Adam Marcus

Vaccines against leptospirosis appear to leave many horses inadequately defended against the bacteria, according to a study that underscores the need for broader-spectrum inoculations.

A single injection of equicenta CTM (Equine Performance Labs) improved lameness, pain and swelling at a level greater than clinician-selected standard of care, and nearly tripled the odds of horses returning to their prior level of performance, according to a study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science (13:1833933. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1833933).

Stephen O’Grady, DVM, has worked around horses for more than 50 years, but he took a less conventional path to his career as an equine veterinarian. Dr. O’Grady, who now practices in Virginia, started out as a farrier, shoeing horses for a decade before deciding to go back for his degree in veterinary medicine. As a result, he…

A wearable electrocardiogram for horses appears to provide several days of reliable readings, even when animals are allowed to move freely, but researchers say the technology is not quite ready for the paddock.

Horses can bring a sense of calm to agitated humans, but we don’t always return the favor. Not only do equids respond to our voices and body language, but they also appear to smell our fear and anxiety, too, according to French researchers. In a recent study, the scientists found that horses exposed to cotton pads containing the…

Equine tendon injuries are a significant challenge in veterinary medicine. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, injury to these tissues can lead to chronic and even life-threatening lameness.

Equine veterinarians frequently find themselves looking sick horses in the mouth. But whether and when to use antibiotics for equine dental concerns is not always immediately clear.

The presence of bacteria in a tracheal wash from a horse with asthma frequently is unrelated to the presence or absence of a respiratory infection. Therefore, on its own it should not dictate treatment plans, researchers have found.

The prospect of colic surgery can be traumatic for horse owners. What can equine veterinarians do to help? Margaret Mudge, VMD, DACVS, DACVECC, a clinical professor of emergency critical care and the section head of surgery at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, in Columbus, discussed the topic at the 2026 annual Equine & Farm Animal…

Botulism may no longer be as dreaded by humans as it was in the days before sterile canning and botulinum antitoxin, but the bacterial disease remains a rare yet potentially lethal problem around farms. Horses are particularly susceptible to botulism, typically through contaminated feed, wounds or even ingestion of the Clostridium botulinum microbe. Compared with mice—the reference animal…

When it comes to preventing postoperative infections, a recent study shows less is more. Veterinarians can limit the course of prophylactic antibiotics to 24 hours in horses undergoing colic surgery without increasing the risk for infectious complications.

The volatile anesthetic agent desflurane may cost more than alternatives, and it is being shunned worldwide for its climate-warming potential, but it does have an advantage in equine surgery—desflurane is associated with faster recovery from elective procedures versus isoflurane, potentially reducing the risk of injuries and other trauma during the postoperative period.

Eye conditions are among the most common and challenging conditions for equine veterinarians to manage. From complex abscesses to chronic uveitis, choosing the right intervention can mean the difference between success and permanent vision loss. For insights into a few of these challenges, Modern Equine Vet spoke with Amanda Davis, DVM, DACVO, an expert in equine eye care…

A regional anesthetic commonly used in humans and small animals failed an important cost-benefit test in horses, producing minimal pain control at the expense of potentially serious side effects, new research shows.

Injury to the subchondral bone of the first phalanx is a common cause of lameness in performance horses, and one for which optimal treatment can sometimes be unclear. Conservative treatments, such as stall rest, controlled rehab, steroids and other approaches, often fail. While minimally invasive arthroscopic debridement can be effective, the location of the lesions can limit the…

Although it does not get as much attention as colic, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a common and potentially serious gastrointestinal disorder in equines. One study found as many as one-third of horses that lost weight despite showing a strong appetite had some form of IBD. But diagnosing the condition can be challenging. For tips, the Modern Equine…

A simple preliminary 8-point assessment can accurately identify mares in pain in the days after foaling, potentially improving post-partum care, new research shows.

Sure, horses love carrots, but is carrot juice worth the squeeze? Science appears to have the answer.

The wearable craze may soon be coming to a paddock near you.

If the drug metformin proves to be a useful treatment for atrial fibrillation in people, thank a horse.

Strangvac is a recombinant vaccine built on 8 fragments of the genome of Streptococcus equi, the organism responsible for the highly transmissible strangles infection. Initially approved in Europe in 2021, the vaccine is now reportedly entering trials in the United States as a step toward regulatory review.

Chromosomal abnormalities appear to cause as many as 60% of early pregnancy losses in horses, new research shows.

Plastic particles have turned up pretty much everywhere. They’re also in virtually everything we eat and drink, so it should come as no surprise that they also contaminate the food we feed to animals, including hay.