Veterinary sport medicine

The Lusitano horse is gaining popularity in the equestrian world, and as a result, the significance of applied sports medicine for this breed is growing. As cardiology plays a crucial role in this field, numerous studies have been conducted to establish electrocardiographic reference values in various breeds to ensure a more accurate evaluation. However, studies regarding healthy Lusitano horses are lacking. So, this study aimed to establish electrocardiographic reference values for Lusitano horses, utilizing a sample of 82 clinically healthy animals...

Cannabidiol (CBD) products gain increasing popularity amongst animal owners and veterinarians as an alternative remedy for treatment of stress, inflammation or pain in horses. Whilst the use of cannabinoids is banned in equine sports, there is limited information available concerning CBD detection times in blood or urine. The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic properties of CBD following oral administration in the horse to assist doping control laboratories with interpreting CBD analytical results...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether dogs with shoulder tendinopathy diagnosed via musculoskeletal ultrasound would show improvement in imaging after treatment using piezoelectric shockwave therapy and rest. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for dogs diagnosed with biceps and/or supraspinatus tendinopathy via musculoskeletal ultrasound, treated using piezowave shockwave, and re-imaged post-treatment. Data collected included patient signalment, duration and grade of lameness, prior rest, piezowave dose, and patient outcome, including a return to sport where applicable...

Sports physiological properties of ten sand or sand-mineral outdoor arenas, five with vertical drainage systems and five with an ebb and flow like system were assessed over a period of eight weeks. For each arena, the riding zone was spatially delineated, nine locations at medium to intensely used zones were selected by simple random sampling and used along the whole measurement period. A total of 72 values for the dynamic deflection modulus (Evd), attenuation (s/v), settlement (s) and moisture content (Vol %) were analyzed for each arena...

Back pain is a common complaint, clinical finding and performance limiting factor in sport horses. This study sought to gather current veterinary trends in the diagnosis, treatment and management of primary equine back pain in the United States. A 22 question survey was distributed electronically to equine practitioners through AAEP and ACVSMR listservs and through closed social media groups. The survey was open from April 20, 2022 to July 5, 2022. Responses were analyzed using Microsoft excel pivot tables...

Continual advancements in diagnostic imaging have allowed for more accurate and complete diagnoses of injuries in the performance horse. The use of several different imaging tools has further allowed the equine sports medicine clinician to more carefully direct treatment options, monitor response to therapy and guide rehabilitation recommendations. The advancements in diagnostic imaging and novel treatment options have led to the improvement in the overall prognosis of many injuries that affect the horse and their performance...

Working, sporting, and companion dogs require muscular fitness to perform their daily tasks, competitive activities, and operational functions effectively and with a low risk of injury. There are currently no methods to measure the muscular fitness of dogs who are not debilitated. Sprint performance is highly correlated with muscular fitness in humans, and various sprint assessments are used to measure performance for sporting and tactical athletes. The Penn Vet Working Dog Center Sprint Test (ST) is a 25 m maximal effort sprint from a down position and was developed to be a low-cost measure of muscular fitness suitable for field use...

OBJECTIVE: Cranial cruciate ligament disease (CCLD) is the most prevalent orthopedic problem in canines, affecting 3% to 5% of dogs, causing stifle instability, mobility dysfunction, and pain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the American Kennel Club field trial community's knowledge of CCLD and estimate its perceived prevalence within this population. SAMPLE: 401 field trial participants responded, with 701 field trial canines reported. METHODS: A survey instrument was emailed to a population of Retriever field trial participants to collect information on perceptions and experience with CCLD and current canine participants...

Treats are commonly fed by most dog caregivers and can constitute a significant proportion of a dog's diet, potentially contributing to obesity. Feeding aspects related to treats specifically, remain underexplored. An e-survey was voluntarily completed by 716 dog caregivers predominantly from Canada and the USA to identify and describe caregivers' perceptions, motivations, and behaviours surrounding treats, and factors that influence decisions about feeding treats. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests...

The ideal equestrian body image (BI) is a smaller physique and riders feel body shape (BS) influences subjective judge scoring within dressage competitions. The aims were to identify perceptions of equestrian coaches and dressage judges of rider body shape (BS), identify perceptions of appropriate horse-rider matching and establish the impact of BS on perceived rider ability. An online survey (GoogleFormsTM) was shared, respondents (n = 265, coaches = 174 judges = 91) viewed images of twelve riders of different BS (Ectomorph, Mesomorph, and Endomorph) mounted on three horses of different breeds/types and asked to indicate the best horse-rider match...

CASE HISTORY: Medical records from three veterinary referral centres and a university veterinary teaching hospital in Australia and USA were reviewed to identify dogs with a diagnosis of distal gastrocnemius musculotendinous junction rupture (DGMJR) that were treated without surgery between 2007 and 2020. CLINICAL AND IMAGING FINDINGS: All dogs (n = 11) presented with unilateral, pelvic limb lameness and bruising, swelling or pain on palpation at the distal musculotendinous junction...

Anabolic androgenic steroids are synthetic substances related to the male sex hormones (androgens). These agents promote the growth of skeletal muscle (anabolic effects) and the development of male sexual characteristics (androgenic effects). Anabolic steroids have been illegally used for many years as performance-enhancing drugs in human, equine, and canine sports and as growth promoters in livestock reared to provide meat for human consumption. The analytical challenge to developing effective means of control within these fields has been exacerbated by the reported endogenous nature of some of these steroids...

The field of equine sports medicine and rehabilitation provides a career opportunity for students interested in remaining in the horse industry but not focused on a career as a veterinarian. However, throughout the United States, there are limited educational opportunities for undergraduate students to prepare for this career. The objective of this work was to determine what skills and theoretical knowledge professionals in the equine rehabilitation industry deemed most useful for employment in the equine rehabilitation industry, and, using that information, develop a curriculum to meet these industry needs...

BACKGROUND: The ethics of using horses in sport is receiving increasing attention and media scrutiny. Sports medicine ethics is an important and well-established discipline within human medicine and biomedical ethics, which has, thus far, received little application to the equine veterinary field. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this scoping review was to explore the existing literature on equine sports medicine ethics, to understand the current concerns and issues, and to map areas for future research...

BACKGROUND: Poor performance is a multifactorial syndrome of racehorses, commonly associated with subclinical disorders, which can be diagnosed by exercise testing. OBJECTIVES: Describe the prevalence of medical causes of poor performance in Standardbreds unassociated with lameness, and evaluate their relationships with fitness variables measured by exercise treadmill test. ANIMALS: Hospital population of 259 nonlame Standardbred trotters referred for poor performance...

In Brazil, the study on equine thermoregulation has not shown considerable advances, moreover, in the Amazon, this is a little explored aspect. This study aims to evaluate the thermoregulation of horses submitted to two methods of post-exercise cooling, in the climatic conditions of the Eastern Amazon. The experiment was conducted at Centro Hipico, Ananindeua, Para, for 15 days. Ten male horses, castrated of the Brazilian breed, aged 13 years and with an average weight of 482.3 kg were used. Equestrianism, which was exercised with pre-established protocol in the arena and track, for 30 min...

Increased training loads in both human and equine athletes are generally implemented to improve their physical performance. These loads are tolerated only within appropriate training periodization with regard to recovery time. Otherwise, training overload causes failure in the systemic adaptation, which at first leads to overreaching, and progressively to overtraining syndrome (OTS). Exercise endocrinology, and anabolic/catabolic balance as an indicator of athlete performance status and OTS has continued to attract attention...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1025331.].

Flyball is a fast-paced, high-energy canine sport which has received negative press regarding the potential for injury, and possible welfare implications for canine competitors. Whilst frequency of injury within the sport has been investigated, evidence gaps remain regarding cause. The aim of this study was therefore to identify risk factors for injury within the sport, with a view to improving competitor safety. An online questionnaire was used to obtain data on dogs that had competed in flyball in the last five years but remained injury free, and a second questionnaire obtained data on dogs that had also competed within the last five years but sustained an injury...

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