Equine Lameness News

Insulin and laminitis

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:01:25 +0000

Work at the University of Queensland has shown that prolonged high levels of insulin can induce laminitis ...

Treating back pain.

Sat, 29 Sep 2007 09:53:08 +0000

A possible new treatment for back pain associated with arthritis of these joints has been suggested by work at the French National Veterinary School of Alfort.

Virginiamycin and lamintis research.

Mark Andrews — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 21:27:17 +0000

Do you have horse that suffers from laminitis? Do you give Founderguard (TM) to try to prevent it recurring? If so, researchers at London’s Royal Veterinary College would like to hear from you.

Supraspinous ligament damage - a pain in the back?

Mon, 4 Jun 2007 22:15:02 +0000

Signs of damage to the supraspinous ligament are often found in horses with back pain. But how significant are these changes?

Value of oral glucosamine and chondroitin.

Sun, 24 Dec 2006 17:07:47 +0000

A recent study showed that twice daily administration of a combined glucosamine / chondroitin supplement resulted in longer duration of soundness and reduced the need for treatment of hock lameness. Six to eight months of regular administration were needed before the favorable response was seen.

Oral hyaluranon effective.

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 01:42:30 +0000

A study carried out in Lexington Kentucky has found convincing evidence that hyaluranon (HA; hyaluronate) administered by mouth can improve the condition of joints after arthroscopic surgery for osteochondrosis.

Detecting drugs.

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:02:07 +0000

The results of recent studies carried out for the European Horseracing Scientific Liaison Committee should make it easier to avoid positive dope tests.

Nerve block bias?

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 00:19:48 +0000

A study carried out at the Royal Veterinary College, London, found that, when assessing the severity of the lameness, observers were influenced by whether they knew that a nerve block had been performed.

Joint medication : the future.

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 00:17:45 +0000

Improved understanding of the mediators of inflammation in equine traumatic arthritis and osteoarthritis has led to identification of new targets for therapy.

Underlying causes of laminitis.

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 08:30:25 +0000

Recent work has shed light on some of the underlying causes of pasture-associated laminitis. Workers at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, have identified a prelaminitic metabolic syndrome (PLMS) in apparently healthy ponies

Reduced lameness after shock wave therapy.

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 21:01:35 +0000

Horses should be rested for at least two days after (focussed) shock wave therapy to prevent further injury, warn vets at Iowa State University. Their studies have shown that horses with chronic forelimb lameness improve after treatment with focussed extracorporeal shockwave therapy.

Absorption of topical hydrocortisone.

Sat, 1 Jul 2006 18:51:13 +0000

Recent research shows that the rate at which medications are absorbed through the skin may differ depending on which part of the body is being treated.

Gait analysis in the field.

Sat, 1 Jul 2006 18:49:32 +0000

A portable gait analysis system has brought gait analysis out of the laboratory and into the field.

Hoof growth between shoeings.

Wed, 24 May 2006 20:56:14 +0000

How does the change in hoof shape between shoeings affect the internal structures of the horse’s foot? Scientists at the Derona Equine Performance Laboratory, part of the Utrecht University Vet School, have been investigating.

Reverse wedge shoeing for founder

Mon, 6 Mar 2006 21:13:22 +0000

According to veterinarian Eric Belloy, and farrier Gary Martin, reverse wedge shoeing can make foundered horses pain-free more quickly than other methods, whilst giving them the support they need.

The technique aims to realign the hoof capsule to the pedal bone. The heels are trimmed to a more natural position in relation to the lower border of the pedal bone. The shoe is attached to the foot with glue rather than nails. Because of the way the foot is trimmed, there is a gap between the shoe and the foot at the toe. This gap is filled with a temporary wedge to maintain the position of the shoe as the acrylic sets.

Modern hoof repair materials.

Mon, 6 Mar 2006 21:11:09 +0000

At a joint meeting of farriers and veterinarians at Stoneleigh, England, Ian Hughes, farrier at Liverpool Vet School reported on his experience of modern hoof repair materials.

He described two types that are available in the UK. Their different properties make each material more suited to certain uses than others. He gave examples, and offered tips for using them successfully in various situations.

Stem cell success.

Mon, 6 Mar 2006 21:09:18 +0000

VetCell Bioscience Ltd, have reported the successful treatment of a suspensory ligament injury using their equine stem cell procedure. A core lesion of the outer branch of the suspensory ligament was implanted with stem cells.

The horse returned to work, but was euthanised for unrelated reasons 19 months after treatment. Microscopic examination of the ligament has revealed a near-normal appearance. In fact the treated ligament looked better than the ligament on the opposite leg that had suffered only minor damage and had not been treated.

Comparing navicular therapies.

Mon, 6 Mar 2006 21:08:04 +0000

A recent study assessed the value of three commonly used treatments. Dr Mike Schoonover and colleagues at the Oklahoma State University `s College of Veterinary Medicine have been evaluating heel-elevation shoeing, phenylbutazone administration and the injection of corticosteroid into the distal interphalangeal joint (coffin) joint.

They found that 3° heel-elevation shoeing, alone or with phenylbutazone, may reduce the lameness of horses with navicular syndrome. However, they concede that some horses will not respond and may require other treatments such as different shoeing techniques, or injection of the navicular bursa with corticosteroids or hyaluronate.

Acupuncture for back pain.

Mon, 6 Mar 2006 21:06:57 +0000

Electroacupuncture is effective for treating chronic back pain in horses, according to Dr Xie of the University of Florida.

Horses treated with electroacupuncture started to show an improvement after two treatments. After three treatments they were significantly better than horses treated with either phenylbutazone or saline. There was further improvement with subsequent treatments. After the fifth electroacupuncture session, the thoracolumbar pain scores were greatly improved. The improvement lasted for at least two weeks without further treatment.

Fructan content of pasture grasses.

Mon, 6 Mar 2006 21:01:12 +0000

A study in Germany found that Lolium perenne (Perennial ryegrass) and Lolium multiflorum (Italian ryegrass) contain the highest amounts of fructans. However, the fructan content varied throughout the year, being highest in May and October. Other pasture grasses contained low fructan concentrations.

To minimise the risk of laminitis, grass mixtures with reduced quantities of Lolium perenne should be used. Pastures with forage grasses such as Alopecurus pratensis (Meadow Foxtail) and Phleum pratense (Timothy) as the main components are suitable to produce low fructan concentrations.