Susan Piscopo, DVM, PhD

Susan Piscopo, DVM, PhD, is a free-lance writer in the biomedical sciences. She practiced veterinary medicine in North Carolina before accepting a fellowship to pursue a PhD in physiology at North Carolina State University. She lives in northern New Jersey with her husband and two sons.

Articles by: Susan Piscopo, DVM, PhD

Choosing to Breed During Foal Heat

If a barn full of people were asked their opinion about breeding a mare during foal heat, a barn full of opinions would result. This topic has been controversial for a long time. There is debate about whether it is harmful to a mare’s health,

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Endometritis Diagnosis and Management

When a mare is bred by natural cover, the uterine lining, or endometrium, becomes inflamed. The stallion deposits semen in the uterus, as well as bacteria, bits of debris, and seminal fluid. The normally sterile uterus becomes irritated and

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Skin Testing in Horses With RAO

Preventing attacks of wheezing, coughing, and labored breathing in a horse with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) involves eliminating allergens from the horse’s environment. But how do you know which allergens are most problematic for your

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Inheritance of RER in Thoroughbreds

Recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) causes affected Thoroughbreds to suffer recurring episodes of muscle cramping, stiffness, excessive sweating, and a reluctance to move after exercise. With no cure available, information on how RER might

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Diagnosing Endometritis–Biopsies vs. Swabs

Is an endometrial swab the best screening tool for endometritis, or inflammation of the uterine lining (endometrium)? Not according to a recently published study from Denmark in Theriogenology that compared endometrial swabs with biopsies to

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Visualizing Joints During Surgery

 

Arthroscopic surgery in horses is commonly performed to remove abnormal pieces of cartilage, called osteochondral (OC) fragments, from the surface of joints. Visualization through an arthroscope is typically aided by

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Nasal Septum Resection

If the nasal septum?the bony structure that divides the left and right halves of the nasal cavity?becomes deviated or thickened, the nasal passages become narrowed and breathing is impaired. Left untreated, it can lead to exercise intolerance an

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Detecting Rhodococcus equi Faster

Rhodococcus equi pnemonia is an insidious disease of foals–by the time one sees clinical signs, the pnemonia can be well advanced. Thus, tests that have greater sensitivity for R. equi are needed because they might permit earlier diagnosis.

Texas A&M researchers have described a test that could detect and quantitate virulent R. equi faster than previou

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Oral Potassium for Endurance?

Endurance riding can lead to significant losses of water and electrolytes, which can cause clinical illnesses related to increased neuromuscular excitability, including cardiac arrhythmia, muscle cramping and twitching, and gut motility changes.

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An Unusual Case of Septic Arthritis

Septic or infectious arthritis in healthy adult horses usually develops rapidly, creating significant lameness, but a recent case report found that septic arthritis might appear chronic rather than acute, and that it can be caused by an unusual

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Detecting Faster

Rhodococcus equi pnemonia is an insidious disease of foals–by the time one sees clinical signs, the pnemonia can be well advanced. Thus, tests that have greater sensitivity for R. equi are needed because they might permit

Read More

Detecting Rhodococcus equi Faster

Rhodococcus equi pnemonia is an insidious disease of foals–by the time one sees clinical signs, the pnemonia can be well advanced. Thus, tests that have greater sensitivity for R. equi are needed because they might permit earlier diagnosis.

Texas A&M researchers have described a test that could detect and quantitate virulent R. equi faster than previou

Read More

Dangerous Strangles

Strangles has a low mortality rate (2.6%), but it is highly contagious and spreads rapidly.

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