At the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, attendees were treated to an in-depth presentation on horse conformation and its effects on soundness by veterinarian G. Marvin Beeman, MS, DVM, of the Littleton Large Animal Clinic in Colorado. He addressed methods of evaluating conformation as well as his own conformation categories.
Scoliosis, a curvature of the spine, is most often attributed to congenital vertebral malformations, possibly associated with malposition of the fetus in the uterus. However, researchers have linked cases of acquired scoliosis presented at Cornell
Women aren’t the only ones suffering from decreased bone density and bone mass loss–horses in Central California have experienced a systemic osteoporotic disorder. Equine bone fragility syndrome, a systemic osteoporotic (characterized by a decrease
Windpuffs are soft, fluid-filled swellings toward the back of the fetlock joint, resulting from inflamed deep digital flexor tendon sheaths. Most commonly, these puffy enlargements are symptomless blemishes–old and cold, the result of years of hard work.
The term “corrective shoeing” is often overused and misunderstood. It sometimes implies that the farrier can correct conformational faults of feet and legs. In reality, often very little can be done to change the way a horse is built. Trying to fix
When Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide is welcomed at the Kentucky Horse Park this Friday, Dec. 5, it will signal a new era of complete retirement and rest for a
A triad of factors, namely sex, breed, and age, are all associated with the development of cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy (CVCM) according to one of the latest studies published by researchers at the College of
Researchers from the United Kingdom recently embarked on an 18-month exercise study to determine why the equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is more prone to injury than the various other tendons located in the distal (lower) part of
Veterinary researchers at the University of California, Davis, are working to classify a newly observed bone fragility disorder that might prove to be the culprit behind some cases of intermittent chronic lameness that have no other explanation.
“Oh, my aching back!” It’s a complaint heard worldwide and one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor or miss work. So, it’s not hard to imagine what a horse with back pain might feel like. Unfortunately, very few veterinarians are
It pays to think outside the box when considering possible causes of stallion infertility. The stallion’s reproductive conformation, quality of sperm, and history can all impact his performance in the breeding shed.
Some of the more typical clinical signs horses with a neck problem might present include stiffness, muscle atrophy, patchy sweating, shortened forelimb stride, forelimb lameness, and abnormal head carriage.
The equine carpal (knee) joint is a veritable puzzle of bones and sometimes a diagnostic enigma for veterinarians. Mike Ross, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, of the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center offered some insight to practitioners on working
The International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology (ISELP) held the first of its second series of lectures earlier this month. Around 100 veterinarians attended the weekend course hosted by Virginia Equine Imaging and led by Jean-Marie
The sacroiliac joint, which forms the articulation between the pelvis and the spine, is often considered a location of elusive pain in horses. However, its deep location and, thereby, limited accessibility make diagnosis (via nerve blocks) and
Many methods have been used to straighten crooked limbs on foals, and in the past staples placed across the “long” side’s growth plate have received somewhat mixed reviews. However, some researchers suggest that this was due to poor staple choic
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