Educational Articles
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Imidocarb dipropionate is an injectable medication that is administered by a veterinarian to treat babesiosis in dogs. It is also used off-label to treat other protozoal infections in dogs, cats, and horses. Most common side effects include mild drooling, tearing, vomiting, or nasal drip. Do not use in pets with exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting drugs, pesticides, or chemicals. If a negative reaction occurs, please call your veterinary office.
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A keratoma is a rare benign tumor of the inner layer of keratin-producing epidermal hoof wall cells that forms inside a horse's foot. As the tumor slowly grows, it expands and separates the hoof wall laminae, causing pain and lameness.
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Laminitis is a common but still incompletely understood condition that causes varying degrees of foot pain, from the slightly pottery pony to severe life-threatening lameness.
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Good management is the key to preventing or controlling the spread of disease. Good management practices aim to keep horses in good condition and in a healthy environment, in order to reduce the risk of introduction and spread of disease, to identify individuals especially at risk and to promote rapid recovery if disease does occur.
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When a farrier shoes a horse, accurate placement of each nail through the insensitive epidermal laminae of the hoof is essential. The nail must penetrate deep enough to hold firm, but not deep enough to penetrate the sensitive laminae of the hoof.
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Navicular 'disease' is really a group of related conditions affecting the navicular bone and associated structures in the foot. There are several possible causes of pain in and around the navicular bone.
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Osteochondrosis (OCD) is a failure of the bone underlying the smooth articular cartilage inside the joints, i.e. the subchondral bone, to form properly from the skeleton's cartilage template.
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Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, previously known as Equine Cushing's Disease) is a complex condition associated with abnormal function of a small, hormone-producing organ, the pituitary gland, that lies at the base of the brain.
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Polysulfated glycosaminoglycan is an injectable disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) used to treat non-infectious and traumatic arthritis in dogs. It is also used off-label in cats and small mammals. If administering this medication at home, follow your veterinarian’s instructions and dispose of the needle and syringe appropriately. Side effects are rare when given according to label recommendations and at prescribed intervals. Do not use this medication in pets with a known hypersensitivity to it, in pets with known or suspected bleeding disorders or immune-mediated arthritis, or in pets with severe kidney or liver disorders.
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The horse's hoof is a very complex structure. The tough outer wall surrounds layers of sensitive laminae ('leaves') that support, nourish with blood and, in turn, cover the underlying pedal bone.
