Horses require regular dental care, just like humans. Because of the way domestic horses are fed, they need annual, or sometimes semi-annual, checkups and floats by veterinarians or equine dentists. Floating prevents sharp points from forming on the edges of their teeth. Source: The Paulick Report, March 28, 2016 Horses get sharp points or unevenness on their teeth when … [Read more...]
Thwart thrush in 3 steps
Thrush is a bacterial infection of the hoof and frog* that is caused by constantly standing in wet muddy ground. This prevents hooves from drying out and firming up, which leads to infection. Read on to discover three ways to prevent thrush. Source: The Paulick Report, March 29, 2016 Thrush, which thrives in wet, unsanitary conditions, affects the frog of the horse's hoof. … [Read more...]
Technology improves equine lameness evaluation
Equine lameness exams have historically been performed by a clinician who assigns subjective lameness score value to what he or she observes. While this method has been somewhat effective, opinions and abilities to see a lameness can vary greatly between veterinarians. Tools now exist to provide for a more objective evaluations of lameness. Source: The Paulick Report, March … [Read more...]
Inflammatory biomarkers: horses’ early warning system?
Developing research into equine soft tissue damage and biomarker identification could help veterinarians and trainers identify or prevent these injuries. While research is still ongoing, there have been important discoveries about Serum Amyloid A (SAA), a protein released from the liver at the early stage of inflammation. Currently, this is more of a method to ensure that a … [Read more...]
California foal survives type A botulism
A 10-day old California foal originally suspected of having a fractured vertebrae was diagnosed with a type A Clostridium botulinum toxicoinfection. Treatment with plasma containing antibodies to C. botulinum type B and C toxins and subsequently types A, B and C2, along with supportive therapies, allowed the foal to be discharged after a 30-day stay in the clinic. Source: … [Read more...]