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The Modern

Equine Vet www.modernequinevet.com

Vol 4 Issue 9 2014

pain? It's in His face

Need a new body part? Try printing it Factors that lead to respiratory disease New grading system for colic

Table of Contents

Cover story:

4 Pain?

It's in his face Cover photo courtesy of Dr. Gleerup

Colic

New grading system for colic............................................................................................... 3 Respiratory disease

What are factors that lead to respiratory illness?......................................................10 Orthopedics

Need a new body part? Trying printing it.....................................................................13 Behavior

Who's in the saddle? It doesn't matter..........................................................................14 Game on! Video technology assesses riders.................................................................16 News

New law is historic triumph for Vets.........................................12 Ceva-Sogeval Animal Health merger finished......................18 EIA found in South Carolina.........................................................18 Wisconsin horses test positive for EHV-1................................19 Neglect often tied to hay prices.................................................19 advertisers Merck Animal Health............................................ 6

Shanks Veterinary Equipment............................ 18

The Modern

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colic

New grading system could help improve survival in some horses with colic A novel approach to managing horses with strangulated small intestine, a challenging colic, could be a costeffective way to save the lives of many horses, according to researchers at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.

The approach, developed by David Freeman, MVB, PhD, a professor of large animal surgery at the unviersity and his team, relies heavily on a surgeon’s judgment to assess the viability of strangulated small intestine, an obstruction that impedes blood flow.

If the affected tissue shows improvements in intestinal color and muscle activity after corrective surgical measures, the organ has an excellent chance of recovering function, and costly removal of the intestinal obstruction is avoided, according to the researchers. “In general, the treatment for small intestinal strangulation isn’t as successful as for many other forms of colic,” said Dr. Freeman, adding that surgeons are always asking, “Do we need to remove this piece of intestine?”

Dr. Freeman and his colleagues concluded that if certain criteria are met, in many cases, the answer would be no, according to research presented at the 11th annual Equine Colic Research Symposium in Dublin.

The findings are based on a review of data from 35 colic cases treated at two university hospitals between 1996 and 2011. The horses underwent surgery for small intestinal strangulation. However, instead of resection, the two surgeons used the clinical grading system to assess the viability of the intestine.

All horses in the study were discharged after recovery, with only a few developing serious—but manageable—complications. Survival to discharge was 100%, and many horses survived more than10 years; some up to15 years.

Postoperative complications developed in 11 horses (31%). Three horses (8.6%) required repeat coeliotomy because of persistent pain with or without reflux. They responded favorably to decompression of distended intestine. Ten horses died after discharge, and 12 were still alive at follow-up from 20 to 192 months later. Information was available on 13 horses after discharge, but these were eventually lost to follow-up.

“These long-term survival data are very encouraging and might exceed what have been reported previously for this type of colic,” said Freeman, who also is the direc-

Judgement call: If the affected tissue shows improvements in intestinal color and muscle activity after corrective surgery, the organ has an excellent chance of recovering function and the horse can avoid removal of the intestinal obstruction.

Photos courtesy of David E. Freeman, MVB, PhD, Dipl. ACVS

tor of the college’s Island Whirl Equine Colic Laboratory.

“This study shows that in many cases, these horses can do very well with the affected intestine left in place.”

“I was very interested in this issue, so in each case, I recorded the severity of the small intestinal changes,” Dr. Freeman said. “I started off with a grading system, which was tweaked and modified along the way.”

Gradually, the team came up with the system UF is using today in equine clinical cases.

“Once we have established the degree of intestinal injury, we can now say: "This is the cutoff. If it’s worse than this, we will have to remove that part of the intestine, but if it’s better, we can leave it in place,'” Dr. Freeman said.

This subjective method of assessing small intestinal viability in a strangulated small intestine could reduce the need for resection and anastomosis, which would also reduce treatment costs and possibly, some economic euthanasia.

The good postoperative response provides strong evidence that early referral could avoid the need for resection and improve survival, according to the study. MeV

For more information: Freeman DE, Schaeffer DJ, Cleary OB. Long-term survival in horses with strangulating obstruction of the small intestine managed without resection.

Equine Vet. J. 2013 Nov. 18. Epub ahead of print. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24237247 ModernEquineVet.com | Issue 9/2014

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cover story

Pain?

It’s in his face Danish research identifies a pain face to help veterinarians diagnose the problem.

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Not many veterinarians or veterinary technicians would have trouble spotting a horse with severe acute pain, but teasing out low-level or intense chronic pain that the horse has learned to live with can be a bit trickier.

Karina B. Gleerup, DVM, PhD student, of the Department of Large Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and her colleagues have identified an equine pain face that might help. “Human studies have demonstrated that pain faces are very difficult to conceal,� Dr. Gleerup explained, which is one reason pain face scales were developed for infants and others to help physicians diagnose pain in patients that cannot tell them how

much it hurts. Similar pain face scales could be valuable to evaluate pain in animals, according to Dr. Gleerup, if only we could learn how to tell what the animal is communicating.

Low-level pain

Dr. Gleerup’s findings seem particularly good at detecting low-levels of pain, which could make it a useful tool for veterinarians, technicians and even owners and trainers.

“The equine pain face seems to be very sensitive to low-degree pain. My ongoing project is aimed at deciding how effective it is for different pain types. I think the most interesting area is low-degree pain, as veterinarians and horse owners are often not in

Facial expressions were altered in all of the study horses when they felt pain.

doubt when a horse is experiencing intense pain,” she said.

The pain face was investigated by applying two types of painful stimuli, a tourniquet (pressure cuff) on the antebrachium and topical capsaicin (made from hot peppers) and catalog-

ing the horse’s response to each.

Six healthy horses, five mares and one gelding, received each painful stimulus twice, once with an observer present and once where the horse did not know it was being observed.

Each horse participated in six trials. They were involved in two control trials where they did not receive any noxious stimuli and four pain trials where they received a noxious stimulus. The pain was delivered with the horse standing in a narrow, rectangular area of the stable. The length of the stimulus was the same for all horses. Two horses received a painful stimulus for four consecutive days, and four received a non-treatment day between trials. continued on page 8

When in pain, a horse's facial expressions change in response to the stimuli. The ears are low and/or asymmetrical, the eyes are angled, and it grimaces. The horse also seeks out a familiar person.

Photos courtesy of Dr. Gleerup

ModernEquineVet.com | Issue 9/2014

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cover story

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A.

A. Facial expression of a pain free, relaxed and attentive horse. B. Facial expression of a horse in pain, comprising all features of the pain face including asymmetrical ears. C. Facial expression of a horse in pain, comprising all features of the pain face including low ears.

Illustations by Andrea Klintbjer

continued from page 5

Changes

They found that the horses’ facial expressions changed in response to the painful stimuli.

When a horse is experiencing pain the ears are low and/ or asymmetrical, the eyes are angled, and its stare is withdrawn and/or tense. The nostrils are mediolaterally dilated, and the horse tenses lips, chin and certain facial muscles. In addition, the behavior changes when a person is present.

The horses increased its contactseeking behavior, according to the study which appeared in the journal Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 2014.

Surprising result

The change in behavior surprised Dr. Gleerup a bit, because researchers have always thought that horses would withdrawal or become aggressive when they are in pain, which makes sense on an evolutionary level, since the horse

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Horses experiencing acute, low to moderate pain may be inclined to seek contact with a familiar person. is a prey animal. “They often stay in the far corner of the box, and try to guard the wounded area,” she said.

“From my study, I discovered bonus information: that horses experiencing acute, low to moderate pain may be inclined to seek contact with a familiar person.

This is something that some owners may also recognize. So it is a contradiction to what we know,

although this is probably connected to the degree and type of pain; animals with chronic pain may react with aggressiveness or indifference,” Dr. Gleerup explained.

She reminded caregivers that horses do not change behavior without a reason. “If horse owners complain about some behavior, ask about changes in their close environment that could be stressful to the horse, such as new neighbors, and then look for pain,” she recommended.

“Although a physical examination is obviously very important, an evaluation of behavior is useful but often forgotten in the very busy clinic or practice. Even if it is only observing what the horse is doing in the stall before disturbing it and how it reacts when humans approach, this will add very useful information to the overall evaluation of a patient, especially to their pain status,” she said.

Becoming familiar with the pain face would make this evaluation

Features of the Equine Pain Face 1. Asymmetrical/low ears Both ears move in different directions or are placed in asymmetrical positions with neither of the ears facing directly forward or back. They may be lowered with the opening of the ears facing the sides or slightly back. The ears may be both asymmetrical and low.

2. Angled eye The levator anguli oculi mediali, the muscles that control the corner of the eye, show signs of tension.

3. Withdrawn and tense stare The horse’s look changes to become withdrawn and tense, a grimace.

C.

4. Nostrils The nostrils are dilated mediolaterally; especially the medial wing of the nostril may be tense. This is most obvious during inspiration.

5. Muzzle There is increased tonus of the lips and tension of the chin resulting in an edged shape of the muzzle.

6. Mimic muscles The facial and muscles become very tense and taunt.

Learning the distinctive features of the pain face might take a little practice to understand the nuances, she added, but facial expressions were altered in all of the study horses when they experienced the painful stimulus. MeV

Adapted from Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia (2014 doi:10.1111/vaa.12212)

For more information: Gleerup KB, Forkman B, Lindegaard C, Andersen PH. An equine pain face. Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia, 2014. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25082060 The development of the pain face.

ModernEquineVet.com | Issue 9/2014

Photos courtesy of Dr. Gleerup

even more useful, according to Dr. Gleerup. “Obviously, it is important that people learn to recognize the pain face as some of the features of the pain face may appear in other situations within social communication,” she explained

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What factors lead to

Equine respiratory diseases

causing these problems. Also, the genetic effects are probably polygenic, meaning due to several genes, according to Dr. Gerber. For some of these conditions, the genetic basis is clear; for others, suspected, he explained.

Breed and gender may play a role in the development of gut-

appear to have a complex relationship among genetics, individual confirmation traits and the environment.

Genes seem to be an important component to many upper and lower respiratory diseases, but they are not the only important factor, according to Vinzenz Gerber, PhD, DECEIM, DACVIM, who is a professor at the Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine at the University of Berne, Switzerland. Dr. Gerber and his colleagues wrote a paper in the Equine Veterinary Journal that reviewed the status of research in the genetics of upper and lower airway disease today—and how far researchers still have to go.

Examples of known factors that affect respiratory disease are confirmation traits, including the height of the horse and length of its neck, which are themselves also genetically influenced, affecting the expression of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN). Environmental factors, including infectious agents, allergens and airway irritants, have long been associated with lower respiratory tract diseases. These factors can work together to deprive a horse of oxygen and stamina.

This multifactorial nature makes it difficult to pinpoint the genes

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tural pouch tympany. Arabians and paints appear to be more likely to be born with guttural pouch tympany, a defect characterized by the abnormal distention of one or more of the guttural pouches, but it has also been described in Warmbloods and Quarter horses. Females appear 2 to 4 times more likely than males to develop this condition that prevents air from leaving the guttural

pouch. A sex-linked genetic basis is suspected strongly and some regions on the equine genome have been shown to be associated with guttural pouch tympany.

Because it causes inspiratory strider and exercise intolerance, RLN is of particular concern, especially in performance and racing.

Although there are many etiologies, including infections and trauma, about 94% of cases are idiopathic.

There appears to be a genetic predisposition, but age, size and confirmation also appear to affect this condition. For instance, draught horses have a higher prevalence, but the rate is not the same across all draught breeds: the rate among Belgians is about 42%, among Perchons 31% and among Clydesdales it is only 17%.

The genetic pathogenesis to exercise-induced pulmonary hem-orrhage (EIPH), another respiratory disease of concern in race horses, is not clearly defined. However a study of more than 1,200 South African Thoroughbreds found heritable liabilities in 55.4% in first-degree relatives, 41.3% in second and 30.4% in third-degree relatives, but another review of more than 2000 cases in Australia showed a weak genetic link to epistaxis after racing.

This is definitely one of those cases

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Respiratory disease can result in severe economic losses, or even death, to performance animals

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respiratory diseases?

respiratory disease where environment, co-morbidities and other factors also play a role.

Seven percent to 20% of adults in the Northern Hemisphere suffer from recurrent airway obstruction (ROA), and it is another disease that appears to have a strong genetic component. The chances of Warmbloods and Lipizzans having offspring with RAO increase considerably if the parents have the condition, but other factors, such as stable environment and allergy, also appear to play a role, Gerber said.

Even a horse’s response to an infection might be genetically predisposed, and the influence of genes on infectious diseases is particularly intriguing. Why does one animal exposed to Rhodococcus equii develop pneumonia, but not another? Why is the vaccination response better in one animal over another? And how can one use this information to prevent the spread of these conditions? Researchers have already determined that the mutations in the gene for transferrin, a bacteriostatic iron-binding protein in the blood, is associated with susceptibility to bacteria and disease severity.

This information has no practical clinical use at the moment, he said, but it might someday help in the development of susceptibility tests, vaccines or treatments.

Finding the genetic markers that would pinpoint a disease susceptibility or cause is important work because respiratory disease can result in severe economic losses, or even death, to performance animals. “Considerable efforts have been made to unravel their genetic basis to better understand the underlying causes and pathophysiology, and ultimately, to identify individuals with an increased genetic risk. There is now strong evidence that genetic predispositions exist for guttural pouch tympany, RLN and RAO. There are also data to suggest that exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage and infectious diseases of ModernEquineVet.com | Issue 9/2014

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respiratory disease

the lower respiratory tract are influenced by genetics,” Dr. Gerber and his colleagues wrote.

“Most respiratory conditions are genetically ‘tough to figure out,’ meaning they are very complex.

This is why currently no genetic tests are available,” Dr. Gerber told The Modern Equine Vet. Until genetic tests and treatments are developed, controlling the environment and responsible

breeding appear to be the best ways to mitigate the signs of these conditions.

A full understanding of equine genetics and disease is far away and unlikely to reveal “miracle cures,” Dr. Gerber said. “However, it may help guide therapies and potential vaccination protocols in the future.”

In the meantime, control what you can. Make sure the environment is properly managed, vac-

cinate and deworm according to recommendations, manage the symptoms, isolated infected horses and don’t breed animals that are passing these conditions to their offspring, Dr. Gerber said.

“Advise horse owners and breeders about the best possible prevention (including avoiding risky matings in the case of genetic predispositions) and treatment of equine airway diseases,” he said.

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For more information: Gerber V, Tessier C, Marti E. Genetics of upper and lower airway diseases in the horse. Equine Vet J. 2014 Apr 28. doi: 10.1111/evj.12289.

[Epub ahead of print] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24773614

news notes

shutterstock/joyfull

New law is a historic triumph for veterinarians, animal care President Barack Obama signed into law a crucial bill that makes it legal for veterinarians to provide complete medical care to their patients beyond their clinics and across state lines. The Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act (H.R. 1528) amends a restrictive provision within the Controlled Substances Act, which previously barred veterinarians from carrying and using controlled substances—necessary for pain management, anesthesia and euthanasia—beyond their registered locations, often their clinics, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, which supported the bill. The American Association of Equine Practitioners also supported the bill.

“By passing and signing this legislation, the president and our legislators recognize the critical role veterinarians play in treating sick animals and relieving their pain and suffering. The health and welfare of our nation’s wildlife, food animals, and even our companion animals depend on veterinarians being allowed to do their jobs wherever the need arises,” said Ted Cohn, DVM, president of the AVMA. “As veterinarians, we promise to use our medical expertise for the protection of animal health and welfare

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and the prevention and relief of animal suffering.”

For more than two years, the AVMA worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Congress in search of a statutory clarification to the Controlled Substances Act, so that veterinarians would not be subject to repercussions should they transport, administer or dispense controlled substances while providing care outside of the locations where those substances are registered. Closing the loophole has been particularly important for veterinarians, who provide care in rural areas, respond to emergencies in the field, provide house calls for their clients, remove dangerous wild animals or rescue them from traps, conduct research and disease control efforts in the field, and provide routine medical care across state lines when they live on a state’s border. AVMA’s advocacy efforts led to more than 27,000 letters sent to Congress supporting the bill. More than 130 veterinary medical and other organizations endorsed it.

The Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act (H.R. 1528) was sponsored by the only two veterinarians serving in Congress— Reps.

Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) and Ted Yoho (R-Fla.).

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orthopedics

Need a new body part?

Try printing it Veterinarians

performed

two unique surgical procedures at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals; one of them involved printing the needed body parts on a 3D printer.

Performed on horses and other large animals, these procedures promise to revolutionize the ways surgeons repair cartilage and meniscus tears in human joints.

In the first set of procedures, the surgeons and researchers tried a new method for cartilage repair on horses. Another team performed a meniscus repair procedure on sheep. The meniscus repair involved custom-designed and individualized replacement parts. With information from an MRI scan of the patient’s joint, the researchers used a 3-D printer to assemble an artificial meniscus fitted to the patient’s body.

The surgeons and researchers taking part in these groundbreaking preclinical trials included staff from Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS)—a section of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and an affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City—and the New York Giants football team.

“The goal is to make these technologies available for people,” said Lisa A. Fortier, DVM, PhD, DACVS, professor of large animal surgery at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine. But the veterinarian admitted she would like to be able to use the procedures

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Cornell veterinary surgeon Lisa Fortier, right, and surgeon Russ Warren, former surgeon-inchief at the Hospital for Special Surgery and a specialist for the New York Giants football team, try a new cartilage repair procedure on a horse at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals.

on her own patients, too.

The first procedures involved one-hour surgeries on five horses to practice a new procedure and use a cartilage repair device developed by Suzanne Maher, PhD, a biomechanical engineer at HSS and a member of the research team. She designed an off-the-shelf biocompatible scaffolding that can be surgically inserted into damaged cartilage for repair and to prevent the onset of arthritis.

Cartilage defects occur due to overuse or from such traumatic episodes as a crucial ligament tear or rupture, for example.

“We know that any of those types of cartilage defects can lead to arthritis,” which the procedure

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aims to prevent, Dr. Fortier said.

Once cartilage is torn, there is currently no viable repair nor does it heal on its own, she added.

Team members included Fortier, an equine surgeon, and Russ Warren, MD, former surgeon-inchief at HSS and a specialist for the New York Giants football team.

The second procedure involved a preclinical meniscal transplant on sheep, which is part of a multi– year National Institutes of Health grant. When torn or deteriorated, the meniscus does not heal on its own. So far, the gold standard for replacement comes from cadavers, tissue that is hard to match and obtain and may transmit diseases, Dr. Fortier said. Artificial scaffolds MeV have also been ineffective.

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behavior

Who's in the saddle?

It doesn't matter

Horses don't seem to be affected by rider' s gender

horses are affected by the gender of their riders. Various parameters of stress were determined in horses and their riders when they covered an obstacle course. The results were surprising: the level of stress on a horse is independent of whether a man or a woman is in the saddle.

Furthermore, the stress responses of male and female riders are essentially the same, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Comparative Exercise Physiology.

For centuries, horse riding was restricted largely to males, which is in stark contrast to today, when nearly 80% of riders are women, explained Natascha Ille, MagMedVet, of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Viena (Vetmeduni Vienna). Modern day equestrian sports are unique in that men and women compete directly against one another at all levels, from beginners to champions. But do horses care? “For this reason it is interesting to consider whether a theory of riding that was developed exclusively for men can be applied to women,� said Dr. Ille.

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Shutterstock/Wallenrock

Scientists have analyzed how

Saddle pressure

In a second experiment, Dr. Ille and her colleagues studied the pressure exerted on a horse's back via the saddle. “Depending on the rider's posture and position, the pattern of pressure on the horse's back may change dramatically,”

Credit: Juliane Kuhl / Vetmeduni Vienna

“It is often assumed that women are more sensitive toward their horses than men. If this is so, male and female riders should elicit different types of responses from their horses,” she explained.

Dr. Ille, Professor Christine Aurich, DVM, and colleagues from the Vetmeduni Vienna´s Graf Lehndorff Institute examined eight horses and 16 riders (eight men and eight women). Each horse had to jump a standard course of obstacles twice, ridden once by a man and once by a woman with similar equestrian experience. The scientists monitored the levels of stress in the horses and their riders, checking the amounts of cortisol in the saliva and their heart rates.

The results were unexpected.

The horses’ cortisol levels increased during the test but it was not affected by the gender of the rider. The horses’ heart rates also increased as a result of taking the course but the increase was irrespective of the human partner in the saddle. The tests on the riders gave similar results.

Again, cortisol levels increased but there was no difference between men and women. The riders' pulses sped up when the horses switched from a walk to a canter and accelerated further during the jumping course, but the heart rate curves for male and female riders were nearly identical.

Horses seem to be truly gender-neutral. It doesn't matter to them if their human partner is female or male.

When men and women compete in equestrian sports, they all have similar chances. she explained.

A special pad placed directly under the saddle was used to analyze saddle pressure in walk, trot and canter. Because female riders are generally lighter than males, the saddle pressure was lower when horses were ridden by females. However, the distribution of pressure did not differ,

and there was no evidence of differences in the riding posture between males and females.

Fair chance for all

So what does all this mean for modern equestrian sports? Dr. Aurich was keen to reassure potential competitors that horses are truly gender-neutral.

“Assuming that there is no difference in riding ability, from the horse’s point of view, it does not seem to matter whether the human partner is male or female.

Our results make it extremely unlikely that horses have a preference for riders of one sex over the other. And when male and female riders compete against one another in equestrian sports, all of them have similar chances of doing well.”

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For more information: Ille N, Aurich C, Erber R, et al. Physiological stress responses and horse rider interactions in horses ridden by male and female riders. Journal of Comparative Exercise Physiology. 2014;10:131. DOI: 10.3920/CEP14300 ModernEquineVet.com | Issue 9/2014

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behavior

Game on! video technology aids horse rider assessment Balance, symmetry and poor posture could be improved with technique

Shutterstock/ PHOTOBUAY

Horse riders’ balance, sym-

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metry and poor posture could be improved thanks to an innovative body suit that works with motion sensors, commonly used by movie makers and the video game industry, according to a new study in Sports Technology.

Elizabeth Gandy, MSc, a senior lecturer in the University of Sunderland's Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology, used inertial motion sensors worn in the Xsens MVN body suit to assess rider asymmetry, lower back pain and injury risk.

“Lower back pain affects around one-third of the UK adult population and studies have reported that some of the highest injury rates are to be found

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in equestrian sports, Ms. Gandy said. “Despite this, limited scientific research has been carried out into the effects of asymmetry and poor posture on rider health.

“The incorporation of inertial motion sensors into a body-worn suit is an emerging technology, which provides a non-constraining alternative to video capture for motion analysis. Examples include medical research and applications within the video game and film industries,” Ms. Gandy said To evaluate the potential of this technology for rider assessment, Ms. Gandy and her colleagues, with research associates from the Saddle Research Trust, carried out a postural analysis of

12 riders wearing the Xsens MVN inertial motion capture suit. Hip angle rotation was measured and software developed to customize the analysis of the data for rider analysis.

Results revealed the presence of asymmetry in all of the 12 riders with up to 27° difference between left and right hips, 83% with greater external rotation of the right hip.

“This preliminary study has demonstrated that the use of the inertial motion sensor suit provides an efficient and practical method of assessing riders during a range of movements," explained Ms. Gandy.

The MNV Biomech is a 3D human kinematic, camera-less mea-

Horse riders' balance, symmetry and poor posture could be improved thanks to an innovative body suit that works with motion sensors, commonly used by movie makers and the video games industry.

surement system, with integrated small tracking sensors placed on the joints, which can communicate wirelessly with a computer to capture every twist and turn Îżf the body, which is displayed as an avatar and a 3D set of data on screen.

Biomechanics, sports science, nurse training, rehabilitation and ergonomics are just some of the areas the University of Sunderland's researchers and students are now exploring since investing in the hi-tech suit in 2011, developed by Dutch company Xsens.

Previously used to create the animated alien in the science fic-

tion movie “Paul,� the suit works with sensors and can be used in most environments, both internal and external. Previous technology at the university meant any 3D motion capture data had to be recorded via fixed cameras in a lab.

The full results of the study will be presented at the second Saddle Research Trust International Conference, Nov. 29 at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK. The research was supported by funding from the University's Faculty of Applied Sciences Digital Innovation research beacon.

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The inertial motion sensor suit provided an efficient and practical way to assess riders' technique.

For more information: Elizabeth Gandy et al. A preliminary investigation of the use of inertial sensing technology for the measurement of hip rotation asymmetry in horse riders. Sports Technology, April 2014 DOI: 10.1080/19346182.2014.905949 ModernEquineVet.com | Issue 9/2014

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news notes

Ceva Animal Health aquires Sogeval Animal Health Ceva Animal Health’s integration of Sogeval Laboratories should strengthen the company’s ability to provide total animal health solutions to veterinarians and their clients.

Ceva’s strength in parasiticides and behavior combined with Sogeval’s leadership in dermatology, pain, mobility, and gastrointestinal health brings strong value to the industry.

“With more depth and breadth of products, and more value solutions to help address our partners’ business needs, our entire value proposition is magnified,” said Dr. Karen Padgett, chief operating officer, Ceva Animal Health. “We want to be the veterinarian’s go-to source for innovative, trusted products and business solutions that enhance the health of patients and the practice.

Lifting Large Animals Since 1957

“This has been a transformative year for Ceva. The acquisition of Sogeval, the launch of our first FDA approved product Meloxydil, and the formation of our Equine Business Unit are part of the strategic growth plan that will allow us to provide a wider array of solutions for veterinarians and their staff,” Dr. Padgett said. The combined operations of Ceva and Sogeval will move forward under the Ceva name with a fully integrated sales and marketing plan.

“Ceva offers veterinary practices the power of more than 100 products, bringing veterinarians more solutions for improved pet and practice health. Our dedicated team of knowledgeable, caring professionals comes to work every day with a shared purpose to help you and your clients provide the best pet care possible,” Dr. Padgett said.

In addition to their expanded portfolio of branded products, Ceva also offers important business solutions for their veterinary and distributor partners, including private label and custom label operations (previously known as Animal Health Branded Solutions.) Ceva Business solutions are delivered by an experienced and dedicated sales team.

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EIA diagnosed in South Carolina; first case in more than 10 years

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Issue 9/2014 | ModernEquineVet.com

The first case of equine infectious anemia (EIA) in more than a decade was reported in a South Carolina mule. Testing done at the Clemson University Veterinary Diagnostic Center in Columbia and National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, confirmed the initial results, according to S.C. State Veterinarian Boyd Parr, DVM. South Carolina was the only state in the Southeast that did not record a new positive EIA case between 2003–2013.

The affected mule did not show any outward signs of EIA infection before the positive Coggin’s test.

State officials are investigating to determine if other equids were exposed that require additional quarantine and testing. The mule was euthanized.

No vaccine or treatment exists for this infectious and potentially fatal viral disease. Clinical signs include fever, weight loss, icterus, anemia, edema and weakness.

In similar news, two equids died from eastern equine encephalitis, a horse in Darlington County and a miniature donkey in Horry County. This is a reportable disease in the state, and South Carolina had the most cases last year. Almost all of the confirmed cases—48 of 49—died.

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Three Dane County horses test positive for EHV-1 Three horses from an equine boarding and training facility in Dane County, Wisconsin, have tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), said Wisconsin’s State Veterinarian Paul McGraw, DVM. EHV-1 is a highly contagious virus that causes respiratory disease, abortion and intermittent outbreaks of neurologic disease in horses.

One horse became ill in late August showing neurologic signs and was euthanized. The other two horses became ill over the Labor Day weekend and are being treated by a veterinarian. All three horses were vaccinated in spring for rhinopneumonitis, which is caused by an equine herpesvirus. Currently licensed vaccines are not indicated to prevent the neurologic form of EHV-1.

McGraw asked veterinarians to be watchful for horses showing acute neurological signs with a reminder that confirmed positive test results for EHV1 must be reported to the Division of Animal Health at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade

and Consumer Protection within 10 days.

Talk to owners about practicing infection control precautions and the importance of hand washing to avoid spreading the virus, as well as educating them about the signs that should alert them to possibility of neurologic infection including fever, weakness and incoordination, and urinary incontinence. Horses with these symptoms should be examined immediately. Suspect horses should be isolated from healthy horses and tested.

“Horses with a fever and symptoms of contagious respiratory infection should be kept at home," Dr. McGraw said. Horse owners should be made aware that transportation of horses to competitions, shows and clinics may increase the risk of exposure to infectious organisms.

Information resources and situational updates are available on its website at datcp.wi.gov/animals/animal_diseases and on Facebook and on Twitter. MeV

Neglect often tied to hay prices A new report finds that neglect is often tied to the economy with hay prices being a predominant factor, according to the Equine Welfare Alliance (EWA) and the Animal Law Coalition.

“The findings are grim for the horse industry,” said EWA's John Holland, “We found that the decline in new registrations which began in 2005 continued into 2013, with some breeds reporting registrations down as much as 75%.”

The report details the price of hay in every state over the past decade with increases in many states of more than 100%, and some showing increases as much as 220%. Worst hit were the western and southwestern states, which were plagued by persistent drought.

The report, however, offers a glimmer of hope in recent increases in the amount of land allocated to hay production following the removal of corn ethanol subsidies that Congress terminated in 2011.

This marks the first upturn in more than a decade.

An earlier EWA study found that the price of hay was the dominant factor in determining the likely rate of neglect, with the rate of unemployment coming in a distant second.

The report also contains a detailed record of legal and legislative battles that have raged over the past few years, especially as concerns horse slaughter.

The report found the export of horses to slaughter declined in 2013, down from an almost two decade high in 2012.

Finally, the report provided an update in the abuse and neglect rates in the five states where these records are kept at the state level. Only Colorado showed an increased rate of neglect, but it was the only state that reports such data within the droughtplagued regions.

“When the price of hay increases dramatically, you can be sure that the neglect rate will follow the same trajectory,” explained Holland. MeV

Paul Herendeen appointed EVP and CEO Paul Herendeen was appointed executive vice president and chief financial officer of Zoetis, completing a leadership transition that began in April. Herendeen will oversee the company’s finance and information technology (IT) organizations and be part of the Zoetis executive team, reporting to CEO Juan Ramón Alaix. He will have responsibility for the financial management, planning and operations for the company’s $4.6 billion enterprise.

Herendeen brings more than 30 years of broad financial experience and leadership to his role at Zoetis, including 16 years as CFO of Warner Chilcott MeV and MedPointe.

ModernEquineVet.com | Issue 9/2014

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