Nouvelle Research

Why Does My Horse Cough?

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The equine athlete and non-athlete are often plagued with coughing, which can inhibit quality of life and reduce performance. Coughing can be sporadic, changing in intensity as the environment changes or it can be continuous, becoming worse or more prominent at the time of exertion as seen during competition.  Some coughs even get worse with certain seasons, becoming progressive over time. So, what makes them cough and what can we do about it?

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Growing a Solid Equine Hoof; Nutrition & Balance

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As the goes, ‘no hoof, no horse’.  There is another saying that goes along the lines of “a horse has 5 hearts”, which implies that not only do we have the normal heart, pumping blood, but each foot is actually a heart in function, also responsible for pumping blood up and out of the limb and back to the heart. The only way that this can be done is through proper hoof health and balance. The horse cannot ambulate on 3 legs, at least for a prolonged period of time, as compared to a dog or even a cat, so even a minor issue involving the foot can resonate throughout the body.  They are dependent on proper hoof health and balance, not only from a lameness point of view, but also overall health.

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How Can I Reduce My Horse’s Supplement Costs?

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This is likely one of the most common questions on most horse owner’s minds.  How can I reduce costs, but yet still maintain the level of health or soundness in my equine companion?  It is a good question, but unfortunately one that is easier to answer in some horses compared to others.  The bottom line is that there are options, but in many cases, we have to define what the problems are and target the sources.  It is possible and likely more readily achieved than most realize.

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Canine Hip and Back Pain; Management Options

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Our canine companions are not immune to joint concerns, but like us, they often live with day to day discomfort and pain.  They want to go, jump, play, but are limited in what they can do. The hips and even back are main sources of problems, creating moderate pain, limited range of motion and creating a modest dependence on pharmaceutical medications just to keep them moving.  Their problems are very similar to ours, as humans. We have choices and options which may provide a higher level of quality of life.  All we have to do is understand the process and see the possibilities.

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Anhidrosis in the Horse; Thoughts and Considerations

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Anhidrosis is a common problem, impacting upwards of 10% of horses, usually subjected to high heat and humidity for prolonged periods of time.  It is an important condition, as its presence can impact stamina, recovery and overall ability by the owner to exercise their horse.  Sweat production is vital for the body, not only to aid in detoxication, but also in thermoregulation, so when the horse cannot sweat, they can quickly overheat.  Solutions are sporadic, with some of these therapies helping a few horses, while others do not benefit.  Hopefully, if we take a deeper look into this condition, we can arrive at some potential options to improve management.

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Cruciate Injury in the Dog & Management

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Lameness and discomfort are very common in our canine companions, especially as they get older, but cruciate ligament injuries often top the list.  Cruciate injuries are not specific to the older dog, but more common in any aged pet, especially if they are large breed and active.  Given the high prevalence of these types of injuries, the expense and hassle behind cage resting, we have to dig deeper to determine possible contributors and supplementation that can be implemented to improve the odds of a full recovery.

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A Deeper Look at Metabolic Syndrome, Insulin Resistance and Diabetes

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Metabolic syndrome is a name applied to a collective group of risk factors that raise the risk of other health conditions.  In humans, we see a rise in the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, vascular disorders, neurodegenerative conditions and many others.  In horses, we generally see an increased risk for insulin resistance, Cushing’s disease and laminitis. The term ‘metabolic’ actually implies an alteration in cellular metabolism or biochemical processes, but is often quickly associated with a state of increased body weight or obesity.  The syndrome is actually complex, involving many pathways, but as with other conditions, with a more indepth understanding comes better management.

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Stress; The Battery of Life and Impact on Health, Fatigue and Recovery

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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?

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A Tale of 3 Selenium Levels: Connection with health and lameness

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Selenium and vitamin E are often two of the most common supplemented antioxidants in horses, often attributed to poor soil conditions and likewise perceived deficiencies in the patient.  They are both important antioxidants and vital to cellular health, but all too often, we just supplement without justification or even more, we fail to see rationale for the need for supplementation.  Each horse is different and just because a region is perceived as deficient in selenium or a forage is low in vitamin E, does not always equate to the need for supplementation in every horse.  We need to look deeper, connect the dots and seek deeper, underlying problems which may be addressed adequately.

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