How to care for the basic health needs of horses
South Beach Baby, a.k.a. Hope, was a 16-month-old Thoroughbred filly who gave the gift of knowledge to many in the horse industry. Her painful battle with degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis (DSLD) came early in life and progressed rapidly
Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a 12-part series of articles on vaccinations for horses.
West Nile virus (WNV) might be the new kid on the block, the one gaining all the media attention, but unfortunately, it is not the only
In this time of enlightened horse management, it is staggering that the myths and folklore surrounding stable “vices” still refuse to die, and therefore the repetitive behaviors themselves continue to thrive. Even the term “vice” implies the
Farms with large acreage and many mares and foals are more likely to have cases of R. equi foal pneumonia than smaller farms with fewer horses, according to a recently published Texas A&M University (TAMU) study. Additionally, farms
A strangles outbreak has placed a boarding stable in northern Los Angeles County, Calif., under quarantine, and more than 60 horses at the farm remain under close observation. The outbreak of the highly contagious upper respiratory disease cause
Exercise exhaustion can occur after relatively brief maximal exercise or after prolonged submaximal exercise.
You should be prepared to ship a horse if it is in need of emergency care at a veterinary hospital. If you have your own trailer, make sure that it is in working order at all times (the truck, too) and always have a back-up plan.
The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) is holding its annual meeting April 3-7 in St. Paul Minn., and will address issues ranging from zoonotic diseases to animal identification, animal health emergency management, equine health,
Limb conformation has bearing on the type of procedure used to alter a particular defect, including periosteal elevation, transphyseal bridging, hoof augmentation, and changes in management. Conformation also affects selection of sale and breeding
Observe the eye with the aid of a penlight or other light source. Evidence of pain is a clear symptom of most ocular diseases. However, sometimes it is not the first sign, so paying some attention to the eye and becoming familiar with what looks norm
“What is the relationship between conformation and performance, and what can we do to impact it?” These questions have been asked by those focused on performance in many species, and they were the focus of one presentation by Liz Santschi, DVM,
Sometimes a horse has a reaction following a vaccination. The local and whole body reaction to a number of the equine immunization products is a well-known side effect of these necessary shots. Some horses demonstrate signs of systemic illness, such as depression, inappetence, and fever.
Equine nutritionists and wise horse owners have long known that obesity in horses is not a good thing.
One of the most important facts regarding severe wounds is that the sooner they are noticed and repaired the better the patient’s prognosis, both functionally and cosmetically. Another aspect of wounds is that they bleed, some significantly more than others.
Dehydration can be a significant problem for the performance horse as well as for horses suffering from other disease processes.
To establish a baseline set of measurements when the horse is healthy, do your “hands-off” observations first. Then after watching the horse, measure its heart and respiratory rates.
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