According to research done at UK, the disease will sometimes result in the loss of the foal, but other times may only show up as a change or series of changes in the placenta with no noticeable effect on the foal. Because the bacterial infection is limited to the placenta, the foal itself is not infected. The foal can be underweight at birth or born healthy with the only sign anything was amiss being the telltale lesions found on the placenta.

This discovery helps explain the popular “splashed white” pattern common to Paint Horses, and offers the opportunity to test horses for another white spotting pattern through an APHA partner laboratory.

“Muscle diseases are some of the most common health issues horses face, with more than 250,000 horses in the US afflicted each year,” says Molly McCue, DVM, MS, PhD, professor in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, associate dean of research at the CVM, and principal investigator on the study. Horses with muscle disease often exhibit muscle pain, stiffness, and a reluctance to move.

This year’s event showcases the knowledge and talents of Jonathan Field, Craig Cameron, Warwick Schiller, Tik Maynard, Lynn Palm, Jonath Robles and Jim Thomas, plus dozens of other discipline-specific clinicians. With clinics covering everything from general training and horsemanship to core strengthening and yoga for horses, there’s a session for everyone.

Pneumonia caused by Rhodococcus equi is an insidious, often fatal, infection of foals. It causes abscesses in the lungs and can prove challenging to treat. A combination of two antimicrobials, azithromycin (AZM) and rifampicin (RIF), is widely used for treatment. Combination therapy is necessary as bacteria rapidly develop resistance to rifampicin if it is used on its own.

“The future may be unknown, but that doesn’t mean we as a profession can’t prepare for change,” said Dr. John Howe, president of the AVMA. “As the report makes clear, organized veterinary medicine can take steps to identify currents and trends and use those insights to determine how we can most effectively lead the profession into the future.”

The newly approved inhaler is designed specifically for use in horses. It includes an ergonomic handle and dosing lever for ease of user handling, and a nostril adaptor that fits gently inside the nostril of the horse, allowing them to easily inhale the medicated mist. The active ingredient in the Aservo® EquiHaler® is the prodrug ciclesonide, which is a corticosteroid that is activated directly in the lung, reducing lower airway inflammation associated with severe equine asthma.