Although stem cell therapy continues to increase in popularity for treating horse racing injuries, its use bas been based only on experimental data regarding the treatment modality's efficacy. However, a group of researchers from Great Britain recently published a study examining the effects of stem cell therapy in superficial digital flexor tendons (...
"Go small or go home" might be the new catch phrase at the Ohio State University's Comparative Orthopedic Laboratory, where researchers are examining a novel molecular approach to finding the cure for osteoarthritis (OA) in horses. The team recently completed a study using this molecular approach, and the preliminary results they obtained we...
As with many infectious diseases, it's preferable to prevent equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) rather than treat it. This emerging disease, which is caused by the bacterium Lawsonia intracellularis and infects foals and weanlings worldwide, has placed significant financial burden on parts of the equine industry, but horse owners and managers can ...
An earlier diagnosis for a horse often means a better prognosis for his recovery, but the reality with equine Cushing's disease has been that clinical signs are abundant before the diagnostic process begins. A team of researchers recently determined what they believe to be the ideal first step for diagnosing PPID early, however, and this could allow a...
As international horse transport becomes more widespread, some owners might wonder if the same equine influenza vaccines designed to protect horses from common domestic strains of the disease will also shield them from foreign strains they might encounter in other countries or even at large domestic horse shows. Researchers in Japan have determined throug...
Many owners don't think twice before feeding their horses nutritional supplements touted to solve issues ranging from metabolic and joint problems to insect control and behavioral vices. But in many cases the science behind the powders, pellets, and liquids that these horses consume daily is lacking due to research challenges. Thus, owners need to be ...
A mare's pregnancy might not seem that complicated on the surface, but her relationship with the embryo and its adjacent parts--in total, the conceptus--is remarkably complex. In order to prevent early embryonic loss, the conceptus must interrupt her estrous cycle, signaling her uterus to create a receptive environment for attachment and growth.
Something wicked this way came--a tornado outbreak involving more than 160 individual tornadoes, touching down from Mississippi all the up the East Coast. So far, at least 200 people are reported dead, the majority in Alabama. At present, the storm's impact on Alabama's equine population is undetermined.
The genetics behind the athletic performance of Thoroughbred racehorses has been a popular area of research in the past few years. A large-scale study was carried out recently in Japan, the results of which corroborate those of previous studies: Identifying specific "performance genes" on equine chromosome 18 could identify the ideal distance fo...
Horses have traditionally been considered obligate four-legged animals; however, the dogma is changing. Three-legged horses that walk easily with the assistance of a prosthetic limb are not as uncommon as they once were.
Perhaps your horse's performance is lacking, or maybe he sounds like a freight train as he labors through work. He could be suffering from left recurrent laryngeal neuropathy, commonly known as roaring. But how can you get a diagnosis quickly and easily?
Sometimes racehorses collapse on the track for reasons that are not immediately apparent; these exercise-related sudden death cases are uncommon and "poorly understood," according to an international team of researchers that recently completed a retrospective study on the subject. They noted that veterinarians are only able to determine the actu...
We've all heard about or witnessed horses that simply refuse to be restrained long enough for the veterinarian to administer a much-needed intravenous sedative. Authors of a recent study suggest that a sedative-containing gel might be just what the doctor ordered in these cases.
Monitoring lactate levels in samples of peritoneal fluid, the fluid surrounding and lubricating the abdominal organs, can help a veterinarian predict which colicky horses require surgery. John G. Peloso, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, presented a study on peritoneal lactate levels and colic prognoses at the 2010 American Association of Equine Practitioners conventi...
Colicky horses that undergo exploratory surgery and are ultimately diagnosed with an ileal impaction appear to benefit from a single injection of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) into the ileum to resolve the problem, according to veterinarians from Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine.
The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) firocoxib had fewer side effects than phenylbutazone in horses after 42 days of treatment, according to scientists from Merial Limited who presented comparative research results at the 2010 Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), held Dec. 4-8 in Baltimore, Md.
A test able to detect even the smallest amount of insulin in horse urine has recently been developed to aid in the detection of insulin doping in racehorses, according to a group of researchers from the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Racing laboratory.
If a veterinarian suspects heart disease in a horse, running a cardiac troponin I (cTnI) blood test can expedite a diagnosis, according to a team of Cornell University veterinary researchers.
It isn't for lack of effort that the equine industry still doesn't have new options for treating Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals. According to Noah Cohen, VMD, MPH, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, professor of equine medicine at Texas A&M University, he and his colleagues are well aware that veterinarians are in dire need of better antibiotic alternativ...
A new sustained release formulation of the antibiotic ceftiofur, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in horses with pneumonia, makes treating affected foals easier."The bacterium Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus is a common cause of pneumonia in horses," said Scott McClure, DVM, PhD, Dipl. AVCS, an assistant pr...
Instead of operating on a foal with guttural pouch tympany, veterinarians should consider placing a flexible tube through the opening of his guttural pouch(es) via the nasal passage, according to a veterinarian from Auburn University.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a fast, accurate, quick, and easy testing method to diagnose pathogens associated with equine upper respiratory tract infections, and researchers on a recent study recommended that veterinarians pursue PCR in cases of infectious upper respiratory disease. Not only does it allow the veterinarian to pinpoint the causative ...
"Donkeys are becoming more common patients for equine veterinarians, and although it is tempting to treat a donkey like a horse, there are important differences regarding patient handling and drug dosages," cautioned Lori Bidwell, DVM, of Lexington Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine in Kentucky. Bidwell spoke on the key differences between anest...
After years of intensive research, a product called SucroMate has achieved the coveted status of FDA-approved for reproductive health in mares. This is no easy feat as only two veterinary drugs obtained FDA approval in 2010. SucroMate is licensed to induce ovulation in mares being bred with fresh, cooled, or frozen semen.
Veterinary researchers have taken a leap forward in explaining XY sex reversal, the most common equine sex chromosome abnormality. A team of scientists from the University of Kentucky's Gluck Equine Research Center and the College of Veterinary Science at Texas A&M University have been examining the Y chromosome to determine what prompts a genetic...
Researchers suspect tying-up in horses is a heritable condition; however, they have yet to determine the gene--or genes--responsible. But a team of Japanese researchers recently moved the investigation forward with a groundbreaking study of affected Thoroughbred racehorses' DNA.
Angular limb deformities (ALDs) of the carpus (knee) are a common problem in foals and yearlings, and researchers have narrowed the surgical treatment options down to the two that present the best results. Eric R. Carlson, DVM, an equine surgery resident at the University of Illinois' Veterinary Teaching Hospital, gave a presentation on these options ...
A team of German researchers might have pinpointed the genes responsible in part for the development of navicular disease as the result of a study of Hanoverian Warmbloods.
A 207-page report in Animal Genetics showcases the most recent advances in equine genetics, with contributions from some of the most distinguished geneticists in medicine.
According to a news story originally posted by British magazine Horse and Hound, the deaths of 40 horses--which occurred between March and June--residing on five different farms in Queensland, Australia, remain under investigation. Australian veterinarians have told reporters that they suspect the culprit is a tropical plant of, or related to, the species...
This holiday season Canadian horse lovers can help feed hungry horses by doing something horse lovers to do: shop!
Cutting-edge research conducted on microscopic tunnels in horses' intestinal walls has revealed that these channels play a key role in helping intestines heal after life-threatening colic episodes.
In the not-so-distant future, researchers believe they will be able to genetically modify stem cells to create a “vaccine,” so to speak, to treat a large number of musculoskeletal and other disorders in both humans and horses. An Italian research group has made recent strides in further understanding the potential of using stem cells derived f...
Imagine sustaining a fracture or undergoing orthopedic surgery and being prescribed a drug that helps control pain and inflammation. This medication is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). But there is a catch: the drug that helps control your pain inhibits bone healing.
Neurologic signs observed in horses undergoing treatment with the commonly used antibiotic combination of trimethoprim (TMP) and sulfonamide have prompted researchers to warn veterinarians and owners about this potential side effect. They also recommend that veterinarians report potential adverse drug reactions (AEs, or adverse events).
Despite the fact that horses evolved on a forage-based diet that is high in fiber and low in calories, some horse owners and trainers just can't resist feeding a low-fiber, calorie-dense diet.
As of Oct. 8 more than 2,300 horses associated with the Kleberg County, Texas, piroplasmosis outbreak have been tested for the disease, and 409 have turned up positive--only one more since the previous report from the USDA to the World Organization for Animal Health on Aug. 25, 2010.
Appropriate preventive and therapeutic measures to avoid and/or treat gastric ulcers in endurance horses might improve performance.
Scientists have established the link between cribbing (also called windsucking) and colic, but a "causal" relationship between the two remains to be proven, say researchers from the University of California, Davis.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the foot is a valuable tool in diagnosing equine lameness and can clearly identify fragments or chips originating from the distal border of the navicular bone ... but researchers say, "so what?"
Stem cell therapy for tendon injuries is used increasingly in clinical practice, yet a number of important hurdles persist that made one group of researchers look at using embryonic stem cells rather than bone marrow-derived stem cells in horses.
The regenerative medicine field has progressed faster than Secretariat's 1973 Belmont stakes win. And a Cornell University research team that uses horses' own bone marrow to successfully treat joint injuries is helping take stem cell therapy to the next level.
In study that could have been dubbed "Who's smarter than a veterinarian?" Michigan State University researchers concluded that when it comes to assessing chronic respiratory disease changes in horses, the answer is … owners.
Officials have confirmed the number of Potomac Horse fever (PHF) cases in northern New York has been higher than usual in recent weeks, encouraging owners to vaccinate but noting that a rise in cases is relatively common this time of year. An article printed in the Aug. 14 edition of the Watertown Daily Times reported there is an "outbreak"...
Compared to other species, cloning horses is still in its infancy. Cloning is becoming increasingly popular, yet the health of these artificially-produced foals has not been assessed in detail.
Surgeons from Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine have given a facelift to a standard procedure that removes part of a horse's penis secondary to damage or disease.
A pile of horse dung is no longer just a pile of horse dung--it is now the stage for the fatal ambush of nematode (roundworm) larvae by a predatory fungus, worthy of screen time on the "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom" nature show.
In an equine study using "proteomic" technology that systematically analyzed the proteins in skeletal muscle biopsies, a research team from The Netherlands identified a form of the protein creatine kinase that could be a marker for acute tying-up in horses.
In a letter to veterinarians dated April 28, Brett Whitehead, Director, Equine and Ag Retail Business, of Intervet Schering-Plough Animal Health, encouraged practitioners to return all PreveNile vaccine. The recall was initiated after an increased incidence in the number of adverse events following vaccination with currently marketed serials of PreveNile.
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