Western College of Veterinary Medicine
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Strategic deworming key for parasite control
Fall is here and it’s time to deworm your horse again — or is it? Traditional deworming protocols with a zero tolerance for any parasites may not be the best option for your horse, says Dr. Fernando Marqués, a board-certified specialist in large animal internal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) Veterinary Medical Centre. There’s no one-size-fits-all protocol …
October 08th, 2015 Full story »
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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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Owner helps Jack get back on track
It was early June 2013 and high school student Morgan Ashdown was looking forward to summer vacation. She planned to spend it out at the barn with her quarter horse, Under the Lethalimit, known as Jack. Her parents, Leanne and Keith of Pilot Butte, Sask., had bought the 2004 gelding a year earlier, and Jack and Morgan were starting to …
August 03rd, 2015 Full story »
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The foaling mare: preparation is key
If you ask anyone who has bred horses, they will tell you that it’s no easy feat. However, when it is done properly (and everything goes right), having an energetic and healthy foal is an exciting and rewarding experience. Dr. Stephen Manning is a board-certified theriogenologist and an associate professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM). Based on …
July 08th, 2015 Full story »
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EHRF Research Grants: 2015-2016
Developing a treatment for acute laminitis Drs. David Wilson, James Carmalt, Kathryn Carmalt, WCVM Laminitis is a common, life-threatening condition in horses. The inflammatory disease causes the sensitive laminae, which connect the hoof wall to the coffin bone within the foot, to separate. This process results in rotation of the coffin bone within the hoof due to the pull of …
June 17th, 2015 Full story »
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Equine infectious anemia threat for horses
Equine infectious anemia is a viral disease of horses, mules and donkeys that should be taken very seriously by owners, says a veterinary researcher. “When a horse is infected [with equine infectious anemia or EIA], it is infected for life,” says Dr. Sara Higgins. She’s a resident in large animal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) whose …
May 26th, 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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Clifford the horse beats colitis challenge
When Kylie Couture went out one snowy December morning on her family’s Debden-area acreage, Clifford — her 17-year-old Morgan cross gelding — didn’t come in for breakfast. “She brought his food over to him, and he still wouldn’t eat,” says Kylie’s mom, Stacey Couture. “Uh oh, we thought.” Kylie, a C-level Pony Club rider, noticed bloody diarrhea on Clifford’s tail — a …
April 21st, 2015 Full story »
