Orthopedic
Orthopedic medicine and surgery is a branch of equine medicine that deals with preventing and treating conditions of the bones and associated soft tissue such as tendons, ligaments and muscles.
Welfare
Welfare
As society continues to strengthen its voice for animal welfare, our use of the horse in sport and pleasure comes under more scrutiny. As an industry we must continue to investigate how horses cope with their environment so we can say they are living their best lives.
“Animal welfare means how an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. An animal is in a good state of welfare if (as indicated by scientific evidence) it is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress. Good animal welfare requires disease prevention and veterinary treatment, appropriate shelter, management, nutrition, humane handling and humane slaughter. Animal welfare refers to the state of the animal; the treatment that an animal receives is covered by other terms such as animal care, animal husbandry, and humane treatment.”
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code
This is a growing field of research and our researchers continue to set the bar from developing an on-farm welfare assessment for horses, understanding owners’ perceptions of horse welfare to investigating the use of various training aids.
Areas of Equine Research
Ontario’s equine researchers investigate a wide range of issues involving horses and the horse industry. Click on a link below to see who’s working in that area.
Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative medicine is a field of medicine that focuses on how the body repairs itself.
Respiratory
“For breath is life…” as the Sanskrit proverb says. Any obstacle a horse has to taking in a full breath of air will affect its performance and possibly quality of life.
Gastrointestinal
From where feed goes in to manure comes out is the broad focus of equine gastrointestinal medicine. By sheer nature of the hundreds of feet of intestine and the trillions of bacteria along the way, when something goes wrong in this area the horse’s life may be in jeopardy. Understanding how things go wrong is crucial for prevention.
Infectious Disease
Infectious diseases in horses are caused by pathogenic microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. They can affect an individual or large herd of horses leading to significant illness and sometimes death. Some of these diseases can also be spread to other species including humans.
Reproduction
Reproductive medicine focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, management and prevention of reproductive problems. Mares and stallions are pillars of the equine industry’s growth and sustainability so keeping them healthy and productive ensures resilience.
Welfare
As society continues to strengthen its voice for animal welfare, our use of the horse in sport and pleasure comes under more scrutiny. As an industry we must continue to investigate how horses cope with their environment so we can say they are living their best lives.
Behaviour
The study of equine behaviour investigates the ways in which equines interact with each other, their environment and with people. Understanding behaviour will help to improve welfare.
Industry & Economics
Understanding the impact of the equine industry on Ontario’s gross domestic product is essential for demonstrating the significance of this agricultural industry to government as well as to the public.
Cardiovascular
Cardiovascular medicine is the study of diseases and disorders pertaining to the heart and vessels.
Nutrition
Safe and healthy food is essential for our equine companions and our equine athletes who rely on appropriate ingredients to maximize performance. Supplements are also required at times and should be free from contamination, as well as be effective in improving the horse’s condition.
Parasitology
Equine parasitology is the study of parasites and their interaction with the horse and other equines. It involves the study of protozoa, such as Sarcocystis neurona, which causes equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), helminths (worms) such as roundworms, and arthropods such as the tick, Ixodes scapularis, that transmits Lyme disease.
Hematology
Hematology is the study of blood and involves the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders that affect blood, bone marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic and vascular systems.
Exercise physiology
Equine exercise physiology is the study of the response of the horse’s body to exercise and training and includes the study of electrolyte balance, responses of muscle and bone, and the production and oxygen radicals and inflammation.
Oncology
Oncology is the study of the development, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Over 50 different types of cancers have been identified in equines from the more common ones affecting the skin such as melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma to internal cancers such as lymphoma and adenocarcinoma.
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of “who, when, where and why” diseases (or health) occur in a population. In equine research, the results of an epidemiological study are used to guide and evaluate methods to prevent disease or to help manage health and disease in horses and other equines.
Anesthesia and pain management
Anesthesia is the controlled, temporary loss of sensation, awareness and often consciousness induced for veterinary medical procedures. Anesthesia may provide relief from pain as well (analgesia). Applications in horses can range from mild topical anesthetics to general anesthesia for invasive surgical procedures.
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the study of diseases of the eye. Horses have the largest eye of any land mammal and is one feature admired by most horse lovers. Many diseases can affect the equine eye, however, leading to loss of vision to loss of the eye completely.
Neurology
In equines, the ability to maneuver adeptly in the pasture, the arena or on the track requires exquisite control over movement. This control stems from the ability of the brain, spinal cord and entire system of nerves to function appropriately. Any fault along the way can result in poor performance to an inability to stand. The study of diseases affecting the nervous system is called neurology.
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