Because oats are so well digested by horses, it is worth considering whether the effort of sprouting is justified by the extra gain in digestibility for this grain. Sprouts can be fed the same as usual grains, and most horses will absolutely love the fresh succulent addition to their diet. Read more…
Forward motion and flexion of the hind legs is achieved through the movement of the quadriceps group of muscles on the front of the femur, while the muscles at the back of the hindquarters, called the hamstring group, provide forward motion of the body and rearward extension of the hind Read more…
The patella plays a vital role in the horse’s hindleg action – its locking mechanism even allows him to sleep standing up. Vet Sarah Hunter explains how it operates and what can go wrong. The patella, otherwise known as the kneecap, is a round, flat bone in the tendon part Read more…
It’s a fact that the Chinese people call the Datong breed flying horses. While they are still foals, these horses are born with these projections on their face. But today, people see the horn-like feature of the horse as something terrible. So, once a Datong horse is born, it won’t Read more…
To release an upward fixated patella, the horse should be pushed backward while simultaneously pushing the patella medially and distally. Alternatively, pulling the limb forward with a rope around the pastern may unlock the patella. What occurs in upward fixation of the patella? An upward fixation of the patella is Read more…
milk leg, also called Iliofemoral Thrombophlebitis, or Phlegmasia Alba Dolens, inflammation of the femoral vein, the principal vein of the thigh, with formation of a clot that blocks the channel of the vein. How do you treat milk legs in horses? This involves antibiotics to treat secondary infections, antiparasitic treatments Read more…
Changes in blood pressure include hypertension (high blood pressure) and hypotension (low blood pressure). Hypertension is not common in horses, but hypotension can develop when a horse is undergoing general anesthesia and in certain disease states, such as colitis, septic shock, or hemorrhagic shock. What causes high blood pressure in Read more…
Hypotension (low blood pressure), classified as MAP of less than 60 mm Hg, is more common in horses, especially those undergoing surgery or suffering from hemorrhage, dehydration, shock, sepsis, or anaphylaxis. How do you treat hypotension in horses? Dobutamine is the standard positive inotropic agent for treating equine hypotension during Read more…
Perforations of the equine stomach, large colon, caecum and small colon/rectum have been well- documented, occurring either spontaneously or secondary to ulceration, over-distension, obstruction, parasitism, physical trauma or infarction. What causes a perforated bowel in horses? Most commonly it occurs due to contamination (for example by perforation of the abdominal Read more…
PANACUR® POWERPAC (fenbendazole 10 mg/kg daily for 5 days) treats a majority of the most common internal parasites affecting horses. It is labeled for the control of large and small strongyles (including migrating larvae), pinworms and ascarids (roundworms). What wormer kills roundworms in horses? fenbendazoleUse pyrantel pamoate or fenbendazole to Read more…