AUTUMN 2009
BRINGING BETTER HEALTH TO YOUR HORSES
POWER POINTS
WCVM scientists study acupuncture
FATAL FEED
Horses and monensin don’t mix A BRIDGE TOO FAR
Ethyl alcohol falls short for high ringbone
WESTERN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE • EQUINE HEALTH RESEARCH FUND
F
I N S I D E
4 Power Points: Equine Acupuncture
The alternative therapy, which is now offered at the WCVM teaching
hospital, is also the focus of an equine reproduction study.
7 CD Preps Students for Real Thing
Techniques in Equine Medicine: A Self-learning Module is a new
educational CD that’s hitting the third-year equine labs at the WCVM.
8 It’s a Wrap
WCVM’s Large Animal Clinic now has upgraded surgery suites and
nuclear scintigraphy technology.
10
Fatal Feed
Toxicologist Dr. Barry Blakley explains why horses and monensin
definitely don’t mix.
12 Brickley Colt Raises $1,400 for Research
Bob ad Lois Brickley of Moose Mountain Ranch repeated their
generosity to the EHRF during their annual production sale in
September.
13 A Bridge Too Far
Ethyl alcohol falls short as a minimally-invasive option for fusing the
pastern joint in horses diagnosed with high ringbone.
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.
ABOVE: Sarah Sharpe of Boulder Bluff Clydesdales cleans one of
the farm’s show horses during the 2009 Prince Albert Exhibition.
Blaine and Trinda Martin, Boulder Bluff’s owners, are equine
ranchers in Strathclair, Man. (www.boulderbluffclydesdales.ca).
H O R S E
H E A L T H
L I N E S
Horse Health Lines is produced by the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s
Equine Health Research Fund. Visit www.ehrf.usask.ca for more information. Please
send comments to:
Dr. Hugh Townsend, Editor, Horse Health Lines
WCVM, University of Saskatchewan
52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4
Tel: 306-966-7453 • Fax: 306-966-7274
wcvm.research@usask.ca
For article reprint information, please contact sm.ridley@sasktel.net.
indings from a baseline dental study at the Western College of
Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) emphasize the need for horses to
have their teeth examined by a veterinarian at least once or twice
a year — particularly as horses age.
During the summer of 2008, veterinary dental specialist Dr. James
Anthony and veterinary student Amanda Laycock examined the oral
cavities of 556 horse cadavers at a livestock slaughter and processing
plant near Neudorf, Sask.
A significant factor of the study was that it included horses of a wide
variety of ages and breeds from all over Canada and the United States.
“Prior equine dental research — particularly in North America — has
never included such a diversified population base,” says Anthony, an
associate professor of veterinary dentistry at the WCVM.
With the goal of directing future research, Anthony and his team set
out to identify the most common oral pathologies in the horse. Besides
Laycock, Anthony’s research team included large animal epidemiologist
Dr. Cheryl Waldner and veterinary dental resident Dr. Candace GrierLowe.
The Peter Emily International Veterinary Dental Foundation
provided a $5,000 grant for the study while Laycock’s four-month
research position was funded by the Interprovincial Undergraduate
Student Summer Research program.
The study’s major finding was the prevalence of sharp edges on the
teeth: nearly half (47.7 per cent) of the 556 horses had this pathology. “If
you have sharp edges on the premolars, there’s definitely oral pathology,”
says Anthony who explains that horses move their mouths laterally when
they grind their teeth, causing those sharp edges to lacerate the cheeks
and tongue.
That fact was reflected in this study where horses with sharp edges
were 112 times more likely to have buccal (cheek) abrasions and 3.6
times more likely to have lingual (tongue) ulcers. The prevalence of
sharp edges on teeth along with the associated abrasions and ulcers on
the cheeks and tongues was higher than Anthony expected: “We never
even came close to expecting those kinds of numbers.”
Anthony also found that pathology increases with age and was
surprised by the high incidence of periodontal disease, particularly in
the older animals. Conditions such as abscesses can develop from a
periodontal pocket, a diseased space between the gum and the tooth, or
an endodontic lesion, the result of bacteria getting into the exposed pulp
of a broken tooth. These abscesses cause pain and discomfort, and there’s
evidence that they may also lead to systemic problems such as heart and
kidney disease.
In the study, horses between 15 and 20 years of age were 18.9 times
more likely to have periodontal pockets than horses aged one to 4.5 years
old while horses 20 to 30 years old were 42.7 times more likely to have
periodontal disease than the younger age group.
The prevalence of missing teeth was another important finding.
Anthony explains that horses’ teeth are arranged side by side in columns,
and a missing tooth leads to irregular wear and abnormal shaping of
the opposing tooth. These conditions — called ramps and waves — can
cause pain and restrict the regular grinding motion of the teeth. This can
impair the eating capabilities of the animal and lead to eventual weight
loss.
Based on the study’s results, Anthony is adamant about the need for
regular, thorough oral examinations and for further research into equine
oral health. “The major benefit is basically for the health and welfare of
all horses,” says Anthony. “There are things we can do to make their lives
By Lynne Gunville
Equine Teeth Tell
go to their dentists, everyone expects a thorough
evaluation. The same idea applies to horses: “Instead
of just opening the mouth and smelling and looking
at the mouth, the veterinarian needs to do a lot more
than that,” says Anthony.
“The animal should be sedated and each tooth
checked using dental picks, probes and mirrors in
order to find the problems.”
A major accomplishment of the study was its
identification of the specific areas requiring more
research. “There’s a whole range of different areas
that we need to investigate. Periodontal disease and
looking at how to treat it effectively in a horse — that’s
a major concern. There are many ways of addressing it,
but which one’s the best?”
Anthony also hopes for more development in
endodontics. For example, root canals could be done
on horses, just as they are in humans, and would result
in saving a tooth rather than pulling it out.
Implantology of teeth is another area
of interest and could be used when a tooth
has been extracted or to fill the space
between two teeth. He points out that these
research projects are still in the designing
stages and a lot of the projects could require
years to show results.
A paper documenting Anthony’s
baseline study is scheduled for publication
in the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry. During the past few months, the
WCVM specialist has presented his findings at the European Veterinary Dental
Congress in Zurich, Switzerland, and at the Annual Veterinary Dental Forum
in Scottsdale, Ariz. H
Vital Health Story
better, and we can focus our research so that we help these horses get better
and have a more productive, happier, comfortable life.”
Although oral examinations require sedation, Anthony emphasizes that
the benefits definitely justify the procedure. He points out that when people
Tooth Study Team
• Dr. James Anthony (WCVM Department of Small
Animal Clinical Sciences): associate professor, veterinary
dental specialist and the study’s principal investigator.
• Dr. Cheryl Waldner (WCVM Department of Large
Animal Clinical Sciences), professor of epidemiology.
Waldner provided statistical expertise for the project.
• Dr. Candace Grier-Lowe (WCVM Department of Small
Animal Clinical Sciences): veterinary dentistry resident.
Grier-Lowe helped with data collection and assisted with
statistical analysis.
• Amanda Laycock: third-year veterinary student
who helped with the study’s groundwork, assisted
with statistical analysis, and helped write the research
paper. Her position was supported by the Interprovincial
Undergraduate Student Summer Research program.
Visit www.ehrf.usask.ca to read more about Amanda’s
summer research experience.
• The Peter Emily International Veterinary Dental
Foundation: organization that supports veterinary dental
services, education and research. The foundation
granted $5,000 to the WCVM dental project. Visit
www.peteremilyfoundation.org for more details.
• Natural Valley Farms: allowed the WCVM team
to carry out the research study at its slaughter and
processing facility near Neudorf, Sask. The Saskatchewanbased company also provided information regarding
gender and weights of the animals included in the study.
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency: CFIA veterinarians
and inspection staff assisted the WCVM research team
during their time at Natural Valley Farms.
Western College of Veterinar y Medicine
3
an adjunctive treatment
in combination with other
therapies.
For example, CSU’s
Veterinary Teaching Hospital
often uses acupuncture to
help with any kind of pain,
including muscular and postsurgical pain. Manning sees
its value as an addition to a
pain management protocol:
“You may use fewer drugs,
and you may get better
response than with drugs
alone. You may be able to get
animals off pain medications
Stories by Lynne Gunville
earlier or perhaps get them
moving sooner.” He adds
that acupuncture may also
be useful along with physical
therapy.
Acupuncture is also used
for behavioural problems
and for reproductive issues
such as infertility problems
in mares and stallions.
Manning, a board-certified theriogenologist, is particularly interested in the
potential of acupuncture for treating reproduction issues. This past summer,
he conducted a research trial investigating the use of acupuncture therapy in
mares with persistent post-breeding endometritis (see sidebar).
POWER POINTS
EQUINE ACUPUNCTURE
While Dr. Steve Manning is intrigued by acupuncture, the large animal
veterinarian’s fascination for the alternative therapy and its use in horses has
always been tempered by a healthy dose of skepticism.
“I’ve seen a lot of acupuncture done in equine practice but could never
really find any evidence in the Western veterinary literature to show that
it had been well studied from our point of view here in the Western
world,” explains Manning, an associate professor in the Western
College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Large Animal
Clinical Sciences.
In 2008, he decided to satisfy his curiosity by
taking “Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians,” a
140-hour continuing education course offered by the
Colorado State University (CSU). Manning chose
CSU’s training because it’s taught from more of a
science-based, Western perspective than from the
traditional Chinese medicine approach.
His goal was to become more knowledgeable
about acupuncture therapy so he could make
informed recommendations about incorporating
it into the veterinary college’s equine practice and
including it in the WCVM curriculum. After Manning
successfully completed the course last year, the WCVM
Veterinary Teaching Hospital began offering equine
acupuncture as one of its specialized services for horse
owners.
Pain relief: most common use
According to Manning, veterinary acupuncture is commonly
practiced, and among veterinarians there’s a widespread acceptance of
acupuncture — mainly as an alternative therapy. Right now, the most
common use for the therapy in horses is for pain — as a treatment or as
4
Horse Health Lines • Autumn 2009
Therapy with a point
When Manning performs acupuncture therapy on one of
his equine patients, he uses the channels or meridians
that have been identified in the human body by
traditional Chinese medicine. “In the animals,
they’ve just taken those human points and
transposed them onto the horse or the dog or
whatever animal in what is the right location
compared to a person,” he explains.
For example, some of the acupuncture
points used for treating conditions of the
uterus or cervix are located on the bladder
channel which runs mainly along the horse’s
back and its hind legs. Manning locates
these specific points that are purported to be
useful for treating the particular condition and
then inserts acupuncture needles. Because the
treatment is non-invasive, there’s minimal risk
and few signs of discomfort in the animals being
treated.
“The acupuncture is pretty well tolerated,” says
Manning, who didn’t use any restraints on the mares
involved in his research trial. “I had to stick needles on the inside
of their hind legs so I just tied the horses to the fence and they were very
good.”
Above: Dr. Steve Manning carefully places needles in a
horse’s back at specific acupuncture points.
A down side to the procedure is the fact that acupuncture is both labour
intensive and time consuming. For example, an average treatment for each
research horse required at least 30 minutes to complete. “In practice, I’m not
sure that you would do it on a whole group of mares every day. A reproductive
practitioner just wouldn’t have enough time.”
Manning believes that acupuncture therapy will continue to play a
role in veterinary medicine: “I think it’s always going to be some kind of
adjunctive therapy that we use on cases that are maybe resistant to our other
treatments that are long standing and may just require some other pain
management therapy.”
But he emphasizes the importance of diagnosis saying that
Western-trained veterinarians rely on diagnostic tests and equipment
that are highly sophisticated, and their expertise should always
be used before making decisions about the best avenue of treatment —
including acupuncture therapy.
Manning looks forward to honing his skills in acupuncture, conducting
research to come up with other possibilities for its use and ensuring that
veterinary students are exposed to it during their training.
He believes that further research will enable him to help clients make
informed decisions about using acupuncture. “I want to be able to take the
results to our clients. I don’t want to replace all that’s good about Western
veterinary medicine with acupuncture, but I’d like to try and incorporate it
into our practice.” H
Researchers
Explore Science
Behind Needles
T
Left to right: Dr. Steve Manning, Anne Marie de Leenheer and
Dawne Salkeld perform equine acupuncture.
his past summer, a research team led by Dr. Steve Manning
investigated the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating mares
diagnosed with persistent post-breeding endometritis (PPBE). This
Manning administered the acupuncture while his senior equine practice
reproductive problem occurs in a significant number of older, well-bred
resident Dr. Nathalie Tokateloff examined all the mares. Other team members
broodmares and maiden mares that have had successful performance careers.
included two second-year veterinary students, Dawne Salkeld and Anne Marie
PPBE is a prolonged reaction to semen that leads to various problems
de Leenheer, and first-year equine practice resident Dr. Nora Chavarria.
including inflammation, infection and a build up of fluid in the uterus. If
The study began with the examination (palpation and ultrasound) of 12
not successfully treated, the result is an unfavourable uterine environment
susceptible mares as they came into estrus. The mares were then bred with
that causes the embryo to die when it descends into the uterus five and a
dead, frozen semen, a known cause of inflammation. Twelve hours later,
half days after fertilization. PPBE may also lead to endometrial fibrosis and,
team members collected uterine cultures and endometrial cytology samples.
eventually, the incapability to maintain a pregnancy.
Then they used ultrasonography to identify and measure any free fluid in the
Traditionally, veterinarians have treated PPBE by flushing out the uterus.
uteruses.
“The solution to pollution is dilution,” explains Manning, a board-certified
The mares then received either real or sham treatments. “The acupuncspecialist in reproduction. “We just flush out the uterus with large volumes of
ture treatment was done at 12 and 36 hours after breeding with the frozen
sterile saline usually combined with injections of oxytocin, a hormone that
semen,” explains Manning. “We treated them either with acupuncture at
causes the uterus to contract and helps to evacuate the fluid from the uterus
acupuncture points or with sham acupuncture — the same number of
— both the nasty fluid plus the saline.”
acupuncture needles in just through the skin at non-acupuncture points.”
Other methods used to manage the condition are treatment with
Examinations including palpation, ultrasound, cytology and culture
antibiotics and minimal contamination breeding techniques such as
were continued until 96 hours after breeding.
breeding just once during estrus and using artificial insemination.
It will still be a few months before Manning and his team finish
Manning has read and heard many stories about acupuncture
analyzing their data and determine whether acupuncture has any
treatments miraculously curing infertility problems like PPBE in mares. But
measurable effect on uterine health. “If we find a difference, great. If we
anecdotal evidence wasn’t enough for the specialist: he wanted some scientific
don’t, that still doesn’t mean acupuncture isn’t useful, but it means we
proof: “I’m not going to do a treatment unless I’m pretty confident that it’s
haven’t proven anything yet.”
going to help, so I want to do the research first.”
If the findings do show potential benefits, Manning hopes to conduct
Backed by a $25,000 research grant from the WCVM’s Research Trust
another research trial next summer. “The ultimate test would be a breeding
Fund, Manning set out to objectively evaluate whether acupuncture treatment
trial where you compare pregnancy rates in large numbers of mares where
had any positive effect on uterine clearance and/or endometrial health in
acupuncture is used versus not.” H
susceptible mares.
Lynne Gunville is a freelance writer and editor whose career
“We wanted to do that in a blinded, randomized clinical trial where
includes 25 years of teaching English and communications in adults.
we could have somebody performing the acupuncture and somebody else
She and her husband live at Candle Lake, Sask.
performing all of the evaluations of the mares.”
Western College of Veterinar y Medicine
5
HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER:
D a w n e S a l ke l d
Student: Dawne Salkeld, second-year student, WCVM.
Home town: Saskatoon, Sask.
Background: Animal Health Technology graduate, Fairview College, 1985,
and three years in animal science at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of
Agriculture and Bioresources.
Summer 2009: Worked through Interprovincial Undergraduate Student
Summer Research program under Dr. Steve Manning’s supervision.
Project: Investigation into the use of acupuncture therapy in mares with
persistent post-breeding endometritis (PPBE)
Q. Have you worked with horses in the past?
I’ve been involved in the horse industry through hunter/jumper competition as well
as ranching and breeding quarter horses, paints and warmbloods. I’ve also worked
as an animal health technologist in mixed and equine practices for 22 years. That
experience was helpful for this project since I was required to handle the mares as
well as rectally palpate their reproductive tracts.
Q. What attracted you to this summer research job?
The initial attraction to the project was the acupuncture aspect. I’ve had exposure
to Eastern medicine and was interested in how it could be used to address the
reproductive problems often seen in mares.
Q. What was your role in the study?
The study was a double-blinded study, and I was involved in the examinations and
preparing uterine cytology slides as well as palpation and rectal assessment of the
mares. I also kept records of the data.
Q. What did you learn from your research experience?
I learned how to palpate and ultrasound the reproductive tract of the mare, to infuse
and flush a uterus. I also learned how to collect uterine cytologies with a Teigland
(uterine culture) swab.
Q. What tops your list of experiences from this summer?
Rectal palpation skills!!
Q. How will this experience help you in your courses?
The experience with rectal palpations will be helpful in my third year when we learn
palpation skills. The third-year palpation labs of horses and cows give only limited
access to practise this skill, but this experience has prepared me well for those labs.
Q. Would you recommend a research experience?
I would because it gives insight into the way in which standardized procedures are
determined and courses of treatment are tested. These procedures and treatments
subsequently become mainstream for general practises.
Q. Has your perspective of animal health research changed?
My perspective on animal health hasn’t changed, although this experience solidified
the need to do more research in the area of Eastern medicine since not much
scientific data exists.
Visit www.ehrf.usask.ca to read about veterinary student Anne
Marie de Leenheer’s summer research experience.
6
Horse Health Lines • Autumn 2009
A
new CD-ROM produced at the University of Saskatchewan
is helping Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM)
veterinary students learn the ins and outs of some common
equine medical techniques before they apply their knowledge on live
horses.
Techniques in Equine Medicine: A Self-learning Module is an
interactive CD whose development was led by Drs. Katharina Lohmann
and Jonathan Naylor, two specialists in large animal internal
medicine.
With the help of 46 video clips, 20 interactive exercises and more
than 100 illustrations, students learn how to conduct a transtracheal
wash, a pleurocentesis and an abdominocentesis. Besides providing a
general overview of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection, the CD also
goes through the specific steps of collecting CSF from the atlantooccipital (AO) and lumbosacral (LS) sites on a horse.
Each module outlines the technique’s objectives and steps, gives
indications and contra-indications, reviews the equine anatomy
and includes field demonstrations of each technique. Safety, animal
handling tips, and common errors and complications are also covered
in each module.
Every section concludes with a handy summary and a quiz that
gives students a chance to assess their knowledge before moving on to
a new technique.
The CD is designed to help veterinary students, animal health
technologists and veterinarians become proficient in performing these
medical procedures. At the same time, the technology-based learning
“This CD doesn’t completely
replace the use of horses
to teach some of these
techniques, but I think it gives
students a better knowledge
base and allows them to
visualize each technique.”
Other team members included Gale
Parchoma and Sharon Porterfield, specialists
in instructional design. Mark Altman, Gabe Ng,
Jarett Mardell, Wayne Giesbrecht, Frank Bulk
and Ginger Koolick of the U of S Educational
Media Access and Production (EMAP) provided
computer programming and videography
expertise while Juliane Deubner, WCVM’s
medical illustrator, created illustrations for the
project. A computer animation specialist, Tim
Tyler, produced animations used in the exercises
while veterinary student Lily McCaig conducted
a literature search and took photos for the CD’s
anatomy sections.
Saskatchewan’s Technology Enhanced
Learning (TEL) program contributed $40,000
to the CD’s development while another $6,000
came from the Animal Defense League of
Third-year students perform an abdominocentesis on a horse during a
Canada. The CD is published and distributed
WCVM lab. At left and below: Two of the CD’s interactive exercises.
worldwide through Vet Visions, a company that
produces educational software for veterinarians,
veterinary students, educators and owners.
The CD-ROM was officially released this
summer, but Lohmann says WCVM thirdyear students have already worked through
the transtracheal and abdominocentesis
modules online in 2008 during the CD’s final
development.
After finishing the modules, the students took part in hands-on labs
tool could help veterinary educational institutions like the WCVM minimize
where those two procedures were done on live horses. “I think the lab went a
its use of live animals in teaching exercises — an important issue that’s
whole lot better than in previous years because we could just jump into the
being discussed by veterinary colleges throughout North America.
procedure without a lot of discussion,” says
“To me, projects like this CD allow us
Lohmann, who plans on using the CD’s
to refine our use of animals in veterinary
resources with her students later this year.
education,” says Lohmann, one of several
“Everyone had already covered the
faculty members who teach a series of
content and the techniques in the modules.
equine-focused labs at the veterinary college.
They were expected to know it and they
The labs are part of the WCVM curriculum’s
knew they might be asked to perform the
core equine courses in the third year of
procedure on a live horse so they really paid
its Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
attention.”
program.
Multimedia learning has been part
“This CD doesn’t completely replace
of WCVM students’ education for several
the use of horses to teach some of these
years now. Since 2004, third-year veterinary
techniques, but I think it gives students a
students have worked through a CD module
better knowledge base and allows them to
outlining the steps of passing a nasogastric
visualize each technique. The result is that
tube in a horse before performing the
they’re much more prepared before they get
procedure on a live animal. Based on
to the actual horse.”
the success of the stomach tubing CD,
She adds that WCVM students only
Lohmann thinks the equine medical
perform two of the techniques outlined in the
techniques CD will have similar results.
CD (transtracheal wash and abdominocentesis) on live horses. For logistical
“They really do amazingly well so I do believe that the information sticks
and animal welfare reasons, each technique is only performed once by a
better than trying to get the information across verbally to a large group of
small group of students and is observed by the rest of the class.
students during a lab,” says Lohmann. “I think it’s a much more efficient use
Four years in the making, the CD was developed by a team led by
of everyone’s time.” H
Lohmann of WCVM’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and
For more information about purchasing a copy of the CD, contact
Naylor, a former WCVM faculty member who now teaches at Ross University’s
Dr. Lohmann (k.lohmann@usask.ca) or visit http://vetvisions.com.
School of Veterinary Medicine on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts.
Interactive CD-Rom Preps
Students for the Real Thing
Western College of Veterinar y Medicine
7
WCVM’s Glenn Barr holds a horse in a new anesthesia induction room.
It’s a Wrap for Large
Animal Clinic Renovations
One of two new equine surgery suites.
B
right lights, fresh paint and shiny equipment: they’re all signs that
renovations have wrapped up in the large animal clinical services
area of the WCVM’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
The renovations, which began more than a year ago, will allow
staff and students to work in a safer, more biosecure environment while
diagnosing and treating large animal patients in the teaching hospital. At
the same time, the upgraded resources offer patients and their owners the
latest in clinical care and technologies, says Dr. Jacques Messier.
“Our students, staff and faculty will definitely benefit from these new
facilities and so will the equine and livestock industries. This is a win-win
situation for everyone,” says Messier, director of the teaching hospital.
The major renovations include a closed large animal surgery area
where surgical teams will have access to two surgical suites and a third
suite for standing surgeries in cattle that’s linked to the hospital’s new
large animal chute complex. Each equine surgery suite also has its own
anesthesia induction and recovery rooms close to the large animal wards.
Another exciting addition is a dedicated room that is equipped with
nuclear scintigraphy — one of the most advanced diagnostic technologies
available to large animal veterinarians. The diagnostic capabilities of this
medical imaging tool will play an important role in the veterinary college’s
equine and large animal health research programs.
Nuclear scintigraphy will allow WCVM specialists to pinpoint problem
areas that can’t be detected with other medical imaging tools. This will
allow them to make definitive diagnoses even in the most challenging of
cases that are referred to the hospital by the region’s veterinarians.
However, a North American shortage of medical isotopes — a key
component of nuclear imagery — has delayed the WCVM’s plans to offer
nuclear scintigraphy as one of its specialized services, explains Messier.
“There are certainly cases where nuclear scintigraphy would help us to
do a better, more precise diagnosis — especially when it comes to equine
lameness cases. But for now, we’ll need to wait until human hospitals have
an adequate supply of medical isotopes before we can begin offering the new
technology to our clients.”
8
Horse Health Lines • Autumn 2009
Dr. Jacques Messier (centre) talks to a group including
federal minister Lynne Yelich (in yellow) in the new nuclear
scintigraphy room.
Overall, the upgrades to the large animal clinical area will significantly
enhance the services that the WCVM Veterinary Teaching Hospital can
provide to western Canadians, says Messier. “Our facilities are no longer the
limiting factor for us. We now have the structure and resources to meet the
needs of our clients, our students, our staff and our researchers.” H
Here’s an overview of the new upgrades that can be
found in the WCVM’s large animal clinical services
area:
LARGE ANIMAL CHUTE COMPLEX
• Safety and ease of handling: Enables faculty, staff and students
to safely move large animals into separate work areas or to return patients
to their trailers.. The circular design of the new chute complex reduces stress
on animals going through the system.
A new histology laboratory is part of the
diagnostics addition at the WCVM.
A rotating stock that links up to the large animal chute
complex is part of the WCVM’s standing surgery suite.
• Biosecurity: Large animals coming through the chute complex can be kept
separate from other hospital patients to reduce potential risk of spreading infectious
disease.
LARGE ANIMAL SURGERY CORE AREA
• Biosecurity: Closed surgery area reduces number of people and animals mov-
ing through zone and allows staff to minimize risk of contamination and spread
of infection. Separate rooms for anesthesia-induction and recovery also help to
minimize contamination if a potential risk arises during surgical procedures.
• Enhanced floor plan: Core area brings together surgical suites, anesthesia/
recovery areas, nurses’ station and medical supply area with immediate access to
medical imaging.
• Modernized surgical suites: The surgical suites are equipped with camera capable surgical lights, flat panel LCD monitors for viewing digital radiographs
and laporoscopic images, computer banks and wider doorways, making it easier to
maneuvre around large patients and to bring in diagnostic equipment.
• Ease of handling: The large animal standing surgery suite is equipped with
a stock that rotates 360 degrees — making it easier to handle large animal patients
and to use the latest surgical technologies.
LARGE ANIMAL WARDS
• Biosecurity: Hospital staff can shut down a particular ward from the rest of the
hospital in case of a biosecurity issue. The food animal ward and the equine ward are
separate.
• Isolation units, located on the building’s periphery, are equipped with separate
anterooms so health care workers can dress and remove special protective clothing
before returning to the hospital.
NUCLEAR SCINTIGRAPHY
• Advanced diagnostics: Capable of perceiving subtle health problems
in horses and other animals that often go undetected with conventional medical
imaging.
• Additional training: WCVM undergraduate and graduate students will learn
more about the technology’s capabilities and gain hands-on experience in using
nuclear scintigraphy.
• Increased research opportunities: The diagnostic capabilities of
nuclear scintigraphy will play an important role in the WCVM’s research program
as faculty and graduate students explore faster and more accurate ways of detecting
subtle lameness problems and other health issues in patients.
Governments Back Diagnostic
Laboratory Complex
Two separate public funding announcements,
worth more than $11.8 million in total, will allow the
Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) to
complete the final stages of its infrastructure project
within the next 18 months.
The first funding announcement came in mid-April
when Western Economic Diversification Canada
(WD) invested $2.77 million in the expansion of the
WCVM’s diagnostics laboratory and an upgrade of
its large animal clinical services area. Both projects
were completed in July 2009.
The WCVM used the money to finish a two-storey
addition in its diagnostic area. The 3,000-squaremetre addition includes a consolidated histology
laboratory, a new post-mortem examination room
and crucial laboratory space. That includes a special
projects lab where staff can handle potential high-risk
cases of zoonotic disease or suspect foreign animal
disease in a completely separate and biosecure
area.
Two months later in mid-June, the Governments
of Canada and Saskatchewan announced
a $21.8-million infrastructure package for the
University of Saskatchewan through the Knowledge
Infrastructure Program (KIP). The announcement
included $9.06 million that will be used to renovate
the WCVM’s existing diagnostics laboratories and
associated areas — the final phase of the veterinary
college’s infrastructure renewal plan that began in
2004.
This construction project involves renovating
the veterinary college’s pathology demonstration
laboratory and its previous necropsy area. It will
upgrade and amalgamate some of the supporting
diagnostic services including bacteriology, virology,
immunology, serology, toxicology, PCR and TSE
(transmissible spongiform encephalopathies).
Once completed, the new laboratory design
will improve efficiency of human resources and
diagnostic services, plus it will enhance overall
biosecurity and biosafety. The renovated diagnostics
area will also provide WCVM faculty, staff and
students with an environment where innovations
in diagnostic and clinical techniques can be
developed, tested and practically applied — all at
one centre.
Construction is expected to start later this year,
with project completion slated for December 2010.
Western College of Veterinar y Medicine
9
F
or most cattle ranchers
and poultry producers,
monensin (also known by
its trade name, Rumensin) is
part of the daily routine on their
farms. Monensin has been used
for years as a growth-enhancing
feed additive for beef and dairy
cattle and poultry in Canada and
the United States. It also helps to
control a parasitic disease called
coccidiosis that primarily affects
poultry and cattle to a lesser scale.
Cattle and poultry can ingest
relatively high levels of monensin
in their feed without any negative
impact on their health. But for
horses, it’s a different story.
“Cattle can tolerate 20
milligrams (mg) per kilogram
(kg), body weight, of monensin
in their feed rations without any
problems whereas the toxic dose in
horses is about 2.0 mg of monensin
per kg, body weight. That’s about
the same as a toxic dose of cyanide
so it’s pretty toxic stuff,” explains
veterinary toxicologist Dr. Barry
Blakley.
“Any time a horse gets exposed
to monensin, it’s a problem.”
A familiar poison
FATAL FEED
In a region where horses and
cattle are often found in close
company, it seems harmless
for your horse to eat a handful
of spilt cattle feed. But if the
feed contains even small
amounts of an additive called
monensin, it could be a fatal
mistake for your horse.
Blakley, whose toxicology
laboratory in Prairie Diagnostic
Services at the Western College of
Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) serves
all four western provinces, usually
receives calls about monensin
poisonings in horses at least once
or twice a month.
“Obviously some veterinarians
don’t call: they just go ahead and
treat the case as they see fit. So
there are probably a lot more cases
of monensin poisoning that we just don’t hear about.”
Monensin is an ionophore — a chemical that affects the transport of
ions in the various cell membranes. This ability makes monensin capable
of controlling the parasite coccidia in chickens and other animals, but it
also makes it deadly for horses. While it does affect many systems, its main
impact is on the animal’s muscles — especially the heart.
In a healthy horse, natural ion fluxes of sodium and potassium
allow for the contractility of the heart. Monensin disrupts those ion fluxes,
causing the horse’s heart to work improperly and leading to eventual
cardiovascular collapse.
Why is monensin so toxic to horses in comparison to other livestock?
Scientists still don’t know the exact reason, but the feed industry has been
10
Horse Health Lines • Autumn 2009
aware of monensin’s devastating
effect on horses since it was first
introduced as a feed additive in the
mid-1970s.
While it’s illegal to mix
monensin in any horse rations,
Blakley says accidental poisonings
occur when there’s a mixing error
at a feed mill. “In these cases, we
usually ask, ‘What feed did you
mix right before producing horse
feed?’ If the plant made cattle or
poultry ration just before switching
to horse feed, we immediately know
what must have happened.”
Overall, only a small
percentage of monensin poisoning
cases are caused by contaminated
horse feed. The more common
scenario is a horse accidentally
eating cattle feed containing the
additive. For example, Blakley
says monensin poisonings have
occurred most commonly at beef
cattle feedlots where working
horses may be exposed to spilled
cattle feed by accident.
Straight to the heart
The symptoms of toxicity vary
with the amount of monensin
ingested by a horse. Trace amounts
may cause a horse to go off his
regular feed, show signs of colic
and appear unwell for a few days.
Larger amounts will cause a horse
to show more serious symptoms
within a few hours including
colic, stiffness, sweating, a lack of
co-ordination and the inability to
stand.
As Blakley points out, these
symptoms are non-specific
— making it difficult for
veterinarians and horse owners
to confirm the problem. Ultimately, examining a horse’s cardiovascular
system provides the most important clinical evidence: an affected horse’s
heart rate may double or triple, and its breathing will be laboured even
though it’s standing still.
“In horses, the most important and obvious result of monensin
poisoning is damage to heart muscle. Sometimes animals die very quickly
with acute heart failure. In other cases, horses may die of heart failure in a
few days or even weeks later.”
To confirm a diagnosis of monensin poisoning, Blakley says
veterinarians and toxicologists rely on blood and urine samples that
provide two key pieces of information. First, an affected horse’s blood
will contain dramatically elevated muscle enzyme levels. Second, a horse
suffering from monensin toxicity will have high levels of the muscle
protein myoglobin in its urine. Both are indicators of muscle damage.
In a more prolonged situation where the horse doesn’t die in the first
few hours, echocardiography (ultrasound examination of the heart) may
provide direct evidence of cardiac dysfunction. Death of cardiac muscle,
congestion of the lungs and swelling of the liver may also be apparent in
a post mortem examination. Since monensin causes membrane damage,
Blakley says there may be no obvious lesions or signs that make a simple or
obvious diagnosis for pathologists.
What’s also challenging about monensin is that it’s a molecule that
breaks down very quickly, making it very difficult to detect — especially in
Adding More
Facts About
MONENSIN
• Monensin is an ionophorous antibiotic produced by
the fungus Streptomyces cinnamonensis. An ionophore
is an organic compound that affects the transport of
ions across cell membranes.
• In the poultry industry, monensin is used to prevent a
parasitic infection called coccidiosis and is sold under
the trade name Coban 60.
• Monensin is also known as Rumensin, a growth
promotant in cattle and poultry that’s added to premix,
pelleted or bulk feeds, and mineral blocks. It improves
feed efficiency, the rate of gain in cattle and reduces
the incidence of feedlot bloat and acidosis.
• Horses are particularly susceptible to monensin
toxicity: the median lethal dose is only 2.0 to 3.0 mg/
kg. Reports of monensin poisoning in horses have
appeared since 1975. One example occurred in
1986 when several hundred horses in Michigan were
exposed to varying levels of monensin after an Ontario
feed mill made a feed substitution error.
• It’s believed that in horses, the drug inhibits sodium
and potassium ion transport across cell membranes.
This leads to mitochondrial failure (the parts of the cells
that are responsible for energy production) and other
physiologic issues.
• While horses appear to be the most sensitive to
monensin, the drug is also toxic to other animals when
given at higher doses than recommended, when
mixed with incompatible drugs, or when feed rations
are accidentally given to animals for which they’re not
intended.
• The median lethal dose of monensin varies for
different species: 12 mg/kg for sheep; 16 mg/kg for
pigs; 20 mg/kg for dogs and 200 mg/kg for chickens.
Cattle fed five to 10 times the recommended doses of
monensin can also be poisoned. The median lethal
dose in cattle is 22 mg/kg — more than 20 times the
recommended daily dose.
cases where the affected
horse lives for several
days. As well, very few
toxicology laboratories
have established the
methods for monensin
detection. Tissue samples
in Western Canada
are often submitted to
one of several government
laboratories for analysis.
Blakley says a quicker
alternative is to test the affected horse’s
feed — something that’s done by the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as part of its mandate to monitor
feed-related problems in the country.
Damaged for life
Although there’s no antidote for monensin poisoning, Blakley says
some practitioners have used selenium and vitamin E to stabilize muscle
membranes in acute cases. This approach has limited success, mainly
because the muscle membranes are already damaged by the time there’s a
confirmed diagnosis.
“It may minimize the damage, but it doesn’t eliminate it.”
And that’s the heartbreaking part about cases of monensin toxicity.
Even if a horse does recover, the damage to muscles — including the
heart — is permanent and may have consequences later in life. Surviving
horses may, at some later date, develop signs of congestive heart failure if
they are ridden, used in some type of performance sport or stressed in some
other way.
“Recovered horses may look okay and appear to be in good health.
The big concern is that an affected horse could become ill while someone is
riding or driving it,” says Blakley.
Another concern is the sale of monensin-affected horses: owners must
be upfront and disclose that a horse has suffered monensin poisoning so
that the new owners are forewarned of potential long term effects on the
heart.
In Western Canada, Blakley has been an expert witness in several cases
where new horse owners have taken former owners to court because they
believe a purchased horse suffered from the effects of monensin poisoning.
Months or even years after a potential poisoning, Blakley says it’s very
difficult to prove that a horse has ingested the drug.
“If a horse dies and a post-mortem examination is conducted, the
pathologist may find evidence of heart muscle damage — but that’s about
it. The fact that the drug disappears from the tissues very quickly makes it
very challenging to prove that they have been exposed to monensin. All you
know is that you’ve got a horse with a heart problem.”
What Blakley hopes is that increased public awareness of monensin
and its deadly effects on horses will make owners more vigilant about
keeping livestock feed separate and to not assume that what’s good for
cattle and poultry must be good for horses.
“Some farms keep horses with cattle and having the animals eat the
same feed isn’t unusual. If you’re going to do that, make sure there’s no
monensin in the feed.” H
Western College of Veterinar y Medicine
11
SOLD!
That amount is over and above the Brickleys’ annual
contributions to the EHRF through the North American Equine
Ranching Information Council’s (NAERIC) research checkoff
program.
“My philosophy is that we depend too much on the
government to solve our problems and to support programs. We
have to be part of supporting equine health research because it’s
important to our business and to our livelihood. Our expectations
are always high for the researchers at the WCVM so we have to
contribute to their efforts if want to expect results.”
The Brickley production sale attracted many repeat buyers
— including the Tallentires. Three years ago, the young
ranching couple purchased a half-dozen Brickley-raised foals as
potential working ranch
horses. The Tallentires
own Bar T Ranch,
located about an hour
north of Regina, where
they raise 500 head of
Angus-cross cattle along
with some purebred
Texas longhorns.
“We still have two
of those horses — now
three-year-olds — and
we’re impressed with
their athleticism and
temperament. They’re
well put together animals
and they make a good fit for our ranch,” explains Maryse.
A few years from now, Maryse says the EHRF gift foal will
be trained as one of the ranch geldings along with the other
five foals that the Tallentires purchased at this year’s sale. But for the next
couple of years, Maryse says she and her husband will simply “let them be
horses” with plenty of pasture time and minimal handling until they’re ready
for training.
While the Tallentires’ hay crops have been good this year, it’s a different
story for the Brickleys and other livestock producers in southeastern
Saskatchewan. Because of this spring’s dry conditions, the Brickleys have used
pastures as alternate hay cropland, cut slough grass, seeded more oats for
winter feed and will rely more heavily on grain as feed supplement.
“We’ve been gathering up every stalk that we can find for this winter,”
says Bob, who will need to keep nearly 500 cattle and 124 equine ranching
mares in good shape over the winter. Still, he and Lois didn’t hesitate when it came to repeating the foal sale
donation this fall. “We’ve had many positive comments about last year’s gift
horse — everyone has really liked the idea. We felt it was important to keep it
up — I think it just shows people that all of us can contribute to horse health
in many different ways.” H
Visit www.ehrf.usask.ca to learn more about the WCVM’s matching
gift incentive program.
Buckskin colt
raises $1,400 for
WCVM horse health research
For the second year in a row, Saskatchewan equine ranchers Bob and
Lois Brickley of Kennedy, Sask., have generously donated the sale proceeds
of one of their foals to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Equine
Health Research Fund.
The registered Quarter horse foal was sold during the September
Showcase Sale — the Brickleys’ 12th annual production sale — on
September 12 at Heartland Livestock in Regina, Sask. Heath and Maryse
Tallentire of Earl Grey, Sask., purchased the five-month-old buckskin colt for
$700 — $175 more than the EHRF gift foal’s sale price in 2008.
“So often, I hear producers ask, ‘What can we do to help?’” says Bob,
whose family operates Moose Mountain Ranch in southern Saskatchewan.
“Well, I think this is an ideal opportunity to contribute to horse health
research in a unique way that really works for us and the way we run our
business.”
Just as in 2008, the Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Foundation will
equally match the Brickleys’ donation through a five-year matching gift
incentive program at the veterinary college. “Heather (Ryan) and David
(Dubé) are real leaders in the horse industry, and they’re doing the right
thing for the right purpose,” says Bob.
Through their actions, the Brickleys have also taken a leadership role in
supporting horse health research. The equine ranching couple has donated
$1,225 to the EHRF through the past two foal sales — helping to raise a total
of $2,450 in support of vital equine health research and training programs at
the WCVM.
12
Horse Health Lines • Autumn 2009
TOP LEFT: This year’s EHRF gift foal is a buckskin colt, born
May 18, 2009, on the Brickleys’ Moose Mountain Ranch. The
colt is a full brother to the 2008 EHRF gift foal. ABOVE (from
left to right): Bob Brickley; Heath and Maryse Tallentire with
Tye, their one-year old daughter; and Pauline Long-Wright,
sales manager at Heartland Livestock in Regina, Sask.
A Bridge Too Far
Ethyl alcohol has taken the pain out of treating
bone spavin in the lowest joint of the horse’s
hock. But when it comes to high ringbone in the
equine pastern joint, this treatment falls short of
the mark.
A
few years ago, Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM)
researchers discovered that an injection of ethyl alcohol (or
ethanol) was effective in destroying cartilage and promoting fusion
of the horse’s tarsometatarsal (lowest hock) joint.
That study’s success got WCVM surgeons thinking: if ethanol could
alleviate the pain of bone spavin without invasive surgery, could they use it to
treat high ringbone in the pastern joint?
“The proximal interphalangeal (pastern) and the tarsometatarsal joints
are high load, low motion joints. For that reason, we felt that alcohol could
be similarly beneficial to promoting fusion in the pastern joint,” explains
Dr. Ryan Wolker.
Wolker took on the research project in 2006 as part of his large animal
surgical residency and Master of Veterinary Science (MVetSc) program at the
WCVM. His supervisor, Dr. David Wilson, had also guided the work of resident
Dr. Ryan Shoemaker on the bone spavin investigation.
Alcohol: repeat performance?
Conventional treatment for high ringbone involves pastern arthrodesis
(fusion) where surgeons use small screws and plates to fuse the horse’s
pastern joint. While the technique has a high success rate, it’s a painful,
invasive procedure that carries the risk of infection. As well, it can be from six
to 12 months before a recovering horse is sound enough to return to work.
Wilson and Wolker hypothesized that injecting ethanol to the pastern
joint should destroy cartilage as well as pain sensation — leading to a more
pain-free fusion. However, because there’s more motion in the pastern joint
than the lower hock joints, they didn’t think ethanol itself would cause
fusion. As a result, they added a second treatment — a combination of
ethanol and the placement of two transarticular screws through stab incisions
— to their study.
Wolker and Wilson weren’t the only surgeons to consider ethanol’s
potential for treating high ringbone. Based on anecdotal reports, several
clinicians in Western Canada and the U.S. have used ethanol on their equine
patients after hearing about its success in treating bone spavin. Those reports
also helped to spur on the WCVM investigation in which surgeons could
evaluate ethanol’s use in a more controlled way.
Not close enough for comfort
With the Equine Health Research Fund’s support, Wilson and Wolker
began working with six healthy horses. For each horse, they randomly
selected a forelimb to receive an ethanol injection in its pastern joint while
the diagonally paired hindlimb received the alcohol and screws treatment.
The horses’ treated hindlimbs remained in casts for 28 days, followed by
another 30 days of stall confinement for all six horses.
Before the study began, the researchers took baseline radiographs of the
horses’ pastern joints. They repeated the X-rays at six and 10 months in the
forelimbs and at one, three, six and 10 months in the hindlimbs.
Wolker and Wilson
used a five-point scale to
grade radiograph changes
(Grade 1 is at the low end
of the scale). At the 10-month
mark, the horses had a median of
Grade 2 — meaning that there was
some evidence of joint narrowing with less
than five millimetres (mm) of bone proliferation.
“By definition, only one of six horses had a radiographically fused
pastern joint in the forelimb. And that horse had the highest grade each
time,” says Wolker.
More progress was made in the horses’ treated hindlimbs where
researchers saw the median grades advance from Grade 2 at three months to
Grade 4 at 10 months. Two horses were classified as Grade 4 while two others
reached Grade 5 levels (joint narrowing with greater than 10 mm of bone
proliferation and evidence of bone bridging).
However, after post mortem examination, veterinary pathologist Dr. Andy
Allen reported complete anatomic fusion in only two of the horses’ pastern
joints — one from each group. “Based on the fusion rate, the study’s success
rate wasn’t high enough to justify the use of the technique,” says Wolker.
He adds that many of the study’s horses developed substantial dorsal
bone production with the combination treatment. “Besides being less
cosmetic than conventional techniques, this may also indicate that
percutaneous (placed through the skin) screws without surgical removal of
the cartilage are inadequate in stabilizing the joint.”
While some clinicians had initially reported success in using alcohol
with some high ringbone cases, Wolker says the study’s results clearly show
that ethanol injections are unreliable even with the addition of percutaneous
screws.
“Hopefully other veterinarians won’t use this technique in an attempt
to fuse the pastern joint, given our results,” says Wolker. “At this point, the
conventional surgical techniques — despite the invasiveness — are still the
gold standard.”
In the future, an alternative therapy may be found somewhere in
between. Researcher Dr. Tim Lescun of Purdue University’s School of
Veterinary Medicine recently reported that surgical drilling of the joint
without disarticulation (separation of the joint) and the application of both
a plate and screws has shown some promise.
“That technique would be considered intermediate in invasiveness
between our minimally-invasive technique and the more invasive,
conventional techniques,” says Wolker. H
Western College of Veterinar y Medicine
13
Our Contributors
A list of contributors to the Equine Health Research Fund during the period between
September 1, 2008, and August 31, 2009. Visit www.ehrf.usask.ca for donor information.
$25,000 and up
$100 to $499
Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé Foundation Inc., Saskatoon, SK
Bailey, Mamie, Prince Albert, SK • Blue Heron Farms, Delta, BC • Brodsky,
Shirley, Saskatoon, SK • Burford, Karen, Calgary, AB • Campbell, Kathleen,
Calgary, AB • Card, Claire, Saskatoon, SK • Centre Animal Hospital, Cold
Lake, AB • Colchester & District Agricultural Society, Sherwood Park, AB •
Cole, Harvey, Olds, AB • Corbett, Bill, Calgary, AB • Crush, Ken & Patricia,
Langham, SK • Dowler, Leslie, Edmonton, AB • Elders Equine Clinic,
Cartier, MB • Ellis, Betty, Okotoks, AB • Fitzharris, Fern, Saskatoon, SK
• Foxleigh Riding Club, Regina, SK • Frank’s Saddlery & Supply Ltd.,
Lloydminster, SK • Garry Oak Veterinary Hospital, Sidney, BC • Gray,
Lorna, Winnipeg, MB • Hames and Harness Horse Club Inc., Marsden,
SK • Killeen, James, Sherwood Park, AB • Knorr, Laina, Calgary, AB •
Laing, Robert, Leader, SK • MacLauchlan, Andra, Calgary, AB • MalardRuss, Anne-Marie, Bellis, AB • McCargar, Murray, Calgary, AB • McGhee,
James, Calgary, AB • MediMedia USA, Inc., Yardley, PA • Misra, Vikram,
Saskatoon, SK • Moose Jaw Exhibition Company Ltd, Moose Jaw, SK •
Murdoch Veterinary Clinic Ltd., Prince George, BC • P Bar 3 Charolais
Inc., Medicine Hat, AB • Palese, Kathleen, Calgary, AB • Perron, Michael,
Surrey, BC • Regina District Dressage Association, Regina, SK • Sandcastle
Riding Club Inc, Saskatoon, SK • Sask Valley Riding Club, Warman, SK
• Saskatchewan Association of Veterinary Technologists, Saskatoon, SK •
Schellhorn, Garcia, Saskatoon, SK • Souris Valley Trekkers, Estevan, SK
• Summers, Terry, Saskatoon, SK • Tweed, Patti, Winnipeg, MB • Wheels
and Saddles Driving & Riding Club, Wawota, SK • Wild Rose Arabian Horse
Association, Stony Plain, AB • Wing, Josephine, Aldergrove, BC • Zeilner,
Catherine, Furdale, SK
$10,000 to $24,999
Equine Foundation of Canada, Leduc, AB • Saskatchewan Liquor &
Gaming Authority, Regina, SK
$1,000 to $9,999
British Columbia Standardbred Breeders’ Society, Surrey, BC • British
Columbia Veterinary Medical Association, North Vancouver, BC • Leach,
Rex, Swan River, MB • North American Equine Ranching Information
Council, Inc., Louisville, KY • Paton & Martin Veterinary Services Ltd.,
Aldergrove, BC • Peters, Rob, Calgary, AB • Saskatchewan Horse Federation
Inc., Regina, SK
$500 to $999
Animal Management Services & Pet Clinic Ltd., Humboldt, SK • Brickley,
Lois, Kennedy, SK • Delaney Veterinary Services Ltd, Sherwood Park, AB •
McKague, Ross & Brenda, Brandon, MB • Moore & Co. Veterinary Services
Ltd., Balzac, AB • Okotoks Animal Clinic, Okotoks, AB • Southern, Ron &
Margaret, Calgary, AB •
Above: Janet Blackstock of Whitewood, Sask., takes a
victory lap with Jack, a six-year-old Clydesdale gelding, after
the pair won first prize in the Ladies Cart class at the 2009
Prince Albert Exhibition’s Heavy Horse Show. Jack is owned
by Harvey MacFarlane and his daughter, Sherry Telfer, of
Sanguine Clydes in Summerberry, Sask.
(http://sanguineclydes.com). 14
Horse Health Lines • Autumn 2009
A YEAR IN REVIEW
Up to $99
Arnold, Jacklynn, Calgary, AB • Ashley, Lorrie, Canmore, AB •
Big Hill Veterinary Services, Cochrane, AB • BorderVET Animal
Health Services, Carnduff, SK • Bow Valley Veterinary Clinic,
Brooks, AB • Burlingame, Donna, Saskatoon, SK • Callfas, Debbie,
Lloydminster, SK • Carroll, Deborah, Sherwood Park, AB • Cheney,
Linda, Saskatoon, SK• Cohen, Cheryl, Calgary, AB • Collins, Tom,
Strathmore, AB • Coward, Shari, Calgary, AB • Davis, Angela,
Petersfield, MB • Duncan, Robert, Cut Knife, SK • Edey, Don,
Longview, AB • Edworthy, Jason, Calgary, AB • Elaschuk, Norm,
Turin, AB • Holt, Peter, Morinville, AB • JustAnother Farm, Kathyrn,
AB • Koosey, Patricia, Calgary, AB • Laxton, Kathy, Priddis, AB •
Leder, Judith, Fullerton, CA • Leibel, Taryn, Bassano, AB • Lepine,
Patricia, Calgary, AB • Lloydminster Animal Hospital, Lloydminster,
AB • Lower Island Equestrian Club, Saanichton, BC • MacKenzie,
Joan, Bragg Creek, AB • Metzger-Savoie, Pamela, Strathmore, AB •
Nelson & District Riding Club, Nelson, BC • Nemeth, Gayle, Yellow
Creek, SK • Nordstrom, Glenn, Viking, AB • Panorama Ridge Riding
Club, Surrey, BC • Powell, Jackie, Lacombe, AB • Quesnel & District
Riding Club, Quesnel, BC • Quinn, Ruth, Banff, AB • Rogers, Robyn,
Vermilion, AB • Runge, Diana, Calgary, AB • Saskatchewan Peruvian
Horse Club Inc., Saskatoon, SK • Schneidmiller, Helen, Calgary, AB
• Simpson, Susan, Beiseker, AB• Smart, John, De Winton, AB • Soos,
Catherine, Saskatoon, SK • Stewart, Cindy, Okotoks, AB • Thompson,
Donald, Dalmeny, SK • Walker, Diane, Okotoks, AB • Wicki, Janet,
Calgary, AB • Wilson, Wayne, Cremona, AB
Below: Sarah Sharpe (left) and Britney Martin of
Boulder Bluff Clydesdales prepare one of the farm’s
show horses for the Heavy Horse Show at the 2009
Prince Albert Exhibition. Blaine and Trinda Martin,
Boulder Bluff’s owners, are equine ranchers in
Strathclair, Man. (www.boulderbluffclydesdales.ca).
The Equine Health Research Fund’s statement of revenue, expenditures and
fund balances for the year ended, December 31, 2008.
EXPENDABLE
FUND
2008
Revenue
Donations
Private*
$22,697.39
Horsemen’s Association
14,673.71
Racing Commissions
10,000.00 NAERIC**
6,900.00
Miscellaneous
1,178.10 55,449.20 Expenditures
Fellowship program
$103,601.71
Grants
85,375.00
Recovery from previous grants
-
Summer student
8,900.00
Graduate student awards ($3,000 each)
21,000.00 Fundraising
27,412.75
Horse Health Lines
35,592.70
Administration - Advisory Board
4,430.25
Equipment
-
286,312.41
Deficiency of revenue over expenses
(230,863.21)
Transfer from restricted funds
230,863.21
Unrestricted funds, beginning of year
-
2007
$180,702.48 33,970.00
40,000.00 14,000.00
-
268,672.48
$81,204.81 107,225.00
8,100.00
6,000.00 27,443.32 37,886.67 4,142.96 -
272,002.76
(3,330.28)
3,330.28
-
Fund balance, end of year
0.00 0.00
****************************************************************
RESTRICTED FUND
2008
2007
Investment income
Transfer to unrestricted fund
Fund balance, beginning of year
Fund balance, end of year
$(272,033.73)
(230,863.21)
1,795,003.47
$1,292,106.53
$19,551.15 (3,330.28)
1,778,782.60
$1,795,003.47
*Private donations (2007) include the 2007 and 2008 donations of $25,000 per year from the Heather Ryan
and L. David Dubé Foundation. **The North American Equine Ranching Information Council (NAERIC) donated $7,000 per year in 2006 and
2007. The 2007 total includes both donations.
GALLOPING GAZETTE
SEE YOU AT RED DEER: If you’re attending
the 28th annual Alberta Horse Breeders and Owners
Conference, make sure to stop by and say Hello!
A crew from the WCVM will be taking care of the
Equine Health Research Fund booth during the
three-day equine conference that takes place
from January 15 to 17 at the Capri Centre in Red
Deer, Alta. For more details about speakers and
registration at this valuable event, visit
www.albertahorseindustry.ca.
NEW EHRF CHAIR: Dr. Fernando
Marqués, associate professor of large animal
medicine, has taken on the volunteer role of
chairing the Equine Health Research Fund’s
management committee.
Marqués, who joined the WCVM’s Department
of Large Animal Clinical Sciences in 2006, has
conducted equine-related research in several areas
including the immune response to infection,
vaccine formulation and equine gastric ulcer
syndrome (EGUS).
Besides his research program, Marqués teaches
WCVM’s undergraduate veterinary students and is
a board-certified specialist in large animal internal
medicine at the WCVM’s Veterinary Teaching
Hospital.
Before coming to North America, Marqués was
an equine practitioner for more than 15 years in
his home country of Argentina. He’s also a former
competitor and team coach in the international
sport of show jumping.
Marqués takes over the chair’s position from
Dr. David Wilson who contributed an extensive
amount of time, knowledge and expertise to the
Fund for more than three years.
We want to hear
NEW DEVELOPMENT STAFF: This
summer, Lisa Green and Bonnie Cain joined
the WCVM’s Alumni and Development Office.
Green is the College’s new development officer
while Cain is her new assistant. Both will be happy
to help you if you have any questions or need
further information about supporting the EHRF
and WCVM’s equine programs. You can reach the
Development Office by dialing 306-966-7450 (Lisa)
or 306-966-7268 (Bonnie), or you can send an
email to lisa.green@usask.ca or bonnie.cain@
usask.ca.
Take Horse Health Lines’
online reader survey,
and we’ll enter your
name in a draw for a
horse health care book!
WINTER CARE TIPS: Looking for some
western Canadian-based advice on feeding and
caring for your horse herd this winter? Go to
www.ehrf.usask.ca and click on “Resources” where
you’ll find some tips from horse breeder and owner
Shirley Brodsky of Saskatoon, Sask. Brodsky
raises registered Paint horses and cares for a herd of
broodmares, foals and yearlings on her farm.
Over the past two decades, Brodsky has learned
a few valuable lessons about caring for a large herd
of multi-aged horses throughout the changing
seasons. For a story about Brodsky’s 25-year-old
broodmare Double Value, see the Summer 2009
issue of Horse Health Lines.
The EHRF resources section will continue
to grow as we add more valuable articles and
interviews to the web site, so check back often!
V i s i t H o r s e H e a l t h L i n e s o n l i n e a t w w w. e h r f. u s a s k . c a
FROM YOU!
• DEADLINE EXTENDED •
How are we doing? Does Horse Health Lines
give you insight into new equine health projects
at the WCVM? Do you find useful horse health
management tips between our covers? Have you
read about some of our faculty, students and donors
in past issues?
To help us ensure that Horse Health Lines
continues to be a vital resource for our readers, we
want to hear from you! Please take about five to
10 minutes to visit www.ehrf.usask.ca, respond to
the Horse Health Lines survey questions and let us
know what you think. We look forward to hearing
from you!
If you complete and submit your survey before
the extended deadline of December 31, 2009,
we’ll enter your name in a draw for one of several
horse and pet health care books including the
Merck-Merial Manual for Pet Health!
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All you need to do is to visit www.ehrf.
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Printing Services Document Solutions • 306-966-6639 • University of Saskatchewan • CUPE 1975