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

MRI for Confirming DDF Tendonitis

Tendonitis of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) in horses is a newly recognized cause of foot pain. Radiography and even ultrasonography have failed to detect abnormalities in this tendon, especially as it travels within the hoof capsule and attaches to the pedal or coffin bone. In an effort to improve the ability of practitioners to diagnose DDFT lesions within the foot, a study was

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Injecting Cervical Facet Joints

The ability to accurately locate and inject the cervical vertebral facet joints, the joints that lie between the transverse processes of the vertebrae, has significant advantages, including the performance of regional nerve blocks and intra-articular (within the joint) injection treatments. Unfortunately, unlike humans, horses don’t have readily palpable cervical facet joints. Therefore,

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Medicinal Control of Tying-Up

Dantrolene sodium (Dantrium) is used to control exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER, also called tying-up) in horses. Diagnosis of ER is typically confirmed by a finding of increased serum creatine kinase (CK), which is often greater than 1,000 IU at its peak (normal CK levels are around 200 IU). While Dantrium has been in use for about 20 years, there is little published data regarding its efficac

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Warm Springwater Immersion

Immersion of the body in natural springwater has been studied extensively in humans and dogs for its healing effects. The theory behind immersion is its ability to temporarily suppress the sympathetic nervous system (SNS, the part of the nervous

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Tendon Healing, Aged Broodmares Featured at Convention

Smarty Jones won a little sympathy Saturday night, July 24, as Patricia Hogan, VMD, Dipl. ACVS, board-certified veterinary surgeon, recounted the tale of how the Pennsylvania-bred colt reared up in the starting gate of Philadelphia Park last yea

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Anesthesia and the Equine Brain

In horses, the gas anesthetic isoflurane can produce decreases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) as well as cerebral perfusion pressure (that pushes blood into the brain). The implication is that decreased cerebral perfusion pressure leads to

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Arthroscopy for Meniscal Tears

A meniscus is an interarticular (between joints) synovial cartilage or membrane. Meniscal tears in the stifle joint are well described in human athletes and dogs. Despite a few published reports in horses, however, the condition remains difficul

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Injuries Associated With Steeplechase Racing

Studies have been conducted to determine the types of injuries that occur in horses on flat racetracks in the United States and steeplechase and hunt races in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of data on injuries occurring

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Efficacy of Common Anti-Ulcer Medications in Racehorses

Gastric ulcers are so common in racing horses that many equine practitioners maintain their racing patients on anti-ulcer medications to prevent and treat gastric ulcers. Reports in the literature place the percentage of racing horses in trainin

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Endurance and Endotoxemia

Endotoxemia in horses is usually associated with severe infections, inflammation, and colic. Endotoxin from intestinal bacteria activates release of inflammatory mediators such as thromboxane B2 (TxB2), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha),

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Treating Navicular Disease From Inside the Bone

Healthy bone undergoes constant metabolic change to prevent bone loss or abnormal remodeling (cell turnover) that can occur with loading. Horses with navicular disease can have abnormal remodeling and formation of osteolytic lesions (areas of

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Trilostane for Cushing’s Disease

Equine Cushing’s syndrome (ECS), or hyperadrenocorticism, is caused by an excess of cortisol. This syndrome produces signs including excessive hair growth (hirsutism), lethargy, fat redistribution under the skin, chronic/relapsing laminitis, and increased drinking and urination (polydypsia/polyuria). The drug pergolide is commonly recommended as treatment for ECS. However, data on its

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Measuring Hemoglobin and Red Blood Cells in the Field

Many equine illnesses and injuries require rapid determination of blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity. Hemoglobin (Hg) can be measured, and packed cell volume (PCV) can be estimated, providing a good indication of how much oxygen can circulate. However, Hg measurement requires transport of a blood sample to a laboratory. It would be useful if practitioners had the means to accurately measure Hg

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Rutgers Auction Raises $15K for Research

Over two dozen bidders came out April 25 for a chance to own one of 12 Belgian-cross fillies and five Belgian and Belgian-cross mares available this year at the 5th Annual North American Ranching Information Council (NAERIC) auction of incentive registered yearlings at the Rutgers University’s Cook College Campus in Brunswick, N.J., on April 25. The campus Round House was filled to capacity

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Drug-Resistant Parasites

When a weanling on a North Carolina breeding farm was diagnosed with larval cyathostominosis, Dianne Little, BVSc, MRCVS, equine surgery resident and PhD candidate in the Department of Clinical Sciences in North Carolina State University’s (NCSU) College of Veterinary Medicine, was suspicious of anthelmintic resistance. Parasites resistant to dewormers and associated diseases, such as larval

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More From The Horse

What is an Equine Vet Tech?
retained fetal membranes in mares; deworming broodmares near foaling; Newborn foal attempting to stand
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