Equine

Fort Collins, Colo. - Old age was the number one cause of death for horses, according to a recently released study of equine health from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Lexington, Ky.- In combating an infectious disease outbreak, communication is key.

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Lexington, Ky.- A recently concluded racehorse summit resulted in the drafting of action plans targeting six areas to improve conditions in the Thoroughbred industry.

In mid-September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report there have been 670 cumulative veterinary disease cases of West Nile virus (WNV).

This racing phenom's career was cut short with the diagnosis of lymphoma. University of California-Davis clinicians devised the treatment strategy that extended the stallion's life until Sept. 17.

St. Paul, Minn. - As MIT's Broad Institute closes in on successfully mapping the estimated 300 billion base pairs that make up the equine genome this fall, the Morris Animal Foundation announces a $2.5-million grant to help fund the Equine Consortium for Genetic Research.

Washington-The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, overwhelmingly passed by the House of Representatives on Sept. 7, now moves to the Senate-meaning it will be 2007 before that body acts on it.

Fort Collins, Colo. - A $1-million gift to Colorado State University's equine veterinary program will support internationally known equine orthopedics and reproduction research at the university.

San Antonio - More than 4,000 practitioners are expected to ride into the American Association of Equine Practitioners (A?P) meeting at the 52nd Annual Convention, Dec. 2-6.

Nat A. White II, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, will present the Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art lecture at the American Association of Equine Practitioners 52nd Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, on Dec. 4. Dr. White's lecture, "Equine Colic: A Real Pain in the Gut," will highlight the biology of equine colic and advances in its diagnosis and treatment. The lecture is sponsored by AAEP Educational Partner Platinum Performance and presented by the AAEP Foundation, Inc.

Rapid triage decisions and referral is a tremendous benefit to survival rates.

St. Paul, Minn. - The University of Minnesota (UM) is planning a $14-million horse treatment and research center that will house a riding arena, research barn, surgical suites and treadmills.

College Station, Texas - Laurie Jaeger, associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University, was named a 2006 Piper Professor.

Vet Medicine's December 2006 Radiography supplement REVISED

Lexington, Ky. - Researchers, industry leaders and funding agencies gathered to develop a blueprint for future success in equine research.

COLUMBIA, MO. - 8/22/06 - The number of equine West Nile virus cases as of Aug. 15, surpassed the number recorded for the entire season last year, according to Gayle Johnson, DVM, University of Missouri-Columbia (MU).

FORT COLLINS, COLO - 08/02/06 - A $1-million gift to Colorado State University's equine veterinary programs will be evenly split between the university's Gail Holmes Equine Orthopaedic Research Center and the Equine Reproduction Laboratory.

Washington - The Unwanted Horse Coalition is being folded into the American Horse Council (AHC).

New York - After five horse-related accidents this year - including one in January that put a driver in a coma and one in late April that knocked a 71-year-old man unconscious - Councilman Tony Avella of Queens plans to hold a hearing this fall on a resolution to restrict horse-drawn carriages to Central Park and its surrounding streets.

Pythiosis is notorious for being difficult to remove with surgery alone. "Usually that's the case because complete surgical excision without damaging vital anatomical structures is often not practical in the locations that this organism likes to establish infection," says Mathew P. Gerard, BVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, clinical professor of equine surgery at North Carolina State University. "The main point about surgery for pythiosis is that it has to be radical excision if you're going to be successful. Wide surgical margins of at least 2 cm are recommended."

Many owners and trainers have never been taught how to properly cool a hot exercising horse. How hard can it be? Just hose it down with water, right?

A horse's skin and coat can be contaminated via air and soil by various fungal organisms. Though also found on normal horses, some of these fungal organisms can produce significant fungal infection under the proper conditions. From the commonly recognized ringworm to the more insidious pythiosis, horses can be infected by these potentially nasty fungal infections, which are not only irritating, but also in the case of pythiosis, can be life-threatening.

The AAEP recognized the unique issues of horses working in an urban environment, i.e. mounted patrols, tourist carriages and taxi/limousine services. Horses engaged in these activities require special work and living conditions and precautions for their safety and well-being. Urban environments present health and welfare hazards that may preclude their use, such as pollution, concussion, climactic extremes and load factors.

Slightly hypertonic water will stimulate the thirst center, impelling a horse to drink more overall water.

KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - 7/10/06 -The plate and many of the screws that had been inserted into Barbaro's injured hind leg were replaced Saturday by Dr. Dean Richardson, chief of surgery, University of Pennsylvania.

Fecal egg counts (FEC) in horses are incredibly consistent for an individual horse, as shown recently from a three-year study in Denmark.

Wrmblood horses have proliferated dramatically in the last several years in North America. Increases in importation and breeding numbers have led to this surge in popularity. These Hanoverians, Holsteiners, Trakehners, Oldenbergs, Selle Francais, Dutch Warmbloods, Swedish Warmbloods, Irish crossbreeds and others are being used with increasing regularity in the dressage and jumper rings where their size, power and agility is sought and admired.

Not all horses are affected the same, probably 20 percent of horses shed 80 percent of the eggs.

From the time his experienced jockey, Edgar Prado, gently pulled him up and kept him quiet while veterinary assistance arrived until this very day, Barbaro's new battle has been one of a convergence of fate, veterinary excellence and most of all, teamwork.