Vet and Professional

News and issues for equine health professionals

From Forge to Foot

There isn’t much time in the busy farrier’s life to chat with his brethren of the forge. On the road before daylight, driving endless hours, and arriving home late at night after a hard day’s work doesn’t leave much time for socializing. However

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Foal Hyperbaric Chamber Studies Commence In Kentucky

Two landmark clinical studies examining the effects of treating foals with septic (infected) joints and “dummy foals” (those which suffered from lack of oxygen prior to or during delivery) in hyperbaric chambers have begun in Lexington, Ky.

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Joint Fusion to Eliminate Lameness

Joint arthrodesis is a procedure that locks a joint by fusing bones together. The procedure is used in the pastern joint of horses to treat lameness due to severe osteoarthritis, fractures, bone cysts, and various limb deformities in foals.

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Modifying Semen Extender

Stallion semen is particularly susceptible to freeze-thaw damage, so multi-step procedures are being developed and evaluated to slowly extend and cool the semen prior to freezing it. In addition, the common semen extender INRA82, developed at

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Investigating Poor Performance

For a horse to perform well as an athlete, all body systems must be in good working order. When one or more systems “breaks down,” the horse is no longer able to perform up to his potential, and the owner, rider, and trainer will likely notice a

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IV Complications

Any horse with an indwelling IV catheter should be monitored closely for the swelling and/or thick, rope-like consistency of a vein with thrombosis or thrombophlebitis. Catching any vein problem early and treating it minimizes the risk of serious pro

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Acupuncture and Microdose Prostaglandin in the Mare

Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PG) is used to shorten a mare’s cycle and hasten ovulation for breeding. Unfortunately, the standard PG dose (5 mg) also causes undesirable side effects, including sweating, trembling, increased heart rate, and

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Straightening Crooked Legs

It is not unusual for foals to be born with some level of angular limb deformity, but this becomes a problem when the deformity is severe and doesn’t self-correct quickly. If the deviation is relatively minor, it might be resolved with stall

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Small Intestinal Colic Surgery and Predicting Survival

While surgical correction of colic in horses has been performed at referral hospitals for many years, it has been difficult for horse owners to get reliable information about survival rate. The prospect of extremely expensive colic surgery

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Solving Health Problems Through Genetics

The solution to health and soundness problems facing horses might be as close as the horse itself. Laminitis, colic, respiratory disease, and even joint problems could be prevented or treated using genetics. At the Blue Ribbon Horse Genome

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“Alternative Therapy” Associations

Whether you choose to embrace alternative or complementary medicines is, of course, up to you. However, a word to the wise: To protect yourself, your horse, and your bank account, select a licensed veterinarian who has taken advanced

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