News

When Goose, a 20-year-old Thoroughbred gelding known for his goofy personality, came into the UC Davis veterinary hospital for fever and inappetence, his prognosis was grave. He was diagnosed with a stone (ureterolith) in his urinary tract that was obstructing his ureter and causing a kidney infection. Initial attempts to break up the stone using laser lithotripsy were ultimately unsuccessful.

It has been a busy spring at the Center for Equine Health with the introduction of our 2019 foals! We were pleased to welcome a very handsome chestnut/sorrel Quarter Horse colt in March and a beautiful black Warmblood x Connemara filly in May. (Fun fact: She will eventually be grey.) Both foals are healthy and happy and make every day just a little more joyful. We are already thoroughly enjoying watching them grow and develop their own personalities.

A study is underway at the Center for Equine Health to evaluate a promising new pain reliever in horses with chronic lameness due to joint pain. This effort, led by Dr. Robert Brosnan, a professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, is supported by a grant from the Equine Tribute and Memorial Fund through the Center for Equine Health. Dr.

We are all familiar with the phrase “you are what you eat.” In fact, the food that you eat influences the population of microorganisms (bacteria and viruses) in your gut, collectively referred to as the gut microbiota. Research has shown that the composition of gut microbiota changes over time as we age and alterations can influence health, for better or worse. In humans, gut microbiota go through some characteristic changes as we move from birth into our first year of life. A recent study supported by the UC Davis Center for Equine Health, led by Dr.

Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, is an essential component of equine diets. It helps maintain normal neurological function by limiting the damage caused by oxidative stress and free radicals. The best natural source of vitamin E for horses is lush green pastures, which are often luxuries for facilities in places like California that have been affected by drought conditions. Horses that do not have access to green grass are often deficient in vitamin E, which makes them vulnerable to certain types of neuromuscular diseases.

The UC Davis Horse Barn Annual Production Sale: The Proof is in the Progeny took place on June 22, 2019 at the Animal Science Horse Barn. An event steeped in history and tradition, this year marked the 27th year of the sale, and the second year that the Center for Equine Health (CEH) partnered with the Horse Barn to include CEH-bred yearlings in the sale catalog.

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday the appointment of Dr. Gregory Ferraro to the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB). Dr. Ferraro was the director of the University of California, Davis Center for Equine Health from 1997 to 2011 and associate director of the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital from 2011 to 2014. A well-known surgeon and Thoroughbred racehorse specialist who earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr.

The Center for Equine Health is excited to be part of the veterinary team that will assist with the care of horses used for the latest varsity sport at UC Davis – women’s equestrian. Considered an emerging sport by the NCAA, the UC Davis equestrian team will compete nationally under the governance of the National Collegiate Equestrian Association against other large public schools like Fresno State, Georgia, and Texas A&M.

Special needs horses find a loving and forever home at Tracy Acres Equine Sanctuary, located in Vacaville, California. Dean and Denise Tracy, who fulfilled their dreams by establishing their sanctuary, rescue horses that often have come from a life of abuse and neglect. Most have arrived in poor condition—some blind, others starved with ribs protruding, while still others with complex medical conditions.

Please join Dr. Finno as she hosts an exclusive Kentucky Derby experience in Lexington, May 1-5, 2019. Enjoy downtown accommodations in the horse capital of the world at the Hyatt Regency Lexington while exploring what makes the Run for the Roses a truly special event— including Dawn at the Downs, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, working horse farm tours, Keeneland race track, and more! Sit front and center for all the excitement on Derby Day, take in the sights, grandeur (and hats!!) at Churchill Downs.

The Center for Equine Health has access to the largest group of equine specialists and researchers available anywhere. Our expertise spans the breadth of clinical and basic science disciplines that apply to the horse. We help to provide support for research projects that contribute to veterinary and scientific advances in equine health and performance and work to make the resulting information available to members of the equine and veterinary communities.

The UC Davis Center for Equine Health (CEH) is proud to offer layup boarding with individualized care for horses recovering from illness, injury, surgery, or other procedures requiring time for healing and rehabilitation. High quality care during this period significantly impacts successful recovery outcomes.

The true equine ambassadors at the Center for Equine Health are the 180 teaching herd horses that call the center home and contribute to research, teaching and outreach in many different ways. These amazing animals are our partners in research projects, help train veterinary students and residents, undergraduates and graduate students, and participate in outreach projects such as our collaboration with the Connected Horse Dementia Project. Some were born here, whereas others have come to us through donations.

The inaugural Equine Genetics Forum, hosted by the UC Davis Center for Equine Health and the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, was held on August 18, 2018 at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. The event featured lectures, discussions and tours focused on current research and testing related to equine genetics and reproduction. A wide array of topics was covered including inherited diseases in horses, parentage, coat color, and performance trait testing, the role of genomics in regenerative medicine, and an update on advanced equine reproductive technology.

The Center for Equine Health (CEH) at UC Davis serves as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s California Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) Quarantine and Treatment Station. CEM is a highly-contagious reproductive disease of horses caused by the bacteria Taylorella equigenitalis. Infected mares can experience temporary infertility for one or more breeding cycles, which can have devastating effects on equine reproductive efficiency.