Page 14 - October 2008 The Game

14 The Game, October 2008
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
The Game
Health & Nutrition 2008
Special Advertorial Feature
Caledon Equine Hospital offers new therapy for arthritis
Caledon Equine Hospital is the rst hospital in Ontario to offer IRAP (in- terleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein) a relatively new anti-arthritis product for horses.
“IRAP is similar to cortisone, hy- aluronic acid or Adequan in that it is an intra-articular medication designed to decrease in ammation in joints and return or maintain a horse’s sound- ness,” writes Dr. Bruce Watt, owner
of Caledon Equine Hospital, “(IRAP) is quite different from other products in that it is naturally derived from the horse’s own blood without the addition of chemicals.
IRAP is a naturally occurring protein that works to protect joints by occupy- ing receptor sites on the membrane of cartilage cells.
MMPs, cytokines, and interleukin-1, are proteins that degrade and damage the cartilage structure. Constant and persistent exposure to these damag- ing proteins in the joints leads to the downward spiral of pitting, cracking, and thinning of cartilage and to even- tual production of osteoarthritis. Research has shown that IRAP attach themselves to the membrane and pre- vents MMPs, cytokines, and interleu-
Foxfire Home to Underwater Treadmill
Sharon Pishl (right), owner of Fox re Equine Wellness, with Assistants Sabrina (left) and Amber (middle) display the AquaPacer equine under- water treadmill.
Fox re Equine Wellness focuses on rehabilitation and wellness and is touted as a place to re-energize and recuperate. “We offer both condi- tioning and post surgical, trauma care with the use of the AquaPacer as well as Game Ready cold compression wraps.” while also adding that it is a very quiet and relaxing atmosphere for the horses.
On my way to Fox re Equine Wellness I was thinking about the distance I was traveling and if that was going to be a deterrent for po- tential clients. I mentioned as much to owner Sharon Pishl upon my arrival and her con dent response was that her facility was the home
to the only commercial AquaPacer Equine Underwater Treadmill in Ontario, and the results of the system are worth the drive.
Sharon purchased the AquaPacer in April 2008 after purchasing her
25 acre farm in Dresden, Ontario
a year earlier. The farm was the realization of a childhood dream for Sharon, who began riding her rst pony at the age of 5, “My parents weren’t horse people,” she explained, “but it’s in the blood.” Sharon is the great-niece of Vera and Joe Bakos, who encouraged her love of horses. “I spent many summers with Uncle Joe who taught me how to look after the horses. He taught me to pay at- tention to the ne details and to be relaxed around the horses. He would have been very proud of this.” said Sharon making a gesture towards the barn and the facilities while trying
to keep back her emotions. “I love
the horses and I am very passionate about them.”
The AquaPacer equine underwa- ter treadmill offers rehabilitation,
kin-1 from occupying those sites. The more IRAP present in the horse, the more receptors that can be blocked and the less articular degeneration possible. IRAP therapy utilizes a gene sequence for that special protein that has been incorporated into a harmless virus. The virus-IRAP gene sequence is injected into affected equine joints, and the virus soon takes over cells in the joint and uses the horse’s own cellular ma- chinery to produce more IRAP.
IRAP therapy has been available in Al- berta for more than a year now and Dr. Watt is excited to be able to offer this latest arthritis therapy to horsepeople in Ontario.
For more information on IRAP contact Dr. Bruce Watt at 905-838-0038.
Watch for the next Health & Nutrition Special Section Coming April 2009! For advertising information contact Stacie Roberts at 1-866-886-5827
or email info@thehorsegame.com
iMPortant For
SounD Joint
FunCtion
Proven Joint Supplements with Glucosamine, MSM & Chondrotin & our HA formulae with Sodium Hyaluronate
Available at most tack shops • Ask Your Veterinarian or call 1-866-825-2838
Stay in the race
Signal Health - Cont. from pg. 13
electrolytes. It’s about making them work properly.”
It uses Smart Cell Signal, where the horse’s body can “sense” the electro- lytes in the patches and responds to them. Equiwinner was the world’s rst cell signaling product when it was launched in the UK in the middle of 2004.
Barbara is very con dent about the future success of her new business and is expecting to more than double sales of Equiwinner in her third year next year.
“Some people have dif culty believ- ing Equiwinner can successfully treat all these conditions, but electrolytes are involved in every physiological process in the body. If a horse’s electrolyte balance is off, things start going wrong. Equiwinner is not about feeding more
Speci c product information can be found on the web site
www.signal-health.com or contact Barbara at 877-378-4946.
Equiwinner has patents pending in the US and Canada. Signal-Health, Equiwinner and Smart Cell Signal are trademarks.
C Ca al le ed do on n E Eq qu ui in ne e H Ho os sp pi it ta al l
• Arthroscopic & Orthopedic Surgery • Respiratory Surgery • Radiographs • Ultrasounds • Colic Treatment
• Joint care & More!
NO REFERRAL NECESSARY
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE & HOSPITALIZATION
Bruce C. Watt DVM
Board Certi ed Equine Veterinary Surgeon
905-838-0038
15343 Hurontario Street, Caledon, Ontario www.caledonequine.com
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