Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in which the whole body is in an inflammatory state due to the presence of a known or suspect bacterial infection. The evolution and future of sepsis treatment in the horse was described by Pamela Wilkins, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, ACVECC, at the 2009 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) convention, held Dec. 5-9 in Las V

The Horse Trust has reopened the doors of its sanctuary, thanks to an increase in donations from the public. The first horse to benefit from this is Weller, a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) horse who has retired to the sanctuary after 14 years of service.

In 2009, The Horse Trust temporarily closed its doors to new horses–apart from emergency welfare cases–due to a drop in publ

A Donkey Sanctuary mobile unit working in Mexico recently met two working animals that contribute to their owners’ lives in very different ways.

The Donkey Sanctuary has been working in Mexico City and the surrounding areas since 1984 and is based at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Omar Pr

Horses entered in the name of Michael Gill, North America’s leading owner by races won and purses earned in 2009, will not be accepted for entry at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.

Chris McErlean, vice president of racing for track owner Penn National Gaming Inc., said Jan. 25 the temporary restriction has been put in place pending a meeting to review the necrops

Kentucky livestock producers and other animal owners have been urged to prepare for a severe winter storm that is expected to strike the Commonwealth near the end of the week.

“Kentucky has been slammed by severe winter weather many times in recent years,” said Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer. “We remember all too well the ice storm that paralyzed most of the

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and American Veterinary Medical Foundation have joined a coalition of other animal health and welfare groups to help address the ongoing humanitarian relief efforts in Haiti following the January 12 earthquake that devastated the country.

The Animal Relief Coalition of Haiti (ARCH) was developed by the Read More

After arriving in Haiti Thursday evening, a team of veterinarians has begun to assess animal needs and is offering hands-on assistance to animals affected by the earthquake. The group represents Humane Society International, The Humane Society of the United States, and the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association.

“Our team is committed to assisting the animals of this d

Cortisol, which is often termed the “stress hormone” because its levels rise in response to stress in horses and other species, might offer veterinarians another tool for assessing and developing prognoses for horses with colic. One study examined cortisol levels in 29 colicking horses referred to a United Kingdom clinic for exploratory surgery.

The California family convicted on multiple animal cruelty charges connected to the removal of 100 horses from their Frazier Park ranch will serve jail time and are prohibited from owning horses for five years.

Jane Bor, her son Ernie, and daughter-in-law Cecelia were arrested in October 2008 after authorities removed

Dressage mare Blue Hors Matine, whose dressage freestyle at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen became an Internet video sensation, was euthanized today after breaking a leg in a paddock accident, Horse and Hound reported.

The 13-year-old Dutch mare was ridden by Andreas Helgstrand. She was retired from competition following a tendon injury at the Las Vegas World Cup in 2007.

When a racehorse is injured, one of the biggest concerns an owner has is whether or not the animal will be able to race again. The owner also wants to know if the horse will be able to perform as well as it did prior to being hurt. Travis Tull, DVM, and Hannah Wellman, BVSc, of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., presented studies that addressed those questions during the La

Peritonitis, defined as inflammation of the peritoneum (membrane lining the abdomen), can result from many problems, from disease to infection following injury or colic/colic surgery. Regardless of the cause, a common treatment is lavage (flushing) of the abdomen after the primary cause of the peritonitis is handled. Many liters of fluid are used to lavage a horse’s abdomen, and of course you have

Law enforcement authorities have arrested two men and a 13-year-old boy in connection with the shooting of a pregnant mare near Sundre, Alberta, last year.

Jason Nixon, 29, and Earl Anderson, 40, both from the Sundre area, have been charged with killing cattle and careless use of a firearm. More than 30 wild horses have been shot in the area since 2002.

The advantages of using painkillers in horses are that they help an injured or ill horse feel better, eat more, lose less weight, stay in the hospital for a shorter time, and often avoid chronic pain, she explained. The potential disadvantages include the possibility that the horse makes the injury worse by being too active because he doesn’t hurt as much, the fact that painkillers can slow down t

On occasion, certain dental problems in horses might call for removal of one or more permanent incisor teeth. A veterinarian experienced in equine dentistry can perform the necessary dental surgery to remove the tooth with the horse standing and sedated. Radiographs (X rays) taken before and after the procedure document tooth condition and position, and they help verify complete tooth removal.