Veterinary Answers

Jo-Jo was rescued by Jeanne Mirabito of Our Mims  Retirement Haven in appalling condition.

Veterinary Q&A: How to re-feed a starving T’bred

Through the years, Off-Track Thoroughbreds has chronicled stories of horses who survive against the odds. Often times, the horses are malnourished to the point of starvation, and so depleted they appear to be hopeless cases. And yet, they survive when even the brightest minds in veterinarian medicine caution owners to prepare for the worst. Thoroughbreds like Crowning Glory, who was rescued by the South Florida SPCA with a body condition of 1 on the Henneke Horse Body Score System, and Jo Jo Gypsy, who was rescued by Jeanne Mirabito, of Our Mims Retirement Haven in the same sorry condition, are […]

Dr. Laurie Metcalfe, DVM, Rood & Riddle

Veterinary advice for feeding a starved horse

Through the years, Off-Track Thoroughbreds has chronicled stories of horses who survive against the odds. Often times, the horses are malnourished to the point of starvation, and so depleted they appear to be hopeless cases. And yet, they survive when even the brightest minds in veterinarian medicine caution owners to prepare for the worst. Thoroughbreds like Crowning Glory, who was rescued by the South Florida SPCA with a body condition of 1 on the Henneke Horse Body Score System, and Jo Jo Gypsy, who was rescued by Jeanne Mirabito, of Our Mims Retirement Haven in the same sorry condition, are […]

California Chrome's injured right foot, shown in this photo by Barbara Livingston, is considered to be very painful.

Dr. Raul Bras: Chrome’s injury “painful,” common

The injury sustained by Triple Crown hopeful California Chrome in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes bid is a very common racetrack injury, and one that typically does not aversely affect a racehorse’s future career, says Dr. Raul Bras, DVM, CJF of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. The laceration, which can occur when a horse grabs his own heels while exiting the starting gate, is very painful to a horse, says Dr. Bras, who notes that it’s impossible to say at this point whether such an injury would have affected the 4-1 favorite in his quest to win the Triple Crown. “Is it […]