EQUITWISTER AND CASTRATION IN HORSES.

(Equitwister) Castration is common in working horses, both in developed and under developed countries. The procedure is easily handled in the developed countries,with all the tools necessary. The possible post operative complications such as hemorrhaging,swelling , evisceration and infection are taken into considerations and steps are outlined to prevent these or deal with any complication if they arise. The common field practice is the emasculator method, where the spermatic cords are clamped and crushed,the most common complication is hemorrhage. This down side of the procedure has been a major cause of concern,and other methods have evolved over the years. The close castration technique was not so practicable in horses because of the size and contents of the vaginal tunics,as the emasculator could not achieve sufficient crush on the vessels to prevent hemorrhage,thus the Henderson tool was introduced . The Henderson tool uses the clamp technique; this clamp can accommodate the entire cord its then attached to a battery powered drill and the testicles are twisted off.This twisting controls hemorrhage and prevents evisceration. This method is simple, fast with little or no complication,but use is limited because of cost and electricity supply. This led to the innovation of the equitwister by Turner Wilson Equine Consulting, in Elk River, Minnesota. The tool as shown in picture is simple,cheap and easy to use. The equitwister is made of stainless steel rod, PVC pipe, and a crank. It uses a similar approach to the Henderson tool as it twists the spermatic cord, but it’s manual and requires little effort. This is very valuable as it can be used in places where low income earners are a larger percentage of the community.

FOAL DISORDER LINKED TO AUTISM IN MAN.

Veterinary researchers at the University of California, Davis, are exploring possible ties between a foal disorder and autism.Abnormal levels of naturally occurring neuro -steroids may be the common link, according to a UC Davis release. The horse disorder—known as neonatal maladjustment syndrome—has been a mystery for a century. Signs of the little-understood condition that appear in 3 to 5 percent of live births are detachment, failure to recognize their mothers and no interest in nursing.“The behavioral abnormalities in these foals seem to resemble some of the symptoms in children with autism,” says John Madigan, DVM, MS, UC Davis veterinary professor and expert in equine neonatal health. Nursing newborn horses with the disorder is demanding. Eighty percent of foals survive with intensive care in a veterinary clinic and constant bottle or tube feeding for up to 10 days. Researchers are eying naturally occurring neurosteroids as a top suspect in causing the disorder. The compound acts as a sedative and keeps the foal “quiet” before birth.“Foals don’t gallop in utero,” Madigan says in the release. However, the foal must be able to run shortly after its birth. The biochemical change the newborn undergoes in the birth canal may be triggered by the physical pressure of the birthing process, researchers believe. read more here;http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/new-veterinary-treatment-foal-disorder-simulates-necessary-trigger-birthing-process