Uveitis means inflammation of the uvea. That doesn’t tell you much, does it? The uveal tract of the eye is comprised of the vascular (blood vessel) and pigmented structures of the eye. Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) is the leading cause of blindness in horses worldwide. The prevalence of this devastating disease is reported to be …
When I applied to the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine in the mid-70s, there were roughly 9 applicants for every spot. There were only 72 students accepted every year. Some students that were not able to gain entrance to a veterinary program turned their efforts towards medical school instead. This article, written in 1978, discusses …
Many types of living creatures can suffer from stomach ulcers. Alan and I both suffered from severe GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease. Among the many, many characteristics we share, we have both had fundoplications to treat our reflux. I recently started treating my dog for gastric ulcers. And I have treated Kadeen in the past for …
Sometimes, I wish I didn’t have any education in veterinary medicine. That is never more true than when one of my own dogs presents with a problem. I go from A to Z in a heartbeat… but strangely enough, this time I was right. My sweet little Leah has been diagnosed with canine lymphoma. Leah …
In the past three weeks, I have been writing about two of the most often diagnosed metabolic disorders of equines… Equine Cushings Disease or PPID (symptoms and treatment), and Equine Metabolic Syndrome. Getting a diagnosis is the first step. What are the rules of the road for the nutritional management of horses or ponies with …
Nutritional Management of Horses With Metabolic Disorders Read More »
Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) and Equine Cushing’s Disease (PPID) are the two most common metabolic disturbances in horses. I recently wrote a two-part blog about PPID (Part One and Part Two.) This post will be about EMS, and next week I will discuss dietary recommendations for horses with various metabolic challenges. Typically, EMS occurs in …
In Part One on this topic, I discussed the symptoms and diagnosis of Equine Cushing’s Disease, or pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). In this second part, I’ll discuss treatment and management options. The two horses in the feature photo from Part One are both being treated for PPID. As you can see from the photo, …
According to this article by the Kentucky Equine Research Staff, it is believed that 20-33% of horses will develop Equine Cushing’s Disease in their lifetime. That is an incredibly high percentage! Most horses are over the age of 15 at diagnosis. Although Cushing’s Disease is the most commonly recognized name for this endocrine dysfunction, a …
Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote A Hole in Her Head, a blog about how our gelding kicked our new mare in the head. We sutured up the skin, but obviously, it was up to Mother Nature to deal with the rest. For the most part, Mother Nature did a great job. However, for …
Vesicular Stomatitis, or VS, is a viral disease that primarily affects horses and cattle. It may occasionally affect other hooved animals, such as pigs, goats, sheep, llamas, and alpacas. Rarely, humans handling affected animals can experience flu-like symptoms. Although rarely fatal, VS can have a personal and economic impact on livestock owners. I decided to …
