Latest News – The Horse

Mares in performance careers are sometimes a frustration to their trainers and riders because during estrus, they can have difficulty concentrating on their work or have “behavioral problems.” Many horse owners resort to hormone therapy to keep mares from coming into heat while training or showing. The most commonly used drug is a synthetic progestin (altrenogest, marketed as Regumate) given

Granulosa-theca cell tumors (GTCTs) are usually tentatively diagnosed by rectal palpation and ultrasound examination after an owner complains of poor performance or aggressive, sexual, stallion-like behaviors. However, the diagnosis can’t be confirmed unless an exploratory laparotomy is performed and the tumor is biopsied (or removed and sectioned for histopathology). These tumors tend to mak

Skin masses in horses have historically been removed by surgical excision (cutting them out). Regardless of the type of mass, the surgeon’s goal is to remove all of the tissue, limit hemorrhage, and prevent infection while achieving the best possible cosmetic outcome. Equine surgeons at Purdue University have been using a carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser in place of a scalpel blade to

There is an uncommon type of shoulder lameness in horses that produces a dropped elbow and flexing of the carpus (knee) and pastern at rest. At work, affected horses are typically severely lame with a significantly decreased forward phase of the stride. Radiographs of the shoulder in these cases usually reveal a combination of biceps tendonitis, bursitis, and inflammation of the bone

Equine muscle injuries are often elusive, leading to frustration for the rider and a challenging diagnosis for the veterinarian. Since muscle injury can accompany and/or mimic skeletal problems, tendon or ligament injury, or neurological disease,

Equine chiropractic is a complementary modality that can be used in veterinary medicine for the diagnosis, treatment, and potential prevention of select musculoskeletal disorders in horses.

While only a small percentage of you are involved in the industries that have legalized gambling, many of you live in states with legalized racing, and all of you benefit from those industries. A tremendous number of the research projects from around the world that have shed new light on diseases and injuries have been funded by horse racing dollars from tracks and simulcast facilities.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) is the leading provider of continuing education for veterinarians who deal with horses. The association is also committed to educating horse owners, and that commitment is growing as evidenced by the development of an Owner Education Committee and plans for assisting veterinarians in educating their clients through electronic and print

Antimicrobial drugs in veterinary medicine have made a dramatic improvement in the health of our horses, but it’s alarming when infections do not respond to these drugs. “It is not a new phenomenon, but there has been ever-growing concern about antimicrobial resistance.”

Fitch said that he often handles problem horses by himself, as a handler might not anticipate the interaction between him and the horse and can end up in the way or injured. Also, it’s important to have a place where the horse can move around in case of a panic–for that reason, Fitch doesn’t like treating horses in cross ties.

I think we need to change the way we think about a lot of dental problems. The abnormal wear often is not the problem–the long tooth is often the healthiest tooth with nothing keeping it from erupting correctly. If we straighten out (shorten) this tooth, we completely ignore what the pathology is (in the other teeth).

Saville presented a summary of what is known about EPM, and he believes that with better understanding of the disease, wildlife management, risk-factor manipulation, prophylactic medications, and possible vaccination, that prevention of EPM can be attained.

There were many more presentations and discussions at this year’s AAEP Convention than could be contained in these pages. Other articles from the convention can be found online at www.TheHorse.com/AAEP2002. Below are some of the articles that can be found on the site.

• Comparison of Three Holding Solutions for Cooled Storage of Equine

Horseman’s Day, held for the third time as part of the annual AAEP convention, was another rousing success. Helping stimulate the interest and enthusiasm was the quality of the speakers. They couched their talks in terms the average horse owner could understand, but they certainly didn’t talk down to them. It was the right mixture of scientific terminology and backyard talk to get the message

MILNE LECTURE PART 1

Bucked Shins

The Milne Lecture is also known as the State of the Art Lecture because each year’s topic is selected for its groundbreaking qualities and potential to change the paradigms by which veterinarians and researchers understand that topic. This year’s Milne Lecture (which is named after Frank J. Milne, an AAEP

INFECTIOUS DISEASE FORUM

With West Nile virus (WNV) marching across the United States and affecting both horses and humans, infectious disease prevention has been a hot topic in barns, the media, veterinary clinics, and elsewhere. During the Infectious Disease Forum, moderated by Josie Traub-Dargatz, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, professor of equine medicine