transportation of sport/breeding horses will be held July 12-13, 2003, at Hartpury College, Hartpury, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom.

Officials expect that up to 300 delegates from all over the world will attend the conference, which is specifically aimed at horse transport industry representatives.

The conference, funded by the Federation

2002 Economic Impact of WNV on Colorado and Nebraska

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director July 1, 2003

A study led by researchers at Colorado State University (CSU) found that West Nile virus (WNV) cost equine owners in Colorado and Nebraska more than $1.25 million in 2002, and prevention costs for WNV vaccination likely topped another $2.75 million for the equine industry in those states last year. In 2002, Colorado reported 378 confirmed cases of WNV in equids, and Nebraska reported 1,100.

EEE Strikes South Carolina; Georgia and Florida Continue to Log Cases

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 30, 2003

Veterinarians are scrambling to keep up with the number of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) cases that continue to emerge in the southeastern United States. South Carolina in the last three weeks had 17 equine cases confirmed, and about 25 pending. Florida’s EEE case count has risen to 113 horses this year, and Georgia has logged 30 cases.

In 2002, South Carolina had five equine case

Stock Trailer Accident Information Sought for Study

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 24, 2003

Students at Anderson College in Anderson, S.C., are compiling information on stock trailer accidents in order to better understand trailer safety concerns. The following questionnaire is being distributed to acquire this data, and horse owners submitting information are encouraged to send in any photographs or news clippings on the accident.

All information will be kept confidential,

Veterinarians Debunk Suggested Link Between WNV Vaccine and Birth Problems

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 23, 2003

Despite recent media reports, Wyoming, Colorado, and USDA veterinarians say that there is currently no scientific proof to link the West Nile virus vaccine to aborted, stillborn, or deformed foals, and that horse owners should continue to vaccinate their animals to protect them from the deadly disease.

Claims by a Denver newspaper that some pregnant mares may have been adversely

84 Florida EEE Cases

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 18, 2003

The number of cases of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in Florida has risen to 84. The cases have been found in 30 counties. Only 22 of the horses were alive at the time of reporting the disease, but according to officials, many of the horses probably did not live through the days following diagnosis. Bill Jeter, DVM, diagnostic veterinary manager for Florida’s Division of Animal Industry,

Internal Medicine Conference Highlights Timely Topics

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 18, 2003

The 27th annual American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Forum gave equine veterinarians an opportunity to discuss and share the latest advances in veterinary medicine. The ACVIM is the official organization of the veterinary specialties of small animal internal medicine, large animal internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, and oncology.

Seven Cases of EEE Confirmed in SC

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 17, 2003

According to an Associated Press story in The Post And Courier, a newspaper in Charleston, Clemson University tests show that Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) has killed four horses in Berkley County, S.C., during the past several weeks.

A donkey in Dorchester County and another horse in Georgetown County have tested positive for

IVERCARE–Because You Care Award Finalists Announced

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 17, 2003

Public to Decide the Winners

Nearly 31,000 online votes were received from the public in the semifinals of the IVERCARE–Because You Care award program sponsored by Farnam Horse Products. Earlier this year, more than 100 organizations and individuals were nominated for the award program, which was initiated by Farnam to recognize non-profit organizations and individuals that

MRLS Agent in or on Caterpillar Exoskeleton

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 10, 2003

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture last week released the results of a recently completed experiment conducted by the Departments of Veterinary Science (Karen McDowell, MS, PhD) and Entomology (Bruce Webb, MS, PhD, and Walter Barney) and the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (Neil Williams, DVM, PhD, and Mike Donahue, PhD). This is the fourth in a series of

West Nile Virus Vaccine: Adverse Effects in Mares?

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 9, 2003

Allegations that the West Nile virus vaccine might have caused abortions and deformed foals were made in a May 30 Denver Post article. Mare owners calling themselves the “Lost Foals Group” claim the vaccine has caused up to 1,200 abortions and nearly 300 deformed or dummy foals. However, top veterinarians dispute those allegations based on their experiences.

Tom Riddle,

44 Florida EEE Cases

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 1, 2003

The number of confirmed Eastern equine encephalitis cases (EEE) in horses has risen to 44 as of May 6 in north central Florida, according to Bill Jeter, DVM, diagnostic veterinary manager for Florida’s Division of Animal Industry. This confirmed earlier speculations that 2003 will have higher-than-normal numbers of EEE cases this year. The virus has been confirmed in 18 counties, and 24 of th

Uterine Lavage Before Insemination Not Harmful to Fertility

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 1, 2003

Uterine lavage can be performed immediately prior to artificial insemination in mares without adversely affecting fertility, according to a recent study completed at the University of Idaho (UI) in Moscow, Idaho. The uterine lavage process is used to clear the uterus of inflammatory fluids that could decrease the viability of semen in mares.

Researchers already knew that uterine lavage

Equine Influenza Spreads in the U.K.

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 1, 2003

Equine influenza has spread to nearly 20 premises–mostly Thoroughbred training stables–in the eastern, central, and southern parts of the United Kingdom. “The reason (it’s unusual) is because despite the fact that horses have been very well vaccinated and have very high antibody levels, they are still becoming infected,” according to James Wood, BSc, BVetMed, MSc, PhD, MRCVS, DLSHTM, Dipl.

EHV Outbreak in England Unusual; Some Cases Could be EHV-4

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director June 1, 2003

“It’s very unusual to get EHV-1 outbreaks all at the same time on different premises,” said James Wood, BSc, BVetMed, MSc, PhD, MRCVS, DLSHTM, Dipl. ECVPH, head of epidemiology at the Animal Health Trust (AHT) in the United Kingdom, about the recent flare-up of neurologic equine herpesvirus-1 cases in his country. At least 12 U.K. horses have been euthanized after infection with the

The World’s First Equine Clone

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director May 30, 2003

The landscape of equine reproduction research dramatically changed yesterday (May 29) when a University of Idaho (UI) and Utah State University team announced they were the first to clone a member of the equine family–the mule–according to an article to be published in the journal Science. The research team includes Gordon Woods, DVM, MS, PhD, Dipl. ACT, UI professor of animal and