Morris Animal Foundation has welcomed four new members to its Equine Scientific Advisory Board as well as a new member to its Animal Welfare Advisory Board.
Horsetalk.co.nz Adaptations to lameness in horses assessed in new study
Sensors fitted to the horses in the study are being used to quantify changes arising from lameness.
The ways in which horse muscles adapt and limb movements adjust to accommodate lameness are being explored in a study.
The findings will hopefully provide a greater understanding of the clinical signs of lameness, which could guide future diagnostics and treatment.
The research, by scientists at the University of Central Lancashire alongside colleagues at Utrecht University and Delsys Inc, has the backing of the Morris Animal Foundation.
The study team intends to quantify the changes observed in lameness.
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Could mile-long trots protect young foals from lower-leg fractures later in life? Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)are evaluating the long-term effects of a moderately strenuous exercise plan on bone development in foals.
Lower-leg fractures are a major welfare concern in horses that race or jump competitively, but they can happen in any horse. Understanding the impact of early exercise on growing horses most horses don’t reach complete skeletal maturity until they’re at least 4 years old could help prevent fractures. Most fractures happen when horses are between 2 and 10 years of age.
Questionnaire May Help Arthritic Equines Get Help Earlier Sponsored by:
Osteoarthritis can be a painful condition in horses but, unlike people, horses can t talk with their veterinarians about where and how much it hurts. Now, a newly funded study from Morris Animal Foundation is testing to see if a simple questionnaire can help horse owners recognize and monitor signs of chronic osteoarthritis (OA) pain in their horses – helping their equine charges get earlier, more effective treatment and improving their quality of life.
Dr. Janny de Grauw, from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and Diane Howard, PhD, MSc., Equine Science Master graduate from the University of Edinburgh, in the United Kingdom, are the recipients of the Donor-Inspired Study grant, funded by Dr. Wendy Koch, a veterinarian who has supported the Foundation for nearly 30 years. Dr. Koch has closely followed equine behavior and welfare research over the years and wanted to increase the amount of fund