Veterinarians in the United States have a new tool to use in their diagnosis and treatment of colic, which gives them an early, 30-minute window in which to decide whether or not the colic might require more intensive medical therapy or surgery.
An outbreak of multidrug-resistant salmonella has occurred at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center that was reported to have caused an unknown number of animal deaths. The Center and its Widener Hospital closed on Monday, May 10, s
My horse has recurrent colic and our veterinarian wants to treat her permanently with a low dose of prednisolone. Has this treatment been successful, and what side effects could be expected?
During colic surgery, it can be difficult to judge whether twisted bowel deprived of oxygenated blood, a process called ischemia, will recover sufficiently once it is replaced and blood flows again. While the bowel might look healthy on the outside,
The axiom, “You are what you eat” does have relevance to horses with regard to health and well-being. Here’s a review some of the more common dietary problems that affect various organ systems in the horse.
Salmonella spp. can cause diarrhea, abscesses, septicemia, and other ailments in horses. The October 2002 issue of Equine Disease Quarterly, published by the University of Kentucky (UK) and sponsored by underwriters at Lloyd’s of
Have you heard of horses getting colic from frozen sweet feeds?
Colic surgery in horses is classified as a “clean contaminated” procedure because incisions into the intestine can allow bacteria to contaminate the sterile abdomen. Thus, prophylactic (preventive) antibiotic therapy is often administered prior
Clostridia-associated enterocolitis (inflammation of the small intestine and colon) affects both humans and horses, young and old alike. According to Nathan Slovis, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Hagyard-Davidson-McGee (HDM) Associates veterinary clinic i
The first thing to decide in a foal with abdominal pain is if the colic is surgical or non-surgical, said Bernard. He stressed the importance of observance “before you jump on it” and start taking vitals and administering medications.
A recent study showed that one type of compounded omeprazole was ineffective against gastric ulcers in horses.
Salmonella spp. cause a multitude of diseases in horses, including diarrhea, abscesses, septicemia, and other ailments. Over 2,200 serotypes of salmonellae are known and can be identified at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories
Newborn foals are especially susceptible to gastrointestinal diseases such as clostridial enterocolitis, which is characterized by abdominal pain, diarrhea, toxemia, shock, or death without prior signs. While this disease occurs only
In specific regions of the United States, one of the most commonly encountered forms of colic is “sand colic.” This is not solely a problem in geographic areas with obviously sandy environments. Anywhere there is sand, decomposed granite, or
There are multiple causes of colic, some of which are related to diet, stabling conditions, and activity level. Colic is painful for the horse, expensive to treat (especially if it requires surgery), and hard to predict. Determining which
While surgical correction of colic in horses has been performed at referral hospitals for many years, it has been difficult for horse owners to get reliable information about survival rate. The prospect of extremely expensive colic surgery
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with
