Paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS) are a consequence of neoplasia at a site distant from the primary tumor. They have many etiologies, including release of hormones, cytokines, or other inflammatory markers from the primary tumor, the immune system’s reaction to a primary tumor, and depletion of normal substances in the body by a tumor. Understanding common PNS, their effects, and how to treat them can help veterinarians more quickly recognize neoplasia and improve the quality of life of patients living with neoplasia. Kaitlyn Curran, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), assistant professor of oncology at Oregon State University, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine in Corvallis, discussed common PNS seen in veterinary medicine, during a session at the 2024 American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Convention in Austin, Texas.

Why we care about paraneoplastic syndromes

“Sometimes, paraneoplastic syndromes can help us in coming to a diagnosis,” Curran said. She noted that some patients present initially with clinical signs associated with a PNS that may prompt veterinarians to search for a primary tumor. “I definitely think [paraneoplastic syndromes] might be…why the patient is coming in to you urgently or emergently,” Curran stated.

Additionally, PNS can parallel the course of neoplasia. Monitoring laboratory parameters or clinical signs associated with the PNS can help in monitoring patient response to treatment. The PNS may resolve with treatment of the primary disease and recur when remission ends, or the disease has metastasized elsewhere in the body. “They can become this hallmark or biomarker for that individual patient,” Curran said. In some cases, the PNS may be the first indication of recurrent disease.

Finally, the PNS may cause higher morbidity than the primary tumor. Curran shared that in some cases, “the paraneoplastic syndrome associated with the tumor [has] more of a quality-of-life impact than the cancer itself. Managing that becomes an important focus” for individual patients and clients. This can be important for client communication around the expected course of disease, quality-of-life decisions, and prognosis.

There are 2 hematologic abnormalities that can be classified as PNS: anemia and thrombocytopenia. Both abnormalities can be caused by multiple mechanisms.

The most common mechanisms of disease include amenia of chronic disease and immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. Anemia of chronic disease is generally a mild, normocytic, normochromic nonregenerative anemia caused by defects in iron storage and metabolism, shortened lifespan of red blood cells, and/or decreased bone marrow response. Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia is often more severe. It may be regenerative, depending on the timing of the diagnosis. Patients may also have hyperbilirubinemia, spherocytosis, saline agglutination, and may or may not be Coombs’ positive.

Less common causes of anemia include blood loss and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Blood loss is often a microcytic, hypochromic, regenerative anemia. It may be readily apparent, such as with hemoabdomen from a hemangiosarcoma, or harder to identify such as a bleeding gastrointestinal tumor. Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia occurs due to endothelial damage and/or fibrin deposition leading to secondary hemolysis and schistocytes. It is often associated with hemangiosarcoma.

Thrombocytopenia can also vary in underlying mechanism and severity. Secondary immune-mediated destruction (IMTP) results in severely low platelets counts. In lymphoproliferative neoplasia, platelet production can be decreased. Additionally, platelets can be consumed more quickly or sequestered with vascular tumors, especially in the spleen.

Treatment of these hematologic PNS is aimed at controlling the primary disease through either removal or treatment. In cases with a secondary immune-mediated destruction of red blood cells and/or platelets, immunosuppressive therapy is also required.

“Cancer is the most common cause of hypercalcemia in dogs,” Curran said. It can occur in many types of neoplasia, but top causes include lymphoma, anal sac apocrine gland adenocarcinoma, multiple myeloma, thymomas, and thyroid carcinomas.

“It isn’t uncommon for these patients to present for their hypercalcemia,” Curran said. Clinical signs can include polyuria and polydipsia, vomiting, anorexia, lethargy, weakness, depression, and bradycardia. In severe cases, patients can become comatose and die.

When hypercalcemia is present, Curran stated, “I’m really focusing in on the physical exam. There’s a lot to be gained.” She reminded veterinarians to thoroughly assess the head and neck, including retropulsion of the eyes, oral examination, and palpation of the ventral cervical neck. Additionally, peripheral lymph nodes, mammary glands, and a rectal examination, including expression of the anal glands, should be carefully evaluated.

Numerous mechanisms have been identified for paraneoplastic hypercalcemia. The most common is production of parathormone (PTH) or PTH-related peptide by the tumor. These substances are often measured in the diagnostic workup of hypercalcemia, along with an ionized calcium level. Through this testing, “we’re likely to pick up a lot of situations of hypercalcemia of malignancy, but it is important to remember that we will not pick up all of them,” said Curran.

Treatment focuses on eliminating the inciting tumor, but additional treatment may be needed depending on the severity of hypercalcemia. Treatment of hypercalcemia starts with rehydration with normal saline. Additional treatments may include furosemide in appropriately hydrated patients, prednisone, bisphosphonates and calcitonin. “Prednisone is quite effective, but I only want to recommend that after we’ve identified the root cause of our hypercalcemia,” Curran cautioned.

“Hypertrophic osteopathy (HO) is a syndrome distinguished by painful periosteal proliferation of new bone and soft tissue swelling along the diaphysis of long bones associated with malignant and non-malignant diseases,” Curran said. Although it is less common than other PNS, it is still important to remember.

Common neoplastic causes include pulmonary metastasis—especially because of osteosarcoma—and other thoracic and abdominal tumors, including primary pulmonary, renal, and bladder tumors.

Patients may present with warm, swollen limbs, shifting leg lameness, and/or reluctance to move. Radiographs show classic periosteal proliferative changes along the long bones that often occur bilaterally. The ribs and pelvic bones may also be involved, which may make pain more difficult to localize. Curran shared findings of a retrospective study that found 1/3 of dogs present with a cough and 2/3 present with ocular signs such as episcleral injection and discharge.

Treatment is aimed at treating the primary tumor when possible. However, as these patients often have widespread metastatic disease, symptomatic treatment with oral analgesics, bisphosphonates, and palliative radiation may be the only options.

Hypoglycemia is a blood glucose level less than 60-70 mg/dL. This PNS is a hallmark of insulinomas in dogs, though nonpancreatic tumors can also cause hypoglycemia.

When diagnosing tumors causing this PNS, Curran noted that veterinarians must distinguish between insulin-producing tumors such as insulinomas and beta-islet cell tumors, and noninsulin producing tumors such as leiomyosarcoma and leiomyoma. For insulin-producing tumors, a low blood glucose reading paired with a high insulin level is diagnostic. Abdominal imaging is the next step, though sometimes these tumors are too small to identify with imaging. An exploratory laparotomy may be needed. Non-insulin producing tumors are less common, but are often big, bulky tumors that can be located with imaging.

Treatment depends on the inciting tumor. Managing blood glucose both acutely and chronically is essential. This may include small, frequent feedings, and/or low-dose prednisone to stimulate glucose production.

Additional PNS that may be seen in practice include fever and anorexia. Both are nonspecific clinical signs that can be due to both neoplastic and non-neoplastic causes but are not pathognomonic for any one type of neoplasia. Many of the mechanisms overlap and are related to excess production of cytokines and prostaglandins.

Some fevers may be cyclical, and cancer should always be a differential diagnosis for a fever of unknown origin. Additionally, fevers may come from a tumor that has become secondarily infected. Anorexia is decreased nutritional intake, which may be a true paraneoplastic syndrome or a side-effect of cancer treatment.

Paraneoplastic syndromes may be an early indicator of neoplasia. Veterinarians should be aware of common presentations of PNS and have neoplasia on the differential diagnosis list. Treatment for most PNS is a combination of treating the primary tumor as well as controlling clinical signs related to the PNS. In some cases, a PNS may cause more significant impacts to a patient’s quality of life than the primary tumor, and they should be discussed with clients.

Curran KM. What you need to know about paraneoplastic syndromes in dogs and cats. Presented at AVMA Convention: Austin, Texas. June 21, 2024.

Withers SS, Johnson EG, Culp WTN, Rodriguez CO, Skorupski KA, Rebhun RB. Paraneoplastic hypertrophic osteopathy in 30 dogs. 

. 2015;13(3):157–165. doi:10.1111/vco.12026

Articles

Recognizing PNS can help veterinarians identify neoplasia earlier and improve the quality of life in patients with cancer

Paraneoplastic syndromes in dogs and cats

Tenacious Candy, a 2-year-old Thoroughbred filly, who was hospitalized at UC Davis that overcame tetanus and injury (Image courtesy of UC Davis College of Veterinary Medicine)


Tenacious Candy, a 2-year-old Thoroughbred filly, was brought to UC Davis veterinary hospital after a cut on her leg exposed her to the bacterium that causes tetanus. Tenacious Candy, once she was cut, went down in an exerciser and it took 3 men and a tractor to get her up. At first, she was able to eat and drink but over a couple of hours she stiffened. By the time Tenacious Candy arrived at UC Davis veterinary hospital, she had a prolapsed third eyelid, a rigid mouth, and stiff body and tail, all classic signs of tetanus.

Tetanus is a potentially fatal diseases that is characterized by muscular spasms caused by a neurotoxin created by 

These organisms and their spores are located within the intestinal tract of horses, other species, and are abundant in soil, surviving for many years. The spores of tetanus can enter the body through open wounds, particularly puncture wounds, and they go on to proliferate under the right conditions.

 The disease is typically treated with antibiotics typically penicillin, tetanus antitoxin injections, and other medications, but for severe cases a sling might be required. The infected horses are usually kept in dark and quiet stalls with deep bedding since they are sensitive to stimuli. Occasionally the stalls include padded walls to minimize further injury.

The team at UC Davis gave Tenacious Candy a tetanus antitoxin medication and supportive care of fluid therapy, muscle relaxants, and a quiet environment with low light, noise, and activity. After a week of hospitalization, she showed signs of improvement with her ability to eat and a reduction of stiffness. She was then transferred to the Center for Equine Health at UC Davis for rehabilitation. 

“It is not a recovery that can happen overnight,” said Emily Berryhill, DVM, DACVIM, assistant professor of equine medicine, in the release.

 “Horses recovering from tetanus routinely go through an extensive rehabilitation process. The toxins can be out of their system after being bound with antitoxin, but the damaged neuromuscular junctions need several weeks to regenerate.”

Although doing well, Tenacious Candy sustained significant muscle weakness due to the disease and tore a muscle in her hind leg during a rehabilitation session. She was brought back to the hospital and placed in a ling to stabilize Tenacious Candy and prevent any further injury. She was discharged after a month once she was able to lay down and get up repeatedly on her own.

Tetanus is preventable with vaccination and it is recommended that horses have a primary vaccination series of 2 doses at 4-6 week interval as a foal. This is then later on followed by repeat vaccinations at 1-years-old and annually after that. In Tenacious Candy’s case, she was vaccinated on schedule, but the team believes she did not generate the full immunity she needed to as a foal which in result increased her risk of developing the disease. According to the release,

 the vaccinations she received did provide her a partial immunity, which helped her survive even though she was not fully protected from the disease.

“Candy’s survival was touch and go that first week,” said owner Mary Ellen Conway.

 “She is alive today because of the unflagging, over-the-top care given by Berryhill and the entire UC Davis team. I am beyond grateful they pulled her though.”

Equine Medicine Specialists Help Thoroughbred Filly Beat the Odds to Survive Tetanus. News release. UC Davis College of Veterinary Medicine. Published July 22, 2024. Accessed August 6, 2024. 

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/equine-medicine-specialists-help-thoroughbred-filly-beat-odds-survive-tetanus

Young A. Tetanus. UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Published March 29, 2021. Accessed August 6, 2024. https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/tetanus

UC Davis equine specialists recently treated 2-year-old Tenacious Candy after presenting to hospital barely able to stand 


Thoroughbred filly beats odds on surviving tetanus 

The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) announced the recipients of its 2024 Student Chapter and Student Advisor of the Year awards—a recognition of exemplary work of 1 student chapter and 1 student chapter advisor to promoting the field of veterinary technology.

 This year, the awards were given to Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Virginia; and Nicole Getzloff, CVT, advisor of the Northcentral Technical College (NTC) Student Chapter of the NAVTA (SCNAVTA).

Every year, the recipients of the awards are selected by members of NAVTA’s Chapters. The organization has more than 100 student chapters at AVMA-accredited Veterinary Technician schools in the United States. SCNAVTA membership provides students with experience, opportunities to learn from professionals, and involvement community service, according to an organizational release.

 It also introduces incoming freshmen to the veterinary technology career and plays a role in creating well-rounded veterinary technicians, according to NAVTA.

 Moreover, a credentialed veterinary technician (CVT) dedicated to shaping the future of the profession by mentoring the next generation of veterinary technicians leads each Chapter.

The Student Chapter Advisor of the Year award honors advisors who have shown exceptional commitment to their chapter, motivated and supported members, and served as outstanding leaders and role models, according to NAVTA.

 The award recognizes their ability to inspire students, fostering both professional, and personal growth in the veterinary field.

This year, Getzloff was nominated by 3 students and a member of staff at NTC as the 2024 Advisor of the Year for her exceptional dedication to the NTC student members of SCNAVTA. “As the club’s founder and advisor for the past two years, she has demonstrated outstanding commitment, enthusiasm, and support, leading the club through numerous initiatives and challenges,” wrote NAVTA in a news release.

Getzloff mentored students, provided resources, offered guidance, and organized workshops to support the personal and academic growth of members. She has also collaborated with NTC’s Professional Agriculture Students (PAS) Club, organized vaccine clinics, and partnered with the Beta Rho Zeta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society on community projects, while promoting mental health awareness in the veterinary field and encouraging student engagement, according to the release.

“Nicole’s leadership, dedication, and support have profoundly impacted NTC’s SCNAVTA members and the organization. She is highly deserving of recognition for her exceptional service and commitment,” read a statement by NAVTA.

The Student Chapter of the Year award recognizes chapters that excel in community service and demonstrate a strong commitment to the veterinary profession. It honors those that enhance members' educational and professional development while actively advancing veterinary technology and nursing through diverse initiatives.

This 2024 award was presented to Blue Ridge Community College. According to NAVTA, the chapter has been active for more than 40 years with a mission to advance the veterinary technology profession, educate and inform the public on responsible pet care, improve the bond between people and their pets, and foster positive connections between on-campus and distance education students. Blue Ridge was chosen from a pool of 11 other nominees.

Some of the key initiatives Blue Ridge has accomplished during the 2023-2024 school year include welcoming students with gift bags at orientation, organizing events and fundraisers for dedicated members, and hosting educational sessions with guest speakers. The chapter also supported student attendance at the Virginia Veterinary Conference, conducted a successful native-nut collection drive for the Wildlife Center of Virginia, and engaged in various fundraising activities including pizza kit sales and a bake-off that raised $1000 for the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project. Overall, they raised $6031.04 for multiple charitable causes and organized social events and graduation cord rewards for active participants.

NAVTA honors 2024 Student Advisor and Student Chapter of the Year. News release. National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. July 29, 2024. Accessed August 5, 2024. https://navta.net/news/navta-honors-2024-student-advisor-and-student-chapter-of-the-year/

Student chapters of NAVTA. National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. Accessed August 6, 2024. https://navta.net/students/

SCNAVTA Advisor of the Year award. National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. Accessed August 6, 2024. https://navta.net/awards/scnavta-advisor-of-the-year/

The National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America honors one exemplary student chapter and student chapter advisor each year

NAVTA announces student chapter awards

GlobalVetLink (GVL), a provider of digital compliance solutions for veterinary professionals, recently expanded its SmartCert technology—a digital tool developed to improve the creation, management, compliance, and distribution of veterinary health certificates. Their compliance assistant platform will now include equine infectious anemia (EIA) certificates.

According to the company, their technology platform aims to “revolutionize” the way veterinary clinics manage animal health compliance documents, improving certificates’ security, authenticity, and efficiency. They also aim to lessen administrative workloads and enhance data integrity.

 Additionally the company has a platform for rabies vaccination certificates.

"We are thrilled to extend our SmartCert Technology to EIA certificates," Stacey Noe, senior director of Product at GlobalVetLink, said in a news release.

 "This expansion not only upholds the highest standards of compliance and data security but also reinforces our commitment to providing veterinarians with a secure and efficient platform for managing animal health data."

Features of the company’s tool for EIA certificates include

Tools to detect and prevent fraudulent activities, enabling online verification of certificate authenticity for both users and regulatory agencies.

Advanced watermarking: Certificates are protected with digital indexing and a visible validation watermark

Intelligent routing: Compliance documents are automatically directed to the relevant local, state, and federal authorities, reducing the chances of misrouting and lessening the manual workload for veterinary practices.

Verified access for animal owners, service providers, and regulatory bodies with SOC-2 compliance

Additionally, each certificate is assigned a unique QR code which directs users to a web page with detailed information about the certificate after being scanned. Users can then compare the digital information to the hard copy. Inconsistencies found during this comparison may suggest possible fraud, according to GVL.

EIA is a viral disease that only affects horses, ponies, zebras, mules, and donkeys, and can be fatal for these equids. It is transmitted via bites from infected flies like horseflies or deer flies. However, the most common form of transmission in the US is now through human-facilitated methods, including through re-used or unclean needles, syringes, dental instruments, other contaminated equipment, and blood transfusions.

Clinical symptoms of this infectious disease can vary from mild to severe and typically develop within a few weeks after infection. Nevertheless, it can take 60 days or longer for a horse to show a positive test result for the infection. Once an equid is infected with the disease, they become a carrier for the virus following survival of the infection, with occasional clinical flare-ups.

Jaundice (yellow discoloration of mucous membranes)

Bleeding from the nose or red/purple spots on mucous membranes

However, horses that are chronically infected may not show any clinical signs. Currently, there is no treatment for EIA. Advice veterinarians may share with equid owners to prevent the spread of EIA, according to the US Department of Agriculture, include

Control biting flies on the property to reduce animals’ exposure

Never reuse needles, syringes, or IV sets

Only use licensed and approved blood products

Ensure blood transfusions are performed only by licensed veterinarians using blood products from donor horses that have tested negative for EIA and other blood-borne infections, like equine piroplasmosis

Test horses, ponies, mules, and donkeys annually for EIA

Immediately move horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys that are suspected might have EIA at least 200 yards away from other equids on the property and contact a veterinarian immediately

GlobalVetLink expands SmartCert Technology to include EIA certificates. News release. GlobalVetLink. August 1, 2024. Accessed August 2, 2024. 

https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/globalvetlink-expands-smartcert-technology-to-include-eia-certificates-302212479.html

SmartCert: Elevating the security and efficiency of animal health certificates. GlobalVetLink. Accessed August 2, 2024. 

https://www.globalvetlink.com/compliance-assistant/smartcert-technology/

Equine infectious anemia. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. July 12, 2024. Accessed August 2, 2024. 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/equine/infectious-anemia

The compliance assistant platform helps veterinarians authenticate and manage veterinary health documents

Digital tool now includes equine infectious anemia certificates

Good afternoon dvm360 readers and happy Monday! We cannot believe that we are now entering the final month of summer. As students prepare to head back to veterinary school, dvm360 will soon be announcing the opening of our Student Ambassador Program. Students within any class in veterinary school are welcome to apply for a chance to be entered in the program. Stay tuned for more information!

Here is what readers can find this week on dvm360.com:

Anivive Lifesciences Inc, a One Health technology company, shared the news that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institute of Health, awarded the company a new contract worth millions to support the creation of a vaccine against the cause of Valley Fever, fungus 

During an interview with dvm360 previewing his upcoming 

 lecture, Craig A Clifford DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology), shares more on how general practitioners can utilize phenotyping when it comes to canine lymphoma patients before they are referred to their local veterinary oncologist.

On this week's episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, welcomed back David Dycus, DVM, MS, CCRP, to take listeners into the world of orthopedics.

The New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (NYSVDL) at Cornell University has received $19.5 million in capital funding from lawmakers to expand the building as a way to better accommodate the laboratory’s increasing case load.

 conducted by the Waltham Petcare Science Institute show researchers that the oral microbiome offers crucial information that could be key for early detection of periodontal diseases.

Here is a sneak peek of this week’s headlines

This week on dvm360: Research finds oral microbiome in canines can lead to early detection of periodontal disease, and other news 

Degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthritis (OA), is the primary cause of equine lameness.

With OA affecting so many horses, giving their owners tools to help recognize this disease is crucial to equine welfare. Investigators have developed the Equine Brief Pain Inventory (EBPI) questionnaire to expedite OA treatment for horses and optimize efficacy.

OA is a chronic, degenerative disease leading to inflammation of the synovial membrane and fibrous joint capsule that allow for smooth joint movement and shock absorption. As a result, the cartilage in the joints begins to lack its own blood or nerve supply, preventing self-repair once it is damaged. Because of this joint deterioration, friction and inflammation in a horse’s joints increase, resulting in pain, stiffness, and lameness.

“Many horses may deal with pain that is not recognized, particularly in its early stages,” Janet Patterson-Kane, PhD, BVSc, Morris Animal Foundation’s chief scientific officer, said in a news release.

 “Giving their caregivers effective tools for detection, monitoring, and decision-making has the potential for significant animal welfare impact.

The EBPI is designed to help owners recognize signs of OA-related pain in their horses and offers the potential to help them monitor treatment success and pain progression.

Modeled after the Brief Pain Inventory, which is used to assess clinical pain in humans and the extent to which it interferes with functioning,

 the EBPI includes questions that address equine movement, facial expressions, posture, and changes in behavior. It is based on input from owners of horses diagnosed with OA and scientific literature on equine pain expression and behavior.

“As veterinarians, we want to treat horses with painful and debilitating conditions like OA as effectively as possible,” Janny de Grauw, DVM, PhD, MRCVS, DECVAA, senior lecturer at Royal Veterinary College London, United Kingdom, and a distance researcher with Utrecht University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Netherlands, said in a news release.

 “How well we can manage their condition critically relies on recognition of subtle signs of [worsening] pain by owners and caregivers, who can then seek help.”

In the preliminary trial, investigators tested the tool for ease of use and interpretation in 25 owners or caretakers of horses diagnosed with OA. They determined that 84% of participants found the questionnaire easy to complete, with 88% noting its usefulness. Moreover, the EBPI took less than 5 minutes to complete, and assessments indicated that individuals with English reading abilities equivalent to a sixth- or seventh-grade education could reliably complete the questionnaire.

 As of June 10, 2024, the tool was undergoing additional reliability testing in a broader population of 60 owners or caretakers of horses with OA and 20 of healthy horses before it could be implemented.

The project received funding from the Morris Animal Foundation Donor-Inspired Study. It was developed by de Grauw and Diane Howard, PhD, MSC, equine science graduate from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.

According to research, OA occurs in more than 50% of horses older than 15 years and is found in 80% to 90% of horses older than 30 years.

 Howard discovered that many horse owners hold themselves responsible for their equine’s OA diagnosis or perceive it as an inevitable condition without remedy, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

“In general, it’s not the owner or trainer’s fault, and once they realize that, they could be more willing to think, ‘Maybe my horse is hurting a bit, and maybe it’s arthritis,’” Howard said in a news release.

 “There are currently no ways of curing it, but there are certainly ways of controlling the pain and slowing the progress of the disease.”

The EBPI can assist equine owners in identifying signs of pain in their horses and seeking veterinary care for suitable treatment. By providing owners with a valuable resource for detection, tracking, and decision-making, the EBPI could profoundly influence animal welfare, according to the AVMA

Pain questionnaire adapted to identify osteoarthritis in horses. American Veterinary Medical Association. June 10, 2024. Accessed June 11, 2024. 

https://www.avma.org/news/pain-questionnaire-adapted-identify-osteoarthritis-horses?utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=todays-headlines-news

Managing and treating equine osteoarthritis. Boehringer Ingelheim. Accessed June 11, 2024. 

https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/ca/animal-health/companion-animals-equine/equine/managing-and-treating-equine-osteoarthritis

Morris Animal Foundation awards grant to test equine osteoarthritis questionnaire. News release. Morris Animal Foundation. April 22, 2024. Accessed June 13, 2024. 

https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/osteoarthritis-pain-in-horses-questionnaire

Baccarin RY, Seidel SR, Michelacci YM, Tokawa PK, Oliveira TM. Osteoarthritis: A common disease that should be avoided in the athletic horse’s life. Animal Frontiers. 2022;12(3):25-36. doi: 

Howard DL, Lancaster B, de Grauw J. Development and preliminary validation of an equine brief pain inventory for owner assessment of chronic pain due to osteoarthritis in horses. Animals. 2024;14(2):181. 

Morris Animal Foundation-funded researchers develop early osteoarthritis detection tool. News release. Morris Animal Foundation. April 2, 2024. Accessed June 13, 2024. 

https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/Morris-Animal-Foundation-horses-osteoarthritis-detection-tool

The Equine Brief Pain Inventory was designed to help horse owners recognize signs of pain associated with the disease 