A toe grab is a raised rim on the toe area of a horseshoe; its purpose is to help the horse “dig in” to the track and reduce slipping (much like football or baseball cleats). However, there are increased stresses on the limbs from this stronger grip
A Table Topic of veterinarians at the American Association of Equine Practitioners 2009 convention chose to discuss applications of the heart bar shoe; the Nolan Plate system, including what it is and how it works; shoeing after deep flexor ten
If you read the title of this article and said, “WHAT?!?” don’t worry–you’re not alone! No horse owner wants to think of even a single worm burrowing in their horse’s innards. But a goal of zero tolerance for worms is no
“Veterinarians work under a great handicap when handling horses–almost everything the veterinarian does to a horse is either frightening or painful,” began Robert Miller, DVM. However, that doesn’t mean there’s no way for a v
Acepromazine, often called simply Ace, is commonly used to tranquilize horses for veterinary procedures. However, its use in male horses can cause penile prolapse, or an inability to retract the penis back into the sheath. This effect is desire
A 300-horse study sought to find the vaccination protocol that best prevents flu in horses–intranasal (IN) or intramuscular (IM), given as a single dose or two doses given 30 days apart (boosted). Researchers also looked at boosting an initial
A recent study of coffin bone (distal phalanx) fractures in foals found they were far from rare. In fact, all 20 of the Warmblood foals in the study (all foals on a particular farm in one season) had fractures at some point in their first year of life.
What was the hottest news in equine veterinary medicine in 2009? During the popular Kester News Hour session at the annual American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention, three top veterinarians (who focus on equine reproduction, inte
Electrotherapy technology, available since the 1960s, is useful to manage pain, improve range of motion, decrease edema (fluid swelling), improve motor control and strength, reverse muscle wasting, deliver blood flow, and serve as a vehicle for ionto
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of wastage in the equine industry, especially considering that an estimated 81% of the 9.3 million horses in America are involved in equitation and performance. A mainstay treatment for OA is the use of
Almost all horses with colic can be saved if the problem is recognized quickly and treatment is instituted rapidly, said Anthony Blikslager, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, of North Carolina State University, during the “In-Depth: Colic” portio
“Many surgical and medical procedures can be accomplished in the standing horse if appropriate combinations of physical and chemical restraint are employed,” began John Hubbell, DVM, MS, professor of veterinary clinical sciences at The Ohio State Uni
Osteoarthritis of the distal (lower) hock joints is a common performance problem in sport horses.
Numerous research papers and presentations over the last several years have noted that internal parasites in horses are growing more resistant to the deworming drugs (anthelmintics) we have available. A study of European horses presented at the
Researchers have shown that significant amounts of mucus in a racehorse’s airway can negatively affect his performance, and they’ve theorized that dust in the horse’s environment contributes to that mucus. Therefore, the logical nex
Equine influenza (the “flu”) used to be considered a mere annoyance by many, but major outbreaks such as H1N1/swine flu in humans and the Australian equine influenza outbreak of 2007 have changed our thinking. These days, when a flu o
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