Latest News – The Horse
One Mississippi Vet’s Stories of the Aftermath
“Every life was changed overnight in this area. Every life in America was changed. What if we did get attacked by a foreign country? I can tell you now that it would be like it is here.”
This quote was from Jacqueline Broome, DVM, a mixe
Owners Need to Claim Horses at Lamar-Dixon
Officials at the Lamar-Dixon Expo facility in Gonzales, La. asked owners to claim their horses before Oct. 1. As of Sept. 30, Lamar-Dixon still housed more than 200 horses rescued from the New Orleans area.
Horses not claimed before
Eastern Encephalitis
Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus is quite active in the United States, and many cases have been reported in Southeastern horses this year. The Florida state veterinarian expects levels close to 2003, when 200 horses were reported to
Clover Photosensitivity
A rainy, cool summer in Manitoba, Canada, was turning to fall when Thunder, a 2-year-old Paint/Arab cross gelding with lots of white across his body, began to show signs of colic. He was treated for colic four times in two days. Annette Fleming,
Crossing Boundaries
Vaccination of broodmares is just one part of a complete disease prevention program, but its importance should not be underestimated. Immunization is one of the least expensive, and most effective, strategies horse breeders can use to protect
Blanketing Q&A
Crisp fall air signals a perennial dilemma for many horse owners: To blanket or not to blanket? And if you opt for the added cover-up, which blanket is best? Our five-point Q&A will help you make those decisions and more, so you can see your horse th
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
Snake Bite Preparedness
Our area has a healthy population of rattlesnakes. I would like to be prepared in case one of the horses gets bitten.
Pinworm Problems
My mare is being treated for pinworms. She incessantly rubs her tail, and uses the wall of her stall to lean on. Are these signs related?
Deliberate Abuse?
I hope you remember me from psychology graduate school back in the early ’80s. Time flies. Anyway, I still have horses and enjoy your contributions on behavior to The Horse magazine and web site. Sometimes I wish I had gone into horse or dog
Tweaking Tails
There is bucolic tranquility in the sight of two horses dozing in the sun, side by side, nose to tail, with their tails rhythmically swishing as they leisurely work at keeping flies off their bodies. That is the basic purpose of the equine tail
Equine Genetic Disease: Who’s At Risk?
Many DNA sequence variations are fine; they just give rise to the broad spectrum of colors, sizes, and other characteristics we see in the horse population. Some variations, however, cause problems. These might range from a genetic predisposition
Analyzing Forages
We all know a horse’s primary food is pasture grass and/or hay (forage). The quality of the forage is, thus, a major factor affecting his health. Do you know if your horse’s forage meets his needs? Truly, most of us don’t–but we should.
EMND and Glucose Metabolism
Study results indicate horses with equine lower motor disease (EMND) had an increased glucose metabolism rate.
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.
Biomechanical Efficiency
The horse is an amazing athlete, with great speed and endurance considering his body size and weight. For the past 20 years, researchers have evaluated what makes the equine locomotive system so efficient for racing and other strenuous
