Taxonomy term

Dust Management in Horse Facilities

Updated:

January 25, 2023

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Better Breathing in the Barn - Why should horse owners be worried about the air quality in their equine facilities? Is there really anything that can be done to improve the quality once the barn is built?

Caring for the Equine Elder

Updated:

January 9, 2023

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With today’s medical advances, research, and improved management, horses are living longer and longer lives. In the past, most horses were considered old when they reached their late teens. These days, it’s not uncommon for horses to live into their late 20s or even into their 30s, allowing us to spend plenty of quality time with our elder equine friends. Proper management is key to ensuring that the older horse is happy and comfortable throughout his golden years.

3 Common Equine Skin Cancers

Updated:

December 9, 2022

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Nothing to horse around with - Be on the lookout for the three most common skin cancers afflicting horses and contact your veterinarian promptly if you find suspicious lumps or bumps. Skin cancer is the most prevalent type of equine cancer, accounting for up to 80 percent of all cancers reported.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Equine Joint Disease

Updated:

December 7, 2022

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It is estimated that a staggering 60 percent of all equine lameness is due to arthritis and joint disease. One of the biggest challenges is that some arthritic horses might not show signs of lameness when there is damage and inflammation in the joint; therefore, proper prevention and early diagnosis is key to managing the progression of joint disease. There are many potential causes of equine arthritis.

Drug Increases Risk of Sudden Death in Racehorses

Updated:

December 1, 2022

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A drug that has been widely used in Thoroughbred racehorses in North America could increase the risk of sudden death, according to a new study. The research also identified other risk factors associated with sudden death, relating to the circumstances of the race and individual histories of the horses.

Developmental Orthopedic Disease in Foals

Updated:

November 18, 2022

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Managing Nutrition for Safe Growth in Young Horses - For any horse owner, the birth of a foal is always an eagerly awaited event. That baby, the product of the carefully planned mating of two superior parents, can elicit a range of emotions for the owner, including excitement and awe, but often anxiety and worry as well. One of the concerns the owner of a newborn foal may have involves the risk of the foal developing developmental orthopedic disease (DOD), which is a name applied to a group of conditions that can affect the growing foal, including physitis, acquired angular limb deformities, flexural deformities, cervical vertebral malformations, acquired vertebral deformities, and finally, osteochondrosis (OC).

Iron in the Equine Diet

Updated:

November 9, 2022

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Should you worry about iron overload? Horse owners who are interested in equine nutrition, and actively involved in planning the composition of their horse’s diet, will know that iron intake has become a subject of much discussion. Terms such as “iron overload” are easy to find using a Google search, and the risks associated with “free radicals” and “oxidative stress” are often coupled to the amount of iron in the equine diet. Iron levels in typical equine diets have been targeted as the reason for many equine health issues, including metabolic conditions, reduced immune function, poor hair coat and hoof wall, and developmental disease in growing horses. The internet has several popular websites available for the average horse owner to “educate” themselves about iron in the equine diet. Frequently, these sites also have products offered for sale or have links to sites that sell products that are supposed to help the horse with “iron overload.” So just what is iron overload in the equine diet, and do horse owners really need to worry about it?

Long-Term Horse-Owner Relationship Helps Horses Cope With Change

Updated:

October 27, 2022

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A new study shows that horses can be more reluctant in new situations if they have multiple riders or have had several owners, or if the horse has been with its current owner for only a short time. The international research team, including scientists from Turku and Helsinki Universities in Finland and the INRAE of Nouzilly in France, studied interactions between horses and humans as well as how horses react in new situations. The findings are published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science.

The Equine Heart

Updated:

October 24, 2022

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Skipped Beats, Sudden Death… and Why We Shouldn’t Worry Too Much. When you first start examining patients as a veterinary student, you’re very keen to (gently) poke and prod every animal you come across. Realizing you can assess cardiovascular function by palpating peripheral pulses is very empowering!

Identifying Pain Behaviours in Ridden Horses

Updated:

October 13, 2022

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“Bad” horse behaviour, frequently labelled as resistant, lazy, or even explosive, can be an indicator of pain according to equine orthopaedics expert Dr. Sue Dyson.