Spinal Column horse issues

Spinal Column Newsweekly is putting together a special edition concerning the horse.  If you have articles/photos related to horse rescue, advice on picking a horse, rescue stories, etc submit them to timdmoch@thescngroup.com.  The special section is scheduled for publication on April 6, 2011. The information must be sent by Wednesday, March 30th.  You can also call Tim Dmoch at 248-360-6307, ext. 398.

Red snow

If you notice red spots in the snow this time of year, while alarming, are a normal oxidative process that occurs after the urine has been voided from your horse.  Normal horse urine sometimes turns red or brown after standing for a while in the snow.  This is due to the presence of oxidizing agents termed "pyrocatechines" in the urine.  It is rare for a horse to pass blood in the urine and when present is almost always accompanied by some abnormal void behavior.  Frequent urination and straining are the most common indications of a disease in the lower urinary tract.