Equine Reproduction & Stud Medicine: Self-Assessment Color Review PDF

Preface

Recent developments in equine reproduction have meant that extra information needs to be assimilated by practising and student veterinarians and breeders. Whilst there are many excellent texts that provide detailed information on the subject, the aim of this project was to provide a series of case scenarios any of which could face us in our daily work: the mare that will not become pregnant, the foal that is sick or the stallion whose semen needs to be evaluated. The information given in the answer is sufficient that the book should not only be helpful to practitioners, but also to veterinary students preparing to graduate. These detailed answers should hopefully ensure that the book can be returned to on several occasions and additional information retained each time.

With the now almost routine use of ultrasound in mare gynaecology, improved standards of foal care and the growing importance of artificial insemination, it was imperative that a broad-spectrum of questions was chosen. To ensure that all the important problems were covered, some twenty-two contributing authors were selected from several countries. And to make certain a practical approach was taken, the authors were all people directly involved in the subject, facing essentially the same problems as could be encountered by any one of us on any day.

Although seemingly fairly simple, the enormity of the task was far greater than expected. Nevertheless, I hope and believe that what has finally been achieved is an excellent selection of cases. This is due largely to the superb standard of photographs, questions and answers from all the contributors. Inevitably in a book of this nature the answers may not be universally accepted as the only correct possibility: have you ever tried writing an answer on how to approach and treat a case of retained placenta that would please every veterinarian? Undaunted I offer up the questions for discussion, debate and, hopefully, education.

There is nothing quite like the sight of a newborn foal and I hope this book proves to be helpful to all of us fortunate to work with that most noble of animals, the horse.