TECHNICIAN UPDATE
Surgical Treatment of Kissing Spine in a Warmblood Mare
By Aurora Sochan, CVT, VTS-EVN
In 2015, a Dutch Warmblood mare used for show jumping, was first evaluated by New England Equine Medical & Surgical Center, for performance-related issues, including a shortness of stride at the canter and signs of discomfort with increased weight in the saddle.
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How to Perform an Ultrasound-Guided Injection of a Palmar Metacarpal Soft Tissue Injury
By Jessica Cook
Every practice will have its own protocols for common procedures. This article will describe—step by step—how we perform an ultrasound guided injection of a palmar metacarpal soft-tissue injury of the forelimb using an extracellular matrix. The procedure varies minimally depending upon the reparative therapy chosen by the client.
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Diagnosing and Managing Respiratory Abnormalities in the Equine Athlete
By Molly Cripe Birt, BS, RVT, VTS-EVN
During exertion, the horse’s airflow will in-crease nearly 20 times than when at rest, which changes the shape and rigidity of the airway. For the equine athlete, particularly horses competing in high-speed events, the upper airway is vital for its performance and success. Three common abnormalities in the pharynx and larynx can affect that performance:
1. dorsal displacement of the soft palate,
2. laryngeal hemiplegia and
3. entrapped epiglottis.
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A Case of Clostridium botulinum in a Warmblood Foal
By Megan Born, BT, AAS, LVT, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute
With attending Internists Nimet Browne DVM, MPH DACVIM, and Nathan Slovis, DVM DACVIM, CHT
A 6-week-old Warmblood filly foal was recumbent when it presented to Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, in Kentucky. The only prior treatment implemented at the farm was a dose of flunixin meglumine. The foal’s dam remained at the farm.
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Caring for a Foal With Severe, Acute Neonatal Isoerythrolysis
By Jeanine Baker
Last May, an approximately 12-hour old chestnut Thoroughbred colt, weighing 63 kg, presented with his dam to Rhinebeck Equine for suspected rib fractures and subsequent hemorrhaging. The foal was born to a multiparous mare, by a prominent leading sire. This was the second live foal out of the mare by this sire. Foaling was attended, and the foal reportedly had a normal birth and stood and nursed well.
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Vertebral Abscess Presentation in Foals
By Emily Brooks
One hallmark of foaling season is the influx of lame foal emergencies that we see from February to June.
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The Importance of Whole-Horse Examinations
By Jessica Cook
A whole horse examination is just as it sounds. It is a baseline evaluation of the horse’s entire body rather than focusing on just 1 area. Palpating, manipulating and mobilizing the neck, back, pelvis and limbs can help determine the causes of poor performance—not just lameness—identifying, treating and managing these issues for the future.
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Unresponsive Tachycardia in an Equine Patient During Surgical Correction of a Small Intestinal Volvulus
By Lori Dressel CVT, BSP, VTS (AVTAA) Lg Animal, and Jane Quandt DVM, MS, DACVAA, DACVECC
24-year-old, 340-kg gelding pony was admitted to the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital for evaluation of small intestinal colic. According to the owner, the patient became lethargic and depressed for 12 hours before the referring veterinarian was called. The patient was referred because the pony was nonresponsive to treatment and had previous colic surgery, an exploratory celiotomy 3 years prior for a strangulating lipoma. At that time 8 feet of necrotic bowel were removed, and a jejunocecostomy was performed.
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You Can Fight City Hall:‘Will Never Happen,’ Happened
By Marcia Cantrell, CVT
In 2021, Montana passed a law allowing the licensure of veterinary technicians. It was an accomplishment that took perseverance and patience, and I am very proud of the part I played in it.
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Managing a Strangles Outbreak
By Natalie McTaggart, AAS-RVT
On May 2, 2021, the attending veterinarian was called out to a local boarding barn for a horse that had large amounts of nasal discharge, coughing and was not eating. Whiskey, a 13-year-old Quarterhorse mare presented with lethargy, exuberant amounts of nasal discharge that was thick and yellow, a deep cough and no appetite.
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