Category: Horse Health

Buffer Against Gastric Ulcers: Feed Hay Before Hitting The Road

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by Paulick Report Staff

 

Offering a horse hay before he’s transported can lower the risk of gastric ulcer development before long-distance trailer rides, reports The Horse.

An Italian study has found that horses that don’t eat before getting on a trailer for longer-distance hauls are more likely to have reduced plasma oxidant levels, as well as to develop ulcers. The correlation between transport and fasting has a marked increase on stomach ulceration – more than just fasting alone, the scientists determined.

Hay ingestion before the trip helps absorb stomach acid, protecting the horse’s stomach. Eating hay also allows more antioxidants to be released into the bloodstream, balancing out free radicals, which can have physiological impacts on the body (like developing ulcers).

 

 

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Nearly 75 Percent Of Veterinarians Concerned That Frequent Injections Could Cause Joint Damage

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by Paulick Report Staff

 

Joint inflammation and osteoarthritis (OA) are common issues in competition horses. These conditions often lead to decreased performance and lameness.

Veterinarians can treat OA via joint injections, which involve placing drugs directly into the joint capsule. Some drugs commonly used include corticosteroids, polysulfated glycosaminoglycans, and hyaluronic acid. Biologic therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cells can also be used.

Vets determine which drugs to use and how often to administer them based on their clinical experience; this is often guided by anecdotal evidence rather than scientific findings. This lack of direct comparisons between treatment options means there are no guidelines for how often a joint should be injected – or for which treatment is best.

 

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Large Intestine Impactions Easier To Resolve, Yet Harder To Diagnose

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by Paulick Report Staff

 

A study spearheaded by Dr. Sarah Freeman, of the University of Nottingham, found that large intestinal impactions, those of the cecum or large or small colon, are easier to resolve than blockages of the small intestine, though they can be difficult to diagnose, reports EQUUS magazine.

Large intestine impactions are often less painful and not as complex as small-intestine impactions, as there is more room for intestine distention. The mild, subtle pain a horse experiences can be difficult to discern, however, and might delay the procurance of a veterinarian.

Freeman and graduate student Kyra Jennings reviewed the records of 120 horses with large intestine impactions seen by vets in the field. They found that most cases (42.1 percent) occurred in the winter or after a management change (59 percent).

 

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Colic Surgery In Foals: More Optimism For Positive Outcomes May Be Warranted

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Owners of foals needing an operation for obstruction of the small intestine should be optimistic about the outcome, a new study shows. Knowledge of colic surgery survival rates is important to horse owners making surgical decisions.

Dr. Sara Erwin reviewed the records of surgical colic cases from five academic referral hospitals in the United States to directly compare foal and adult horse survival rates following colic lesion surgery. In the past, lower survival rates have been reported in foals than adults when the affected horse has severe colic lesions which obstruct small intestine blood flow.

The scientists assessed 41 cases of foals six months and younger and 105 cases of adults between two and 20 years old. They discovered that 24 of 25 foals (96 percent) and 66 of 75 adults (88 percent) who recovered from surgery for a strangulating obstruction survived to be discharged from the hospital.

 

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Mineral Content Of Pasture Affects Hoof Composition In Foals

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by Kentucky Equine Research

 

Sampling of soil, pasture, and hoof capsules occurred in two periods. The first happened in summer and fall when all foals, between one and six months of age, were still nursing their dams; the second occurred after weaning when foals were nine to 12 months old. Forty-one foals were used in the preweaning period, 28 in the postweaning period.

All foals used in the study were Criollo, a South American breed revered for its tractability, soundness, and stamina under saddle. Mature height tends to be between 14 and 15 hands, and most are considered easy keepers. Foals were born and raised on five farms in Brazil. Mares and foals grazed native pastures consisting primarily of bahiagrass, kaimi clover, blanket grass, dallisgrass, and bermudagrass, though hundreds of other pasture species were likely part of the grazing landscape. They received no concentrate or mineral supplementation.

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Cornell’s Equine Seminar Series presents “Help! My vet heard a heart murmur! What does that mean?”

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WHAT: Katharyn Mitchell, DVM, PhD, BVSc, ACVIM (LAIM), assistant professor of large animal internal medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, will present on what it means when your veterinarian hears a heart murmur.
WHEN: Tuesday, May 17, 6-7 p.m. EDT
WHERE: Via Zoom; registration required: https://bit.ly/ESS-May2022
MEDIA: The event is free and open to the public. Media members are asked to RSVP to Amy S. Li, amy.s.li@cornell.edu.

ITHACA, N.Y. – Dr. Katharyn Mitchell is an assistant professor in the section of large animal internal medicine at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She graduated from Massey University in 2003 and University of Melbourne (2004-2005). Mitchell spent 18 months in private practice in Australia before her residency at Cornell (2007-2010) in large animal internal medicine. She then returned to private practice in Australia for three years before moving to Switzerland for a Ph.D. position at the University of Zurich in 2013. She successfully completed her Ph.D. in equine cardiovascular medicine in 2018 and worked at both the University of Zurich and Bern as a senior clinician in equine medicine/cardiology for 2018-2020. She then returned to Cornell in September 2021 in a faculty position. Mitchell enjoys all aspects of large animal medicine, but her special interests involve cardiology and emergency/critical care, especially the role of the cardiovascular system in systemic disease.

 

In a recent faculty Q&A with the College of Veterinary Medicine, Mitchell says: “I’m very excited for the future of equine cardiology. We are really pushing the envelope for what we know and understand about cardiovascular diseases that affect the horse and there are some very innovative therapeutic options becoming available as we translate what we know from human medicine across to equine medicine.”

 

The Cornell Equine Seminar Series is presented by the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Equine Hospital, the New York State 4-H Horse Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension. Held monthly, equine experts present on important equine health and management topics. The event is free and open to the public. Media members are asked to register with Amy S. Li, amy.s.li@cornell.edu.

For additional information about the college, see the College of Veterinary Medicine news website.