Summer 2019
UC Davis PET Research to Improve Racehorse Safety and Welfare
A significant advance in veterinary research is coming to the racetrack in the form of a standing equine PET scanner. The machine will soon be available at Santa Anita Park, marking a major milestone in the battle against racetrack injuries.
Can Horses Bring Healing for Dementia Patients and Their Caregivers?
A unique partnership between the Center for Equine Health, Connected Horse, and the UC Davis School of Medicine uses the healing power of horses to improve the quality of life for people affected by dementia and their care partners.
UC Davis Center for Equine Health Emeritus Director Dr. Gregory Ferraro appointed to California Horse Racing Board
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced 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. Ferraro was among the first to adapt human arthroscopic surgical techniques in horses.
27th Annual UC Davis Horse Barn Production Sale
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.
Welcome to Our 2019 Foals!
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.
Study Sheds Light on Foal Gut Health from Birth to Weaning
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. 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. Michael Mienaltowski of the UC Davis Department of Animal Science, reported that this is true for horses as well. Since there are many risks to the well-being of a newborn foal’s gastrointestinal (GI) system, being able to track and assess gut health could help optimize foal care from birth through weaning.
Philanthropy Supports New Approaches to Pain Management for Horses
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. Brosnan and his team in the Department of Veterinary Anesthesiology and the JD Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory are collaborating to evaluate a new painkiller that was discovered at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and compare its effectiveness with a standard treatment and a placebo in horses with chronic lameness. 
The Grass is Greener at the Center for Equine Health
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. Since vitamin E is so important to equine health, the UC Davis Center for Equine Health has invested in irrigating two of our ten-acre pastures and one of our five-acre pastures for the resident teaching herd horses. The horses love being out in the pastures with their herdmates and are happy, healthy, and getting plenty of vitamin E in their diets!
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