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Laminitis Vaccine Offers Horse Owners a Preventive Tool

Updated:

June 14, 2017

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After nearly four decades of watching the devastating impact of laminitis on horses, equine surgeon Dr. David Wilson has developed a vaccine that has the potential to save the performance careers — and lives — of horses around the world.. Laminitis (or founder) is one of the leading causes of loss in horses, right alongside colic and musculoskeletal problems.

Herbal Help for Laminitic and Insulin-Resistant Horse

Updated:

May 5, 2017

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Laminitis and insulin-resistance (IR) are troublesome conditions in and of themselves, so it is all the more frustrating that they tend to travel together. So while fresh, rich springtime grass beckons winter-weary horses, the insulin-resistant ones must stand resigned and glum on the wrong side of the fence as their well-intentioned owners toss them last year’s browning hay.

Eating to Improve Equine Insulin Sensitivity

Updated:

March 22, 2017

Equine Insulin Sensitivity, Juliet M. Getty, obese horse, fat horse, equine obesity, equine insulin resistance, horse lose weight, equine nutrition horse

Do you have an overweight horse? Chances are he is insulin resistant. Excess body fat leads to elevated insulin. Elevated insulin leads to more body fat storage, which leads to greater insulin resistance, and the vicious cycle continues. Even horses of normal weight can be insulin resistant, exhibited by regional fat deposits along the neck, shoulders, tailhead, and back.

A Closer Look at Equine Joint Inflammation

Updated:

March 1, 2017

Dr. Crystal Lee, Equine Joint Inflammation, equine Osteoarthritis, healthy equine cartilage, healthy equine cartilage, Polysulfated glycosaminoglycan, equine articular cartilage

A healthy joint in the limb of a horse provides a frictionless system and facilitates movement with ease. Each joint depends on the function of each of its components to serve this purpose in an equine athlete. Bone, articular cartilage, synovial fluid, synovial membrane, fibrous joint capsule, and ligamentous structures make up these components.

U of S Researchers Take an Inside Look at the Horse’s Gut

Updated:

February 14, 2017

University Saskatchewan, U of S, equine imaging technology, Dr. Julia Montgomery, equine small intestine, equine capsule endoscopy, horse capsule endoscopy, equine camera pill, equine research, horse care

Veterinary and engineering researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) have teamed up to harness imaging technology to fill in a blank area in animal health — what goes on in a horse’s gut? “Whenever I talk to students about the horse abdomen, I put up a picture of a horse and put a big question mark in the middle,” said veterinary researcher Dr. Julia Montgomery in the U of S Western College of Veterinary Medicine.

Equine Grass Sickness

Updated:

November 18, 2016

equine grass sickness, equine alzheimers, horse alzheimers, horse grass sickness, university of edinburgh, royal dick school of veterinary studies

Research may hold clues about Alzheimer’s Disease - Horses, as mammals, share common ground with humans when it comes to suffering similar conditions. They can get allergies, cancer, blood disorders, cystitis, heart disease, skin tumours, and a variety of other ailments.

Winter Coughs - Not a Good Wheeze!

Updated:

November 14, 2016

winter horse, horse cough, horse repiratory, equine copd, equine respiratory, equine cough, equine winter health, horse health, equine science, Mark Andrews

By Mark Andrews - It's not just horseback riders that cough and wheeze at this time of year. Respiratory problems are common in horses as well. Loss of performance may be the first sign that something is wrong. Mildly affected animals may cough occasionally when eating or when starting work. As the condition gets worse they may cough almost continuously.

Studying Breathing Problems in Horses May Help Humans With Asthma

Updated:

August 21, 2016

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Adults with asthma struggle to breathe when they are exposed to dust and allergens. They can exhale without too much difficulty, but their inflamed lungs with narrowed airways make it hard to inhale enough oxygen, and the mucus in their airways leads to coughing.

Gastric Ulcers in Horses

Updated:

August 4, 2016

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Causes, Prevention and Treatment - Gastric ulcers in horses are far more common than many people realize. The condition is very often found in horses kept in stalls, frequently trailered, or undergoing intensive training. The associated anxiety, in addition to artificial and controlled feeding routines alien to a horse’s natural grazing patterns, may put the animal under varying levels of stress.

Vaccinating Based on Risk

Updated:

August 2, 2016

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As horse owners, we are entirely responsible for maintaining the health, safety, and well-being of our animals. This includes protecting our horses against the diseases that have the potential to cause them pain, suffering, or even death. One of the most effective ways that an owner can guard their horse against such a fate is by ensuring an appropriate vaccination program. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”