Latest News – The Horse
Challenges of Cushing’s Disease Diagnosis and Treatment
We know Cushing’s disease (or pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction?PPID?as it’s more scientifically called), simply put, is an “old-horse disease” that results in metabolism disturbances and an abnormally heavy hair coat. But when it comes to
Adipobiology (The Study of Fat in the Body): An Emerging Field
What exactly does stored fat do to a horse’s body? It wreaks serious havoc on at least 11 vital body functions. Nat Messer, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, an associate professor of equine medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri (UM), presented a
New NSAID Equioxx (firocoxib) Approved by USEF
The board of directors of the United States Equestrian Federation has approved the use of the new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Equioxx (firocoxib).
This new NSAID is the first cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) sparing drug to be approved by
Corneal Infection Treatment
Silver sulfadiazine (a topical drug frequently used to treat burns) could be an effective treatment against common corneal fungal infections, according to researchers at Purdue University.
Fungal keratitis is a serious, painful corneal
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are becoming more of an issue in horses as we learn more about how they affect horse health. Some regions of the country have a greater risk of equine tapeworm problems. In the upper Midwest (Wisconsin and Minnesota), for instance, studie
All Stocked Up
It happened again: Your horse was fine for the entire weekend of riding, but when you got him ready for another weekend packed with activities, you discovered his hind limbs were swollen. You know it’s not overuse; the boarding barn provides
Thirst for Knowledge
Horse people are always searching for new ways to learn about their passion: the horse. Perhaps it is because our relationship with the horse is just that–a passion–that we are continually looking for ways to expand our knowledge base. It can be
Lessons Learned, Again
Sometimes we need to hear the same things again in order to learn them. Or maybe it’s not the learning, but the applying what we’ve learned. I had to call Dr. Andy Anderson after reading his column this month and put his lessons into practice at
Older Horses: Dental Problems
The type and severity of age-related dental problems often are determined by the type of dental care the horse has had during its lifetime.
Slimming Down
Couple consistent exercise with controlled calorie intake to promote weight loss in overweight horses.
Foals of the Future: Legal Ramifications of Cloning and Other Breeding Technologies
Two-time Thoroughbred Horse of the Year John Henry enjoys the life of Riley at the Kentucky Horse Park, munching grass and making occasional appearances for park visitors. It’s a well-deserved retirement of one of the best horses ever to set foot o
Beyond the Surface: Imaging Referral Practices
He’s been poked and prodded, trotted in straight lines and flexed, hoof-tested and blocked, and yet there’s nothing standing out in these examinations or on his X rays that would explain your horse’s intermittent lameness. There are no obvious
Understanding Horses Part 7: Yielding to Pressure
I’m going to start discussing ground manners by talking about a 2-year-old colt from Arkansas who hadn’t been handled much. He wasn’t mean, he was just uneducated.
I use a rope halter to give me a little more leverage and “bite” if the horse
Research… Missing Dollars
Leaders in veterinary research and the equine industry should develop policy initiatives that recognize needed changes in the research landscape. Equine medicine remains grossly underfunded. As companion animals, horses receive few government
Positive Reinforcement
Can you explain the concept of positive reinforcement training? What exactly does it mean? I was recently in New Zealand, where I was with a group that seems “converted” to what they call “all-positive training.” It sounds like good old-fashioned
Potomac Horse Fever: Cause and Treatment
Potomac horse fever (PHF) is a disease that affects horses during warm weather months, occasionally causing outbreaks of diarrheal illness in horses that are kept near rivers, streams, or in irrigated pastures.
