What do you get when you cross a zebra and a donkey? One interesting story. Although it might sound more like a joke than an actual event, one such zebra-donkey hybrid (known as a zedonk) was born last week at a wildlife preserve in Northern Georgia. Born to a donkey mother and a zebra father, the zedonk filly displays characteristics of both parents. “Her conforma

Compared to other species, cloning horses is still in its infancy. Cloning is becoming increasingly popular, yet the health of these artificially-produced foals has not been assessed in detail. “There is very little information on the health of cloned foals currently available,” said Aime Johnson, DVM, Dipl. ACT, from the J.T. Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital at Au

Law enforcement authorities in King County, Wash., are seeking those responsible for abandoning two horses near a campground on July 21. Sheriff’s Deputies discovered the roughly 20-year-old bay Thoroughbred mare and the elderly red roan Appaloosa gelding wandering near the Tinkham Campground near North Bend after responding to a tip. King County Animal Care and Control Sergea

The Michigan departments of Community Health (MDCH) and Agriculture (MDA) received confirmation on July 26 from the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health (DCPAH) that a three month old Percheron filly from Calhoun County and a 12 month old Arabian male from Barry County tested positive for the mosquito-borne disease Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EE

Jack Meyer, a Tevis volunteer and an ultra-marathon runner from Foresthill, Calif., went beyond the call of duty when he rescued a black Anglo-Arab mare that had fallen into a ravine. Christoph Schork’s 9-year-old Castle Country Karahty (“Kat”), ridden by David Shefrin, slid from the Western States Trail July 24 during the horse and rider’s attempt to complete the 100-mile Tevi

Legislation that would ban the use of double-decker trailers to transport horses advanced this week when it was passed by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure July 29. The Horse Transportation Act of 2009 (HR305) would prohibit the interstate transport of horses in a motor vehicle containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another. U.S. Representative Mark Kirk (R-Ill

Giving procaine penicillin before and after castration reduces the levels of inflammatory markers on a horse’s blood test, which suggest that this approach might reduce bacteria in the surgical wounds, according to a Danish study. The researchers gave a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and three days of procaine penicillin, which is a combination of penicillin and

In response to two separate incidents involving livestock in public places, David Wilson, DVM, director of the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis, is calling for a complete review of animal use and handling procedures for all animals intended for public exhibition. John Madigan, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, a professor of veterinary medicine a

A U.S. District Court judge in Nevada has declined to grant a wild horse advocate’s second request for a temporary restraining order designed to prevent the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from gathering horses from the Rock Creek and Little Humboldt Horse Management Areas in northwestern Elko County. The BLM began removing excess animals from the Owyhee, Rock Creek, and Littl

Led by Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brandswinner Super Saver and Preakness Stakes winner Lookin At Lucky, one of the deepest fields in the 43-year history of the IZOD Haskell Invitational was drawn July 29 at Monmouth Park. A field of eight 3-year-olds was entered for the $1 million Haskell on Aug. 1, a race that could go a long way in determining the 3-year-old champion. In a

It’s about that time of year again, when breeders are preparing to wean this year’s foal crop. Whether you’re weaning your first foal or you’re an old hand, weaning can be quite stressful for the foals, mares, and their owners! Do you have questions about weaning strategies and health concerns for recently weaned foals and/or their dams? You’re not the only one! Join us on Wednesday, July 28…

Genetic testing has shown Dunbars Gold, a 1996 brindle Quarter Horse stallion, to be an extremely rare chimera, an individual with two DNA types. Of the more than 4.7 million American Quarter Horses registered with AQHA (excluding appendix horses), the registration department has a list of only 15 horses who have exhibited some form of the brindle coat pattern.

The Kentucky state veterinarian’s office has the yeoman’s responsibility to regulate and manage the importation of an estimated 800 horses representing 62 countries that are scheduled to participate in the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Sept. 25-Oct. 10 at the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington. “The World Equestrian Games are far greater in size and scope th

A free live webcast will be offered at 1 p.m. EDT, July 28 to address one of the most puzzling disorders in horses. “Shivers” is a disorder in horses that has been recognized for centuries. It’s also been puzzling equine experts for just as long. Shivers is considered both common and rare, affects both genders, appears at all ages, and is principally reported in draft horse breed

Four Thoroughbred racehorses were killed by lightning in Jasper, Ga., Monday, July 26. Two geldings and two pregnant mares were found dead in their field located on the 66-acre farm owned by James and Irma Green. The horses were valued at more than $100,000 the Greens told WSBTV Channel 2, but the Greens