Prevention

Beet Pulp Fiction… and the Facts

Updated:

September 19, 2018

Beet pulp, horse feed, horse nutrition, Dr. Wendy Pearson, Herbs for Horses, Ontario Veterinary College

Beet pulp is a by-product from the manufacture of table sugar and, contrary to popular belief, is actually quite low in calories having barely more digestible energy than typical hay. It is also usually quite low in protein, with ranges of around two to six percent, and very low in vitamin A.

Long-Acting Pain Relief From Shellfish Poison

Updated:

July 9, 2018

Shellfish Poison pain relief, Shellfish Poison, Bucked shins, dorsal metatarsal disease, phytoplankton, cyanobacteria, neosaxitoxin

A toxin extracted from shellfish shows promise as a safe and effective long-lasting treatment for horses with bucked shins.

Factors Affecting Tapeworm Infection

Updated:

June 8, 2018

horse deworming, equine deworming, tapeworms in horses, equine tapeworms, Mark Andrews Equine Science Update

Where you keep your horse can influence the risk of tapeworm infections, according to research from Poland. Recommendations for deworming horses have changed over the years to take account of widespread anthelmintic resistance and changing patterns of infection.

Promising New Gene Therapy Tendon Treatment

Updated:

April 18, 2018

A new gene therapy shows promise for treating tendon injuries according to a report published in the journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science. The authors claim the technique gives much faster healing than current methods and could significantly reduce relapse rates.

Demystifying the Cranial Bones

Updated:

April 11, 2018

Equine Sports Therapy, Alexa Linton, equine cranial bones, equine skull

The equine skull has thirty-four bones, while the human skull is made up of twenty-two bones of which eight are cranial bones and fourteen are facial bones. That is quite a number of bones making up our noggins and those of our horses. But what do they all do? That’s a great question with a complex answer.

Blood Tests for Life

Updated:

February 7, 2018

We humans think nothing of having our blood drawn once a year to have a “screen” of tests run in order to give us an accurate account of where some of our important baseline “numbers” stand. In fact, we often look forward with anticipation (or maybe dread) to knowing what our cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, or other levels are at that time, and seeing how they have changed for better or worse since our last tests. Did you know the same type of testing is available for your horse?

Self-Mutilation in Horses

Updated:

November 22, 2017

horse self-mutilation syndrome, Lynne Gunville, Dr. Claire Card, horse skin, unusual horse noises, flank biting, equine self-mutilation syndrome, horse care

At first, you might notice something wrong with your horse’s skin. He may start making unusual noises or being hypersensitive to your touch in the flank area – signs that would normally point to a medical issue such as a dermatological condition.

Tequila’s Hoof Makeover

Updated:

November 7, 2017

Hans Wiza, horse Hoof makeover, splay-footed horse, cracked horse feet, chipped horse feet, flared horse feet, flaking horse feet, bent horse feet, broken horse feet, hyper-expanded horse feet, peeling horse feet, equine scapular hinge vertical alignment, H.A.N.S. TRIM protocol, horse shoes

Tequila is a Thoroughbred mare that I was asked to shoe a couple of months back. She stands splay-footed, is badly over at the knees, and her hind legs were quite sickle-hocked. Her feet were smashed, flared, chipped, and cracked. She was just the kind of project that I wanted to do a “hoof makeover” on – I do love a challenge.

Understanding the Threat of EIA

Updated:

October 18, 2017

equine immune system, Equine infectious anemia, equine organ-damaging inflammation, blood-borne equine disease, equine eia, testing horse blood, Equine infectious anemia-infected horse, horse care, horse health

Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), also known as Swamp Fever, is an infectious disease of horses, donkeys, and mules caused by a virus. Horses infected with the EIA virus carry it for life. Most infected horses show no symptoms, but they remain infectious, endangering the health of other horses.

Changes in Gut Microflora Could Provide Early Warning of EMS

Updated:

September 29, 2017

Jackie Bellamy-Zions, equine gut microflora EMS warning, horse care, laminitis, fecal microbial, equine metabolic syndromes, Dr. Scott Weese

Early diagnosis of Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is an important area of study, especially considering one of the first signs can be laminitis, a serious and sometimes life-ending condition. Catching EMS in its initial stages can facilitate early intervention with an appropriate exercise and diet plan to reduce the chances of laminitis developing.