The jugular vein is the most common place to draw blood from a horse; however, this is not always possible. If the jugular vein is damaged or if the horse is no longer tolerant of the procedure, there is an alternative location to draw blood, said Honor Ame Walesby, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, of Louisiana State University, during her presentation at the 2003 American Association of Equine

Is it colic, or could it be rabies? The horse with rabies is extremely dangerous to himself, other animals, and humans. Rabies is a fatal viral disease of mammals that can be spread to humans through bites, licks, or through contact with the victim’s mucous membranes or an existing wound. Horse owners must use extreme caution if rabies is suspected, and a veterinarian should be called immediately.

Dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) occurs when the palate partially obstructs the airway by becoming displaced on top of the epiglottis. This obstruction can affect breathing, especially during intense exercise. DDSP is known to be difficult to diagnose and treat. However, one viable option for treatment might be a combination of procedures during one surgery

With advances in modern veterinary medicine happening all of the time, the practitioners agreed that management of high-risk mares is becoming easier, and the probability of a healthy foal is increasing.

Veterinarians interested in reproduction and perinatology (the foal immediately after birth) crowded into the Reproduction/Perinatology Forum at the 2003 American Association of Equine Practitioners’ convention to discuss mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS), terminology for the mare breeding soundness examination, vaccination of broodmares with the West Nile virus vaccine, current trends

There are three major reasons to attempt to have a mare “superovulate” or ovulate more than one follicle at a time. First, in embryo transfer programs there is a greater chance of recovering an embryo with superovulation, thus reducing the expense of getting a viable embryo for transplanting. Second, it has been found that superovulation of a mare in transition (early in the year before she i

The technique of using saline-coated silica particles in solution to filter and therefore enhance semen quality in humans has been around for years. Now, it is being tried to improve semen of stallions.

Research has shown that boars can be fed a specific diet to increase fertility, and the same might be true of stallions. Steven Brinsko, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, from Texas A&M University, discussed the potential of feeding a nutraceutical to stallions to enhance their fertility during his presentation at the American Association of Equine Practitioners convention.

He said the

Riddle said that most mares are outside all of the time or are only brought up for feeding until they reach one month before their expected foaling date. Whatever is preferred, broodmares thrive on routine.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is holding adoptions around the country in order to find homes for horses and burros in the program. These unbranded, unclaimed, free-roaming horses and burros are found on Western public rangelands administered by the BLM and the United States Forest Service. In order to prevent overpopulation on these lands, excess horses are put up for adoption to

A record crowd of nearly 6,200 attended the 49th annual convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) in New Orleans, La. Adding to that total was twice the number of veterinary students who attended the 2002 convention. The convention offered nearly 100 scientific presentations, a hands-on wet lab, and an equine health seminar for horse owners.

The 50th Annua

Phoenix-based Farnam Horse Products has released ComboCare, a new over-the-counter dewormer that kills ascarids, tapeworms, small strongyles (including the encysted stages), and bots.

“This is so timely now because recent surveys show a significantly high proportion of tapeworms in horses in the U.S. These tapeworms have been associated with colic in a number of cases,” said Tom

Comparing pasture samples from 2002 and 2003 didn’t associate mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS) with anything other than the Eastern tent caterpillar. However, Wayne Long, MS, of the University of Kentucky’s (UK) Department of Agronomy, provided some insight on pasture management in Central Kentucky and stressed the dangers of tall fescue toxicosis. He presented field study results on

Horse owners should be vigilant about having equine survivors of West Nile virus (WNV) re-examined by their veterinarians before putting the animals back into work. In a study of Minnesota horses which survived clinical WNV can make the horse more dangerous to ride or drive. Julia Wilson, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Associate Professor in Clinical and Population Sciences at the University of Minnesota’

Effective Feb. 1, 2004, the USDA will institute a new blood test for determining the equine piroplasmosis status of horses upon entry into the United States.

The competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CELISA) is more sensitive than the Complement Fixation test (CFT), which is currently used to test for piroplasmosis. The CELISA has a greater chance of identifying chronically