Texas Equine Veterinary Association

www.texasequineva.com • Page 25 something. We're working to change a culture. It won't happen overnight. It won't happen next week. It won't happen next month. But it's time for change. Change your perspective because change does affect you. Change is coming. We're actively involved in a sunset review of the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical examiners. The veterinary practice act will change, with or without you. LVT's licensed by the state board now have a seat at the table in these discussions. The state board will contact VTAT at some point and ask our opinions. If you want your voice heard in that discussion, it's time you do something. Become a VTAT member and join the discussion. The organization name changed to actively reflect that this organization is open to anyone associated with veterinary medicine and the goal is to better represent the entire veterinary team. Our mission to promote education to everyone and perhaps inspire someone to improve themselves. We need to serve as role models and mentors so that we recruit the brightest and the best into this profession. The veterinary team is the "pulse" of the veterinary hospital, which is why the ECG tracing is incorporated into our new logo. That pulse is strong, but it needs to be stronger. It's time to step up and make this profession what you want it to be. I grew up in Splendora, Texas. A tiny town outside of Houston. My graduating class had a little over 100 people in it. I helped pass a bill through the Texas legislature. Any of you are capable of the same thing if you care enough about your profession and yourself to make your life better. It's time to change the culture of the workplace. It's time for you to join and get involved. I'm proud of the work that's been done so far, but I'm more excited about the future of this profession. Change won't happen without you getting involved, so it's time for you to step out of your comfort zone because that's where the magic happens. It's time to challenge yourself and think outside the box and make the changes to improve your profession. You won't see the change from the bottom, and if you don't get involved, that view never changes. It's time to do work and it starts with you so challenge yourself and let's finish what's been started and do more things that they said would never get done. Why? It's time. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 A number of other medications are marketed with claims of improving insulin sensitivity and reducing the risk of laminitis, but there is little evidence to support these claims. Chromium is thought to potentiate insulin action through activation of insulin receptor kinase and/or inhibition of insulin receptor tyrosine phosphatase. However, the feeding of a supplement containing 5 mg/day chromium, 8.8 g/day magnesium, and other unspecified nutraceuticals for 16 weeks did not alter morphometric measurements, resting serum glucose and insulin concentrations, or insulin sensitivity in obese horses with a history of laminitis. 13 Along with chromium and magnesium, cinnamon and chasteberry have also been recommended for management of EMS but there is insufficient scientific evidence to support the use of these supplements at this time. 7 One study did reveal that normal non- obese unexercised horses did have a lower post-prandial blood glucose concentration when fed 90-270 grams psyllium per day for 60 days than did control horses and horses in the same study fed 270 grams psyllium for 60 days had lower insulin concentrations than did control horses. It is possible that feeding psyllium could be beneficial to obese IR horses but additional research will be needed. 14 REFERENCES 1. McGowen, Catherine M., Endocrinopathic Laminitis, in Veterinary Clinics of North America Equine Practice, Advances in Laminitis Part II, Vol. 26, No 2, Aug. 2010. pp. 233-237 2. Frank, Nicholas. Diagnosis and Medical Management of Endocrine Disorders in Aged Horses, in AAEP Proceedings 2013, Vol. 50, pp. 305-309 3. Tadros E.M. and Frank, N. Endocrine Disorders and Laminitis, in Equine Veterinary Education, March 2013, pp. 152-160. 4. Schott, Harold C. II. Pathogenesis and Diagnosis of Equine Cushing's Disease, in CVC Baltimore Proceedings, April 2010. 5. Frank, N., Andrews F., Buchanan B., Durham, A., Kritchevsky J., McFarlane D., and Schott, H. Diagnosis and Treatment of Pituitaty Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) in 2011, PPID working group, 9/9/2011. 6. Geor R.J., McCue, M., and Scultz. Current Understanding of Equine Metabolic Syndrome, in AAEP Proceedings 2013, Vol. 59, pp. 297-303. 7. Frank N., Geor R,J., Bailey S.R., Durham A.E., and Johnson P.J. Equine Metabolic Syndrome ACVIM Consensus Statement, in J Vet Internal Medicine, 2010, 24: pp. 467-475 8. Bailey SR. Corticosteroid Associated Laminitis, in Veterinary Clinics of North Amercia Equine Practice, Advances in Laminitis Part II, Vol. 26, No 2, Aug 2010, pp. 277-285 9. Buchanan B, Elliot S, and Frank N. Effect of Season on Adrenocorticotropin Hormone Concentrations in a Group of Horses located in Texas, in AAEP Proceedings 2011, Vol 57, pp. 69. 10. McFarlane, D. Review of Current Understanding of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction, in AAEP Proceedings 2013, Vol. 59, pp. 294-296. 11. Beech J, McFarlane D, Lindborg S, Sojka J and Boston R. α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone and adrenocorticotropin concentrations in response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone and comparison with adrenocorticotropin concentration after domperidone administration in healthy horses and horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, in JAVMA, Vol 238, no. 10, May 15, 2011, pp. 1305-1314. 12. Frank N and Geor R. Current best practice in clinical management of equine endocrine patients, in Equine Veterinary Education, Jan. 2014, pp 6-8. 13. Geor, R.J. Dietary management of endocrine disorders in the older horse, in AAEP proceedings 2013, Vol. 59, pp. 310-314. 14. Moreaux SJJ, Nichols JL, Bowman JGP, and Hatfield PG. Psyllium lowers blood glucose and insulin concentration in horses, in Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 31 (2011), pp. 160-165. Robert Judd DVM, Dipl ABVP (Eq) 301 E. Spring Valley Rd Hewitt, Tx. 76643 Ph 254-666-3355 | Fax 254-420-3154 Email; bjuddvet@gmail.com

• Cover