Equine Medicine

Learning Objectives

• Revise the calcium metabolism and interpret its changes due to general illnesses like sepsis and Ileus.
• Recognize the relation between calcium and thyroid disorders.
• Recall the main endocrine diseases in horses and write diagnostic and therapeutic protocols.
• Describe the general aspects of Equine metabolic syndrome, including its clinical approach.

Learning Objectives

• Summarize the principles of equine immune system.
• Characterize immune system affection and chose the ideal diagnostic tool(s) for each case.
• Describe the various diagnosis techniques and their use in the examinatio of respiratory diseases (bronchoalveolar lavage, transtracheal wash and lung ultrasound).
• Discuss treatment protocols of the most commonly appearing difficulties in breathing, including cough, nose bleeding and breathe disturbances.
• Recognize common conditions in sinuses, aerial bag, pharynx and larynx.
• Discuss the clinical and immunological aspects of inflammatory illnesses of the respiratory tract, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and infectious diseases of the respiratory system.

Learning Objectives

• Identify newborns at risk, verifying their chances to survive.
• Recognize common neonatal diseases in horses.
• Create therapeutic protocols common neonatal diseases in horses.
• Discuss diagnostic protocols for premature births and septic foals.

Learning Objectives

• Assess energy salary and nutrient loads.
• Describe the digestion process in horses, including reabsorption and nutrients metabolism.
• Calculate nutritional requirements considering the different horse-life phases.
• Calculate rations and recognize the typical mistakes while doing it.
• Identify food-conditioned illnesses.
• Assess the nutritional conditions of horses using laboratory tools.
• Explain the physiological bases of the feeding of sports horses.
• Relate diet with performance.
• Recognize alimentary substances that may be identified in anti-doping controls.

Learning Objectives:

• Create anaesthetic protocols on different environments: field vs hospital.
• Recognize the most adequate options of analgesia for a variety of equine conditions.
• Predict complications related to anaesthetic protocols and take preventive actions.
• Formulate therapeutic approaches to emergencies and anaesthetic protocols.

In this session, delegates should practice, or at least observe, a demonstration of:

• Local anaesthetic blocks in horses. • Induction techniques in horses. • Intravenous anaesthesia techniques in on-the-field horse. • Inhalation anaesthesia and its monitoring in horses.

Learning Objectives

• Perform a complete reproductive examination to mares and stallions.
• Evaluate fertility in horses to define the optimum mating time.
• Identify the most common fertility disturbances in mare and stallion.
• Define infertility possible treatments for different conditions in mares and stallions.
• Motorize pregnancy, including its diagnosis and twins’ pregnancy.
• Identify abortion causes and recognize when its provocation is necessary.
• Establish abortion preventive protocol.
• Describe all the phases of a common parturition.
• Diagnose dystocia and take measures to improve its prognosis.
• Recognize the reproductive centres operation and identify welfare concerns.
• Summarize the basis of artificial insemination in horses.
• Describe the modern techniques of assisted reproduction (ex.: TE, GIFT, IVF, ICSI).

In this session, delegates should:

• Perform seminal evaluation. • Recognize the steps of a rigorous pregnant mare examination. • Perform a gynecological examination using ultrasound. • Indicate the proper laboratory diagnostic procedures and management in cases of dystocia

Learning Objectives

• Explain how to perform an endoscopy in sinuses, stomach and respiratory tract.
• Identify the major equine organs using ultrasound.
• Evaluate heart and its cameras by echocardiography.

Learning objectives: 

• Identify the typical clinical signs of acute abdomen and revise its pathophysiological bases.
• Define diagnostic procedures when acute abdomen is suspected.
• Create treatment protocols for acute abdomen conditions in horses.
• Recognize the different diagnostic tools to evaluate the various conditions that may affect the gastrointestinal tract.
• Recognize colic in horses and know its treatment options.

Learning objectives:

• Differentiate the clinical signs of acute and chronic diarrhoea.
• Define therapeutic protocols for both acute and chronic diarrhoea.
• Identify the different options for fluid therapy in horses.
• Recognize the most common renal and hepatic diseases in horses.
• Match clinical signals, clinical history and antidote with possible intoxications in horses.
• Revise the EGUS-Syndrome.

Learning objectives: 

• Identify lameness in horses, localizing possible lesions.
• Recognize different diagnostic approaches to lameness and their pros and cons.

In this session, delegates should:

• Analyse horses’ locomotion at the field. • Perform or see a real demonstration of a clinical examination focused on lameness. • Participate in the discussion of lameness clinical cases.

Learning objectives: 

• Sort acute trauma cases in horses, defining priorities and treatment plans.
• Plan the adequate approach to shock, considering its possible types.
• Define homeostasis and the mechanisms implied.
• Choose the proper therapeutic approach in case of acute muscle trauma, wound, soft tissue injuries and fractures.

Learning objectives: 

• Collect samples with confidence.
• Recognize the essential procedures to ensure the correct handling and storage of different samples.
• Identify the preferred sampling technique for different conditions.
• Interpret cytological findings, creating differential diagnosis lists.
• Indicate common errors and artefacts that may lead to misinterpretations.

Learning objectives:

• Evaluate the visual capacity in horses.
• Recognize the pharmacological options for eyes’ treatment.
• Choose the adequate examination techniques considering equine clinical signs and differential diagnosis.
• Identify the principal eye structures in eye ultrasound images.
• Recognize artefacts and images compatible with disease in eye echography.
• Characterize common ophthalmological conditions in horses: uveitis, glaucoma, cataracts and corneal affection.

Learning objectives:

• Localize typical lesions in the neurological system.
• Classify neurological lesions considering its extension/diffusion.
• Recognize the clinical signs of the neurological patient.
• Describe different kinds of ataxia and how to diagnose it in horses.
• Identify the preferred diagnostic tools to different neurological conditions.
• Discuss therapeutic options for neurological problems

Learning objectives: 

• Describe the steps of a correct dermatological evaluation.
• Characterize skin lesions, including neoplasms.
• Recognize the most common dermatological conditions.
• Enumerate causes of itching in horses.
• Establish diagnostic and therapeutic protocols when clinical signs are compatible with itching.
• List differential diagnosis for knotty diseases, including equine sarcoid and melanoma.
• Discuss therapeutic options for common oncological conditions.

Learning objectives: 

• Recognize the utility of different diagnostic tools to different cardiovascular conditions and suspicions.
• Revise arrhythmias, valvular problems, thrombophlebitis, immune system disorders and disturbances of blood coagulation.
• Understand the utility of cardiovascular drugs and its applicability in cardiovascular patients.
• Consider parameter to evaluate possible decreases in horses’ performance.