Derrick, an 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, developed cataracts in both eyes. As a talented jumper that owner Terri Herrera planned to convert to a hunter, Derrick’s intended career didn’t allow much room for imperfect vision. After consulting with her veterinarian in Southern California, Herrera decided to make the 8-hour drive north to see the equine ophthalmology experts at the UC Davis veterinary hospital. It was there that she met Dr. Mary Lassaline, whom she credits with saving Derrick’s life.

When lameness appears, horse owners are often quick to reach for a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). In fact, a survey found 82 percent of horse owners use NSAIDs without consulting their veterinarian.1 But that may not be the smart move.

For the insulin resistant horse, winter laminitis can strike seemingly out of nowhere, with no change in diet or management and some puzzling inconsistencies. The horse may not necessarily have a prior history of laminitis. The pain is often severe, but the feet aren’t hot as they are in classical acute laminitis cases.

The experts at Texas A&M then shipped the embryos to Weatherford Equine Medical Center in Weatherford, TX, for transfer into surrogate mares. Remarkably, three of the four embryos resulted in pregnancies.

This has been blamed for prolonged gestation and low milk production in late term pregnant mares.

As we know, weaning can be stressful, frequently resulting in temporary periods of decreased weight gain, diarrhea, and potentially suppressed immunity. The likelihood of developmental orthopedic disorders, such as osteochondritis dissecans, increases if weanlings aren’t fed properly during this transition period.

“Whether it is the sick Thoroughbred racehorse or foal suffering from sepsis or toxic shock syndrome, a dog with acute pancreatitis in terrible pain, a cat after being struck by a car, or a dog poisoned from accidentally eating his owner’s pill bottles, the pathophysiology is remarkably similar to what is seen in humans, with a similar lack of available effective therapies.”