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FEI World Equestrian Games Features Diagnostic Imaging
The 2010 World Equestrian Games will be held September 25th through October 10th at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. It will represent the largest equine sporting event ever held in the United States. The venue will host more than 900 competitors and their 1,300 horses from 58 countries, requiring the largest single importation of horses into the United States since World War II.
This is the first time since the Games began in 1990, that the event has been held outside of Europe. Prior Games have been held in Sweden, Italy, Spain and the 2006 Games were held in Aachen, Germany. The 2014 Games will be held in Normandy, France. The first Games in 1990 involved six disciplines – Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing, Driving, Endurance Riding and Vaulting. In 2002, the discipline of Reining which is dominated by the American Quarter Horse was added. This year Para Dressage was added, which is a Dressage competition for the physically and mentally handicapped.
It is also the first time the Games have been held in a single venue, as there is not another facility worldwide, other than the Kentucky Horse Park that has the facilities to host such a large event.
Kentucky Horse Park is a 1,224 acre year round educational theme park and working farm, dedicated to “man’s relationship with the horse.” It offers horse education, horse museums, carriage ride tours and is a year round venue for major horse shows like the Rolex Three-Day Event.
The Games take place every four years and are administered by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) who is recognized by the International Olympic Committee. They are considered the pinnacle of equestrian sports by equestrians even more important than the Olympic Games. They are the major international championships for the eight equestrian disciplines, representing the world’s best horses and riders. The selection process to compete is rigorous and takes up to four years.
Germany has dominated the Games since its inception winning a total of 46 medals. The United States ranks second with 27 medals, France third with 24 medals and the Netherlands fourth with 19.
The 16 day event is expected to draw more than 600,000 spectators from around the world and have a $167 million economic impact. The event will be televised in 180 countries bringing more than 1,000 international journalists. The worldwide coverage of the event is expected to have a positive impact on the US horse industry for years to come as this is an opportunity for the equine industry to showcase itself worldwide. In the United Sates the games will be broadcast on NBC Sports, marking it the largest commitment of coverage of equestrian sports in US television history.
The event boasts that the event is accessible and economically affordable for local and out of state US visitors with ticket sales starting at only costing $25.
The World Games Foundation has selected Dr. A. Kent Allen as the official Veterinary Coordinator of the event. Dr. Allen is a 1979 graduate of the University of Missouri. His practice, Virginia Equine Imaging focuses on top level sports medicine, lameness and diagnostic imaging. He lectures throughout the United States on these topics.
He has served as the United States Equestrian Team, team veterinarian and was vice-chairman of the FEI Veterinary Committee. He currently serves as the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Drug and Medication Committee and as the vice-chairman of the FEI Medication Advisory Group. He served as the veterinary coordinator for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA and is currently the contact veterinarian for the FEI and USEF in the United States where he answers veterinary questions from veterinarians and competitors worldwide.
Dr. Allen began working with musculoskeletal imaging with ultrasound in horses in the early 1980’s and continues to innovate new techniques for ultrasound diagnosis which he lectures on. The practice has an extremely high resolution ultrasound as high as 17 megahertz with multiple specialty probes allowing for specific areas to be evaluated including the bottom of the hoof and the pelvis.
He is a pioneer in the field of nuclear medicine imaging, teaching the technique to other veterinarians. His practice was one of the first practices in the United States to use high energy shockwave therapy in 2001 and has pioneered several new uses of this treatment modality. It was also the first practice in the world to utilize direct digital radiology and has the latest in state of the art imaging technology, storage and treatment.
He is the vice president of the International Society for Equine Locomotor Patholgy, an organization that promotes and teaches imaging and lameness diagnostic excellence for equine veterinarians. The organization offers a comprehensive program of advanced education in the field of equine lameness and osteoarticular, musculotendinous and nervous pathology, covering the different parts of the locomotor system of the horse.
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“A lovely horse is always an experience.... It is an emotional experience of the kind that is spoiled by words."
~Beryl Markham
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Solution Center:
 Radiology Continuing Education series continues with session 4 of 6. It is designed to help you learn the principles and equipment of small and large animal x-ray production, further enabling you to produce excellent diagnostic quality radiographs on the first try.
October’s Radiology Continuing Education Series session will feature Digital Radiology: Analog Film vs. Digital Imaging; Equipment types, CR, DR and CCD; Procedures
October Conferences and Events:
 Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association (KVMA) 99th Annual Meeting & 37th Mid-America Veterinary Conference will be held October 8-10, 2010 at The Galt House East in Louisville, KY.
 Kelly Moore Sales Associate for Diagnostic Imaging Systems, Inc. will be attending the KVMA Meeting. Our booth #27 will feature : the new Smart Flat Panel DR retrofits and packages, CR portable systems w/intra oral dental, Portable units, Patient monitors, ESWT, Ultrasound and much more.
 American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) 61st National Meeting will be held October 10-14, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA.
Aaron Dafoe, Sales Associate for Diagnostic Imaging Systems, Inc. will be attending the AALAS National Meeting . DIS booth # 808 will feature : the new Smart Flat Panel DR retrofits and packages, CR portable systems w/intra oral dental, Portable units, Patient monitors, ESWT, Ultrasound and much more.
 The Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference (ACVC) will be held October 11-14, 2010 at the Atlanctic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, NJ.
Dane Oman Sales Associate with Diagnostic Imaging Systems, Inc.  will be attending the ACVC 2010 Conference. Our booth # 231 will feature : the new Smart Flat Panel DR retrofits and packages, CR portable systems w/intra oral dental, Portable units, Patient monitors, ESWT, Ultrasound and much more.
 Wild West Veterinary Conference (WWVC) will be held October 13-17, 2010 at the Grand  Sierra Resort in Reno, NV.
Joe Hecker, President of Diagnostic Imaging Systems, Inc. and Tim West Service Technician will be attending the SWVS. Our booth #205 will feature: the new Smart Flat Panel DR retrofits and packages, CR  portable systems w/intra oral dental, Portable units, Patient monitors, ESWT, Ultrasound and much more.
 The American College of Veterinary Surgeons Symposium and Surgical Summit will be held October 18-23, 2010 at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, WA.
Aaron Dafoe, Sales Associate for Diagnostic Imaging Systems, Inc. will be attending the ACVS October 20-23, 2010. Our booth #433 will feature : the latest technology in digital radiology the Dental Duo Max, capable of intra oral images for small and large animal with images up to 6" x 16", the DR 3500 a complete digital packages with dental options and much more.
View All Upcoming Conferences and Events
October Catalog Specials:
The October catalog specials is Silver Collection. Read more about Silver Recovery in this issues Tips and Tricks.
Equine imaging will be featured at the 2010 World Equestrian Games with EquineIR providing complimentary infrared scans and veterinary interpretations for competition horses.
 Equine thermography is a technology first introduced in the 1960’s with use in racehorses. It has been widely used in equine practice since the 1996 Olympic Games, as a valuable asset in assisting diagnosis. It is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure that can detect temperature changes of less than 0.5 degree, enabling early detection of inflammation, pulled tendons or abscesses, where heat is not obvious to the human touch in horses that have symptoms of discomfort or poor performance and no physical signs of injury.
 A thermal imaging camera converts infrared waves into images visible to the human eye. Images are displayed instantly on an LCD screen showing the surface temperature of the horse’s body, enabling a diagnosis to be made and treatment carried out. Hot or cool areas can be abnormal, indicating inflammation, neurological injury, poor blood flow or infection. Injuries or problem areas usually have elevated temperature for up to 24 hours.
 As a form of preventative medicine, thermography has been proven to be extremely valuable in the training and performance of competitive sport horses by identifying and reducing undue strains that causes injury or affect performance. It is used in pre-purchase exams to ensure that there are no hidden problems with a new horse. Thermography has also been used as a valuable tool in assessing proper saddle fitting and rider balance.
 As a diagnostic tool thermography has been extremely accurate when used by an experienced practitioner in detecting and diagnosis of non-specific lameness issues including Navicular and laminitis and in assists farriers in shoeing treatments by identifying if a horse is moving properly and if its weight is being distributed evenly on all four hooves. Tendon and ligament injuries may be detected up to two weeks before they manifest themselves as lameness or show up in other diagnostic methods. It is also used for diagnosis of musculoskeletal injuries such as spinal issues and nerve damage, dental examinations and in monitoring ongoing conditions to assess treatments.
Images can be taken anywhere within a matter of minutes and cost less than most diagnostic veterinary services. Infrared imaging does not replace radiographs or ultrasounds but is able to see circulatory changes in both bone and soft-tissue. It is considered physiological imaging rather than anatomical.
 Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital will serve as the Games official equine hospital and veterinary partner. They will set up a temporary clinic at Kentucky Horse Park with ultrasound units and other diagnostic equipment. The Games will require as many as 40 veterinarians on staff at one time at each of the events. Their hospital with more than 50 veterinarians and a staff of more than 200, is located just a few miles from the park and is capable of handling five to seven emergencies at one time. The Hospital has two doctors that specialize in diagnostic imaging, Katherine Garrett, DVM and Johanna Reimer, VMD.
Treatment of competition horses can be challenging as FEI rules prohibit the administration of substances that mask pain or that can enhance performance.
 Rood and Riddle has partnered with the American Association of Equine Practitioners and Alltech Animal Health and Nutition, the major corporate sponsor of the Games, to produce two seminars. “Promoting Peak Performance in Equine Athletes,” held September 22-24 for veterinary professionals and “The Winning Edge: Promoting Peak Performance in the Equine Athlete,” September 24th. Topics will include shoeing, adopting and retraining the ex-racehorse, the FEI drugs and medications rules and equine joint health.
Each of the participating nation teams also brings with them their own staff of veterinarians. Larger teams like the European equestrian superpowers have a designated team veterinarian for each discipline.
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