Latest News – The Horse
Equine Pampering of Olympic Proportions
By now, the Swiss dressage team might be feeling pangs of regret at its decision not to enter the 2008 Olympic equestrian competition.
Citing concerns about weather conditions and pollution, the Swiss
Coverage Update
I see that a couple of blog readers have wondered about the competition schedule and how to access live coverage. As I write this, the
The Culture Club
The morning’s roundup of sights and observations at and around the 2008 Olympic equestrian events: The transport system. Inter-venue shuttle buses are segregated by accreditation
Ophthalmology Research in Horses
Equine eye health was among the many subjects discussed at the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention. Ophthalmology topics included eye examinations, treating uveitis (the leading cause of blindness in horses), and corneal ulcers.
Nutrition Update
Nutrition topics from the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention included endocrine disorders, feeding tips, feeding after colic, geriatric horse nutrition, and managing carbohydrates.
Infectious Disease in Horses
Equine authorities discussed numerous infectious disease topics and studies during the 2007 AAEP Convention, including antibody titer levels, azithromycin to help prevent Rhodococcus equi infection, enrofloxacin to treat Leptospira infection of the eye, influenza/West Nile virus vaccines, dentistry, and Lawsonia.
Horse Management
Strategies for safely airlifting horses were among several general management topics discussed at the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention. Other topics included back sensitivity, poisoning, dentistry, acupuncture, and chiropractic care.
Digestive Health in Horses
Experts at the 2007 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention discussed multiple topics related to equine digestive health, including sand colic, post-surgery stapling, hindgut acidosis, risk factors for gastric ulcers in Thoroughbreds, and alfalfa’s effects on ulcer severity.
Arthritis in Horses
Treatments for osteoarthritis in horses, including the doxycycline antibiotic and the nutraceutical Myristol, were discussed at the 2007 AAEP Convention. Also discussed were the clinical efficacy and joint health parameters of Surpass (topical liposomal diclofenac cream) compared to those of the commonly used oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication phenylbutazone (Bute).
Foot Lameness in Horses
Equine authorities at the 2007 AAEP Convention discussed multiple topics relating to lameness in horses, including therapeutic shoeing, managing acute/chronic laminitis, wooden shoes, and stem cell therapy, as well as specific topics such as palmar process fractures of the coffin bone, nuclear scintigraphy, cannon bone stress fractures, and enostosis-like lesions.
Diagnosing Horse Health Problems
Equine experts at the 2007 AAEP Convention discussed numerous diagnostic topics, including ultrasound, computed tomography for imaging the stifle, digital flexor tendon sheath nerve blocks, upper cannon area injuries, MRI for diagnosing sesamoidean ligament desmitis, radiograph repositories and quality, and airway exam results among other topics.
Equine Reproduction
Dickson Varner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACT lectured on the topic “From a Sperm’s Eye View – Revisiting our Perception of this Intriguing Cell” during the Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture at the 2007 AAEP Convention. Other presenters discussed perinatology, risks associated with reproduction, foal adoption, interpreting endometrial edema, and paraphimosis in the stallion among other topics.
Convention Highlights, Research, Learning
The 53rd American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held in Orlando, Fla., Dec. 1-5 of 2007, offered the latest in research findings and honored leaders in the veterinary field.
Three Olympic Equestrian Disciplines, Three Veterinary Updates
Jack Snyder, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, of the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, is a five-time Olympic Games veterinarian. In Hong Kong 2008, he’s the chief treating veterinarian, which means the orthopedic specialist has
Olympics: U.S. Show Jumpers Represent at First Individual Qualifier
The main arena at Sha Tin was turned from a dressage ring into a grand prix course Friday night, as the jumping horses finally got their chance to compete. The U.S. contingent was the only team to lay down three double clear rounds.
In all,
Forensic Study Reveals Some Trexler Horses Starved to Death
Three horses exhumed from Richland, S.C., properties once belonging to the Trexler family died from starvation, according to a preliminary report issued by Melinda D. Merck, DVM, senior director of veterinary forensics for the American
