This morning (Oct. 10), the Kentucky State Veterinarian’s office sent out an alert that the sixth equine case of West Nile virus had been confirmed.

The University of Kentucky’s Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center confirmed the diagnosis in a 17-month-old Tennessee Walking Horse based on positive Igm and compatible clinical signs. The horse had no history of vaccination, and he was

Paul Lunn, BVMS, MS, PhD, head of the Department of Clinical Sciences at Colorado State University (CSU) College of Veterinary Medicine, was chosen to deliver the Frederick Smith Lecture at the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress held in September in England. The invitation is considered a prestigious honor, and Lunn received a commemorative medal for delivering the lecture and in

Horses fed a diet of only forage have greater bacterial stability and fewer “bad” fecal bacteria, such as Streptococcus spp, than horses that are also fed concentrates. This finding, reported by a group of Swedish researchers, provides opportunities for the industry to develop more targeted feeding strategies to support equine health and welfare. “Diets rich in readily

Thousands of wild horses would be relocated from their traditional Western ranges to preserves in the East and Midwest under a proposed plan unveiled in a letter from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to congressional leaders on Wednesday.

Under the plan, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) would purchase land east of the Mississippi River to develop two wild horse and burro

Global animal health and nutrition company Alltech announced yesterday that its Yea-Sacc1026, a live yeast culture based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain 1026, has been granted full European Union (EU) authorization as a feed additive for horses under Commission Regulation (EC) No. 886/2009.
 
Alltech says this authorization follows extensive scientific research in

Internationally renowned equine scholar Dr. Jim Heird has joined the Texas A&M University family.

Heird was hired as a joint appointment between the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as executive professor and coordinator of the university’s Equine Sciences Initiative.

“For many years, Texas

Leading Horse of the Year candidate Rachel Alexandra returned to her home base at Churchill Downs Oct. 7 and settled into familiar surroundings in trainer Steve Asmussen’s Barn 38 following a long van ride from Saratoga, where she spent much of the summer and the early days of fall.

“She walked the shed this morning,” Asmussen said. “It was a little cool here this morning, but it

Darley stallion Shamardal has injured his withers and will be rested for the remainder of the Southern Hemisphere breeding season at the outfit’s Australian farm. The English champion is expected to make a full recovery before the end of the year.

Shamardal will return to Europe with the other shuttle stallions in time for the Northern Hemisphere breeding season and is expected to

The United States Equestrian Federation reported today that former Olympic mount and dressage horse Mythilus was humanely euthanized today as a result of complications discovered during colic surgery.

The 15-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding was the former partner of Olympian Courtney King-Dye. In June 2008, King-Dye finished in third place at 2008 Olympic Dressage Trials with Mythilus

“It does not matter how or when you die. The only question is, did you really live?” These words, by the late Dr. Jerri Lin FitzGerald, defined the success and palpable enthusiasm among participants who united Oct. 3 at Twin Orchard Farm in Southampton, Mass., for the inaugural Canter Against Cancer benefit trail ride and pig roast to support the medical scholarship launched in the physician’

The bacterium Stenotrophomonas maltophilia can be associated with chronic lower airway disease in horses, reports a group of Danish researchers.

S. maltophilia is a Gram-negative bacterium that is causing disease more often in humans, particularly among the immunocompromised population, but it is only rarely reported as causing infection in animals.

The

While this article does not contain information about equine influenza, TheHorse.com staff thinks it’s important that horse owners stay healthy, too! The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Oct. 7 unveiled several new resources on the federal government’s one-stop resource for flu information–www.flu.gov.

On Oct. 14, riders from more than 20 countries will compete in the Kentucky Cup Endurance race, sponsored by Emirates Equestrian Federation. This is the official endurance test event for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. 

Athletes from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Romania, Spain, and many other countries are expected to compete in or observe Kentucky Cup Enduranc

Two Miami, Fla., men are facing charges after allegedly selling horse meat to an undercover police officer.

Miami-Dade Police arrested Roberto Chavez and Ricardo Olivarez on Tuesday after the pair allegedly sold the officer 10 pounds of meat for $50 at Chavez’s Southwest Miami-Dade Ranch. Both men were initially charged with doing business without a license.

“The county

Thousands of mustangs that now roam the West would be moved to preserves in the Midwest and East under a new Interior Department plan to protect wild horse herds and the rangelands that support them.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Wednesday (Oct. 7) the plan would not require killing any wild horses. Interior Department officials had warned in recent months that slaughtering some