Equine

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Tragedy on the track

OCEANPORT, N.J. - When an equine injury or death occurs at a racetrack, especially during a high-profile event like the Breeders' Cup Championships, accurate reporting of health-status issues to the public is critical - perhaps as important as dealing with the injury itself, says one of the nation's leading equine veterinarians.

Baton Rouge - 11/28/07 - Louisiana State University and University of Georgia researchers will head two equine laminitis-focused projects, with the more than $100,000 total costs to be funded by donations from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) in memory of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.

Jackson, Miss. - Cases of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV) are up sharply in Mississippi this year, with EEE cases already more than double the 2006 totals, according to State Veterinarian Jim Watson, DVM.

San Diego - 10/29/07 - With the worst of the unprecedented wildfires extinguished throughout the county, relief and recovery efforts and now the primary focus of volunteers and the industry, who aim to get the more than 500,000 displaced residents and thousands of pets reunited and home.

Lexington, Ky. - 10/25/07 - The American Horse Council's National Issues Fall Forum will host a session on equine piroplasmosis (EP) and related issues, presented by Kent Fowler, DVM and chief of the Animal Health Branch at the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

San Diego -- 10/25/07 - Wind-whipped wildfires have swallowed Southern California, leaving roughly half a million acres blackened, almost 1,600 homes destroyed, more than 500,000 residents evacuated and thousands of animals abandoned.

Washington - Dr. Michael Blackwell isn't ungrateful. But the $500,000 grants tied to the U.S. Senate's version of the Veterinary Public Health Workforce Expansion Act, passed in July, will do little to add seats to the University of Tennessee's (UT) veterinary program. Such funds fall short of expanding even one classroom, and neglect the public's need for more DVMs, the veterinary college dean explains.

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Lexington, Ky. - For the last five years, Dr. William A. Rood, co-founder and director of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, has been doing some proselytizing - seeking to convert as many young veterinary students as he can to the practice of equine medicine.

Austin, Texas - Veterinary regulators employ a "monopolistic licensing scheme" to put lay equine dentists out of business. Their anti-competition tactics are unconstitutional, punishing those with skills that "far exceed that of nearly every veterinarian in the state of Texas."

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Minneapolis - For 59 years, Dr. Carl Seemann practiced as northern Minnesota's surgical "spine man," a solo generalist who, at age 84, saw three clients a day until Christmas last year.

Live foals throughout North America so far in 2007, as reported to the Jockey Club, are running slightly behind last year's pace, but the organization says that, with additional reports in the next few months, its previously announced projection of 37,500 registered live foals in 2007 is likely to be on target.

Orlando, Fla. - 9/13/07 - More than 3,000 equine practitioners, veterinary students, technicians and horse owners are expected to attend the 53rd annual convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Dec. 1-5 at Orlando's Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center.