The new studies are being conducted by researchers at six different schools: Purdue University, the University of Georgia, Washington State University, the University of Florida, Colorado State University, and Texas A&M University. One project is being overseen by a scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Topics under investigation include an evaluation of two techniques--radiographic absorptiometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry- for measuring bone mineral density; the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to assess nutrition's effect on bone metabolism; the use of an antibiotic, polymyxin B, to neutralize the toxic effects of endotoxin; and how equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is transmitted in horses.
Two studies are designed to collect more information about vesicular stomatitis. Other areas of research are the evaluation of various therapeutic shoeing techniques as treatments for horses with chronic laminitis; pain-relief medication for horses which have undergone large colon surgery; and compressive forces and their relationship to the bone thickening and microdamage that lead to osteochondrosis.
