equine health
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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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CFI funds four U of S research projects
Four University of Saskatchewan (U of S) researchers have been awarded $393,000 to support projects to develop high-capacity mobile telecommunications devices, bacteria-based cleanup of petroleum contamination, a mobile lab to study and treat lung health in horses, and equipment to catalogue the trillions of microorganisms that live within us. The funding, through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), provides 40 …
August 03rd, 2015 Full story »
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Understanding horse insurance
Although many horses in Western Canada have high performance, breeding and emotional value in the eyes of their owners, few of the animals are covered under an equine insurance policy. Horse insurance can help owners with the cost of treating these horses. “We are often dealing with horses that are injured or sick, and owners are facing the choice of …
May 01st, 2015 Full story »
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Vets treat stallion for uncommon disease
On a warm day in mid-September 2014, Cora Hohenberg noticed that one of her family’s Gypsy stallions, Black Forest William, was down and looking distressed. “We thought he had colic,” says Cora, who operates Cyclone Gypsy Horses with her husband Karl on their farm near La Broquerie, Man. “We got him up and got him walking — then he had …
February 23rd, 2015 Full story »
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Navigating the pre-purchase exam
Anyone who has bought a car knows that there are many factors that influence your decision — and the entire experience can put you through an emotional rollercoaster. For the most part, buying a horse isn’t any different. But a key tool that can help owners make a more informed decision about a potential horse is the pre-purchase examination that’s usually …
February 19th, 2015 Full story »
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Studying the airway microbiome in horses
Veterinary researchers at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) are investigating whether certain bacterial populations in a horse’s windpipe can contribute to a respiratory disease called recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). More commonly known as heaves, RAO can be triggered by something as simple as feeding poor quality hay to a horse. Exposure to dust, mouldy hay, ammonia fumes and fungal …
February 04th, 2015 Full story »
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Horse survives after stick impales chest
On a dark October night, Les and Darlene Leer pulled into the parking lot at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Medical Centre in Saskatoon with their horse trailer in tow. It was late, and they were worried. They had made the three-hour drive from St. Walburg, Sask., to bring in their injured 18-year-old Appaloosa gelding, Tuffy, for emergency …
January 10th, 2015 Full story »
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Bailee Stanton receives AAEP-Markel award
University of Saskatchewan student Bailee Stanton of Kananaskis, Alta., is a 2014 recipient of an American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation-Markel award. Eight students from across North America received the annual awards on December 7 during the annual AAEP convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. The $2,500 scholarships support veterinary students whose future career plans focus on equine medicine. Stanton, who …
December 16th, 2014 Full story »
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Park “field of dreams” for horse enthusiasts
Three years ago local horse enthusiasts Charlene Dalen-Brown and Colleen Kellett found they were quickly running out of safe places to ride in their community of Grasswood, south of Saskatoon, Sask. “It is in an area that is getting heavily developed, but there were a lot of horse owners out there before that [expansion],” say Kellett. “With all this development, …
December 12th, 2014 Full story »
