West Nile virus (WNV) is steadily spreading across the country, having been detected in at least 33 states so far this year*. Horses in 15 states have been infected with the virus in 2003; the most recent announcements of equine WNV cases were from Kansas and New Mexico.

Health officials in Kansas announced July 9 that they had logged the state’s first equine WNV case for this year.

According to a Reuters health story distributed via ProMED-mail, Mexico has declared a state of emergency due to West Nile virus (WNV), declaring it a severe risk to the horse population and a growing public health threat.

The first discovery of avian WNV in Mexico was made on May 16 in Tabasco state. The finding prompted the government to launch an equine vaccination campaign for the

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson is concerned about the high number of Eastern Equine encephalitis (EEE) cases in the state and is urging horse owners to get the proper immunizations for their animals against EEE as well as West Nile virus (WNV).

So far this year, 158 horses in 42 counties have been diagnosed with EEE (as of

A reward has been offered for information about those who intentionally injured five American Saddlebreds in Versailles, Ky. USA Equestrian, the national governing body of equestrian sport, is offering the reward.

At least $100,000 has already been pledged to the reward fund. The reward would be given for information leading to the capture and successful prosecution of the

The Equine Health Studies Program (EHSP) at the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) in Baton Rouge, La., will receive funds from tax revenue generated from slot machines placed in racetracks throughout the state, which is part of a bill recently passed in the Louisiana Legislature. 

“The $750,000 of annually-recurring funding approved will have a

The five American Saddlebreds that were injected with a caustic substance the weekend of June 28-29 are on the road to recovery, according to Ric Redden, DVM, founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky. Redden has been checking on the horses daily along with several other veterinarians, and reported that hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been added to the treatment

Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines has once again received a generous $10,000 grant from Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) in support of the Farm’s century-long mission of caring for aged and abused horses.

“Ryerss receives no public funds, so we rely entirely on the generous support of friends like TCA,” said Ryerss President Joseph Donahue. “This kind of grant goes a long way toward

Three new directors have been elected by the membership of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to serve on the organization’s board. The terms for the directors will begin at the conclusion of the 2003 AAEP Annual Convention in New Orleans, La., November 21–25.

The newly elected board members are:

District IV (South Central): Kenneth Jackso

Pfizer Animal Health and American Horse Publications recently announced that Don Burt has been named as the recipient of the second annual Equine Industry Vision Award. This unique distinction is the first major award to showcase innovation across the equine industry and to recognize ingenuity and service within the horse world. The award was presented to Burt during the American Horse

Researchers led by XY Inc., a global biotech company in Fort Collins, Colo., were recently successful in their quest to produce the first sex-selected offspring of the world’s first sex-selected mare and first sex-selected stallion. “First Lady” was born April 20. The filly was produced via artificial insemination (AI) using an extremely low dose of fresh, sexed sperm.

First Lady’s

The five American Saddlebreds that were injected with an unknown substance and suffered serious injuries as a result continue to recover at Double D Ranch in Versailles, Ky. Ric Redden, DVM, and founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky., visited the horses Wednesday, July 2, further assessed their condition (Carol McLeod, DVM, and others have been treating the

Immense knowledge of equine health issues and an equally remarkable willingness to share their know-how distinguish the newest inductees to the International Equine Veterinarians Hall of Fame. Ted Stashak, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, professor of veterinary medicine at Colorado State University, and J.D. Wheat, DVM, professor of equine surgery at the University of California-Davis School of

The Associated Press reports that five American Saddlebreds in Versailles, KY, including one former five-gaited world champion, suffered life-threatening injuries after their pasterns were injected with an unknown substance.

Two veterinarians who have had significant impact on Florida’s equine veterinary community were recently honored through the University of Florida (UF) College of Veterinary Medicine’s 2003 Distinguished Awards program. Lisa Conti, DVM, Dipl. ACVP, Florida’s state public health veterinarian, and Ellis Greiner, PhD, UF professor of parasitology, an individual whose enthusiasm and support for

Maryland state veterinarian Phyllis Cassano, DVM, announced today that an Anne Arundel County, Md., horse has tested positive for rabies. The 7-year-old Quarter Horse mare named Coup de Harmony had recently competed at the East Coast Barrel Bash in Harrington, Del., June 19-21.

The mare began showing clinical signs July 20, while still at the show. According to the owner’s report, she

Whether you have a large barn or a small one, an inexpensive pre-fab building or an elaborate construction, you can equip it to make it more “user-friendly” for you and your horses. At the very least, your barn should provide safe shelter during inclement weather. At best, it can be a showplace designed for human convenience as well as horse health.

When building a new barn or fixing up