Veterinary medicine has changed in recent years with more practitioners choosing to become board certified in a specific area of practice. This allows us to have a more precise focus in one particular area like surgery or medicine. Steinbeck Country…
A standing surgical technique for splitting the medial patellar ligament is described, and the long-term (average 4.5-years) efficacy of the procedure in horses exhibiting delayed patellar release is reported.
Most wounds should involve at least a phone call to your veterinarian, especially if they are near a joint or tendon. Being familiar with basic anatomy will be of tremendous value in helping describe wound location and how serious they are. Doing all the initial steps right are the biggest keys to a successful outcome.
The pastern joint, also known as the proximal interphalangeal joint, is a relatively common source of lameness in horses. Degenerative joint disease/arthritis of this joint is commonly referred to as high ringbone. Low ringbone refers to the same type of degenerative joint disease of the coffin joint and is much less common.
After Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro underwent surgical repair of a severe fracture many equine veterinarians were hearing the same statement “I didn’t think you could fix a broken leg in a horse”. The truth is some you can and some you cannot.
Enteroliths are one of the leading causes of severe colic in the state of California. The word enterolith is derived from the Greek terms “entero” meaning intestinal and “lith” meaning stone (Figure 1). The high incidence of enterolith formation in California is presumably due to the mineral content of our hay and water. Commonly referred to as stones, enteroliths are composed of struvite crystals which coalesce around some central object like a pebble or a small piece of wire ingested by the horse.
Colic. To some, it is a term that is unfortunately all together too familiar; to others, it is a word that causes fear with little understanding of what it is. While it is a situation we would all like to avoid, it is important to have a knowledge of what colic is, some of its causes and potential ways to minimize it’s occurrence, and how your veterinarian may deal with it.
The word “colic” comes from the Greeks and means “abdominal pain”. Horses are notorious for colic and are predisposed to it when compared to other species. Signs of colic include but are not limited to: being “off feed”, depressed, looking/biting at the flanks, stretching as if to urinate, kicking at the abdomen, and rolling in pain. There are many factors that predispose horses to colic.