Stillwater, OK – The Oklahoma State University’s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences recently hosted a day-long Saturday seminar geared toward horse owners. This annual event attracted 80 equine owners from Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas. For a mere $35 per person, participants received a series of lectures and labs on a variety of topics (that included written materials), along with a lunch.

“With the heightened awareness of some of the difficult decisions horse owners are facing today, we wanted to help them take better care of their animals,” explains Dr. Carolynn MacAllister, director of Continuing Education for the Veterinary Center. “By providing equine owners information on the best healthcare techniques and the latest treatments available, they are better equipped to provide good care for their horses.”

Participants received information on eye problems, lameness, electrolytes in performance horses, dental care, vaccine protocols, and parasite control. Horse owners also learned how to body condition score a horse, to evaluate a lame horse, to use a high speed treadmill in a performance evaluation, and the latest diagnostic imaging available at OSU.

The faculty, staff and students providing the lectures and labs volunteered their time to make the symposium possible. Participants were overwhelming satisfied with the material and format, commenting that the speakers were knowledgeable and very informative. Time was allotted for interactive problem cases where horse owners asked questions about specific issues they were experiencing.

Speakers from the Veterinary Center’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences were: Jason Arble, DVM, DACVR, Radiology; Sabrina Cummings, DVM, Sports Medicine; Dustin Devine, DVM, DACVS, Equine Surgeon; Lyndi Gilliam, DVM, DACVIM, Equine Internal Medicine; Margie Gilmour, DVM, DACVO, Ophthalmologist; James Hart, DVM, Resident, Surgeon; Todd Holbrook, DVM, DACVIM, Equine Internal Medicine; Hank Jann, DVM, DACVS, Equine Surgeon; and Ryan Royse, DVM, Equine Ambulatory. The luncheon keynote speaker was Larry Sanchez, coach of the OSU Equestrian Program.

The Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences is one of 28 veterinary colleges in the United States and is fully accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The Center’s Veterinary Medial Teaching Hospital is open to the public and provides routine and specialized care for small and large animals. It also offers 24 hour emergency care and is certified by the American Animal Hospital Association. For more information, visit www.cvhs.okstate.edu or call (405) 744-7000.

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