TEHRF
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Putting laminitis on ice
A Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) research team is gathering information for the development of a new device for cryotherapy (extreme cold therapy) — one of the few treatments available for the painful equine disease known as laminitis. Also described as digital hypothermia, cryotherapy involves submerging an affected horse’s limb and foot in ice and cooling them to four …
December 07th, 2021 Full story »
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Cardiac drugs in comparison test
The list of current treatment options for horses with heart disease isn’t very long, and the cost of certain heart medications is out of reach for many Canadian horse owners. [Heart failure in horses is] just not very common, but when they get it, it’s severe … a lot of times [they] die a terrible death of pulmonary edema, and …
December 03rd, 2021 Full story »
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Vet’s career heads straight to the heart
Growing up in Portugal, Dr. Tiago Afonso always knew he wanted to be an equine veterinarian. “My uncle had a farm with horses, and he’s a mixed veterinarian in the back country of Portugal,” says Afonso, an assistant professor in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences. “I used to spend all my weekends …
December 01st, 2021 Full story »
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How well do you know your horse’s heart?
This spring, Dr. Nicole van der Vossen gave a presentation on equine cardiology as part of the WCVM’s EquineED Talks — an online series of equine health sessions for horse owners organized by the regional veterinary college. Van der Vossen is a large animal internal medicine resident in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) Department of Large Animal Clinical …
November 25th, 2021 Full story »
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Safety vital around portable X-rays
A recent study by University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers highlights the importance of regularly reviewing radiation safety practices for the use of portable X-ray machines in equine practice. The study, which was published in the April 2021 issue of Canadian Veterinary Journal, surveyed three separate veterinary practices that use portable X-ray equipment and observed the clinics’ radiation safety practices. Dr. …
November 09th, 2021 Full story »
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Stall-side research
Mateo Castano Ospina, a veterinary student at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), spent four months working as the Townsend Equine Health Research Fund (TEHRF) undergraduate summer research student. Each year, the equine research fund provides financial support for a veterinary student to work on a horse-health focused research project. “I think the program gives veterinary students a great …
November 09th, 2021 Full story »
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TEHRF research grants: 2021-22
The Townsend Equine Health Research Fund (TEHRF) has allocated over $82,000 to support three equine health research projects at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM). Read the summaries below for more details on each study. How can we use ACE inhibitors to better manage heart failure in horses? Drs. Tiago Afonso and Nicole van der Vossen, WCVM Congestive heart …
May 11th, 2021 Full story »
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Primed up for a down horse
When the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC) received a call about a down horse last fall, the hospital’s large animal clinical team jumped into action. Hickory, a 12-year-old quarter horse mare, had competed in a rodeo in Regina, Sask., on a warm September day. Unfortunately, after Hickory and her rider completed running a pole pattern, the …
April 15th, 2021 Full story »
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Helping horses breathe easier
Canadians have access to the first licensed and approved inhalation therapy specifically developed to help horses with severe equine asthma without causing unwanted side effects. Developed by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health (BI), the Aservo® EquiHaler® is an inhalation therapy available through veterinarians. It’s used to treat equine asthma, formerly known as recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) or heaves. Like humans, environmental triggers such …
April 15th, 2021 Full story »
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Hormone baseline for horses in West
How do levels of insulin and other hormones in western Canadian horses compare to hormone levels measured in horses living in other parts of Canada and around the world? It’s a question that Dr. Julia Montgomery aims to answer through a collaborative study with Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS), Saskatchewan’s provincial veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Once published, the study’s results will help …
March 21st, 2021 Full story »
