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Lameness caused by foot problems is common in the horse, and it can significantly impact how well a horse can perform. Hoof bruising, heel soreness, hoof cracks all create discomfort that alter a horse’s gait and prevent him from giving his utmost to an athletic task. Nearly all equine foot diseases have their root in biomechanics, noted a Universit...
Tuesday, April 02, 2013Get out your protractors: New research shows that the various angles of the outer and inner hoof are directly linked to various kinds of lameness, and knowing the angles could help determine which kind of lameness a horse has or is likely to get.
Wednesday, March 06, 2013Although researchers have been studying the equine navicular bone for years, many mysteries still surround it. For instance, advanced imaging techniques give veterinarians a clearer picture than ever of irregularities or damage to the navicular bone, but it's not always evident what such pathologies mean for a horse's soundness. Elizabeth Yorke, D...
Sunday, February 24, 2013A splintered tree limb or a jagged piece of metal protrudes from your horse's chest. Don't panic--field veterinarians are well-versed in handling penetrating injuries like these in horses, because, yes, nightmares like these are sometimes realized.
Sunday, February 17, 2013Laminitis is a complicated equine condition that has the attention of researchers and veterinarians around the world. While some explore the big picture--such as managing horses with this debilitating disease--others examine the smaller aspects, right down to the cells that make up both the healthy and affected hoof.
Saturday, February 16, 2013One of the most common calls an ambulatory equine practitioner receives is that from a panicked owner whose horse becomes three-legged lame seemingly overnight, said Ryan Penno, DVM, a practitioner at The Equine Clinic at Oakencroft, in Ravana, N.Y. Whether the cause is a simple abscess or a complex fracture, Penno described how to manage acute-onset, non...
Friday, February 08, 2013Equine metabolic syndrome--defined as obesity, insulin resistance, and high insulin levels circulating in the bloodstream--is a dangerous condition for any horse, but it puts pregnant mares in an especially precarious in situation. Owners and veterinarians should address metabolic syndrome and related conditions (such as laminitis and insulin resistance) ...
Tuesday, February 05, 2013In a recent survey of American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) members, 65% reported that laminitis is at the top of their list of conditions requiring more research and understanding. In 2000 the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service estimated that 13% of U.S. horse operations deal with horses affected by laminitis annually and that ...
Saturday, January 12, 2013Laminitis is a complex disease that is challenging--and often frustrating--to treat and manage. The key, said Raul Bras, DVM, CJF, APF, is a thorough examination and an aggressive but flexible treatment plan, along with owner commitment. "With laminitis we're always trying to stay ahead of what might happen next," he said.
Friday, December 28, 2012While researchers have not yet completed any formal studies of stem cells and laminitis, both Raul Bras, DVM, CJF, of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital's podiatry department, and John Peroni, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, of the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine, have clinical experience using stem cells for laminitis cases, and they p...
Tuesday, December 25, 2012Laminitis, also referred to as "founder," is an often devastating disease of the hoof that can cripple or kill afflicted horses. It's such an important equine disease that each year veterinarians, farriers, and horse owners from throughout the United States gather at the International Equine Conference of Laminitis and the Equine Foot.
Monday, December 24, 2012Horse owners have long heard that laminitis can be associated with sepsis, a word that describes an overwhelming bacterial infection of the body. It came from our veterinarians and laminitis researchers, who've frequently referred to the term "sepsis" when discussing the disease, using it interchangeably with systemic inflammatory response s...
Friday, December 21, 2012Veterinarians use an evaluation method called the Obel Grading System to classify and understand the progression of laminitis in horses during diagnosis and treatment of this complex disease.
Sunday, December 16, 2012Laminitis is a painful disease in horses that is often illustrated by classic clinical signs. Recognizing these signs during early onset and seeking immediate veterinary care can improve the outcome of treatment, said James Orsini, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, director of the Laminitis Institute at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center.
Saturday, December 15, 2012Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might offer evidence of laminitic changes in a horse's hoof before the disease is otherwise identified. Equine radiologist and consultant Alexia McKnight, DVM, Dipl. ACVR, of McKnight Insight, in Chadds Ford, Pa., shared her anecdotal experience identifying laminitic changes via MRI during her presentation "Equine...
Friday, December 14, 2012Foundered hooves often require extra support to help them heal and grow while also offering the horse pain relief. But, rarely is the hoof undamaged and easy to shoe after a laminitic episode, said Chris Gregory, MS, CJF, FWCF, of Heartland Horseshoeing School in Lamar, Mo. For these cases Gregory employs a W-shoe custom made for the individual horse and ...
Wednesday, December 05, 2012Barefoot running and glove-like minimalist barefoot running shoes have gained popularity with human athletes in recent years. And, much like the shoes versus barefoot controversy in the horse world, the benefits and drawbacks of going shoeless are highly debated in human podiatry, said Nora Grenager, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM, of Grenager Equine Consulting in Midd...
Tuesday, December 04, 2012Laminitis is not only one of the leading causes of disability and death in horses, it's also an important cause of emotional and financial turmoil for owners. And for veterinarians, predicting which cases are likely to resolve or have the potential to become disastrous and how best to treat a given case remains a real challenge.
Saturday, November 17, 2012The University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) is pleased to announce that following an international search for a uniquely qualified candidate, Kurt D. Hankenson, DVM, MS, PhD, has been appointed as the first incumbent of the Dean W. Richardson Professorship in Equine Disease Research.
Friday, November 16, 2012Endophytes--fungi that benefit some grasses such as fescue by acting as a natural insect deterrent--have proven harmful to grazing animals, such as cattle and horses.
Tuesday, November 06, 2012Get your ice buckets ready: a recently completed study has shown that submerging laminitic horses' hooves in ice and water (a practice termed digital hypothermia or cryotherapy) after the onset of clinical signs can slow the progression of internal damage caused by the disease.
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