Hambletonian Continuing Education Seminar*
Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel, E. Rutherford, NJ
Friday, August 3, 2012
7:00 AM – 5:30 PM
*Approved for CE credit by the NJ Veterinary Medical Association and the NJAEP
*Seminar
approved for CE credit by the NJ Veterinary Medical Association and the NJAEP
7:00
- 8:00 AM
Exhibit Area
Registration and Continental Breakfast (sponsored by Nutrena)
Trade Show Opens
8:00 - 8:15 AM
Exhibit Area
Welcome to Seminar Participants
8:15 – 9:15 AM
Derby West
Equine Acupuncture: Beyond the Qi Concept (sponsored by the
International Veterinary Acupuncture Society)
Mark V. Crisman, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Dr. Crisman received his DVM from the U. of Warsaw Poland. He earned an MS in
Veterinary Medicine from Washington State University. From 1987-2010, Dr. Crisman
served on the faculty of the V-MRCVM where he was a Professor in the Dept. of Large
Animal Clinical Sciences and section chief of equine medicine and surgery. He was
Director of the Molecular Diagnostics lab at the V-MRCVM. He has co/authored over
75 refereed publications and book chapters. His primary research interests include
immunology, pharmacology, and inflammation associated with equine metabolic
syndrome. In 2010, Dr. Crisman joined Veterinary Operations with Pfizer Animal
Health. He is certified in acupuncture by IVAS, and is a well-known acupuncture
instructor/lecturer.
Chronic pain is a significant health problem associated with severe patient suffering
and disability. Acupuncture is considered one of the most ancient therapeutic
interventions of mankind dating back thousands of years. This discussion will focus
on current literature and the neurophysiologic basis of acupuncture and applications
in equine medicine.
Derby East
A Practitioner’s Perspective on Compounding and Unapproved
Drug Use in Equine Practice
Nathan M. Slovis, DVM, DACVIM, CHT
Dr. Slovis earned his DVM from Purdue University, and completed his residency in
Internal Medicine at the University of California, Davis. Dr. Slovis is a noted speaker
at state, national, and international meetings. He is a noted author and editor of
numerous scientific articles and books. He is an internist and Member of the Practice at
the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute & Pharmacy, where he implemented the
Infectious Disease and Equine Emergency Response Programs. He currently holds the
positions of Director of McGee Medical and Critical Care Center, Director of the
Davidson Center for Hyperbaric Medicine, HEMI Infectious Disease Officer, and
Equine Emergency Response Director.
Compounding is any manipulation of a drug formulation that provides a product to fit
the unique needs of a patient. Although compounding is oftentimes a necessary
service for the equine veterinarian, it is important to understand when it is
appropriate to use compounded products and when it is not. This lecture will include
several studies showing the differences in potency of the active ingredients in
compounded formulations compared to the FDA approved drug. The lecture will also
illustrate how unethical practices of compounding medications are harming the future
for equine pharmaceuticals.
9:20 – 10:20 AM
Derby West
Ocular Emergencies in Horses (sponsored by Wedgewood Pharmacy)
Dennis E. Brooks, DVM, PhD, DACVO
Dr. Brooks received his DVM from the University of Illinois. He received a PhD in
glaucoma-induced optic nerve damage from the University of Florida College of
Veterinary Medicine, where he currently serves as a Professor of Ophthalmology. Dr.
Brooks has received numerous teaching and research awards, and he is a recognized
authority on infectious keratitis, corneal transplantation, and glaucoma of horses and
other animals. Dr. Brooks has lectured extensively, nationally and internationally, on
comparative ophthalmology and glaucoma, and was selected to present the Frank J.
Milne State-of-the Art Lecture at the AAEP annual meeting in 201. He is past President
of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. He has refereed more than
140 publications. Dr Brooks published the second edition of his book, Equine
Ophthalmology, in 2008.
This presentation will focus on:
 Initial therapy for corneal ulcers and lacerations
 How to treat lid swelling from acute facial trauma in horses
 Color changes in corneal disease
Derby East
Antioxidant Research and its Applications for Use in Exercising
Horses (sponsored by Rutgers Equine Science Center)
Carey A. Williams, PhD
Dr. Williams earned her PhD in animal sciences (with an emphasis on equine nutrition
and exercise physiology) from Virginia Polytechnic Inst. & State Univ. She joined
Rutgers University in 2003 as Equine Extension Specialist and Associate Director of
Extension in the Equine Science Center, taking an active role in teaching, conducting
research, and working with the equine and academic communities to ensure the
viability of the horse industry in NJ. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2009.
At Rutgers, Dr. Williams maintains a herd of Standardbred horses for exercise
physiology research, focusing on how to decrease the stress of intense exercise. She has
won special recognition through her work with many industry organizations, including
the Equine Science Society’s Outstanding Young Professional Award in 2009.
Many studies have been performed using antioxidants to decrease oxidative stress and
increase antioxidant status in exercising horses, however, results still remain
inconclusive. In this presentation, an overview of the results using key antioxidants
will be discussed along with recommendations for their use in performance horses.
10:20 – 10:50 AM
Exhibit Area
10:50 – 11:50 AM
Derby West
Morning Break/Refreshments (sponsored by 3M Animal Care
Products & Milburn Equine)
Hot Topics in Equine Medicine (sponsored by Merck Animal Health)
Nicola Pusterla, DVM, PhD, DACVIM
Dr. Pusterla received his DVM and PhD from the University of Zurich, Switzerland.
He completed his residency at the University of California. He currently serves as
Associate Professor and Chief of Service, Large Animal Medicine, at UC Davis School
of Veterinary Medicine, where his research focuses on selected aspects of equine
infectious disease with an emphasis on epidemiology, clinical disease understanding,
diagnostics, prevention and treatment. Ongoing research focuses on EHV-1 infections,
proliferative enteropathy, EPM, Potomac horse fever, and equine granulocytic
ehrlichiosis. Dr. Pusterla has served as a reviewer for numerous veterinary industry
publications (JAVMA, AJVR, JVIM, etc.), and is a noted speaker at national and
international conferences.
Wendy E. Vaala, VMD, DACVIM
Dr. Vaala received her VMD from the University of Pennsylvania. She then served on
staff as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at New Bolton Center, where she organized
the development of a neonatal intensive care program, a high-risk pregnancy program
for mares, and supervised the neonatology teaching program. Dr. Vaala then worked at
two large private practices in NJ, where she established NICU’s, equine medical
referral services, and foaling programs for mares with high-risk pregnancies. She
joined Intervet in 2004, and currently serves as Senior Equine Technical Specialist for
Merck Animal Health, where her field responsibilities include participation in research
and development of new equine biologics and pharmaceuticals and continuing
education for veterinarians and horse owners. She is widely-published, and is a noted
lecturer nationally and internationally.
This fast paced lecture will cover a variety of topics including an update on recent
EHV-1 outbreaks, diagnostics available and practical control strategies; an update on
EPM including a discussion about different diagnostic tests and therapies available;
and an introduction to Corona virus in adult horses, an emerging disease. Other
topics will include new information on influenza challenge trials; results from
regional parasite trials, and research data examining what FEC’s do and do not
reveal; as well as the introduction of a new therapy for certain equine behavior
problems.
Derby East
Computed Tomographic Arthrography of the Equine Stifle Joint
(sponsored by Sound-Eklin)
Alex Valdés-Martínez, DVM, DACVR
Dr. Alex Valdés-Martínez received his veterinary degree from the Universidad
Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico. Several years of equine medicine and surgery
practice, both in private referral hospitals (México and Southern California) and
academia (Louisiana State University) preceded three years of specialty training in
veterinary radiology at the University of Pennsylvania. He currently serves as an
Assistant Professor in Diagnostic Imaging at Colorado State University. Dr. ValdésMartínez’ special clinical interests are orthopedic and cancer-related musculoskeletal
diseases in all species.
Dr. Valdés-Martínez’s presentation will focus on:
 Technique and normal anatomy.
 Advantages and disadvantages with case examples
11:50 – 1:50 PM
Exhibit Area
1:50 – 2:50 PM
Derby West
Exhibitor Displays and Buffet Lunch (sponsored by Merck
Animal Health and Pfizer Animal Health)
Strangles: Vaccination, Treatment and Biosecurity (sponsored by
Pfizer Animal Health)
Mark V. Crisman, DVM, MS, DACVIM
See bio in Dr. Crisman’s 8:15 – 9:15 AM session
This seminar will cover vaccination and treatment protocols with updates on
interventional strategies for S. equi. Additionally, biosecurity measures to contain and
control an outbreak will be addressed.
Derby East
Brachytherapy in the Horse (sponsored by Sound-Eklin)
William M. Bradley, DVM
Dr. Bradley received his DVM from Colorado State University. He completed his
internship and surgical residency at Kansas State. He then practiced for a year on the
racetrack circuit in Nebraska. In 1976, Dr. Bradley joined New England Equine
Practice in Patterson, NY. He continues to serve at NEEP as a full Partner, and over
the years, has helped the practice expand to include comprehensive horse care and
state-of the-art imaging services in a full-service hospital facility and on the farm.
In this presentation, Dr. Bradley will discuss both the technique and some early
results in several cases of equine tumors treated with the Xoft Axxent Brachytherapy
System. There will be brief discussions of the types of tumors which are amenable to
treatment; the use of the machine itself; the results of the treatments seen thus far; as
well as some general comments regarding Brachytherapy.
2:55 – 3:55 PM
Derby West
The Lameness Quiz - Observations and Characteristics of Lame
Horses (sponsored by Milburn Equine)
Michael W. Ross, DVM, DACVS
Dr. Ross received his DVM from Cornell University. He then completed a 3-year large
animal surgical residency program at New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania,
where he was appointed Lecturer in Surgery in 1985. He subsequently was named
Assist. Professor of Surgery and then Assoc. Professor of Surgery. He currently serves at
New Bolton Center as Professor of Surgery and Director of the Nuclear Medicine
Program. His broad clinical interests include equine gastrointestinal, respiratory and
musculoskeletal surgery, with concentrated efforts in orthopedic surgery, and special
focus on arthroscopic surgical techniques and lameness in Standardbred and
Thoroughbred racehorses. Dr. Ross is the author of over 295 scientific papers,
proceedings, etc. The 2nd edition of Drs Ross and Dyson’s comprehensive Diagnosis and
Management of Lameness in the Horse was published in November 2010.
Participants will view several videos of horses with gait deficits and will be asked
questions regarding characteristics and observations. A discussion of each case,
diagnosis and management will follow.
Derby East
The Use of Serum Amyloid A in the Monitoring of Clinically Ill
Hospitalized Patients
Rodney L. Belgrave, DVM, MS, DACVIM
Dr. Belgrave received his veterinary degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College of
Prince Edward Island. He completed a 3-year residency and MS in Veterinary
Medicine at Washington State University. He then served on staff as a clinical lecturer
at the University of Florida’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Dr. Belgrave has served as
the Staff Internist and Director of the Internal Medicine Dept. at the Mid-Atlantic
Equine Medical Center in Ringoes, NJ, since 2003. He has been published in numerous
peer-reviewed journals. He presented his findings on clinical research he performed on
the use of Serum Amyloid A as a diagnostic monitoring tool in clinically ill patients at
the 2011 AAEP annual conference in San Antonio. Dr. Belgrave is currently PresidentElect of the Northeast Assn. of Equine Practitioners (NEAEP). His specialty interests
include respiratory and neurological disorders, neonatology, and gastroenterology.
Serum Amyloid A (SAA) has been identified as a major acute phase protein in the
equine species. The use of SAA may allow for a more accurate assessment of the
response to therapy in patients with various infectious diseases, relative to the more
traditional markers of inflammation or infection such as total white blood cell count,
fibrinogen, and albumin: globulin ratio.
3:55 – 4:30 PM
Exhibit Area
4:30 – 5:30 PM
Derby West
Afternoon Break/Refreshments (sponsored by Merial and SoundEklin)
Nutritional Consultations: What Veterinarians Need to Know to
Make Sound Feed Recommendations (sponsored by Land O’Lakes
Purina Feed)
Mary Beth Gordon, PhD
Dr. Gordon earned her PhD in Equine Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Rutgers
University. Her research focused on the effects of exercise on the hormonal regulation
of appetite in horses and her work was the first to characterize the appetite stimulating
hormone, ghrelin, in equine. She is published in numerous scientific journals including
The Veterinary Journal, Equine Veterinary Journal, Journal of Equine Veterinary
Science, and Equine Comparative Exercise Physiology. She has also co-authored
chapters in several textbooks such as Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery. Dr.
Gordon joined Purina Mills in 2005, and is currently Director of Research & New
Product Development.
Horse owners often ask veterinarians for nutritional advice when they are in the
middle of a procedure or as they are packing up their truck to leave the farm. But as
a veterinarian, do you feel you have the tools to make good recommendations in a
short amount of time? This talk will discuss tools, questions to ask your clients, and
information you need to know to make sound nutrition recommendations. Dr. Gordon
will discuss body weight estimating, measuring feed, hay quality, supplements and
more. You will leave this session with a new confidence of how to answer feed
questions from horse owners.
Derby East
Diagnostic Imaging of the Suspensory Ligament (sponsored by
Sound-Eklin)
Alex Valdés-Martínez, DVM, DACVR
See bio in Dr. Alex Valdés-Martínez’s 10:50 – 11:50 AM session
Dr. Valdés-Martínez’s presentation will examine:
 The use of different imaging modalities (radiography, ultrasound, nuclear medicine,
computed tomography and magnetic resonance) for evaluation of the suspensory
ligament will be discussed.
 Case examples