Health Management
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Health management for performance horses
Much like humans, equine athletes performing at a high level can be at risk for certain conditions that cause poor performance. “Factors that make them athletes also predispose them to disease,” says Dr. Julia Montgomery, a specialist in large animal internal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM). Horses have a very large heart with a low resting …
September 10th, 2015 Full story »
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Regular dental checkups health investment
Everybody knows the importance of regular dental checkups when it comes to human health, so it should come as no surprise that horse health is just as dependent upon regular oral health checks. Dr. James Carmalt, a professor of equine surgery and a specialist in equine dentistry at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), recommends that horses receive routine …
August 03rd, 2015 Full story »
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Coggins test still vital cog in EIA screening
The standard in equine infectious anemia (EIA) screening is a test known to horse owners everywhere as the Coggins test. A “negative Coggins” is required for import and export of horses and is recommended for any situation in which horses are gathered together, such as a competition or boarding stable. But what exactly is a Coggins test, and how is …
July 12th, 2012 Full story »
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Monensin: fatal feed
This month, a Nebraska-based livestock feed company voluntarily recalled two lots of its “Kountry Buffet” 14 per cent feed because it could contain monensin sodium — a potentially fatal drug for horses. The feed, packaged in 50-pound bags with the Payback logo, was distributed to retailers in Nebraska and Wyoming in December 2011. The company, Western Feed LLC, made the …
March 05th, 2012 Full story »
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Water, the number one nutrient
During a hot July in 2006, the owners of a southern Saskatchewan farm made a grim discovery when they found five of their 19 horses dead, in or near a slough. The remaining horses were severely dehydrated and had diarrhea. The local veterinarian’s first suspicion was anthrax, a prevalent disease in the area at the time. But blood tests for …
December 12th, 2011 Full story »
