Purina Mills nutritionist Randal Raub, PhD, began his lecture at the 2003 Purina Farriers’ Conference with a little-known statistic–horse owners are most likely to discuss their horses’ nutrition with their veterinarians, followed by their farriers. Moreover, farriers notice weight gain or loss in the horses they shoe, since they see them regularly. Weight loss, gain, or feeding changes migh

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) announced to its members and to the feed industry on Aug. 4 that kava should not be used as an ingredient in animal feeds. An enforcement strategy event for kava in animal feeds, recommended to begin on Dec. 2, follows a notification period informing manufacturers and distributors of animal feed that many of the ingredients they are

In today’s world, there are many types of insurance that can protect us and our horses in the event of the ravages of disease, the pocket-emptying crisis of colic, and the finality of catastrophic injury and euthanasia. Equine insurance today ranges from major medical to mortality to loss of use to fertility. An owner often opts to purchase insurance so the decision of whether the horse lives

Some scam artists in Nigeria and other West African countries have engineered a particularly nasty Internet scam, known as the 4-1-9 or advance fee fraud scheme. All classified ad web sites have been fair game to the fraudsters, including online horse ads.

According to the United States Secret Service, the 4-1-9 fraud (which refers to the Nigerian penal code section that addresses these

Clearly, horses age differently, so when it comes to reconsidering the dietary program of the senior horse, it’s not a question of age, but of health.

Hurricane Isabel hit the North Carolina and Virginia coasts with fury on Sept. 18. At its peak over the Atlantic, Isabel was a Category 5 hurricane (winds greater than 155 mph), sending coastal horse owners scrambling for safe shelter for themselves and their animals. When the storm hit land, it had faded to a Category 2 hurricane (winds from 96-110 mph and storm surges of six to eight feet),

Regardless of the number of mares being bred, it is important to monitor the stallion’s reproductive success in order to maintain his reputation and give yourself time to address any problems he might have.

A proactive passerby helped save the lives of eight horses in a burning barn early Sept. 10 at Equestrian Park in College Station, Texas. Sixteen died in the fire due to burns and/or smoke inhalation and three more were euthanized shortly thereafter due to their injuries, said property owner Brazos Joe Varisco. Ten of the barn’s inhabitants were racing Quarter Horses (all of which died in the

Equine grass sickness is so named because it occurs in the spring in pastured horses which are eager to eat plentiful green grass. Its cause is unknown, but the result is destruction of the nerves of the gastrointestinal system, which is often rapidly fatal. While extremely rare in North America, grass sickness is a problem in Scotland, northern England, Switzerland, and Australia. There is n

YOUR GUIDE TO THE 2003 AAEP CONVENTION
NEW PRODUCTS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) is the leading provider of continuing education for veterinarians. Their education not only comes from the lectures given in the vast, darkened halls, but from the brightly lit exhibit hall. Each year at the AAEP Convention,

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) board of directors recently approved a new position statement regarding the tail docking of horses. The statement was written by the Equine Welfare Committee and reads as follows:

Position on Tail Docking in Horses

Tail docking in horses should only be performed when it is a medical necessity or when it i

The IDEXX Reference Laboratory group of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDXX), earlier this month announced the purchase of Equine Biodiagnostics, Inc. (EBI). Based in Lexington, Kentucky, EBI specializes in diagnostic testing for the veterinary health care industry. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

IDEXX provides a worldwide network of full-service, veterinary reference

U.S. Equestrian will be offering a variety of seminars during its First Meeting and Sports Summit to be held Jan. 14 – 18, 2004, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners will be sponsoring a series of health seminars beginning on Fri., Jan. 16, with Mark Martinelli, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, who specializes in orthopedic problems

As fires continue to ravage the Southern California Region, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles’ (spcaLA) resources are stretched from the high demand. From the Mexican border up to Ventura County thousands of residents and their animals are fleeing to safety. 

Currently, spcaLA’s Disaster Animal Response Team (DART), a mobile command post unit along

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine will host its annual Equine Artificial Insemination Workshop Feb. 7-8, 2004, at the school. The workshop is open to horse breeders, but is limited to 18 participants.

This hands-on workshop is held to instruct horse owners and breeders on artificial insemination procedures with both fresh and cooled semen. Proper handling and preparation of semen