Latest News – The Horse

I am interested in freeze branding my horses. What is involved in the process? Can I do this myself, or do I need help?

What exactly are bone spurs, how do they affect a horse’s performance, how common are they, what causes them, and how can I manage them in my performance horse?

Three Standardbred racehorses in Nova Scotia have been euthanatized due to the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus type-1, and at least one other horse was suspected to have the illness. Two of the horses that were euthanatized and the suspected case were detected at the Truro Raceway in central Nova Scotia. The third horse that was euthanatized was at a Nova Scotia breeding farm and

The American Quarter Horse Association has Surpass, a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. The AQHA Executive Committee approved the medication during their January meeting to keep in line with the rules of the United States Equestrian Federation Inc., which permitted therapeutic use of Surpass late last year.

Surpass (diclofenac) is a topical cream used for the contro

The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) recently released its consensus statement on guidelines for treatment, control, and prevention of strangles, which is caused by Streptococcus equi. The 12-page paper took about a year to complete and reflects the input of researchers and veterinary clinicians across the country. The document was published in the January

A Standardbred mare euthanatized last Friday (Feb. 18) at the Meadows racetrack in Meadowlands, Pa., had the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus type-1 infection, according to University of Pennsylvania veterinarians. The barn where the mare was stabled has been placed under quarantine and veterinarians and trainers are watching other horses at the track for signs of illness.

This i

The Drug Compounding Task Force of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has released guidelines regarding the responsible use of compounded medications by veterinarians. The guidelines are the result of the association’s commitment to educating its members on this increasingly important topic within the animal health industry.

Issues addressed in the guidelines

Influenza, equine herpesvirus, and strangles were the diseases highlighted by Bonnie Rush, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, professor and section head of equine internal medicine at Kansas State University, at a seminar on infectious respiratory diseases sponsored by Fort Dodge Animal Health in Lexington, Ky., on Feb. 4. Rush emphasized the importance of vaccinating against these

Selection of Thoroughbred horses for racing and breeding is based primarily on equine performance, pedigree, and phenotype (physical characteristics). Although conformation plays a critical role in the evaluation of horses, current methods of analyzing equine conformation are largely subjective and vary according to personal opinion and individual experience.

To develop practical,

Central Kentucky equine abortion accessions so far in 2005 do not indicate mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). The University of Kentucky’s Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) is posting the number of abortion accessions of all breeds weekly along with comparisons to totals from 2004. MRLS struck horses in several states (including Kentucky) and Canada in 2001 and 2002. The problem

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently announced the launch of a new web site to inform stakeholders about the national animal identification system (NAIS). The web site, www.usda.gov/nais, is designed to be a one-stop resource for information about NAIS.

“We hope our stakeholders will visit the site

“Ask the Expert,” a new feature of the Rutgers Equine Science Center web site, www.esc.rutgers.edu, invites horse owners and enthusiasts to seek science-based answers to their questions about horse health and management.

The Equine Science Center, located at Rutgers-Cook College, taps the expertise of some 30 faculty, researchers

As one might expect in a gathering of equine veterinarians discussing colic, much of the Sunrise Session dedicated to the topic covered evaluation of the colicky horse to determine severity and decide on medical vs. surgical management.

This forum revolved around the on going issue of drug compounding. The take-home message for veterinarians was: If there is an FDA-approved product out there, it should be used even though it might be more costly.

Robert Holland, DVM, PhD, of Lexington, Ky., discussed West Nile virus and appropriate vaccination protocol. He said the disease is now considered endemic to the United