Western College of Veterinary Medicine
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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 »
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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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Alberta horse industry honours Burwash
Dr. Wayne Burwash, a 1969 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), is the 2015 recipient of the Horse Industry Association of Alberta’s (HIAA) Distinguished Service Award. The longtime Alberta equine veterinarian, who was recognized for his lasting influence and contributions to the equine industry, received the award in early January during the Alberta Horse Breeders and Owners …
February 11th, 2015 Full story »
