VPN Plus+ ExclusiveReducing the risks of equine anesthesiaJuly 30, 2021Due to their large size, nature, and predisposition to adverse reactions to certain anesthetic agents, horses placed under general anesthesia are at a higher risk compared to smaller species, like dogs and cats. Review these tips to keep your equine patients safer during surgery.
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Gentle handling can ease equine careJune 2, 2021Fear Free has launched a new equine certification designed to improve the safety of horses and their veterinarians.
Gene-doping test supports health of racehorsesMarch 9, 2021Eliminating the administration of illicit, gene doping therapies in racehorses and other equine athletes is the driving force behind a new development out of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet).
Horse pyrexia drug gets distribution dealFebruary 24, 2021An injectable drug designed to control fever in horses has landed a North American distribution deal.
Preventing horse deaths central to transport billFebruary 11, 2021Ensuring the safe and humane transport of horses is the aim of a bipartisan bill recently reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Horse therapy could benefit adults with Parkinson's diseaseJanuary 18, 2021Equine-assisted therapy and its effect on adults diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is set to be explored in a new research project.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveVeterinary chiropractic: A friend or foe to your patients?November 18, 2020By Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, cVMAChiropractic is primarily the manipulation of bones in the spine in an effort to treat or prevent disease or to reduce discomfort. Though therapeutic manipulation of bones in the spine has a long history, chiropractic—as it is understood today—was invented in the late 19th century by Daniel David Palmer. He conceived the notion that all disease results from vertebrae in the spine being out of place (so-called "subluxations"), and that their forceful manipulation (an "adjustment") can prevent or treat disease. He gave varying explanations for this idea over time, often claiming nerves carried a spiritual energy called "innate intelligence," and that obstruction of the flow of this energy by vertebral subluxations caused medical symptoms.1,2 Few chiropractors today still adhere to the notion of a mystical energy such as innate intelligence as the source of disease or the focus of chiropractic treatment. However, there is a split in the field with respect to the subluxation concept.3,4 Most chiropractors still view subluxation, or the vertebral subluxation complex (VSC), as a real entity causing illness and that can be corrected by chiropractic manipulation. These practitioners also sometimes reject modern scientific explanations of illness, such as germ theory, and may recommend their patients avoid …
Corticosteroids and laminitis: Much concern, little evidenceOctober 7, 2020In any of their various chemical configurations, corticosteroids are a cornerstone of equine therapy.
Arrest made in $1-million equine drug theftSeptember 10, 2020An illicit eight-year, million-dollar equine drug operation that endangered the lives of countless horses has ended in an arrest in the Empire State.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveBright ideas in veterinary ophthalmologyJuly 23, 2020The field of veterinary ophthalmology is always evolving, uncovering new theories, diagnostics, treatments, and surgeries. The Vision for Animals Foundation (VAF) is funding various ophthalmology studies, including one led by University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center resident Kayla Banks, DVM, that is comparing cleaning and sterilization protocols for diamond burr tips used in diamond burr debridement for canine superficial chronic corneal epithelial defects. Another study, led by Maggie Jinks, DVM, a resident at the Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center, is looking at the role of extrinsic forces on lens cell mitosis. Lionel Sebbag, DVM, DACVO, assistant professor of veterinary clinical sciences at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, says there are continued efforts in the veterinary ophthalmology community to find new diagnostic tools and therapies to improve patient comfort and vision. "For instance, there are task forces working on glaucoma and sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS), two devastating diseases resulting in vision loss," he says. "Further, the recent advances in genetics are exciting, and it is only a matter of time before they fully benefit veterinary patients. "A better understanding of genetics will help reduce the prevalence of serious inherited ocular diseases, such as progressive retinal …
