Latest News – The Horse
WNV and Kentucky Abortions?
A question has been raised whether the increased number of West Nile virus (WNV) cases in Kentucky in late summer and fall 2002 contributed to a rise in fall abortions. A retrospective study by the University of Kentucky’s Livestock Disease and Diagnostic Center (LDDC), starting in July of 2002 and going through early 2003, looked at 400 equine abortions for evidence of WNV. Their findings
Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 in Canada
On the heels of the deadly equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) outbreak in Ohio came a report of a private farm in Canada with several horses dead of the same cause. Scott Weese, DVM, DVSc, Dipl. ACVIM, assistant professor of clinical studies at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College, said Canada has had at least one big EHV-1 outbreak in the past six months, but sporadic
Ohio Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 Victims Recovering
The “miserable, tragic experience” of losing a dozen horses and fighting to save more than 100 others which became ill has devastated the University of Findlay. It will take weeks or months for the remaining 30 horses with neurologic signs of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) to recover. The outbreak began on Jan. 12, and the losses were still occurring as late as Feb. 1, when the last o
Progression of the Ohio EHV-1 Outbreak
Beginning Jan. 12 many horses at the University of Findlay’s James L. Child Jr. Equestrian Complex developed fever and depression, and some had nasal discharge and wouldn’t eat. Within 48-72 hours, 85% of the horses showed similar signs.
AI Made Easy
When frozen semen was first introduced, pregnancies were achieved by checking the mare frequently each day and breeding with a single dose of semen as close to ovulation as possible. Therefore, this was adopted as standard operating procedure, said Squires. Veterinarians checked a mare every six hours once she was in heat and had been given hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) or Ovuplant (deslorel
AAEP 2002: Reproduction
The reproduction session at the annual AAEP meeting in Orlando, Fla., was something of an A to Z seminar with an international flavor. It started with speakers from North America presenting discussions on endometrial echotexture (ultrasound results) and using computer analysis to determine when a mare will ovulate, or has ovulated, and along the way included a French researcher describing how
AAEP 2002: Recent Developments in Equine Nutrition
A lot has happened in the field of equine research in the last five years. Ginger Rich, PhD, of Rich Equine Nutritional Consulting in Eads, Tenn.; and Leslie Breuer, PhD, of LH Breuer and Associates, updated veterinarians and others who attended the Current Concepts in Equine Nutrition in-depth session at the 2002 American Association of Equine Practitioners’ (AAEP) Convention. Not all of the
AAEP 2002: Surgery
The surgery session at the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) convention covered a variety of subjects that ranged from using a laser to cauterize displaced soft palates to administering butorphanol for 24 hours to ameliorate pain in the wake of colic surgery.
The leadoff presenter was Patricia Hogan, VMD, Dipl. ACVS, from New Jersey Equine Clinic. Intermittent dorsal
AAEP 2002: Infectious Disease/Epidemiology Sunrise Session
There was tremendous interest in and opportunity for information exchange on the topic of infectious diseases during the AAEP Convention. Early Friday morning, Maureen Long, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, of the University of Florida, and
Pigeon Fever Update
There are hundreds of cases of pigeon fever each year in California, said Nathan Slovis, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, from his experience working at the University of California, Davis. Slovis, who currently is an internal medicine specialist at the Haygard-Davidson-McGee medicine clinic in Lexington, Ky., presented a lecture at the Gluck Equine Research Center on Jan. 27 that covered several topics,
AAEP Convention: Ground Handling the Problem Horse
Every veterinarian has had an equine client (or three) that resisted treatment and often a nightmarish story to go along with it. Compliant patients allow for safer and more efficient veterinary practices, so the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) teamed up with the American Quarter Horse Association at the AAEP convention to offer veterinarians a live horse demonstration
KAEP Statement Regarding Kentucky Abortions
The statement below was released Feb. 2 by the Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners.
“Due to the increased surveillance of any equine abortions in the past two years, the Lexington Disease and Diagnostic Center (LDDC) has increased efforts to identify causes for these abortions. The LDDC is performing additional tests other than the routine fetal screening that is presently
AAEP 2002: Kester News Hour
Probably the best-attended session of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) annual convention, the Kester News Hour provides brief reports of studies that were too new or too brief to be included in the longer scientific sessions. Larry Bramlage, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, the president-elect of the AAEP and a surgeon at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., and
Ohio EHV-1 Update: Two More Deaths
Equine Herpesvirus type 1 has claimed the lives of two more horses in the outbreak at the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio, bringing the total number of fatalities to 12. The two horses had been down and in critical condition at The Ohio State University last week. University of Findlay officials sent the following update this afternoon (Feb. 3) on the situation.
Foot Work: Training for Hoof Care
My only horse finally lived out his days with me last fall. He died peacefully at the great old age of 32 years. He had been with me through thick and thin for 21 years, and was a sweetheart of a horse. He came to me completely broke and was always easy. His only issue was his hind feet–he just didn’t want anyone messing with them. Even for a trim we needed to tranquilize him, and it
Gimmick or Good Groceries?
The energy density in a performance horse’s diet traditionally has been increased by adding grains such as oats, barley, or corn. Another popular ingredient is sugar beet pulp, a by-product of the sugar beet industry.
