Today I am absolutely thrilled to be able to introduce Dr Laura Werner as a regular contributor to Eventing Nation. I’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with Laura on a number of things, as well as get to know her since she moved back to Kentucky from California and I’m delighted that thanks to her generosity the entire Eventing Nation will now be able to benefit from her wealth of knowledge, vast horsemanship and fascinating case-load. Laura is a board-certified surgeon, as well as an FEI eventing veterinary delegate; she graduated from the Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine and completed a residency at the Ohio State University. Laura works directly across the road from the Kentucky Horse Park here in Lexington at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute as part of the surgery and sport horse departments; she might be the only girl who’ll admit that she “enjoys emergency surgeries as well as lameness and sports medicine.”! Laura has two horses that she tries to event when time permits, and if you think being a vet insures one against horse heartbreak, think again; Laura was forced to retire her best horse from Eventing a year ago due to injury. In her first installment below Laura takes on a number of different subjects, but invites readers to please submit any topics you would like her to discuss, or questions you’d like answered . This is your chance EN, we now have our very own resident James Herriot, only she’s younger, prettier, modern and did I mention, jet-set? “EN is my favorite source for equestrian news and notes and helps me especially keep up with all my eventing friends and competitions on the left coast.” That’s right, by the time you read this Laura will be on her way out to Thermal, California and she’s promised to bring us a report from there too! Without further ado, but thanks again, here’s Laura…..!
Updates for the 2013 veterinary FEI rules.
So as we are just understanding the new qualification rules, of course there are other new veterinary and drug rules for FEI competitions as well. Starting January 2013, when applying for a new FEI registration, your horse is required to be microchipped. The microchips accepted are classified with a ISO 11784 or ISO 11785 designation. Not all available microchips commonly used in the US are ISO compliant so be sure to consult with your veterinarian to use the proper type of chip. The microchips are implanted on the left side of the neck in the nuchal ligament, approximately halfway between the poll and the withers. The number needs to be entered in your passport and included with applications for new registrations. Several drugs have been added to the Forbidden Substance List. The most notable addition is Sarapin or pitcher plant extract which is commonly used in back, muscle, etc. injections. Other drugs include cyclosporine and tropicamide, most commonly used in ophthalmic preparations. Delmadinone acetate (DMA) and chloramidone acetate (CMA) are also added to the controlled medication list for potential performance enhancing effects. Fentanyl and morphine have been moved from prohibited to the controlled list, as they have potential therapeutic use in pain management. Deslorelin or Sucromate also has been removed from the forbidden substance list as it commonly used to induce ovulation in mares. Please consult www.fei.org or www.feicleansport.org. I find the smart phone application for FEI Clean Sport to be useful as well for quick referencing of any topical or herbal ingredient questions that come up.
Injecting NEXT into a tendon lesion
What is new in the world of equine sports medicine?
Equinext is marketing a novel treatment for bowed tendons or suspensory ligament tears. The substance, NEXTTM (Nonsurgical Exogenous Cross Link Therapy) is a collagen cross-linker that helps stabilize the collagen in the tendon fibers, prevents further damage to the tendon or ligament, helps make them stronger, and makes them more pliable in the area of tendon or ligament damage. The NEXTTM is injected into the tendon or ligament lesion under ultrasound guidance, similar to injection techniques used with platelet rich plasma or stem cells. It can be used in conjunction with PRP or stem cells as well. Promising results for horses returning to performance faster have been observed, though the treatment is still in the clinical trials phase. They are still looking for potential cases for the clinical trials. If you have a horse with a recent tendon or ligament injury and are located in Kentucky, Texas, New York, or Southern California, your horse could potentially be eligible for the study. Please go to www.equinext.net for more information. Potential study cases can contact Maureen, the clinical trials manager, at [email protected]
Kissing spine in the midthoracic area of the back
Kissing spine
Kissing spine or impingement of the dorsal spinous processed is a common cause of back pain and poor performance in the horse. Diagnosis is based on clinical examination, radiographs of the back, and diagnostic ultrasound. Initial treatment of the condition often involves a combination of therapies including proper saddle fit, shockwave therapy, facet joint and intraspinous ligament injections, mesotherapy, tildren, and physical therapy. A surgical technique was used in cases that no longer responded to traditional therapy was considered where the top of the dorsal spinous process was removed. This technique was invasive, required a long lay-up and presented a challenge for healing especially in areas under the saddle. A new surgical technique is showing promising results where the intraspinous ligament between the affected sites is cut through a small incision. Healing and rate of complications is much improved with this new technique. The horses are exercised almost immediately after the procedure to build up the back muscles that support the spine. Results are better then medical treatment with over 95% of cases where back pain was alleviated.
Kissing spine near the withers
Many, many thanks to Laura and thank you for reading. Please leave any questions or topics you’d like Laura to address in the comments section below. Go galloping vets, and go Eventing!
