The typical stance of a laminitic horse exhibits just how painful the disease is: The affected horse rocks back onto his hind legs, trying to remove weight from painful front feet, and/or shifts his weight side-to-side.
Blasts of polar air across Kentucky made this winter one to remember for many, but experts say the Eastern tent caterpillars probably didn’t take notice.
There's a scary new disease out there that could potentially harm not only horses, but also humans. Less than two years ago a team of Florida-based veterinarians published a report of the first equine cutaneous (affecting the skin) leishmaniasis case diagnosed in the United States in a horse without history of international travel. And recently, Sarah...
Initial results of a study conducted by the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center suggest accepted dosage levels for several corticosteroids commonly used in racing should be examined.
The 1992 American Derby record setter The Name's Jimmy died March 7 at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Center in Georgetown, Ky.
By now it's no secret that MRI is the gold standard in diagnosing pain in the rear (palmar) portion of horses' feet. However, many owners still choose to have less-reliable radiography performed on their heel-sore horses due to MRI's high cost and inconvenience.
The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) has started evaluating cobalt levels in racehorses competing at tracks in that state and in certain necropsy scenarios, according to a March 4 memo from CHRB Equine Medical Director Rick Arthur, DVM.
Horse owners sometimes find it necessary to change their horse’s feeding program--fluctuations in temperature, season, and performance level are just some of the reasons. But with the known link between diet changes and health conditions such as colic or laminitis, how can owners safely transition their horse’s feed without negatively affectin...
Both sport and pleasure riders know how important saddle fit is to keeping their mounts healthy and comfortable. But what effects could considerably smaller and lighter racing saddles have on horses that are traveling considerably faster than the average reiner or jumper? Turns out these tiny pieces of tack can have a substantial impact.
Could something even smaller than a pea end a horse's athletic career? If that something is a cystic lesion in the stifle (or femoral condylar cyst), it's entirely possible. Fortunately, specific management approaches can help some horses return to their jobs in the arena or on the track with few, if any, lasting effects.
The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation's board of directors announced Feb. 27 that the foundation will fund a slate of 19 research projects worth $1,003,580 in 2014.
Thoroughbreds are born to run. But to satisfy this need for speed, the horse must have a strong foundation on which to gallop—we're talking about his hooves.
Anyone who's ever managed an equine eye issue knows how challenging it can be to administer treatment. Horses have an uncanny ability to morph into giraffes when they'd rather not have their eyes touched, and an owner's inability to provide appropriate treatment can hinder a horse's recovery. Fortunately, there's an easier way: the sub...
The 2014 application for organizations seeking accreditation from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Foundation is now available online, with a deadline of May 15, 2014.
Equine placentitis is subtle in its onset, often causing the death of its victim—the unborn foal—before veterinarians can detect and treat it. Equipping veterinarians to identify these cases of placental infection early could help them prevent abortions, lost time on the breeding calendar, and the general heartbreak that can come with losing a...
Two barns at Parx Racing, in Bensalem, Pa., have been quarantined after a horse residing in one of the barns tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1).
The old adage says "you don't know where you're going if you don't know where you've been."
With six bones articulating in close range and multiple tendons and ligaments controlling extension and flexion, the hock, or the horse equivalent of the human ankle, has many moving and shock-absorbing parts. Add to those the animal’s weight and the fact the joint is almost always in flexion, and you’ve got a recipe for a perplexing number of...
Tradition might reign supreme in some cases, but when it comes to equine pain control researchers are seeking different—and sometimes safer—drugs to use in a variety of circumstances.
While severe equine eye injuries or disorders can be gruesome in appearance, they generally aren't life-threatening. Thanks to medical and technological advances, veterinarians can now treat eye issues more effectively than they have in the past. But if treatment fails, veterinarians also have the option of removing the eye without the risks associate...
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