MARCH 2000 BACK ISSUE

Part of Horse Previews Magazine website. Posted on 03/02/2000; 2:00:00PM.

Morris Animal Foundation Funds $2 Million in 2000 - Announces Nine New Equine Health Studies

Morris Animal Foundation proudly announces it has reached its goal of funding $2 million in animal health studies for fiscal year 2000. The realization of this goal establishes the organization as the world's largest foundation funding companion animal and wildlife health studies.

To reach the $2 million goal, the Foundation added 55 new animal health studies to its list of 37 continuing studies. Among the new studies are nine equine health studies addressing developmental bone disease, foal diseases, gastrointestinal/digestive diseases, laminitis, and respiratory disease.

Developmental Bone Disease: The one-year study, "Use of Osteochondral Grafts for Management of Fetlock Developmental Bone Disease," is underway at the University of Guelph, Ontario Veterinary College under the direction of Mark B. Hurtig, DVM, MVSc. Osteochondrosis, a developmental bone disease, creates lesions in the articular cartilage in growing horses. Repair tissue (fibrocartilage) that develops following existing treatment regimes adapts poorly to weight-bearing environments such as the fetlock joint. The investigators propose that resurfacing weight-bearing areas with grafts containing hyaline cartilage will result in a functional articular surface. They are examining articular cartilage resurfacing using osteochondral mini-grafts from donor horses and a new surgical approach to the fetlock. Morris Animal Foundation is funding this study.

Developmental Bone Disease: R. Clark Billinghurst, DVM, of Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, is conducting a one-year study titled, "Skeletal Markers in Developmental Orthopaedic Disease of the Horse." Developmental Orthopaedic Disease (DOD) is an important problem facing horse breeders. It is a term for a group of diseases that affect the skeleton of growing horses and can lead to crippling lameness. Current diagnostic procedures fail to detect early changes before overt clinical expression of the disease. The primary focus of this project is to identify biochemical markers of bone and cartilage turnover in the blood that may signal impending DOD in foals. Morris Animal Foundation is funding this study.

Foal Diseases: Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine's Stephen A. Hines, DVM, PhD, has initiated the two-year study, "Induction of Type I Mucosal Immune Responses in Foals Using a DNA Vaccine." Very young animals are at an increased risk for infectious diseases because their immune systems haven't developed yet. This slow development limits the ability of vaccines to stimulate immunity. The goal is to advance emerging methods of biotechnology to develop vaccines that stimulate protective immune responses, even when administered in the first few weeks of life. The investigators are studying a model system of rhodococcal pneumonia, an important and deadly disease of foals. Morris Animal Foundation is funding this study with co-sponsorship support provided by Gregory and Moira Gingery and by the Ruth and Vernon Taylor Foundation in honor of G. Marvin Beeman, DVM.

Foal Diseases: The one-year pilot study, "In-Situ Detection of Equine Herpesvirus 2 in Foal Lungs," is currently underway at Oregon State University's College of Veterinary Medicine under the direction of Robert J. Bidfell, DVM. Equine herpesvirus 2 (EHV2) is found in most horses within a few months of birth. Its roll in respiratory disease in foals three weeks to six months of age is unknown. The investigators are developing a test to identify EHV2 in tissue samples to evaluate the involvement of the virus in foal pneumonia. This basic information will form the foundation for future investigations on the role of this virus in equine respiratory disease. Morris Animal Foundation is funding this study with full sponsorship support provided by Morris Animal Foundation's Staff.

Gastrointestinal/Digestive Diseases: Joanne Tetens, DVM, MS, of Louisiana State University's School of Veterinary Medicine, is leading a one-year study titled, "The Effects of ATP-MgCl2 During Low-Dose Endotoxin Infusion in Conscious Horses." Endotoxemia occurs frequently in horses, secondary to colic, diarrhea, and numerous other diseases, and is associated with a high death rate. Numerous secondary effects, especially laminitis, are commonly associated with endotoxemia. There are currently no reliable, consistently effective treatments for endotoxemia in horses. The investigators are evaluating the ability of intravenous infusion of a chemical, adenosine triphosphate-magnesium chloride, to reduce the early inflammatory response associated with endotoxin exposure, thus lowering the severity of endotoxemia. Morris Animal Foundation is funding this study with co-sponsorship support provided by Helen Krieble and High Prairie Farms Equestrian Center.

Gastrointestinal/Digestive Diseases: North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine's Samuel L. Jones, DVM, is leading a two-year study entitled, "Mucosal Repair During Colitis in Horses." Colitis is a frequently fatal condition of the large intestine that causes diarrhea. An important feature of colitis is damage to the mucosa (lining), which allows absorption of bacteria and toxins (endotoxin). The goals of this study are to determine whether non-selective, non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) commonly used to reduce intestinal inflammation, like flunixin meglumine, impair mucosal repair and whether NSAIDs with selective activity are more permissive for mucosal repair during colitis. Morris Animal Foundation is funding this study.

Laminitis: Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine's Jim Belknap, DVM, has initiated a two-year study titled, "Local Expression of Mediators Important in Equine Laminitis." In equine laminitis, disruption of normal blood flow to the foot is believed to result in deterioration of tissue binding the coffin bone to the hoof wall and eventual crippling lameness. The investigators are examining local expression of specific mediators by cells within the affected foot, and screening for genes that are activated in the early-stages of laminitis. Results will lead to new understanding of mediators involved in laminitis, hopefully leading to advanced treatment modalities. Morris Animal Foundation is funding this study with co-sponsorship support provided by the Michael and Barbara Simpson Charitable Foundation.

Laminitis: David M. Hood, DVM, of Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine, is leading a one-year study entitled, "Therapeutic Roles of the Deep Digital Flexor Tendon in Laminitis." The inability to successfully and consistently rehabilitate horses with chronic laminitis, or founder, coupled with the prolonged suffering of these patients, continues to make laminitis a major medical concern of the horse industry. This study is part of a rehabilitation project on laminitis that is specifically designed to determine if elevating or lowering the heel, or surgical cutting of the flexor tendons, is of clinical value in the chronic laminitis patient. Morris Animal Foundation is funding this study with full sponsorship support provided by Fort Worth/Tarrant County Animal Foundation.

Respiratory Disease: Deborah H. Wilson, BVSc, of Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, has initiated a one-year study entitled, "Effect of Acupuncture in Horses with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease." Heaves is a chronic, disabling, asthma-like disease of horses for which no completely effective treatment is known. Drugs used to treat this condition must be given repeatedly and have unwanted side effects. Acupuncture has been used to treat asthma in people, and, therefore, may hold some promise for treating heaves in horses. The goal is to examine whether acupuncture treatment improves lung function in horses with heaves, and determine the duration of any beneficial effect. Morris Animal Foundation is funding this study.

These nine new equine health studies join three others currently in progress, with equine health grants for fiscal year 2000 totaling $311,522. Individuals, organizations, veterinarians, and animal clubs provide the funding to make these studies possible.

Morris Animal Foundation is a 52-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring a healthier tomorrow for animals. One hundred percent of all annual, unrestricted contributions support animal programs, not administration or the cost of fundraising. Since its inception, the Foundation has funded more than 850 humane animal health studies with funds exceeding $19 million. For more information about Morris Animal Foundation, call toll-free (800) 243-2345 or visit the Web site at http://www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org