Vet and Professional

News and issues for equine health professionals

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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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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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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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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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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Hoofcare Education at Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium

One of the most common comments at the 15th annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium in Louisville, Ky., Jan. 21-23, 2002, was that if farriers or veterinarians don’t have a passion for working on laminitic horses, they shouldn’t take the cases.

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Tendons and Ligaments

It should come as no surprise that horses suffer from tendon and ligament injuries. When one considers these vital parts of the equine anatomy and the stresses placed upon them, it’s a tribute to the horse’s physical make-up that there aren’t

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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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Dental Correction and Feed Digestibility

Equine dental abnormalities are among the top five most common medical problems encountered by equine veterinarians. Clinical evidence has shown that horses with severe tooth hooks and points that were corrected gained weight

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AAEP Joins AQHA Alliance

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has joined the American Quarter Horse Association’s (AQHA) Marketing Alliance, according to an announcement made at the 62nd Annual AQHA Convention in Dallas, Texas.


Through this

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