Galloping down a cross-country course, leaping three-foot fences or sliding to a stop puts an enormous amount of stress on fine, delicately built equine legs. But there is a lot going on behind the scenes. A sound horse maintains...
With advances in veterinary medicine, we have an increased understanding of diseases that strike our horses. Equine Cushing’s disease has been recognized for more than 70 years, but has often been misunderstood. Today, however, with our improved diagnostic and...
By Cindy Hale
Late summer is the time of year when alfalfa hay is prone to infestation by the blister beetle. There are many varieties of beetles that contain a chemical known as cantharidin, which is corrosive to the skin...
The signs are obvious: A couple of scaly, crusty areas on your horse where the hair has fallen out. Your horse has some sort of skin disease, but what? And, more importantly, what should you do? Attempt to treat...
The decision about what kind of hay to feed your horse is not an easy one, even if you know a thing or two about equine nutrition. After all, with several types of hays available at your feed store,...
Veterinarians and researchers often debate the semantics and definitions of navicular disease, navicular syndrome and navicular-type pain. Susan Dyson, MA, VetMB, Ph.D., FRCVS, head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the Centre for Equine Studies at the Animal Health Trust in...
Ringbone is a common diagnosis. Horses young and old, backyard pets and high-level athletes alike are all susceptible to the disease. Some horses are unaffected; for others it spells the end of life, and for those in between it’s...
Because a number of factors can affect the risks of falling victim to potentially deadly brain-swelling diseases carried by mosquitoes, Purdue University experts recommend that all horses be vaccinated and that people take precautions to avoid mosquito bites. The...
Tapeworms were once considered a fairly benign parasite, unassociated with serious problems in equines. But recent studies show tapeworms are anything but harmless. Consider the statistics:81 percent of ileal impactions (a blockage at the end of the small...
Research published in 2005 revealed the presence of ulcers in the colons of performance horses. According to the study, conducted by Frank Pellegrini, DVM, 63 percent of horses involved in competition sports, ranging from dressage to racing, suffered from colonic...
