The Equine Hospital at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine has closed its doors to non-emergency horse admissions until Feb. 20, 2003. This action has been taken to allow disinfection of the hospital because of potential contamination by horses admitted January 18, 19, and 24, 2003 from an outbreak of equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection that occurred at the

Historically, botulism has usually been seen as a fatal problem for the young foal. However, Pamela Wilkins, DVM, PhD, of the Graham French Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, said that she has had a positive experience in treating affected foals. In her AAEP Convention presentation “Botulism in Foals: A Survivable Disease,” she said that

In the past, some veterinarians have relied on commercially available serologic tests to establish, confirm, or rule out a diagnosis of foal pneumonia caused by the soil-borne bacteria Rhodococcus equi. A recent study at Texas A&M University has proven that these tests are not a reliable indicator of the disease.

We hear a lot about a horse experiencing rhabdomyolysis (tying-up) during or after exercise. However, foals are also susceptible to muscle damage. Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, of the University of Minnesota, presented “A Review of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Rhabdomyolysis in Foals” at the 2002 American Association of Equine Practitioner’s Convention. She began her presentation with a

The Association of American Feed Control Officials, Inc. (AAFCO) has recommended a nationwide enforcement event for comfrey in animal feeds to begin on March 3, 2003. At the AAFCO Annual Meeting in August 2002, AAFCO announced that comfrey, determined to be a health and safety concern in animals, is recommended for removal from all animal feeds.

This AAFCO-recommended enforcement

One more horse has shown neurologic signs of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) in the outbreak which began Jan. 12 at the University of Findlay’s English riding facility in Findlay, Ohio. Twelve horses have died during the outbreak, and at least 43 horses have exhibited neurological signs of the disease (including the 12 which died). The latest neurologic case is considered stable, and

The number of equine abortions in Central Kentucky remains ahead of last year’s pace based on the most recent report issued by the University of Kentucky’s Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Thirty-eight aborted fetuses were submitted to the LDDC for examination during 2003’s sixth week compared to 33 during the same time period in 2002. The cumulative total for

“When you hear hoofbeats on the covered bridge, please think about the zebra!” said Corrie Brown, DVM, PhD, Dipl. American College of Veterinary Pathology, vice chair of the Cornell Committee for Animal Diseases. Her point was that when veterinarians are making diagnoses, they need to consider foreign animal diseases. “The amount of damage that a foreign animal disease will cause is directly

According to a Feb. 10 proMED report, a virulent anthrax outbreak has caused the deaths of 42 horses from rural communities in the municipalities of Pueblo Nuevo and Condega in Nicaragua. The report was made from a translation of a story in the Nicaraguan newspaper, La Prensa (https://www.laprensa.com.ni).

Anthrax is characterized by a

Results of a survey of central Kentucky horse farms has provided information on possible risk factors associated with increased fetal losses during early and late autumn 2002. The survey was conducted by the University of Kentucky Department of Veterinary Science in conjunction with other departments within the College of Agriculture.

Thirty farms filled out detailed questionnaires.

Veterinarians are the first line of defense against infectious and contagious animal diseases, noted Brian J. McCluskey, DVM, MS, of the USDA:Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health in Fort Collins, Colo. “The rapid diagnosis and ultimate control of foreign animal and emerging diseases is dependent on the diagnostic abilities, experiences, an

“What is interesting to understand about the horse is that at rest, it breathes about 86,000 liters of air a day, about 25,000 gallons, which may carry quite a bit of dust particles that can really injure the respiratory tract,” said Laurent Couëtil, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Purdue University in the In Depth: Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD) session at the 2002 American Association of Equine

Padua Stables’ Vindication, champion 2-year-old of 2002 and early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, has been taken off the Derby trail due to an injury to his left front suspensory.

The son of Seattle Slew had been battling a slight foot bruise following his five-furlong work in :58 2/5 on Jan. 25, but had recovered and returned to the track on Feb. 3. A precautionary ultrasound,

The results of a survey conducted by the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center and College of Agriculture showed that a small number of Thoroughbred and other farms experienced an unusual increase in what is being termed fall fetal loss syndrome (FFLS). While there are “suspects,” there is no definitive cause known at this time.

The detailed information on the

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

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