Health

World Rabies Day

September 28 is World Rabies Day

Did you know there is a Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC)?  On September 28, 2023, GARC coordinates World Rabies Day and this year’s theme is: All for 1, One Health for All.  This date also marks the anniversary of Louis Pasteur’s death, the French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the first Rabies vaccine.  The…

Pony grazing by approaching forest fire

Air Quality and Air Pollution’s Impact on Your Horse’s Lungs

Story by:  Dr. Janet Beeler-Marfisi There’s nothing like hearing a horse cough to set people scurrying around the barn to identify the culprit. After all, that cough could mean choke, or a respiratory virus has found its way into the barn. It could also indicate equine asthma. Yes, even those “everyday coughs” that we sometimes…

Anatomy of Horse illustration by Ruth Benns

The Impact of Antibiotics on the Equine Gut

The thinking on how we use antibiotics is changing in the world of medicine especially as we learn more about their impact on the inhabitants of the gut.  Ontario Veterinary College researcher, Dr. Diego Gomez, took part in a collaborative study with researchers across North America to study the effects of intravenous antimicrobials on the…

Gut Health and Colic

Equine Guelph declares February Colic Prevention Education Month

Equine Guelph has announced that the month of February, Canada’s coldest month, will be Colic Prevention Education Month. The next four weeks will be dedicated to increasing awareness of ways for caregivers to decrease the risk of colic in their horses. Although horses can be afflicted with gut pain in any season, the cold weather…

Equine Supplement Research Explores Potential Gastric Health Benefits

Collaborating on three recent research papers on a nutraceutical called ‘Gs Formula’, Dr. Wendy Pearson, PhD Associate Professor, at the University of Guelph has been very busy.  Approached by GS Organic solutions out in BC, Pearson has been investigating the potential for Gs Formula to improve gastric health, particularly for horses with a history of…

Don’t Let Dust Diminish Your Horse

Avoid asthma and respiratory issues with barn management Have you ever walked in a barn, and felt like your lungs were being assaulted? Imagine how a horse feels, particularly if they spend hours in a stall.  When horses exercise, they take on upwards of 16 times as much air per second than their human owners. …

Tick removal

What to do About Ticks

Both people and their animals have been encountering more ticks and there is a real concern when it comes to the possibilities of contracting Lyme disease.   Dr. Luis Arroyo, researcher at the Ontario Veterinary College was involved in a study on the growing numbers of ticks in southeastern Canada and the risk factors to horses. …

Coughing? The time to take action is now!

 Prevention of airway problems is the best way to protect your horse, but when not successful, what is next?  Early intervention is paramount when dealing with the irreversible disease, equine asthma, commonly referred to as heaves, RAO or IAD. Equine asthma starts off with a hypersensitivity reaction to particles in the air (e.g., dust, mould).…

The Healthy Horse: Understanding the Role of Equine Digestion & Nutrition Webinar

Take a journey through the horse’s digestive system in a free webinar April 14, 7pm-8:15pm EST.  Equine Guelph’s life size model of the digestive system will be featured so participants can identify what the entire tract looks like, how it works, and what this means for feeding horses. This  interactive webinar will help viewers understand strategies and…

digestive tract of horse

Learn practical nutrition tips with new Equine Guelph videos

Part 3 of the digestive journey coming to your screen Dec 2020! Why are forage and/or forage-based feeds or alternatives so important for a horse’s digestive system? If you subscribe to Equine Guelph’s monthly Enews, you will find out in part three of their three-part video series on equine digestion. Watch as we take what we’ve…

laminitis hoof

Caring for our Seniors’ Hooves

As we age, jumping out of bed ready and raring to go may cease to be the norm.  It is often replaced by a few groans, moans, creaks, cracks and slow maneuvers before we kick into gear!  The same may be true for your senior horse; challenges with stiff joints, laminitis and hoof issues are all more…

Tour the horse’s digestive system with new videos from Equine Guelph

The second Equine Guelph video about the horse’s digestive system will be launched in Equine Guelph’s November Enews (November 5, 2020).  Sign up for the free monthly Enews and watch as Jack, a rising standardbred film star, shows off what organs, like the large colon, really look like. You’ll learn more about how horses break down their…