Latest News – The Horse

The Associated Press reported this morning that a federal judge in Lexington, Ky., ordered that the body of American Saddlebred champion Wild Eyed and Wicked be exhumed for additional forensic testing.

Wicked was one of five top Saddlebreds that were injected with an unknown, necrotizing (tissue-killing) substance the weekend of June 28-29, 2003, at Double D Ranch in Versailles, Ky. I

Scott E. Palmer, VMD, of Clarksburg, N.J., was installed as the 51st president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) during the group’s annual convention in Denver, Colo., December 4-8, 2004.

Palmer is the owner of New Jersey Equine Clinic in Clarksburg, where he has practiced for nearly 30 years. He has received international recognition for his studies in

Arizona Department of Racing officials have planned hearings in early January for eight horse owners or trainers whose barns were raided by state and federal officials Dec. 15 at Turf Paradise in Phoenix.

The raids, according to the Arizona Republic, involved tack rooms. Investigators found therapeutic medications that weren’t prescribed by a veterinarian licensed by the

Researchers at The Royal Veterinary College in Great Britain believe they’ve found the answer to what makes a fast racehorse.

The research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, combined data about the length, shape, and structure of horses with analysis of horses in the field to develop mathematical and computer models of horse movement.

Using

USRider Equestrian Motor Plan has established an endowed fund at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) to promote large-animal rescue efforts and support related training programs.

The $25,000 gift/pledge, which will be matched through the Commonwealth’s “Bucks for Brains” Program for a total of $50,000, will enable EKU’s Fire and Safety Engineering (FSE) Technology Program to prepar

The average equine extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) patient has been examined multiple veterinarians before arriving for ESWT treatment, said Alan Donnell, DVM, of Pilot Point, Texas at the third annual Shock Wave Therapy Symposium, held this year on Dec. 3 in Denver, Colo. Donnell treats Quarter Horses and Arabians and travels to 33 major performance shows throughout the

Coolmore stallion owners are donating one nomination to every one of their stallions worldwide to aid humanitarian efforts following the earthquake-tsunami catastrophe in Asia and Africa, Coolmore announced Dec. 30.

The stud farm in Versailles, Ky., also is offering to assist and facilitate other stud farms interested in donating seasons to their stallions.

The total fund will

In the treatment of horses suffering from the West Nile virus (WNV), vets have only a few choices besides supportive care. A novel WNV serum antibody product received conditional approval from the USDA in November 2004. Colorado Serum Company announced the product’s availability on Dec. 13, 2004.

Serum antibody products help animals that have been exposed to a disease by increasing th

The equine esophagus extends into the first one-third of the stomach, making horses susceptible to acid reflux disease. Naturally present bacteria can colonize in ulcers, and the stomach acid can keep them from healing.

Because of the vital services provided to unwanted, neglected, or abused horses by equine rescue and retirement groups, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has developed a new resource guide titled Care Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement Facilities. The guide is designed to help the non-veterinary caregiver successfully provide care to a rescued horse or a

Effective Dec. 1, 2004, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Equine Drugs and Medications Rule permitted the therapeutic use of Surpass, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory product (NSAID) recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in horses. This is a topical preparation of 1% diclofenac cream from IDEXX Pharmaceuticals.

The rule change, which was adopted by

“Starting a novice breeding stallion can range from a quick and easy project accomplished in a few brief sessions to a challenging and time-consuming effort over many sessions and even a few weeks,” said Sue McDonnell, PhD, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and head of the Equine Behavior Lab of the Veterinary School of the University of Pennsylvania (New Bolton Center), at the Hagyard

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) drugs are an important component of therapy for equine pain, but according to researchers at North Carolina State University’s (NCSU) College of Veterinary Medicine, overuse and misuse of NSAIDs can result in gastrointestinal injury, kidney damage, and even death in horses.

Because NSAIDs such as Bute, Banamine (flunixin meglamine),

A study conducted by scientists at the University of Liverpool in England found that the risk of falling in hurdle and steeplechase races was significantly associated with whip use and a horse’s progress while competing. The results of the work appeared in a recent issue of the Equine Veterinary Journal.

The researchers looked at video recordings of races conducted at six British

A new vaccine to protect horses against West Nile Virus (WNV) has been developed and submitted for USDA review. If approved, it would be the first commercially available DNA vaccine for any mammalian or animal species.

Steve Chu, DVM, PhD, senior vice president, Global Research and Development, Fort Dodge Animal Health, explained the conceptual DNA vaccine to The Horse. The vaccin

The amazing part of the problem for our horses is that while stress is a known cause for ulcers, it can take only a matter of days for ulcers to start. And besides GastroGard, the only approved treatment is to take horses out of training and put them out to pasture. So, it looks like gastric ulcer syndrome in horses is often a man-made disease, and we should be aware of it and help our horses.