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Straw bedding and dry hay ‘significant risk factors’ for equine IAD
In the study, straw bedding and dry hay feeding represented significant risk factors for IAD.

Researchers perform clinical exam on more than 700 active horses

Straw bedding and dry hay feed are significant risk factors for equine Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD) and should not be used in performance horses, a new study has concluded.

Scientists writing in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine assessed the presence of fungi in respiratory samples of 731 active horses with signs of respiratory disease or poor performance.

For each case, a clinical examination, an airway endoscopy, a tracheal wash (TW) and a bronchoalveolar lavage were performed. The researchers also collected data regarding the type of bedding (straw, wood shavings, and other) and hay forage (dry hay, moistened hay, damped hay, steamed hay, or haylage).

'In our study, straw bedding and dry hay feeding represented significant risk factors for IAD and for the presence of fungal elements in equine airways,' the authors conclude. Their use cannot be recommended in performance horses.

'Fungal spores naturally contaminate hay and straw during harvest. The storage of hay and straw can also lead to an exponential increase in fungal proliferation within the batches.'

Conversely, researchers found that wood shavings decreased the risk of IAD and the detection of fungal particles in the airways. The use of high‐temperature hay steaming also appeared to have a protective effect against the development of the condition.

'Hay steaming has been shown to significantly reduce bacterial as well as fungal contamination and could be an effective means to improve the hygiene of forage," the authors continue.

'Interestingly, soaking the hay, which is often recommended as a protective measure for horses with respiratory inflammation, did not significantly decrease the risk of being IAD nor the risk of having fungal elements in the airways.'

The study was conducted by scientists from The Equine Sports Medicine Practice, Waterloo, Belgium. 

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.