Purina offers health workshops at local venues - Brighton, Coopersville, Almont, Cass City, Wayland, and more:
http://horse.purinamills.com/events/hhf_event.asp
"Crusts, bumps, lumps and other icky skin conditions."
Enjoy a FREE lecture by reknowned MSU vets on skin conditions at MSU
9-12:00 on March 20
E-100 Veterinary Medical Center, East Lansing, 48824
Questions? email Linda Silvers, CVM Media at silvers1@cvm.msu.edu or call 517-355-0001.
Says Mr. Polo: We went with some out of town friends to Sweety Pies on Sunday for breakfast, and we sat in the enclosed patio section beside the house. We happened to notice a couple of zip lock baggies pinned to a post and a wall. The bags were half filled with water, each contained 4 pennies, and they were zipped shut.
Naturally we were curious! Ms Sweety told us that these baggies kept the flies away! So naturally we were even more curious!
We actually watched some flies come in the open window, stand around on the wiindow sill, and then fly out again. And there were no flies in the eating area!
This morning I checked this out on Goggle. I'm now a believer! Aug 12
MSU's Graduate Research Assistant Carissa Wickens and Nathalie Trottier conducted an important study on cribbing horses and gastric ulcers. She determines that there is no signficant different in cribbing and non-cribbing horses in terms of ulcers: however, there is an acidic imbalance in the cribbing horses.
Twenty-eight American states and 2 in Canada are now testing horses for the infection contagious equine metritis (CEM) following outbreaks at stud farms in Kentucky and Indiana.
Four stallions at the DeGraff Stables/Liberty Farm Reproductive Centre in Woodford, Kentucky and another 3 who stood at that stud in 2008 but are now in Indiana, have tested positive for the infection by the Taylorella equigenitalis bacterium that can cause temporary infertility in mares and spontaneous abortions.
Semen from the Quarter horse stallions at the facility was used widely across the US, leading to the exposure to infection of 18 further stallions and 115 mares.
A spokesman for the United States Department of Agriculture said: "At least 250 additional horses are actively being traced, in at least 27 states. Only 12 [out of 50] states have not been involved in the CEM investigation process so far.
"The CEM positive horses are in quarantine and are being treated with disinfectants and antibiotics.
The infection was first spotted on 10 December when semen from 1 of the stallions at DeGraff Stables — Quarter horse Potential Investment — was being routinely tested prior to export.
MSU would like your feedback:
I have a few questions to ask those of you who enjoy attending the equine health lectures at MSU-CVM. Please answer the following two questions, and I will present the results to the equine team at our next equine staff meeting. Thanks! Judy
1. If we scheduled a lecture for a Saturday in June, July, or August, would you be able to attend? Or are you so busy with other activities that you would prefer to wait until Sept. or October for our next lecture?
2. Do you have suggestions for lecture topics? Our equine clinicians would like to do a lecture on parasite control; pasture associated laminitis and metabolic conditions; and equine dermatologic issues. What other topics would you be interested in?
Thank you!
Judy
Editorial Assistant
Publications and Media Relations
College of Veterinary Medicine
Michigan State University
F-130 Veterinary Medical Center
East Lansing, MI 48824
Telephone: 517-355-0001
CVM website: http://cvm.msu.edu
HELP: 3/6/09
Can you temporarily house some emaciated horses and ponies?Or contribute food for them once temporary homes are found?
Washtenaw County's Huron Valley Humane Society took in 6,000 animals last year. They get calls about horses every couple of months.
"Right now we have a case under investigation concerning several horses, ponies and a mule," reported Tanya Hilgendorf, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Huron Valley. "We've placed all except one of the horses. All of them need a little bit of care even before they go to their temporary homes. Then they'll need mostly food. They're not sick. Because horses are so expensive, probably we, theHumane Society, can get someone to donate some hay and some veterinarian services.
"We get horses about every couple of months. I’m sure the anti-slaughter laws and the economy, too, are affecting the numbers. We tell people not to ignore their horses or let them starve. If they can't take care of them, then they can turn over their horses to us. We will try to find a place. All the horse rescues are full right now, but we are hopeful that we can find placement for all of those horses that need new homes.
"Call the humane society or email me if you’re interested in helping. We want horse people, people who have stalls and barns. We need good shelter and experts.
"These particular horses will all get a vet examination before they go to their homes. These aren’t sick or injured. They’ll get a vet check and a Coggins."
email tanya@hshv.org
Vetavisit 2009
the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine’s Annual Open House
Saturday, April 18, 2009, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Where to Start at
Vet-A-Visit??
Walk north from Lots 91 or 92 up Bogue St. to the Large Animal Clinic
Admission is free-of-charge and there is no need to pre-register. Beverages and light refreshments, as well as college of veterinary medicine merchandise, will be available for sale.
Please allow several hours to see all the exhibits and don’t forget to wear comfortable walking shoes! Guests may want to plan for more than 2-hours if planning to attend an educational seminar or roundtable discussion (for those interested in learning more about a career in veterinary medicine).
FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED
IN A CAREER IN VETERINARY MEDICINE
Undergraduate advisors
in the College of Veterinary Medicine will hold one or more informational
seminars for individuals interested in learning more about becoming
veterinarians or veterinary technicians. These sessions will be held in the E-100 auditorium, which is a large
lecture hall located on the northwest corner of the Veterinary Medical Center,
near the intersection of Bogue Street and Wilson Road.
There will also be
informal student and faculty roundtables, held in room G-150, an auditorium at
the far east side of the Veterinary Medical Center. These sessions provide an opportunity to
learn more about the life of veterinary students and what happens in the college
from both a student’s viewpoint and the faculty
perspective.
Please check the exhibit and demonstration schedule at the Vet-A-Visit website for exact times and to confirm room locations!
When you arrive at
Vetavisit, ask for a map or handout with the list of demonstrations and seminars
to confirm times and locations.
Whorls may indicate if your horse is right- or left-hoofed:
Amy Mathieson, H&H news writer
7 December, 2008
Gazing deeply into your horse's eyes could give you the secret of its success, according to researchers at the University of Limerick.A study, in the veterinary journal Behavioural Processes,by vets Jack Murphy and Sean Arkins, suggests that whether the whorl on a horse's forehead spirals clockwise or anti-clockwise indicates if it is left- or right-hoofed. And trainers can use this "inside information" to train the horse accordingly.
A total of 219 horses were classed as being left- or right-hoofed, based on which hoof the horse led with when walking, which side they chose to go round an obstacle and the opinion of their rider.
Of 104 who favoured their left hoof, 75% had anti-clockwise whorls, while of the 95 right-hoofed horses, 67% had clockwise whorls.
Dr Murphy told H&H: "Whorls are just a small part of the mix. It doesn't mean a racehorse will definitely win on a left-handed track if it is left-hoofed, but it may have an advantage."
visit Horse and Hound
More than ten years of intensive, scientific research at Michigan State University has resulted in new recommendations about foot care: Frog on the Ground
Robert Bowker, VMD, PhD, Director of the Equine Foot Laboratory at the College of Veterinary Medicine, MSU, says that his research has shown that the frog must be on the ground. He emphasizes that in order to get the frog resting on the ground, the farrier must gradually lower the heel. When the heel is not on the ground, the foot will start to contract and get smaller, similar to a woman wearing “high heeled” shoes.
According to Bowker, “Once the frog is on the ground, the bars will contribute in supporting weight and much of the load will be supported by the sole.”
This load is transmitted to the sole around the frog apex via the dirt that accumulates from the ground. “Dirt should be left in the foot,” explains Bowker. In other words, don’t clean your horse’s feet unless they have been standing in a lot of manure.
Bowker further states that a foot that has a high-cupped or dished-out sole and frog that is not on the ground will not be able to support its weight with the frog and solar surface.
This goes back to the analogy mentioned earlier about high heels and a small surface area for weight bearing. This small surface area results in high loads being placed upon the foot and will result in significant stress changes to the foot tissues.
“In a nutshell, what we want when the farrier is finished trimming the equine foot is that when viewing the solar surface of the foot, one-third of the foot will be in front of the apex of the frog, and two-thirds behind it. This creates a short toe and encourages a ‘heel first’ landing.” for a full story, go to MSU
Alfalfa hay reduced the severity of ulcers in young, exercised horses, says Dr. Noah Cohen, VMD, PhD, MPH, Dipl. ACVIM, professor of equine medicine at Texas A&M University. "Feeding alfalfa hay may represent a useful adjunct to antiulcer treatment for the control and prevention of equine gastric ulcer syndrome."reported in the horse.com 10/30/08
Fine Tuning Your Training Schedule for the Winter
Free clinic by Dr. van Wessum at MSU on October 11 10:00-1:00
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Each spring it’s the same scenario: your horse comes out of winter overweight and out-of-shape. You spent the previous year riding, training, showing, and your horse enjoyed plenty of exercise while out to pasture. But after a few cold months of layoff, you are back at square one. What do you do?
Dr. Rob van Wessum, equine clinician at the MSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, will address this problem in a lecture, “How to Winterize Your Horse,” on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 10 a.m.
“Many Michigan equestrians are faced with the problem of not being able to ride their horses very often during the winter,” explains van Wessum. “Michigan has such different seasons, from hot, humid summers to frigid, icy, and snowy winters. This wide variation in weather presents horse owners with the challenge of keeping their horses healthy.
“It is important for owners to learn how to gradually slow down from the busy summer training schedule when cold weather arrives. Down-training the horse in the fall will help prevent injuries during the winter and the following spring. Plus proper diet changes from summer to winter will help prevent the horse from becoming overweight.”
A native of The Netherlands (cool summers, mild winters), van Wessum, an active dressage rider, has learned the challenges of Michigan’s extreme seasonal variations first-hand. “It’s good to realize that your horse gets completely different work in the winter than in the summer. During the summer, horses are generally ridden a lot and enjoy more turnout in pasture and paddocks. But in the winter, it’s a totally different situation with less exercise and generally more confinement. “
However, he says It is possible for horse owners to adapt their training schedule to the changing environment of less riding, less training, and less turnout for the horse. Van Wessum will focus on what equestrians should do to down-train their horses in preparation for the winter layoff.
He will also address issues of winter riding and what to do in order to prevent injuries during cold temperatures, such as longer warm ups, and he will describe what kind of exercises should be done to keep horses flexible and strong. He will also discuss the difference between arena footing in warm and cold weather, how to deal with arthritis in cold temperatures, and provide deworming and dietary advice.
The seminar will be held in E-100 Veterinary Medical Center, East Lansing, MI 48824, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Free admission. Please RSVP to Denise Bennington: (517) 353-3182, beningde@cvm.msu.edu, or Judy Lessard: (517) 355-0001, lessardj@cvm.msu.edu. Refreshments will be served.
The Veterinary Medical Center is located at the intersection of Wilson Road and Bogue Street on the MSU campus. Maps and directions can be found at http://www.msu.edu/maps/index.html. Guests should park in the north section of the Wharton Center parking ramp, accessible from East Shaw Lane. Walk south out of the ramp to Wilson Road, and cross the street. The entrance to E-100 is to the right of the Small Animal Clinic (do not use the Small Animal Clinic entrance).
MSU will open new Back Pain Clinic
In mid-June, Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine will officially open the McPhail Equine Back Pain Clinic. The clinic has a unique combination of professional expertise and state-of-the-art technology that holds great promise for horses with back pain. According to the clinic’s director, Dr. Rob van Wessum, at least ten to fifteen percent of equine lameness problems can be traced to problems in the back. “If we did more research, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that the percentage is actually higher,” he says.
Van Wessum uses several types of imaging to help pinpoint problems and treat them more accurately – fluoroscopy, Doppler ultrasound, bone scans, and (soon) MRI. Treatment is followed with a tailor-made rehabilitation program that is designed to increase the horse’s range of motion and speed gradually. In the last three years, Van Wessum has worked with about 500 equine back pain cases at the MSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) and reports that nearly all are now performing at their original level or higher. By opening a clinic at the VTH specifically devoted to this area, he hopes to bring this success to a wider audience. 517-355-0001 - http://cvm.msu.edu
Wormers losing Efficacy: Kentucky researchers report that roundworms and small strongyles, two common equine intestinal parasites, are developing resistance against most of the commercially available worming products. What's worse, no new drugs against either of these parasites are forthcoming on the market. The study, "Evaluation of parasiticidal activity of fenbendazole, ivermectin, oxibendazole, and pyrantel pamoate in horse foals with emphasis on ascarids (Parascaris equorum) in field studies on five farms in Central Kentucky in 2007," was published in the July 2008 edition of Parasitology Research.
Horse Owners Workshop (H.O.W.)Wednesday, March 19th at 6:30 pm, at the Dexter Mill.. It is an event put on by Purina, and there will be a talk on horse nutrition, a veterinarian, Doreen Cawley will give a horse health talk and a trainer will be doing a quick segment on conditioning horses for the upcoming riding season. Door prizes and snacks will be provided. Please spread the word and come join us for a great event.
dextermill@yahoo.com. Dexter Mill is in Dexter which is 6 miles west of Ann Arbor.
dextermill@yahoo.com. Dexter Mill is in Dexter which is 6 miles west of Ann Arbor.
Horse owners and veterinarians worldwide soon will have access to online video Horse Courses presenting the latest developments in horse health topics from some of the foremost individuals in equine research. TheHorse.com, companion Web site to The Horse: Your Guide To Equine Health Care magazine, will be offering monthly University of Kentucky (UK) Diagnostic-Research online horse courses. The first in the series of 10 horse courses sponsored by Fort Dodge Animal Health will launch March 13. Horse owners and veterinarians can sign up now for any or all of the free horse courses by visiting www.TheHorse.com/HorseCourses.
2008 Guidlines for Equine Vaccinations -
just released by American Association of Equine Practitioners
Highlights of “Guidelines for the Vaccination of Horses” include:
1. The identification of tetanus, Eastern/Western Equine Encephalomyelitis, West Nile virus and rabies as “core” vaccines. Core vaccines are efficacious and safe. They exhibit a high enough level of patient benefit and low enough level of risk to justify vacinating the majority of patients.
2. The addition of a vaccination protocol for anthrax;
3. Recommendations for the storage and handling of vaccines, as well as information on vaccine labeling and adverse reactions;
4. Inclusion of the AAEP’s Infectious Disease Control Guidelines, which provide an action plan for the containment of infectious disease during an outbreak.
There's a lot of supporting information and explanation at the AAEP website. Though the text is well-organized and easy to read, it's also fairly technical geared towards veterinarians. Ask your vet!
Book Review by GLHS:
Rob van Nassau's Hoof Problems
published by Trafalgar Square Books
Book Review – BUY IT!
Hoof Problems
By Rob van Nassau
This book is for the curious, intelligent reader looking for detailed approaches to the anatomy, function, diseases and injuries of the hoof. And it's for the reader who likes to hear about cures whether they are technical surgeries or home remedies. Every effort is made by the author(s) to elucidate. I am so grateful to be given real information. So many supposed vet books for the non-vet are the shallow pool version when what you want is a deep sea dive. The author has a wealth of experience to contribute. Rob van Nassau has over 30 years of farrier experience working in a specialist equine vet clinic. He is a former European Champion farrier and National Champion in Holland.
The layout is outstanding.
The pictures are terrific. I’m a photographer and I really appreciate these. There are all sorts of them, from shots of surgical procedures to microscopic looks at fibres: close-up, clear, annotated, and illustrated.
Every page is a multi-layered look. If you don’t understand the text or the point of a photo, there’s another one to help you. There’s so much material, you could spend an hour before turning a page.
There's an abundance of interesting home cures, the sort you might learn while reminiscing with your vet as he packs up his truck to leave on another call. For example, says Rob van Nassau, you can use honey to kill fungus. "Bees know how to keep the nursery of the queen's eggs clean. Honey contains propolis - a fungicidal agent." Honey is also indexed, appearing in three places in the text: a thorough index is a real plus.
There are elucidations that only a thoughtful instructor realizes a student needs. For example, in my barn we are having a bout of foot fungus. We recently installed rubber stall mats. These mats fit the stalls tightly and don’t drain. I increased the bedding, which has helped but, still, we've never before in 20 years had any fungus issues. So I am keen to read about them here. I am made aware IMMEDIATELY that a fungus issue is also a bacterium one. And I am made aware that their sources are ever present in the soil. Now I knew both of these things. But this book tells me to treat fungus and bacterium as separate issues. I am given separate cures for them. Fungus is described specifically so I can see how it moves through the hoof. Suddenly, it’s the enemy and I can see it!
I love the confidence I feel when I read this book. I am being educated.
Now, the book isn’t perfect. It has several purposes. Most are benign. One is to provide detailed anatomical description. Well done!
Another is to offer case histories, in delightfully deep detail, of problems that look insurmountable. Also well done, even if the examples overall are weighted towards the most serious.
Thirdly, less benignly, the book is promotional. It promotes the patented shoes that the author and his brother have created. This is fine BUT why not state it up front?
Which parallels a real problem. The book has some forceful, sophisticated and sometimes extreme approaches to problems and I would like to know more about the credentials behind the suggestions. There is insufficient biographical information about the author. I find on the back cover that he’s a well-recognized farrier of the highest calibre. He is associated with a specialist equine vet clinic. This is great to hear but it's very bareboned bio. And so, I wonder, is this vet clinic where the hoof surgeries are done? There's a lot of extreme cutting away of hoof elements. Who performs these operations? The author isn't a vet so I'm assuming he has vet support. I'd like to know how the vets are involved in the procedures and what the author expects of my farrier.
The other people producing this book are the author’s brother as fellow researcher and the author’s wife as photographer and writer. However, without reading the bookjacket, I wouldn't know until I worked my way through most of the book that these were strong collaborations. Therefore, I want the author to establish a foundation for the material. Besides, I would love to hear the story of their farrier practice, the history of which is interesting in itself.
This book is a wonderful addition to my library and I’ll put it right next to my medical books. You should, too. And don’t forget to give it to your farrier. Tania Evans, Editor
For more on this book Hoof Problems , visit Trafalgar Square books
Comments? Suggestions? Need something? Please let us know by filling out the form below:
Drs. van Wessum and Kimberly Johnston, MSU vets,, will discuss the signs of tendon and ligament injuries, in a lecture at the Vet Medical Center in Lansing. November 17, 9:00 a.m.
They'll cover the importance of early detection, and explain the newest diagnostic and treatment options used at the MSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
This educational lecture will be held Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m.-noon in E-100 Veterinary Medical Center, East Lansing, MI. Free admission, but please RSVP by Wednesday, Nov. 15, to Judy Lessard, CVM Publications and Media Relations, 517-355-0001 or lessardj@cvm.msu.edu.
The Veterinary Medical Center is located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Bogue Street and Wilson Road. For campus maps and directions, go to www.msu.edu/maps/index.html. Parking will be available in the Wharton Center parking ramp on Wilson Rd. Guests should walk back out to and cross Wilson Road.
New equine education and research center opens at the U of Minnesota
New Equine Research Center in Minnesota
.
The Center's new technology includes computerized gait analysis and high speed cameras to test for lameness, an aqua treadmill used in rehabilitation, a state-of-the-art reproduction wing and a high speed treadmill that allows a horse's every breath and heartbeat to be monitored while galloping up to 30 mph. "The comprehensive Equine Center has been designated as a Program of Excellence at the College of Veterinary Medicine and is squarely aligned with the University's goal to become one of the top three public research universities in the world," said University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks. "But more than that, it meets a growing need of our state: Minnesota ranks among the top 10 states in horse population and the equine industry contributes almost $1 billion annually to the state economy, sparked by the passion and support of horse lovers like us." "This state-of-the-art facility will become a home for the Minnesota equine community," said Dr. Stephanie Valberg, DVM, PhD, Director of the Equine Center. "No other facility has been designed to give such compassionate, comprehensive care and to give so much back to horse owners. The Equine Center represents our dedication to an expanded equine program, including undergraduate equine education, continued devotion to educating the next generation of equine veterinarians, and a focus on equine research that will change the lives of horses worldwide, all while providing cutting edge care for horses. Horses will benefit from some of the best in equine care, research, and veterinary education found anywhere in the world."
Grand Opening of the University of Minnesota's Leatherdale Equine Center , October 15, St. Paul, Minnesota
Train Smarter, Not Harder by Dr. Hilary Clayton, MSU
"As weight lifters know," says Dr. Hilary Clayton, DVM, equine motion specialist at MSU, "muscles become stronger as a result of undergoing cycles of microscopic damage and repair. It is important to allow time for the tissues to reapir between strenuous workouts and to avoid stressing the same muscle groups day after day.... I don't mind starting early (in training), but the earlier you start, the more slowly you must build up." For the full article
The mare's eyelid is almost ripped off! Dr. Nathan Zauel responds to the emergency call!
Dr. Zauel responded to an emergency call for help for a horse that had sliced it’s eyelid nearly in half. The cut was bleeding into the eye and down the face. Dr. Zauel arrived at the Ann Arbor farm about 30 minutes after he received the call. The horse, called Havia, was in its stall, standing quietly. While there was blood on its leg from rubbing the eye, the mare had not rubbed dirt into the wound.. It appeared that the cut had occurred just before it was discovered by the owner. Havia, 12, a preliminary level eventer, would need her eyesight to continue to event. full story
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www.taniaevanswritephoto.com Ann Arbor, Mi 48103