April 2020 Issue

Page 14 April 2020 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN In 2017, The Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center an- nounced the arrival of computed tomography (CT, or "cat scan") to their advanced diagnostic imag- ing arsenal. In doing so, Mid-At- lantic became the first privately owned equine hospital in the world to be offering this service to its clientele. The system allows for detailed imaging of the skull, neck and distal limbs without the need to anesthetize the horse. Robotic Controlled CT Available at Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center “With the more recent focus on equine safety and injury prevention in all equine sporting disciplines, owners, riders and trainers want to know if they can safely contin- ue to compete the horses under their care” said Dr. Rodney Belgrave, President of Mid-At- lantic Equine. Orthopedic injuries are the bane of the equine athlete. “Dam- age that precedes catastrophic failure or breakdown is detectable with CT, so we can accurately answer the question of whether to go on or to shut the horse down. This lets us compete when it's safe and rest when it's not.” said Dr. Janik Gasiorowski, chief or- thopedic surgeon at Mid-Atlantic Equine. In spite of its diagnostic utility, CT imaging has not yet gained mainstream acceptance in equine racing and sporting arenas primarily due to the need for general anesthesia. This system eliminates the risk, time and cost of anesthesia. Images of exquisite detail can be acquired with the horse under light seda- tion, and more importantly in a weight bearing position. In addi- tion to its diagnostic capabilities, CT is tremendously useful in guiding complex fracture repair. More accurate reconstruction, especially at the articular sur- face, translates to higher success rates and better outcomes for horses. To learn more about the Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center visit www.midatlantic equine.com , visit their You Tube Channel or follow them on Face- book and Twitter. Fly Parasites Offer Organic, Effective Fly Control Sustainable fly control uses beneficial insects to seek and kill immature flies. These beneficial insects are safe for humans and horses, and nearly invisible. IPM Laboratories pro- duces fly parasites, tiny parasitic wasps that kill fly pupae before they can hatch into adult flies. Often called beneficials, tiny parasitic wasps work day and night making food of fly pupae. As small as a gnat, the parasitic wasp deposits her own eggs inside the fly’s pupal case, killing the develop- ing fly in the process. The devel- oping wasp larva then feeds on the remains of the killed fly, pupates and turns into a new wasp adult. The young adult parasite chews its way out of the fly’s pupal case, mates and resumes the hunt for new fly pupae to kill. Parasitic wasps do not sting humans or animals, are nearly invisible and do not upset horses or humans. They remain on or near manure searching for fly pupae in which to lay their eggs. Effective fly control min- imizes egg laying and maggot growth, and keeps conditions favorable for the development of fly parasite populations. Keeping bedding dry and changing often, and keeping stables well ventilat- ed will help reduce moisture and minimize the flies’ egg laying. Horse manure mixed with hay and urine is ideal for egg laying and larval development. A single female fly can lay at least 500 eggs, which continue to hatch even after the adults are dead. Using biocontrol is easy – just sprinkle the parasites on and near manure piles, in stalls and near garbage compactors. Intro- duce parasites weekly or biweek- ly from approximately May 15 to October 1 in the northeastern US. IPM Laboratories grows fly parasites suited to the eastern US climate and is the only producer of fly parasites east of Texas. For in depth information, visit ipmlabs.com.