Your equine athlete’s performance hasn’t been blue ribbon-worthy as of late. Or maybe your broodmare’s gaits are looking a little off kilter. Could long toes on the hind feet be to blame? According to the results of a recent study, the answer in some
Researchers are always working to better understand the equine body and how it functions. Case in point: A team of researchers from the Virginia Tech Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center recently completed an index study on a
A particular form of vitamin K could be a potential candidate for increasing equine bone density while decreasing breakdown. However, veterinarians caution that this is not a viable supplementation route to pursue until further research on the effect
In certain cases of navicular disease, drilling a hole into the navicular bone–a procedure called core decompression that’s commonly used to treat human osteonecrosis (bone death caused by poor blood supply to the area)–might provide a new
Clearly defined diagnostic criteria could help veterinarians detect BFS earlier and more accurately.
Healthy blood sugar is a major factor in equine health. When glucose is not efficiently delivered to or utilized by the target cells, a horse’s ability to produce sustained metabolic energy is greatly diminished. This can result in a series of
Equine atypical myopathy (EAM), a seasonal, pasture-associated muscle disorder of unknown etiology (cause), presents a particular challenge to veterinarians. The disease is characterized by a generalized complete degeneration of muscle fibers, which
The immune system allows humans and animals including horses to survive in a complex world filled with harmful bacteria and viruses that can use our bodies for nourishment and reproduce within us. The immune system protects us from those organisms
American show jumper McLain Ward’s long-time partner Sapphire, a 16-year-old Belgian warmblood mare, strained her right front check ligament while training in Florida last week and will miss the remainder of the 2011 show season.
Horse respiratory issues discussed during the 2010 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention included PCR testing for specific diseases, ceftiofur antibiotic for pneumonia, and electroacupuncture for chronic respiratory disease.
A resurgence of interest in the equine temporomandibular joint (TMJ) (which allows for opening and closing of a horse’s mouth) has led to discussions on the relationship of TMJ disease to weight loss or behavioral changes in horses.
Carbohydrates are important energy sources for horses, and they are required for digestive health.
Changes in a horse’s heart size due to dehydration might lead to a misdiagnosis of heart disease based on echocardiogram, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center.
When it comes to designing diets, knowing the basics of how horses digest food is half the battle. It’s important to consider each horse’s energy requirements before developing a feeding schedule.
Learn about your horse’s skull and teeth, and where you should never hit your horse, in this anatomy video with Dr. Roberta Dwyer of the University of Kentucky.
Learn about the structure and function of your horse’s powerful hind limbs with Dr. Roberta Dwyer of the University of Kentucky’s Gluck Equine Research Center.
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with
