The World Equine Veterinary Association aims to develop and maintain international relations between various specialists of the horse world, to improve healthcare and well being of the horse. To do this equine clinicians and researchers around the world meet every two years to discuss the latest findings in research and clinical practice. Following is a report on some of the interesting research presented at this year s Congress.
Back problems are a major cause of poor performance and gait abnormalities in sport and racehorses.
Although it is often possible through examination to suspect lesions of the bones of the back, the definitive diagnosis of the cause of the pain is a real challenge for the equine practitioner. In recent years there has been substantial improvement in the radiographic and untrasonographic evaluation of the horse s back, allowing identification of lesions that were not accessible or even imagined before. Professor Jean-Marie Denoix of France presented information on the current approach for identification of lesion nature and location in the horse back. The use of radiographs and ultrasound as complementary imaging techniques has given valuable new information on both the normal and abnormal appearance of the vertebrae and related structures of the horse. The author states that this is a promising field for a better understanding of back problems in horses.