Teams of veterinarians and farriers from around the country gathered at the fifth International Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot to discuss the most cutting-edge information available for the fight to conquer laminitis. This devastating hoof disease is caused by an inflammation of the horse’s laminae–interlocking leaflike tissues attaching the hoof to the coffin bone.

The neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU, is that special place in a veterinary clinic where premature, critical, and newborn foals receive intensive, round-the-clock care. The NICU handles everything from breathing problems to heart conditions to disease and more. If a foal’s in trouble, it’s the place to be.

During the colder months, many horse owners go on a quest for wheat bran, probably so that they can make their four-legged friends a bran mash–a warm treat for horses on frosty winter days.

With 2010 officially in the books, TheHorse.com decided to take a look back at a year that was filled with developments in equine medicine, breakthroughs in horse health, and, of course, a few chuckles along the way. With a new year just beginning, five of our fabulous freelance writers took a few minutes to recall their favorite news events of 2010.

The 21st annual Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) select stallion season auction will be held Jan. 8 at the Keeneland Entertainment Center in Lexington, Ky. The cocktail party-style event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with dinner and drinks followed by the auction at 8.

While there are numerous causes for weight loss, a methodical evaluation of these horses is more important than the lengthy list of possible diagnoses.

I was wondering about corneal ulcers in horses. I have a 30-year-old horse that has lost eyesight in one eye from age, and I am treating him now for a corneal ulcer. I read your article on eye problems (November 2010 issue) and was wondering what medications are usually used for treating this problem. I know I am using (antibiotics) neomycin and polymyxin B and bacitracin, zinc ointment, and

Osteoarthritis (sometimes called degenerative joint disease) is the most common cause of lameness in horses and currently there is no cure.1 However, researchers continue to improve available treatment methods. At the 2010 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 4-8 in Baltimore, Md., Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc, PhD, DSc, FRCVS, Dipl. ACVS, director of the Orthopaedic

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has released its second annual “Humane State Ranking,” a comprehensive report rating all 50 states on a wide range of animal protection laws dealing with horses, pets, animal cruelty and fighting, farm animals, wildlife, and animals in research.

The Equine Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) has made strategic moves to strengthen the organization and its leadership team through the addition of two individuals to the board of directors, Ken Haddad of Florida and Susan Harding of Maryland, and one addition to the advisory council, Kentucky’s first lady Jane K. Beshear.

According to Kentucky Equine Research nutritionist Kathleen Crandell, PhD, hay cubes are an option to consider as an alternative forage source for horses. “The most popular types of forage cubes are made from coarsely chopped alfalfa hay, timothy hay, alfalfa/grass hay, whole corn plants, and alfalfa hay/whole corn plants,” said Crandell.

A possible equine herpesvirus (EHV) outbreak has prompted quarantine measures to be implemented at Beulah Park in Ohio.

A Pennsylvania-based equine rescue organization hopes a billboard advertising campaign will raise awareness of horse slaughter issues, particularly among non-horse owners.

The horse racing industry is continuously working to make the sport safer for all parties involved, and in 2008, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) mandated the use of synthetic track in an attempt to reduce the number of catastrophic injuries that took place on California racing surfaces. To see if the switch was a success, Rick Arthur, DVM, the equine medical director of the CHRB,

With many horse owners still struggling to make ends meet in the current economic downturn, the horse industry continues to look for a ways to help with the ongoing unwanted horse problem. With the support of the Unwanted Horse Coalition’s Operation Gelding, the Tacoma Equine Hospital in Tacoma, Wash., is providing a low-cost castration clinic to struggling horse owners in the Puget Sound area.

A new fund has been established at the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) to help support research related to diagnosing equine dermatology problems. The fund was created in memory of a horse who was euthanized as the result of a minor scrape on his fetlock.