Veterinarians are quite capable of identifying a painful joint in a lame horse, but determining what is occurring within the joint and how far it has progressed is not yet possible without removing synovial fluid or exploring the joint with
Partial paralysis of the larynx prevents maximal opening of the equine trachea. Affected horses can move air, but breathing noises occur, especially during exercise. The most common form of laryngeal paralysis is recurrent laryngeal neuropathy
Joint arthrodesis is a procedure that locks a joint by fusing bones together. The procedure is used in the pastern joint of horses to treat lameness due to severe osteoarthritis, fractures, bone cysts, and various limb deformities in foals.
Stallion semen is particularly susceptible to freeze-thaw damage, so multi-step procedures are being developed and evaluated to slowly extend and cool the semen prior to freezing it. In addition, the common semen extender INRA82, developed at
Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PG) is used to shorten a mare’s cycle and hasten ovulation for breeding. Unfortunately, the standard PG dose (5 mg) also causes undesirable side effects, including sweating, trembling, increased heart rate, and
There are multiple causes of colic, some of which are related to diet, stabling conditions, and activity level. Colic is painful for the horse, expensive to treat (especially if it requires surgery), and hard to predict. Determining which
Lameness in show jumpers is often caused by forelimb tendon injury. The superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is most frequently injured, followed by the interosseus tendon (IT), and the accessory ligament (AL), while the deep digital flexor
While surgical correction of colic in horses has been performed at referral hospitals for many years, it has been difficult for horse owners to get reliable information about survival rate. The prospect of extremely expensive colic surgery coupled with weeks and even months of recovery time must be weighed against some idea of whether the horse will survive. For this reason, horse owners need
While surgical correction of colic in horses has been performed at referral hospitals for many years, it has been difficult for horse owners to get reliable information about survival rate. The prospect of extremely expensive colic surgery
Equine arteritis virus (EAV) causes a flu-like illness in adult horses called equine viral arteritis, and is responsible for abortion in mares and pneumonia in foals. Stallions can be become persistently infected and shed the virus in their
A talented farrier and knowledgeable veterinarian can often do wonders for a lame horse. Applying corrective shoes can change the forces acting on the feet, improving many foot problems. Unfortunately, even the most talented farrier can
Some Standardbred trotters develop a condition called red cell hypervolemia (RCHV), a thickening of the blood due to an increase in the number of red blood cells. This increase in red blood cells is a result of intense exercise programs, and is
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone or GnRH can be thought of as the master reproductive hormone. In stallions, GnRH is responsible for initiating a hormonal cascade that stimulates production of testosterone and other hormones necessary for breeding
Diagnostic ultrasound has become a popular means of monitoring the healing of superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) injuries, also known as bowed tendons. As image analysis software has been developed, the technique has become more widespread
Ingestion of sand is an unfortunate consequence of vigorous grazing on sandy soil. The equine digestive tract can handle a certain amount of sand without difficulty, but too much sand can lead to impaction and colic. Medical treatments, includin
Allergens in the pasture and barn are believed to trigger chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD or heaves) in horses. It is unclear whether simply developing an allergy leads to COPD, or if a horse must
be born susceptible to the
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