The aging process and associated decline in health impacts the horse, dog, and cat just as much as it impacts us as humans. It is an interesting process when you truly look at it and while most would state that the process is inevitable and cannot […]
Aging & Disease in the Horse, Dog, and Cat; Modifiable? Read More »
The metabolic horse or better known today with the acronym, EMS, implying equine metabolic syndrome. The condition or syndrome, as it truly is, has become a catch phrase of sorts in the equine community and with veterinarians alike, being diagnosed in almost every horse with four
The Metabolic Horse; Where to Begin with Treatment? Read More »
The horse’s joint is the second most common site of lameness in the horse, after the foot or hoof. As owners, you often spend a great deal of time at the veterinarian either having a joint lameness diagnosed or managed with various injections or other therapies.
The Horse’s Joint and Soundness; Taking Action to Prevent Problems Read More »
Stress is something that we all encounter daily whether if we are animal or human. Stressors are the reason as to why we adapt and hopefully overcome new challenges, whether if that is a new task at work, a new exercise routine or environmental changes. It is what hopefully makes us stronger, more resilient. Those stressors create a stress response in our body, which then we hopefully adapt to over time. The question is how much stress is our body supposed to handle, or that body of our equine companions or even pets, and how does prolonged stressor exposure impact health, recovery and even soundness or injury?
Stress; The Battery of Life and Impact on Health, Fatigue and Recovery Read More »
Happiness and an end to suffering. That is the goal for almost all of mankind. We want it, crave it and desire it on many levels. Disease occurs on many levels and impacts all of us either directly or indirectly. The perception of that disease, whether if it affects us our pets or our horses, can vary from person to person. One may say it is acquired or there is a genetic predisposition to that condition. On the other side of the coin, another person may say the disease is a reflection of our environment, diet and other factors…essentially implying we created it. It is all relative, in my opinion, but one thing is for certain and that is that with a complete understanding of what is occurring, we stand a better chance of prevention as well as management.
Disease; Cause or Effect, Acquired or Created Read More »
The term ‘supplement’ can either be a noun or a verb, implying something that completes or ehances something else, or in the case of a verb context, to add an extra element. In the health industry, we really use the term in both contexts or sometimes both at the same time. We may supplement our horse’s or even our own diet with a supplement, using both the noun and verb, which is commonplace. However, what are we really doing and what are we trying to achieve? Through a better understanding, we may be able to arrive at that goal a little sooner and even reduce end costs in the long term.
Supplementation: What is the Goal and How to Achieve it. Read More »
When we think of inflammation, it is often in the form of pain and swelling. Joint pain, stiffness, a wound or cut, sore back, sore throat or even an ear infection. All of this is true and these conditions are associated with inflammation, but the overall concept goes much deeper, often being unrecognized clinically but all too closely tied with other health conditions. It is an important concept to grasp, even on the most basic level, as with this understanding, we have opportunities to intervene which may give us more opportunities to manage and even prevent certain conditions.
Inflammation and Impact on Health; Beyond Pain and Swelling Read More »
Free radicals are an important entity in chemistry and in health, having been researched for many years with connections to cellular changes that may impact overall health and aging. A free radical is a molecule that has an unpaired electron in the outer shell, which creates instability and a high rate of reactivity with other molecules. Free radicals are produced as a normal part of cellular respiration or energy production, but can also be generated as a consequence of environmental factors, stress, poor diet, food additives, medications and genetics. In general, they can have huge negative impacts on overall health, performance and sustainability, but the good news is that with understanding, we also realize that there are things we can do to minimize the damage inflicted.
Horse and Dog Health; The Impact of Free Radicals and Oxidative Stress Read More »
As a veterinarian, I routinely vaccinate patients on a daily basis as a perceived part of preventative health. Vaccines have certainly saved many lives and prevented many infectious diseases from spreading, but one has to question their timeliness as well as possible negative impact on health as well.
Vaccines & Impact on Health Read More »
