A study conducted by researchers at the University of Montreal has revealed that ultrasonography is more effective than radiography for detecting rib fractures in foals, and that the fracture rate is higher than previously reported.
When you’re talking about evaluating a horse’s foot, a radiograph or X ray can tell you a whole lot more than just whether there’s a fracture or not. When the radiograph is taken to show soft tissue detail as well as bone, it can provide tons of info
Venograms have added to our knowledge of laminitis and other common foot problems, in large part because for the first time we can see the structural components of the vascular supply to the horse’s foot.
“The venogram is the ticket to fixing all those laminitis cases you’ve been missing,” Amy Rucker, DVM, said at the Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium (held Jan. 25-28 in Louisville, Ky.). Rucker, a practitioner with Midwest Equine in Columbia, Mo., discus
“Owners and trainers worldwide have the feeling that every veterinarian and every farrier have years of experience and vast knowledge about laminitis and podiatry (foot care). Unfortunately, this is not the case,” said Ric Redden, DVM, founder of
There was a time when diagnosing lameness was basic-watch the horse travel, determine where you think the problem might be, and take a guess at what’s causing it. Then came X rays, ultrasound, CT (computed tomography) scans, scintigraphy (bone
There isn’t yet a complete answer to how laminitis works and how to treat it, although researchers in several countries are working on it. D’Arpe characterizes the current state of laminitis knowledge by comparing it to the early stages of fracture
“Previous gait analysis systems were based on computer images that were sometimes misleading,” said Keoughan. “This system will enable us to optimize hoof balance and comfort leading to heightened performance and success.”
There has been a long journey over a relatively short span of time in the world of equine gait analysis. The first studies utilized high-speed cameras and a treadmill and took place at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences some 35 years
The annual convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, held in San Antonio, Texas, in early December 2006, had three sessions devoted to foot care that were open to farriers. Following are synopses of some of those presentations
A large group of horses that developed clinical signs of navicular disease during the six months prior to exam were scanned with MRI. These horses demonstrated typical signs of bilateral forelimb lameness, sensitivity to hoof testers over the middle
The horse’s immune system is a window to its world. The biochemical analysis of blood components can give the veterinarian valuable information about disease exposure and immune responses. When a horse is exposed to an antigen (a disease-causing
Researchers at Colorado State University (CSU) set time guidelines for the use of transfixation pin casts for horses with comminuted phalangeal fractures. They found that horses with fractures maintained in this type of cast for 40-80 days had increa
The newly completed equine genome sequence will be an invaluable asset for those looking to breed and manage the ideal equine athlete, as well as giving researchers a whole new set of tools for investigating equine disease, according to
The first genome map of a horse is complete, providing scientists with a new set of tools for investigating equine disease, scientists at the Broad Institute, a part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the National Human Genome
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive imaging technique that has been used for human diagnosis since the 1980’s but is a relatively new diagnostic tool in treating horses. It provides incredibly sharp and detailed pictures of soft
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