Equine Health Research Fund

The Autumn 2011 issue of Horse Health Lines, news publication for the WCVM’s Equine Health Research Fund, is now online. View the entire newsletter online.

Inside this issue, you’ll find the following stories plus much more:

• Can nanomedicine put an end to endotoxemia? A WCVM-led research team is investigating whether nanomedicine holds the key to treating endotoxemia in horses.

• Under pressure: Does suture type and surgical method have any impact on preventing acute incisional bursting after abdominal surgery in equine patients?

• CT unit delivers diagnostic clarity: A new, 16-slice CT scanner is producing more accurate, high-resolution CT images in much less time — benefiting both patients and veterinarians.

• Excellent externships: The WCVM Class of 2006 Externship Award is helping vet students explore different aspects of veterinary medicine outside of the WCVM.

To learn more about the Equine Health Research Fund, visit www.ehrf.usask.ca.

The Summer 2011 issue of Horse Health Lines, news publication for the WCVM's Equine Health Research Fund, is now online. Click here to view the entire newsletter online.

Inside this issue, you'll find the following stories:

• EHRF puts equine researchers to work: Six WCVM research teams receive more than $106,000 in support for equine health studies.

• Patching up Pearl: Equine surgeon Dr. Ryan Shoemaker of Sherwood Park, Alta., goes the extra mile for a rescue mare named Pearl.

ON OUR FRONT COVER: As WCVM student Derk Pierik holds teaching mare "Bonnie," Dr. David Wilson (left) inserts the endoscope camera into the horse's nasal passage. In the foreground, Dr. Fernando Marqués holds the overground endoscope's wireless monitor. Photo: Debra Marshall.

Continue reading "Horse Health Lines (Summer 2011) now online" »

The Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Large Animal Clinic at the University of Saskatchewan is not accepting any non-emergency equine patients to control the potential spread of equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection.

The WCVM voluntarily suspended its equine clinical services on June 21 following the confirmed diagnosis of EHV-1 in a horse from the Saskatoon area that was brought to the clinic on June 18. While tests results are still pending, WCVM veterinarians suspect the horse was suffering from the neurologic form of EHV-1, also called equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). The horse was humanely euthanized due to the severity of the disease.

Continue reading "WCVM suspends equine clinical services to control potential spread of virus among horses" »

A $20,000 donation from the Equine Foundation of Canada (EFC) to support horse health at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine on the University of Saskatchewan campus has helped to raise another $20,000 through a matching gift program.

“The Equine Foundation of Canada’s dedicated efforts to support horse health at the WCVM and at other Canadian veterinary colleges are exceptional,” said WCVM Dean Dr. Douglas Freeman. “Year after year, members of the EFC have put the long-term health and welfare of horses first by investing in veterinary education, research and clinical services across the country. We admire their commitment and thank them for supporting our veterinary college.”

ABOVE (back row): Fourth-year veterinary student Derk Pierik holds "Bonnie," one of the WCVM's teaching horses that's outfitted with the new overground endoscope. Front row (left to right): WCVM Dean Dr. Douglas Freeman, EFC vice-president Charlene Dalen-Brown, EHRF chair Dr. Fernando Marqués and Dr. Jacque Messier, director of the WCVM Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Photo: Debra Marshall.

Continue reading "Equine charity's gift to WCVM doubles in value" »

The Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan (FAC) and the Saskatchewan Horse Federation (SHF) recently announced that Saskatchewan veterinarians, Drs. Betty Althouse (WCVM 1982) and Byrnne Rothwell (OVC 1964), have been selected to receive 2011 Equine Welfare Awards.

ABOVE: Dr. Byrnne Rothwell

Continue reading "Saskatchewan veterinarians honoured" »

An expanded facility for horse health at the University of Saskatchewan will be called the Ryan/Dubé Equine Performance Centre in recognition of a Saskatoon couple’s longtime support for veterinary research and education.

Heather Ryan and her husband, L. David Dubé, contributed $1.2 million toward the expansion of the college's existing equine performance centre. The Government of Saskatchewan, Marg and Ron Southern of Calgary, Alta., and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) provided the remaining funding for the $2.8 million project.

Continue reading "U of S names horse health centre after Saskatoon horse owners" »

Dr. Maryanne Sandberg, a 1975 WCVM graduate, will be inducted into the Alberta 4-H Hall of Fame in recognition of her many contributions over the past 25 years.

The long-time veterinarian will be honoured on January 15 during the annual 4-H Leaders’ Conference in Red Deer, Alta.

Sandberg, who has contributed to Alberta 4-H since 1987, has been involved with the Fort Macleod Midnight Riders 4-H Light Horse Club, the Willow Creek Wranglers and the Fort Macleod 4-H Beef Club.

Continue reading "WCVM alumna inducted into Alberta 4-H Hall of Fame" »

The Autumn 2010 issue of Horse Health Lines is now online. View your own full-colour copy of the WCVM Equine Health Research Fund's news publication.

Inside this issue, you'll find the following stories:

• "I'm Just a Curious Guy": A profile of Dr. Andy Allen — veterinary pathologist, researcher and "general manager" for equine sarcoid research projects at the WCVM.
• Operation Lipizzaner: When a herd of Croatian Lipizzaner horses were in urgent need of medical supplies, Dr. Pat Haugh (WCVM '82) pitched in to help the famous horses.
• Equi-research @ WCVM: A WCVM research team reports on the rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization in western Canadian horses.
• Gastric Ulcers Prevalent in Saskatchewan Racehorses: Researchers find gastric ulcers in the majority of racehorses that participated in a recent WCVM study.
• Tying-up Syndrome: A Primer: WCVM's Dr. Katharina Lohmann talks about clinical signs, diagnoses and treatment of the varying types of exertional rhabdomyolyses.
• Polo for the Ponies: A day of friendly competition on the polo fields yields impressive results for equine research at the WCVM.

ON OUR FRONT COVER: Fourth-year veterinary student Vicki Patrie visits with one of the horses in Marquis Downs' backstretch during a WCVM Veterinary Teaching Hospital field service call. Photo: Michael Raine. Go to page 11 to view a photo essay.

The Summer 2010 issue of Horse Health Lines is now available online. View your own full-colour copy of the WCVM Equine Health Research Fund's news publication in a new, reader-friendly format!

Here's an overview of what you will find inside this issue of Horse Health Lines:

• $76,000 for 7 Studies: The EHRF earmarks $76,000 for seven equine research studies that will be conducted by WCVM researchers during 2010-11.
• Pergolide’s Dose Strength Critical to Health: PhD student Dr. Katherine Ball shows that concentrations of pergolide are lower than expected in compounded doses.
• Dr. Claire Card: Equine Baby-maker: WCVM’s Dr. Claire Card has helped to bring many foals into the world that wouldn’t have been born without a helping hand from science. 

• Putting a Prairie Spin to Deworming: A WCVM study will investigate the intestinal parasite load of horses living on the Prairies so clinicians can establish Prairie-based deworming programs.

• Young Equine Steward: Horses and equine welfare have a special place in the heart of third-year veterinary student Taryn Holtby of Marshall, Sask. 

• Genetic Study Spot On: A new study confirms that a single gene causes congenital stationary night blindness and leopard complex spotting in Appaloosas. 


ON OUR FRONT COVER: Third-year veterinary student Taryn Holtby received the 2010 Equine Welfare Young Steward of the Future Award of Distinction this spring. Visit page 13 for more details.

The University of Saskatchewan’s Board of Governors has approved the appointment of Dr. Douglas Freeman as the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) new dean.

Freeman, who begins his five-year term on March 1, 2010, will become the regional veterinary college’s sixth dean in its 45-year history. He will replace Dr. Charles Rhodes, the WCVM’s dean since 2002. Rhodes is retiring after 39 years of service with the college.

“Dr. Freeman’s broad experience, his approachable personality and his collaborative manner will make an excellent fit with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Saskatchewan,” said Brett Fairbairn, the university’s provost and vice-president. “These qualities will serve him well in his new role as one of Canada’s key leaders in veterinary education, animal health, public health and food safety.”

"I am thrilled to be the next dean of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. It is an outstanding veterinary school with tremendous talent in a broad range of programs,” said Freeman. “I look forward to working with the faculty, staff, students and friends of the veterinary college in addressing current challenges and opportunities in veterinary medicine.”

Continue reading "Dr. Douglas Freeman appointed dean of Western College of Veterinary Medicine" »

The Autumn 2009 issue of Horse Health Lines is now available online. View your own full-colour copy of the WCVM Equine Health Research Fund's news publication in a new, reader-friendly format!

In this issue, Horse Health Lines also invites all of its supporters to take an online reader survey and enter their names in a draw for one of three horse health care books. The deadline has been extended to December 31 so take a few minutes to complete our survey!

ON OUR FRONT COVER: Three-year-old Payten Keyowski of Shellbrook, Sask., and Sundance, a 16-year-old Arab gelding, wait to compete at the 2009 Prince Albert Exhibition's Pony Show — Payten's first show of her riding career.

Continue reading "Horse Health Lines (Autumn 2009) now online" »

Cold rain and slippery terrain forced many horse and rider teams — including WCVM's Dr. Trish Dowling and her horse Mocha — to bow out of the 2009 Kentucky Cup CEI3* on October 14 in Lexington, Ky.

"I did get some glimpses of beautiful scenery but most of the time it was raining so hard that I couldn't see anything," said Dowling. "I've never been so cold and wet in my life." View video and still photos taken during the October 14 endurance race.

Dowling and Mocha were among the six riders and six horses representing Canada West at the "pre-ride" for the 2010 World Equestrian Games endurance competition. Canada West did not finish a team of four horse and rider pairs (two others from Canada West rode as individuals).

The Canada East team did not fare any better, but one horse and rider team, Bob Gielen and his horse F.C. Galaxy of Norton, N.B., finished fourth overall in the endurance race.

Mocha was pulled during the race's second veterinary check after wrenching her left front fetlock in the mud, while two other Canada West pairs — Tara MacLeod riding Cairos Summer Romance and Ariel MacLeod riding Driftwoods Bellanca — were forced to quit because of injury and fatigue. The remaining three Canada West horse and rider pairs managed to finish the race: Elroy Karius and Apache Eclypse; Gail Jewell and NL Temptation; and Terre O'Brennan and Koszaar.

One day after the race, Dowling reported that there were many sore and tired horses on the grounds. Only six of the of top 10 finishing horses came to present for the race's Best Condition award; three of those horses had slight lamenesses. As for Mocha, Dowling hopes that her injury is minor: "Her fetlock blew up, and I wrapped and poulticed it overnight. She appears sound today, so hopefully it's just a sprain and nothing serious."

The fourth test event for the 2010 World Equestrian Games, the Kentucky Cup was supposed to consist of a 120-kilometre (75-mile) race and a 160-km (100-mile) race. However, because of the slippery conditions caused by the pouring rain, organizers decided to limit the 100-mile race to 75 miles (120 km) for the safety of horses and riders. Competitors completed a series of loops on and off the Kentucky Horse Park, frequently returning to the veterinary station on the Horse Park for required vet checks.

For more background about Dowling and Mocha, click here to read "Mocha Brewing," a story about the pair's success in the endurance riding field.

WCVM professor Dr. Trish Dowling and her horse Mocha are competing as one of 12 Canadian horse and rider teams at the 2009 Kentucky Cup CEI3* in Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday, October 14 — a "pre-ride" for the 2010 World Equestrian Games endurance competition.

Dowling and Mocha were among the competitors announced on October 1 by Endurance Canada and Equine Canada. Six horse and rider teams are representing Canada East while another six horse and rider teams are representing Canada West.

Continue reading "Dr. Trish Dowling and Mocha representing Canada at Kentucky Cup on Wednesday, October 14" »

The diverse world of veterinary medicine and an expanded Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) is on public display from October 1 to 4 during Vetavision, a four-day open house at the veterinary college on the University of Saskatchewan campus.

This year’s Vetavision offers a variety of educational displays, speakers, demonstrations and animals that will appeal to people of all ages, says Jasmine Dhillon, a fourth-year veterinary student and Vetavision’s co-ordinator.

Held every three years, the public exposition is entirely organized by veterinary students who are enrolled in the regional veterinary college’s four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. This is the 14th Vetavision since WCVM students hosted the very first event in 1970.

“Vetavision is the ideal chance for students to talk about the many different aspects of our profession with the public and how veterinarians play a part in everyone’s daily lives,” explains Dhillon. “Everybody knows that veterinarians provide health care for pets, horses and livestock. But many people are surprised to find out that veterinarians also play vital roles in food safety, public health and ecosystem health as well as animal and human health research.”

Continue reading "Vetavision, WCVM's public open house, October 1 to 4" »

The Summer 2009 issue of Horse Health Lines, the Equine Health Research Fund's news publication, is now available online in a new, reader-friendly format.

In this issue, Horse Health Lines also invites all of its supporters to take an online reader survey and enter their names in a draw for one of three horse health care books. The deadline has been extended to December 31 — click here to take the survey.

Click here to view your own copy of the easy-to-navigate Horse Health Lines. Here's a quick sample of what you will find inside:

A PERFECT MATCH: A $10,000 gift from the Equine Foundation of Canada to support vital horse health research at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine will double in value and impact through a unique matching gift program at the veterinary college.

IDEA EXPANDS INTO NEW TECHNIQUE: When Dr. Chris Bell read a magazine article about a minimally-invasive treatment for people with chronic sinusitis, the large animal surgical resident was intrigued. Could a similar treatment be adapted for use in horses?

EHRF STUDIES BUILD ON RESEARCH EXPERIENCE: The Western College of Veterinary Medicine's Equine Health Research Fund has allocated a total of $69,000 to five new equine health projects — all of which cover topics of vital importance for researchers and for horse owners.

Hayley Lang, a WCVM veterinary student from Humboldt, Sask., is one of 33 equine-focused veterinary students in North America and the West Indies to receive a financial boost from the Winner's Circle Scholarship program. Lang, who will begin her fourth and final year at the veterinary college this fall, is guaranteed a minimum of US $1,500 in scholarship support through the program.

Lang is a longtime horse owner who has trained and shown Quarter horses in provincial, regional and national shows. In 2007, Lang was an Equine Health Research Fund summer research student who helped Drs. Spence Barber and Luca Panizzi with their investigation of a better surgical technique for treating carpal spavin in horses.

Continue reading "WCVM student receives equine scholarship" »

The Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan have allocated $9.06 million to complete renovations to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s diagnostic facilities at the University of Saskatchewan.

The new funding will be used to renovate the WCVM diagnostics laboratory -- the final phase of a much larger infrastructure renewal plan that began in 2004. These renovations will ensure that Saskatchewan producers, veterinarians, and researchers have access to up-to-date animal diagnostics services meeting the highest biosafety standards.

Construction is expected to start this summer, with project completion slated for December 2010.

The federal and provincial governments’ support will help to ensure that the WCVM plays a leading role in animal and public health and food safety, not just in the four western provinces but on national and international levels, said University of Saskatchewan President Peter MacKinnon.

“These upgraded facilities and new technologies will enable the college to train, attract and retain high-quality veterinarians, researchers and graduate students who will in turn advance our unique U of S life sciences research and training cluster,” says MacKinnon.

ABOVE: Renovations to the WCVM's existing diagnostic facilities will now go forward this summer — creating a diagnostics laboratory complex that includes the College's new two-storey diagnostics addition.

Continue reading "WCVM receives $9.06 million to complete veterinary diagnostics complex" »

Dr. Trish Dowling of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and her 12-year-old mare ZF Mocha finished a 100-mile endurance ride on May 17 in Jarvie, Alta., with a qualifying time for the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky.

Dowling says she and Mocha are now aiming to compete as one of 14 Canadian horse and rider teams at the Kentucky Cup in October 14 — a "pre-ride" for the 2010 WEG endurance competition. Only six horse and rider teams from Canada will compete at the 2010 WEG endurance ride in Kentucky, and with some luck, Dowling hopes that she and Mocha will be among the country's top six.

Mocha, whose Arabian sire and Standardbred dam were part of a wound healing study at the WCVM in the mid-1990s, was purchased as a yearling by Dowling in 1998. The small but tough filly's competitive career in endurance riding began when she was four years old and has taken off in the past few years under the guidance of Dowling, a veterinary pharmacologist and a seasoned competitor in endurance riding. The pair earned a "Certificate of Capability" at the Fort Howes CEI*** 100-mile endurance race near Ashland, Mont., in 2006 — qualifying them for CEI**** international team events for two years.

For more background about Dowling and Mocha, click here to read "Mocha Brewing," a story about the pair's success in the endurance riding field.

A $10,000 gift from the Equine Foundation of Canada to support vital horse health research at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine will double in value and impact through a unique matching gift program at the veterinary college.

“We’re extremely grateful to the hundreds of horse owners and enthusiasts across Canada who worked together through the Equine Foundation of Canada and raised this significant donation for the College’s horse health research program,” says WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes. “The EFC’s long-standing commitment to enhancing the health and welfare of all horses is an impressive example for the country’s entire horse industry.”

ABOVE: WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes accepts a $10,000 cheque from Charlene Dalen-Brown, vice president of the Equine Foundation of Canada (EFC). The $10,000 gift from the EFC was matched by the Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Foundation.

Continue reading "Equine Foundation of Canada's $10,000 donation doubles in value at the WCVM" »

Want to read the latest horse health news from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine? Make sure you don't miss our next issue by joining the Horse Health Lines mailing list. To join, please click on the "Join Now" link (at right), fill in all of the required information and then submit your completed form.

Once you've joined our mailing list, you will receive regular updates about WCVM's horse health research projects, intriguing profiles of researchers, veterinary students and donors — plus valuable horse health management information from the College's equine specialists!

Rhodococcus equi pneumonia, equine ocular anomalies, gastric ulcers and a unique fundraising initiative for horse health research are among the topics highlighted in the latest issue of Horse Health Lines — the publication for the Western College of Veterinary Medicine's Equine Health Research Fund.

Click here to download your own copy of the Autumn 2008 issue of Horse Health Lines (2.3 MB). Or please click on the following headlines to download individual stories:

• A MIGHTY GIFT FOR HORSE HEALTH: A Saskatchewan ranching couple makes a unique contribution to WCVM's matching gift incentive program.

• THE IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: A team of researchers at the University of Saskatchewan strives to "outwit, outplay and outlast" a deadly bacteria in the ultimate survival game for young foals.

Continue reading "Horse Health Lines: Autumn 2008" »

APRIL 16, 2008 -- Infectious disease specialist Dr. Hugh Townsend of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) will give horse owners the facts about equine herpes virus during a public information seminar on Tuesday, April 22, in Regina, Sask.

The Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan Inc. (FACS) is organizing the free, two-hour evening session in partnership with WCVM and the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association. Organizers are holding the seminar after a recent outbreak of equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) in the Saskatoon area caused concern among Saskatchewan’s horse community.

“The exemplary co-operation of horse owners involved in the recent outbreak has been so valuable in controlling the spread of EHV-1,” says Townsend, a professor in WCVM’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences. “Public awareness is a very effective way to minimize the disease’s risks.”

TIME, DATE AND LOCATION:
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Cannington Room, Regina Inn
1975 Broad Street, Regina, Sask.
7:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Continue reading "EHV information seminar to be held in Regina" »

APRIL 11, 2008 -- Based on the results of diagnostic tests, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine has resumed all regular clinical services for equine patients at its Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The decision, which took effect at 6:00 p.m. on April 11, ends a 29-day suspension of non-emergency equine admissions to control the risk of equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) spread at the facility.

WCVM’s Large Animal Clinic initiated the restrictions on March 14 after the admission of two horses from a local riding stable that proved to be suffering from the neurologic form of EHV-1 infection. During the next three weeks, WCVM veterinarians identified more affected animals at the same stable and at a second private farm. It’s believed that all cases on the second farm are linked to the initial outbreak of EHV-1 at the first farm.

Continue reading "WCVM's Veterinary Teaching Hospital resumes all clinical services for horses" »

APRIL 11, 2008 -- More than 300 members of Saskatchewan’s horse industry learned the facts about equine herpes virus from infectious disease specialist Dr. Hugh Townsend at an information seminar in Saskatoon last night.

Organized by the The Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan Inc. and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, the two-hour session focused on the neurologic form of equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) that’s at the centre of a recent outbreak among Saskatoon-area horses. EHV-1 is a contagious virus that can be transmitted among horses through aerosol and through direct and indirect contact. EHV-1 can’t be transmitted to humans or to other animal species, and it is not a reportable disease in Canada.

Continue reading "WCVM infectious disease specialist gives facts about equine herpes virus to Saskatchewan horse owners" »

The Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan Inc. and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan are teaming up to present an equine herpes virus information seminar on Thursday, April 10, in Saskatoon, Sask.

A recent outbreak of equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) in the Saskatoon area has caused concern for people involved in Saskatchewan’s horse industry. Organizers have developed the free, two-hour evening session to provide horse enthusiasts with the facts about the contagious virus and its potential for causing disease in horses.

“Knowledge and public awareness are two of the most effective tools in controlling the spread of equine herpes virus among horses,” says Dr. Hugh Townsend, an infectious disease specialist at WCVM who will speak at the event. “This seminar will give people the information they need to minimize the risk of infection on their farms and acreages.”

Continue reading "Horse owners urged to attend free information seminar on equine herpes virus (EHV) in Saskatoon" »

APRIL 4, 2008 -- Veterinarians at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine suspect that the neurologic form of equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) has affected four more horses at a Saskatoon-area farm.

Testing is underway to verify a diagnosis in one of the farm’s horses that was euthanized due to severe neurologic signs. Three of its herdmates are showing milder clinical signs of the disease and are also being tested for EHV-1. The farm’s owners have restricted horse traffic on and off their property.

According to the farm’s owners, horses from the newly-affected farm may have had contact with infected horses before clinical disease was evident. This suggests that these newly-suspected cases are still linked to the initial outbreak of EHV-1.

WCVM suspended non-emergency equine clinical services at its Large Animal Clinic in mid-March following admission of two local horses that proved to be suffering from EHV-1 infection. These horses were discharged last week and returned to the local riding stable where the first cases of the viral infection originated.

Continue reading "WCVM equine herpes virus update for April 4, 2008" »

MARCH 28, 2008 -- As of Friday, March 28, field service veterinarians from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine are treating 15 horses at a Saskatoon-area riding stable for equine herpes virus type one (EHV-1) infection, says Dr. Katharina Lohmann of WCVM's Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Last week, WCVM announced the suspension of non-emergency equine clinical services at its Large Animal Clinic after admitting two local horses that proved to be suffering from the neurologic form of EHV-1. The virus, which is contagious through contact and through aerosols, can be controlled by restricting contact and with stringent decontamination. EHV-1 can not be transmitted to humans or to other animal species and is not a reportable disease in Canada.

By March 26, the two horses that were initially admitted to WCVM’s Large Animal Clinic more than 10 days earlier had improved enough to be discharged. Both horses returned to the same riding stable where WCVM field service veterinarians continue to treat 13 other horses for the viral infection. The stable’s owners have kept their facility quarantined since the beginning of the outbreak to control the potential spread of EHV-1 to other farms.

Continue reading "WCVM equine herpes virus update for March 28, 2008" »

MARCH 20, 2008 -- As a precautionary measure, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine's Large Animal Clinic at the University of Saskatchewan is not accepting any non-emergency equine patients to control risks related to equine herpes virus type 1 (EHV-1) infection.

WCVM suspended its equine clinical services following admission of two local horses that proved to be suffering from the neurologic form of EHV-1 infection, also called equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM).

The virus, which is contagious through contact and through aerosols, can be controlled by restricting contact and with stringent decontamination of hospital facilities. EHV-1 can not be transmitted to humans or to other animal species and is not a reportable disease in Canada.

All other activities and services provided by the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine are not affected by these precautions.

“We suspended equine admissions at the Large Animal Clinic and placed all of our remaining equine patients under isolation to minimize the risk of further disease transmission among horses,” says Dr. Katharina Lohmann, a specialist in veterinary internal medicine at WCVM’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital and an associate professor in the veterinary college’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences.

“In addition, we’re working closely with the local riding stable where the first two cases originated and where eight other horses have developed clinical signs. The stable owners have also implemented a quarantine of their facility to control the potential spread of EHV-1 to other farms.”

Continue reading "Western College of Veterinary Medicine at U of S recommends precautions to prevent spread of equine virus among horses" »

(October 30, 2007)--The Autumn 2007 issue of Horse Health Lines is now available to readers: click here to download your own copy of the Equine Health Research Fund's publication (1.8 MB).

Here are some of the highlights from this issue (click titles to download individual stories):

• OVER THE FIRST HURDLE: Western Canadian horse owners rise to the challenge and raise an additional $200,000 for horse health research this year.

• SARCOID SLEUTHS: An unattractive equine skin tumour is getting a lot of second looks from a team of WCVM veterinary pathologists.

• ACADEMIC HORSE POWER: Horses, their genetics and their health have been big on the University of Saskatchewan campus since the early 1900s.

Continue reading "Horse Health Lines: Autumn 2007" »

(October 30, 2007)--The generosity of western Canadian horse owners has helped the Western College of Veterinary Medicine raise an additional $200,000 for equine health research during the first year of a unique matching gift incentive program.

Half of the funding — $100,000 — came from more than 100 individuals, organizations and companies whose contributions “triggered” a successful match from the fund raising incentive during its first 12 months of operation.

The second $100,000 will come from the Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Foundation — the organization that initiated the matching gift incentive program in August 2006. The Foundation will provide up to $100,000 per year in matching funds for five years. That gives WCVM the chance to raise an additional $1 million for its equine health research activities by 2011.

Continue reading "Over the first hurdle: additional $200,000 for equine research" »

(October 26, 2007)--
A team of WCVM representatives and local B.C. equine veterinarians met with hundreds of horse enthusiasts during the Mane Event Equine Education and Trade Fair that took place from October 19 to 21 in Chilliwack, B.C.

Throughout the three-day event, team members talked to visitors about the College's equine health research and training programs that are supported by the Equine Health Research Fund. WCVM representatives also met with horse owners in the trade show's demonstration ring where they gave tips on basic equine veterinary care.

ABOVE: WCVM representatives included large animal residents Drs. Luca Panizzi (far left) and Tal Raz (left) — two of the Fund's three EHRF Fellows for 2007-08. Hayley Lang (far right), the 2007 EHRF undergraduate research student, also attended the event along with Patti Tweed (right), WCVM's development officer.

Continue reading "Horse health on display at Mane Event in B.C." »

Click here to view the Summer 2007 issue of Horse Health Lines, publication for the Equine Health Research Fund. Here are some highlights from this edition:

• ARCHITECTS OF HORSE HEALTH: A new research fund awards $410,000 to three WCVM research teams for multi-year projects addressing critical horse health issues.

• ON THE RESEARCH ROAD AGAIN: Eight research teams have received $122,000 from the Equine Health Research Fund — one of its largest allotments in 30 years.

• A HORSE-POWERED LIFE: A passion for horses has powered Dr. Fernando Marqués' life since the Argentine-born veterinarian and equestrian was eight years old.

Continue reading "Horse Health Lines: Summer 2007" »

Thera (Tee) Fox, a fourth-year student at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, was the recipient of a $2,500 scholarship from the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Live Stock Insurance Company. Fox was the only Canadian among the eight scholarship winners for 2006.

Fox, who will graduate from WCVM in May 2007, is originally from Wapella, Sask. A long-time 4-H member, she has been an active participant in WCVM's Equine Club and served as the student representative on the Equine Health Research Fund's advisory board for two years.

The annual AAEP/ALSIC scholarships are awarded to fourth-year veterinary students across North America who have demonstrated a strong desire to pursue a career in equine medicine. Since the scholarship program's creation in 1989, more than $300,000 has been awarded to veterinary students who plan to be equine practitioners. For more information, visit the AAEP Foundation web site.

The ancient connection between horses and humans is the focus of a travelling exhibit that’s now on public display in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s library until Thursday, May 3.

Developed by the United States National Library of Medicine, “The Horse, A Mirror of Man: Parallels in Early Human and Horse Medicine” explores the history of equine veterinary medicine and its close links to human medicine.

As the exhibit illustrates, Medieval and Renaissance theories about equine physiology and health often mirrored theories about humans, and the literature of both was inherently linked. Physicians and veterinarians alike used bloodletting, astrology and ancient texts to heal their patients while many discoveries — including the circulation of blood — were developed in tandem between the two professions.

Continue reading "Medical display explores human-horse parallels" »

The Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Veterinary Health and Research Fund has awarded $410,000 for three cutting-edge research investigations of equine endotoxemia, neonatal Rhodococcus equi pneumonia and genetic ocular disorders at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).

“All three research projects will be conducted by multi-disciplinary teams of scientists from WCVM, the University of Saskatchewan and other research institutions across North America,” says Dr. Norman Rawlings, the veterinary college’s associate dean of research. “Each collaborative team brings a great deal of clinical and laboratory expertise to the table, and we’re very excited about their potential for making real, concrete progress in overcoming these longstanding issues in horse health.”

Continue reading "WCVM equine health research teams receive $410,000 " »

The Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Veterinary Health and Research Fund has awarded $410,000 for three cutting-edge research investigations of equine endotoxemia, neonatal Rhodococcus equi pneumonia and genetic ocular disorders at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).

All submitted grants underwent a stringent review process that was conducted by three prominent Canadian veterinary scientists. The grant review committee specifically considered the scientific merit of each grant proposal, the collective expertise of each research team and the potential impact for each project to improve horse health care in Canada and around the world.

Continue reading "Summaries: WCVM major equine research projects" »

Click here to download your issue of Horse Health Lines (Autumn 2006). Here are some highlights from our latest roundup of horse health research news:

• A "10-Goal" Day: A Saskatoon couple gives $1.07 million to WCVM’s equine and companion animal health programs.

• "Where Would We be Without Horses?": Donors Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé answer questions about their decision to support equine health research at WCVM in a big way.

• A Match Made for Equine Health: A new fund raising incentive could potentially earn $1 million for equine health research at WCVM in the next five years.

Continue reading "Horse Health Lines: Autumn 2006" »

Dr. Jenny Kelly, a large animal resident at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, was one of the presenters at the American College of Veterinary Surgeons' annual symposium in Washington, D.C., from Oct. 5-7.

Kelly, who is also the 2006-07 Fellow for the College's Equine Health Research Fund, presented "A biomechanical comparison of different suture configurations in equine larynges" during the symposium's residents forum on Friday, Oct. 6.

Kelly, along with Drs. Ryan Shoemaker, David Wilson, James Carmalt and Steve Hendrick, conducted a biomechanical study on more than 100 larynges from equine cadavers to determine the strongest pattern and placement of sutures used during the laryngoplasty procedure.

Continue reading "WCVM resident presents research at ACVS symposium" »

Dr. David Wilson is the new chair of the Equine Health Research Fund’s management committee. Wilson, a 1980 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, is a large animal surgical specialist and head of the college's Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences.

Since joining WCVM’s faculty in 1999, Wilson has led or supervised a number of EHRF-backed studies that have enhanced specific areas of equine surgery including investigations into the most effective treatments for crooked-legged foals and the use of intra-articular injections of ethyl alcohol to promote arthrodesis in the hock joints of horses suffering from bone spavin.

Continue reading "New EHRF chair: Dr. David Wilson" »

From left to right:
L. David Dubé and Heather Ryan accept a limited edition print entitled, "To the Field" by Jan Walker-Roenisch from U of S President Peter MacKinnon and WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes.

SASKATOON, SASK. (Aug. 29.06) -- The Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan has received $1.07 million for its equine and companion animal health programs and a fund raising incentive from Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé through their charitable foundation.

Continue reading "WCVM receives $1.07-million gift and incentive" »

In August, Dr. Claire Card presented a research paper entitled, “Effects of equine arteritis virus — positive semen on mare fertility,” at the Ninth International Equine Reproduction Symposium in Kerkrade, The Netherlands.

Card is a professor in WCVM's Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and a diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists. She supervises the work of graduate student Dr. Tal Raz, who also presented a paper at the symposium that was entitled, “Effect of equine follicle stimulating hormone (eFSH) on pregnancy rate and embryo development in mares."

As well, Card gave a talk on “Late gestational loss in pregnant mares” and served on a case presentation panel at the Society for Theriogenology’s annual meeting, held in St. Paul, Minn., from Aug. 22-26.

SASKATOON, SASK. (May 2006) -- Western College of Veterinary Medicine scientists have received nearly $60,000 from the College’s Equine Health Research Fund to conduct four studies that will ultimately improve the health and care of horses around the world.

“We’re very pleased with the quality and diversity of the research proposals that were submitted to the Fund this year. Our objectives are to select scientifically-sound studies that will have a significant, long-term impact on horse health care in Western Canada’s horse industry — and I believe these four projects have what it takes to meet and exceed those goals,” says Dr. Norman Rawlings, associate dean of research at WCVM.

Continue reading "EHRF's $60,000 Investment" »