Management of severe skeletal pain in the horse can be a challenging task in practice, and is complicated by the fact that many drugs used for this purpose are controlled substances.
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,
Acute and chronic disease (especially osteoarthritis) of the sacroiliac joint(s) is not uncommon in competition horses and racehorses, affecting up to 8% of Standardbreds in training and 15% of competition horses (particularly hunters, jumpers,
While the term sports medicine is of modern extraction, exercise physiology in humans and horses has been around for more than 100 years. During the decline of the use of work horses in the early to mid-20th Century, not much research was done.
We all should be aware of our level of competence with foot problems–horse owners, veterinarians, and farriers. Since there is no formal education in the field of podiatry, training must be sought on an individual basis.
There’s nothing like a good stretch–when you wake up in the morning, during breaks at work, or before and after your workout. In human physiology, we know about stretching and its benefits for the athlete. Many practitioners and physical
A study at the Island Whirl Equine Colic Research Laboratory at the University of Florida has determined that the horse’s stomach can adapt to meals of various sizes and compositions, giving researchers a better understanding of how the normal
Do you know why a Thoroughbred can deliver that great burst of speed to eat up a mile in 1 1/2 minutes, or how an endurance horse can maintain the strength and stamina to cover long distances at steady speeds? Of course you do: Conditioning.
There are many causes for back pain in horses, and they can range from the dramatic to the benign.
Combining scientific research with real-life case management is the mission of the new Hoof Project Foundation headed by David Hood, DVM, PhD. Noted for his research on hoof problems such as laminitis, Hood hopes to work with the horse-owning
Like a structure made of tinker toys, protein is composed of smaller pieces–the amino acids. These can be rearranged to form the different types of protein-based tissues in the body. Protein is one of the basic nutrient elements of the equine
My training is in equine myotherapy and sometimes I get asked about a thumper. Can you tell me more about this tool?
Skeletal injuries–those involving bones and joints–are a major concern for all athletic horses. The usual outcome of these injuries is a lameness problem that hampers a horse’s training and competition program or, in some cases, is so severe
The twenty-first century is going to be exciting for the horse world. We will see technology continually improve our ability to study, diagnose, correct, and hopefully prevent more of the hoof problems that have plagued horses for centuries.
It should come as no surprise that horses suffer from tendon and ligament injuries. When one considers these vital parts of the equine anatomy and the stresses placed upon them, it’s a tribute to the horse’s physical make-up that there aren’t
Equine dental abnormalities are among the top five most common medical problems encountered by equine veterinarians. Clinical evidence has shown that horses with severe tooth hooks and points that were corrected gained weight
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