1 May 2012
Veterinary issues were the focal point for the afternoon session at the inaugural FEI Sports Forum in Lausanne (SUI) today, which was attended by over 180 delegates from National Federations, the veterinary community, the International Jumping Riders Club and members of the media.

The Forum covered four central themes, delivered by a nine-strong panel headed by John McEwen, Chair of the FEI Veterinary Committee. The key issues covered were:

• Changes to the 2013 FEI Veterinary Regulations
• Blood during competition
• International movement of horses
• Cloning and Progeny of clones
Read on for changes to regulations for 2013

7 May 2012
The FEI has warned its member National Federations against the use of Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) and Hydroxy-gamma butyric acid (Hydroxy-GABA), following advice from the FEI List Group. The warning has been issued outside the List Group’s usual annual review process.Read more:

The World Organization for Animal Health has posted a notification on its web site at: http://bit.ly/IJcDah

Canada is currently free of vesicular stomatitis. It was last diagnosed in Canada in 1949. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has notified Equine Canada it is taking the following immediate action to safeguard the Canadian herd: Read more:

(St. Catharines, ON) May 24, 2011 – Farm First Aid announces the Hemcon Bandage, a revolutionary, new product is now available in Canada for veterinary first aid treatment.

First developed for military use, this advanced bleeding control gauze is formulated to stop the most severe bleeding fast, while also offering anti-bacterial properties to help prevent infection caused by various forms of bacteria. Currently only available as a veterinary product in Canada, it is a must have for every veterinary first aid kit. Read more:

Neurotropic Equine Herpes Virus-1 Status Update — Friday, June 3

Ottawa, ON — Equine Canada’s Health and Welfare Committee is sharing the following status update on Neurotropic Equine Herpes Virus-1 (nEHV-1) received today from Alberta and Western Canada. This information comes as a result of consultations among the Chief Provincial Veterinarian for Alberta, members of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, faculty members, University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine, local Albertan equine practitioners, in addition to veterinarians from British Columbia and Saskatchewan.  Read more

Knowing Signs of Approaching Foaling Useful for Horse Breeders

Expected birth date is an age-old question for horse breeders tending to four-legged mothers-to-be. Most mares are bred naturally in a scheduled breeding with the stallion or through artificial insemination. Dave Freeman, PhD, Oklahoma State ...  Read more

Founder - Being Informed Can Save a Horse's Life
A few months ago an anomymous caller left a message on my answering machine - informing me that once a horse had foundered it could not be helped.  She rudely asked that I stop claiming that there might be hope for foundered horses.  And I believe her words were "once they are lame, they're lame." Read on to learn Kate Romanenko's opinion.

Just the Bare Facts:
Did you know that horses do not need shoes - they are already wearing them. Read more from Kate Romanenko

Hard keeper?  Maybe we can help.

Hard keepers don’t need to be a perpetual problem.  If you have a hard keeper- here are some suggestions that can help.

In many cases, in fact over 50% of hard keepers are the result of parasites.  Worming every 3-4 months is wise to avoid this problem.  Horses will maintain better condition and less feed will be consumed if dewormed on a regular basis.  Keep in mind; wormers should be varied each time as resistance to the same medication can occur causing a good wormer to become ineffective. Read on

Tumours and Tumour Like Growths in Horses
Bob Wright, Belwood, Ontario, and Hans Delaunois-Vanderperren, Norfolk, United Kingdom
 

Lumps and bumps that occur on a horse’s skin can be divided into neoplastic (tumour) and non-neoplastic (inflammatory, parasitic-induced) masses. The location of the lump, its outward appearance, the age of the horse and the coat colour often help in the differentiation of the mass. Confirmation, however, often requires histological (microscopic) examination, since many cutaneous masses appear clinically similar. Three common tumours affect the skin of horses - sarcoids, squamous cell carcinomas and melanomas. Learn more…

HORSE SENSE FOR CANADIAN WINTERS

Horses adapt well to colder temperatures but they need an adequate balanced ration, ample supply of fresh clean water and protection from the elements.

Many people believe corn or oats should be added to the ration during winter months for increased energy.  Although this may increase the caloric value of the ration, there is the risk of causing the ration to be unbalanced. Also, Dr. Joe Pagan, PhD, of Kentucky Equine Research states that this provides very little ‘waste heat’ for the maintenance of body temperature.  Whereas, feeding immature grass hay allows the gut bacteria to produce enough heat to regulate body temperature. Read on...

Keeping Your Horse at Peak Performance is a Balancing Act
We all want our horses to show and work to the best of their ability. Consequently we are always searching for aids and treatments to better that performance as well as become as healthy and happy as they can be. We want our horses to enjoy what they do and make us look good doing it.
    In today's equine life, there are so many new treatments available, it is tough to decide just what our horses need, don't need and will benefit from the most. We could spend a fortune in diagnosis. This is where a thorough knowledge and understanding of your horse comes in. Not to mention working closely with your vet for a proper assessment. Many of the treatments offered for horses are done outside the realm of our veterinarians. Many veterinarians are quite willing to work with the specialists in other areas of treatment for our horses, but it should be done so with the full knowledge and co-operation of a vet for the overall well-being of our horses.

That being said, here is Toby Caver's story of how EMRTTM (Equine Muscle Release Therapy) through the services provided by Sophie Vertigan of Balancing Acts has helped Toby's horse. Read on....