The presence and degree of pain an animal experiences is meant to be beneficial. Pain signals actual or impending body damage, and may help prevent further damage by initiating movement away from the cause or by limiting use of injured areas
Roman Skarda, DrMedVet., PhD, professor in the Anesthesia Section of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University, has studied techniques of epidural and spinal analgesia in horses for 20 years. For the past seven
Horses with chronic inflammation of the digital flexor tendon (DDFT) sheath that doesn’t respond to conventional therapy might be suffering from longitudinal tears in the DDFT. Warmbloods which suffer from chronic annular ligament constriction
Named for the sport in which it often occurs, hunter’s (or jumper’s) bump is a sometimes painful pelvic condition that affects performance and gait.
Bog and bone spavin don’t necessarily have to end your horse’s performance career, but they certainly require careful attention and care.
Scientific researchers have learned that the injuries suffered by human and equine athletes, especially as they relate to joints, often are very similar. Now, they are using that knowledge in their attempts to find ways to prevent injuries to both.
Competitive endurance riders know that horses lose fluids and electrolytes during strenuous rides. Calcium and magnesium are also lost during prolonged aerobic exercise. Low blood calcium (hypocalcemia) allows sodium to enter nerve cells, leadin
Driving home one evening at dusk, you notice a horse standing listlessly in a small, fenced paddock on a farm located a few miles from your home. The horse looks quite thin, almost to the point of emaciation, and there is neither food nor water
Innovation in equine medicine is the hallmark of the AAEP Convention’s State of the Art Lecture, and this year will be no different. David M. Nunamaker, VMD, Chairman and Jacques Jenny Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery of the New Bolton Center’s
There are many causes for back pain in horses, and they can range from the dramatic to the benign.
My training is in equine myotherapy and sometimes I get asked about a thumper. Can you tell me more about this tool?
There seems to be little doubt that musculoskeletal injury–including injury to bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments–is a major problem for Thoroughbred racehorses. This impression has been borne out by studies of “wastage” in the racing
The American Humane Association has donated $2,000 to provide an emergency food supply for 30 horses and 1,100 head of livestock affected by the flooding in Minnesota. Combined with a matching donation by the Humane Society of the United States,
Lameness in show jumpers is often caused by forelimb tendon injury. The superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is most frequently injured, followed by the interosseus tendon (IT), and the accessory ligament (AL), while the deep digital flexor
Chronic use of phenylbutazone, or Bute, in horses with joint problems could be causing more problems than it’s preventing. A recent study showed that Bute and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) might be detrimental to
In many cases, you can completely cure the horse of the underlying ailment that causes his stiffness. And even in cases where the horse suffers from a chronic condition such as arthritis, your careful, consistent efforts to battle stiffness can improve his performance and, more important, his quality of life and his pleasure of performing with you.
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with
