AUGUST 2004 RECREATIONAL / TRAIL RIDING ISSUE
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AUGUST 2004 RECREATIONAL / TRAIL RIDING ISSUE |
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CONTENTS Trail Riding with Backcountry Horsemen
UPCOMING
ISSUES |
The Use and Value of Equine Treadmill Exams By Emmy Widman The thunderous roar of horses’ hooves beating down the race track can be quite the experience, but it is nothing compared to hearing one race down the mat of a treadmill. Nor is the “roaring” sound a horse can develop while running with an upper airway disorder. Both sounds can be heard frequently at the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the only facility in the Northwest to offer comprehensive diagnostic testing that utilizes an equine treadmill to detect serious upper airway problems, such as intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate or laryngeal hemiplegia, common disorders in racehorses. “A horse running on a treadmill is very thrilling and impressive to
watch,” said Dr. Claude Ragle, an equine soft tissue surgeon and
respiratory specialists who has evaluated treadmill examinations at WSU for the
past 12 years. “It is like being close to a big semi-truck that zooms by
you...you gasp even though you know you are safe, it is just that the speed and
power are overwhelming.” More importantly, if a horse comes to the hospital for diagnosis of an upper airway problem, Dr. Ragle can make that call through the use of endoscopy while a horse is on the treadmill. Endoscopy utilizes a flexible telescope with an attached video camera to visualize the airway while the horse is running. A nearby monitor and recording capabilities allow cases to be archived and seen by several veterinarians without having to repeat the test. Common in human medicine, endoscopy has been used by equine practitioners since the 1970s, and continues to make dramatic inroads in veterinary medicine. “We can tell with near 100 percent accuracy whether it is truly an upper respiratory problem,” he said. Treadmill testing can also be an invaluable aid in the diagnosis of heart and lung problems, and muscle disorders. “There is a big difference between a horse’s throat function at rest and when it is exercising or running, so we need to view the airway of a performance horse in action. Exercise and the treadmill are the only ways to do this.” The most common upper respiratory conditions mainly limit performance, and are not life-threatening, Dr. Ragle said. “Since they are performance limiting, normally you just see it just in horses that operate at high speeds or perform heavy work.” “Horses can operate at low speeds with a lot of those conditions pretty well, but it makes a difference in finishing a race. Out in the pasture, you many not know that any of those horses are affected because when they try to run, they can do it. So race horses are by far the most common individuals we see, although there are hunters and jumpers and other types of performance horses affected too.” Common breeds affected by upper respiratory problems are generally larger breed horses such as thoroughbreds, warmbloods and draft horses. Draft horses typically present with a distinctive roaring noise they make when breathing or due to an inability to gain enough air when working in harness. Owners do not need a referral to bring their horse to the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital for a treadmill examination; however, most are referred because the symptoms may be hard to detect. When a horse is presented at the hospital, a pre-treadmill endoscopy is
conducted and a thorough history of the horse’s performance and primary
complaint is recorded. Next, the horse undergoes a series of training exercises
on the treadmill over one to three days to get it used to the new experience
before the examination takes place. Horses may have an easier time learning, thanks to the new treadmill room that was recently installed in the veterinary college complex. The remodeling includes a new treadmill installed at ground level, an improvement over the old one that was set four feet above the floor. The new treadmill is now located in McCoy Hall with convenient access to holding stalls. This upgraded design and location means improved service and value for owners and their horses needing diagnostics and surgery at WSU, Dr Ragle said. Once the horse is trained, the examination is conducted. The horse is coaxed to go through a series of gaits, from a walk to a gallop, with the videoendoscope in place. When the first exam is complete, if no obvious abnormality is detected, it is repeated one more time a day later to insure an accurate evaluation. “We videotape them and then I play that on a monitor where I can watch the tape in slow motion, because a lot of things are happening very fast. The horses are traveling a lot of times at 11 or 13 meters per second...that is very, very fast,” Dr. Ragle said. “I watch the films of the throat in slow motion, and at that point, I do all the evaluations, get the results, talk to the owner, and make a recommendation. It is always the owner’s decision what to do next based upon what we find specifically, as well as the estimated prognosis and cost.” There are several very effective treatments for the most common respiratory problems, Dr. Ragle said, but treatment usually requires surgery and a three to four month rehabilitation period for the horse. If an upper respiratory problem is ruled out after the examinations, the WSU equine medicine service may look at cardiac function during exercise, blood-gas exchanges, or a more comprehensive lung function test. “For me, it is very interesting and enjoyable to have such specialized diagnostics and the newly remodeled facility in place,” Dr. Ragle said. Horse owners considering treadmill services can contact Drs. Claude Ragle, or Kelly Farnsworth, as well as the equine internal medicine faculty members at the veterinary teaching hospital at 509-335-0711. |
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