Latest News – The Horse
Diagnosing Respiratory Tract Ulcers
“Indications to evaluate this area include respiratory noise and a persistent cough, often along with poor performance,” he said. “When the cough is observed while the horse is eating or when bitting up, this is pathognomonic (is indicative of a specific problem; in this case, subepiglottic ulceration).
Rhodococcus equi: Genetic Variability and its Clinical Implications
If there are any two words that can cause a foaling operation’s manager to shudder, they are probably “Rhodococcus equi,” since the bacterium is considered the most common cause of severe pneumonia in foals.
Return to Racing for Roarers After Surgery
Results of a study from the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center suggest that there is a high chance that a horse can return to racing after surgery for laryngeal hemiplegia (partial or complete paralysis of the larynx, also called roaring) or arytenoid chondritis (inflammation of the arytenoid cartilages resulting in paralysis).
NAERIC Yearling Fillies and Draft/Draft Cross Mares to be Auctioned at Rutgers University
The 5th Annual Auction of the North American Equine Ranching Information Council (NAERIC) Incentive registered yearlings will be at the Round House, Cook College, Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. This year, five adult Belgian and Belgian cross PMU mares will also be sold. Horses can be viewed by appointment during Ag Field Day on April 24 and/or starting at 11 a.m. on April 25,
2004 ACVIM Veterinary Forum to Offer the Latest in Veterinary Internal Medicine
More than 3,000 veterinary specialists and veterinary health care professionals will convene in Minneapolis, Minn., June 9-12, to discuss and share the most recent advances in veterinary medicine. The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine’s (ACVIM) annual forum has become a premiere resource of information on the latest advances in veterinary research and care. The topics of the
Medication Policy Takes Somewhat Different Approach
The National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) has adopted a position on medication and drug testing that states any changes in policies in each jurisdiction should be enacted only after there is scientific evidence that specific therapeutic drugs shouldn’t be used in racehorses.
The National HBPA supports efforts by the national Racing Medication and Testin
Developments in Understanding Laminitis
For those who follow horse laminitis research, the name of Chris Pollitt, BVSc, PhD, is synonymous with advanced research on the subject. At a recent laminitis conference, he discussed research into hoof growth, laminitis triggers, and cryotherapy.
Police Horse Diary 02/10/04
Will spring ever come? I don’t know about where you live, but I’m tired of cold weather, frozen water tanks, and frozen ground that then turns into a muddy quagmire the few days it gets above freezing. This hasn’t made for good training for the young police horses.
They’re growing. Fast. I’m going to try and take them this weekend to get weighed. Got a weight tape from Purina, so I’ll
Hoof Wall Growth and Adaptability
The structural appearance of the foot is continually being modified by the interactions of the foot with the environment and the environment’s influences on the foot and hoof wall. The term environmental influences includes just about everything that the horse has come into contact with since birth, including the extent of movement, ground surfaces, trimming and shoeing procedures or the lack of
Horse Identification Forms (downloadable)
Two identification forms for your horses–one full form for your records and one for halter tags.
Cribbing: Effect on Colic (AAEP 2003)
Cribbing, the oral stereotypic behavior in which the horse grabs an object with his teeth while flexing his neck and sometimes swallowing air, has long been suspected as a cause of colic.
The United States Animal ID Plan
Mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in the United States highlighted the need to have all livestock–including horses–identified and easily traced. While some states have required equine identification programs in place now (such as Louisiana), there are grumblings from some horse owners about “big brother” becoming involved in the horse industry.
The identification
Tetanus Prevention in Horses
Tetanus, or lockjaw, is an often fatal disease caused by the anaerobic (grows in low oxygen conditions)bacterium, Clostridium tetani. The spores of C. tetani are commonly present in the soil and can contaminate puncture wounds, crushing wounds, open lacerations, surgical incisions, and the umbilici of foals. Upon gaining entrance to the body, they produce a powerful
Horse Rescue in Maryland Searches for New Farm
Samuel Johnson once said that, “Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.” This old adage definitely applies to Days End Farm Horse Rescue, a 501(c)(3) non-profit equine rescue and humane education facility founded by Kathy and Allan Schwartz in 1989 and located in Lisbon, Md.
Unfortunately, Days End has outgrown its current property, which is leased to the
MRI of the Distal Limb
“We believe that this technique (MRI) could revolutionize the assessment of certain musculoskeletal lesions of the distal limb,” Mair said. “MRI has many advantages over other conventional imaging techniques. MRI does not use ionizing radiation and provides multiplanar, 3-D imaging capabilities.
Subclinical Exposure Rate to West Nile Virus
If you’ve had equine cases of West Nile virus (WNV) pop up in your county, most of the equids in the area probably were exposed to the disease or even infected by the time those infections occurred. That is why it’s extremely important to vaccinate horses at least two months before the WNV season.