NAVIGATOR The Newsletter of the AAEP Foundation Fall 2013 www.aaepfoundation.org Mission Statement: To serve as the charitable arm of the AAEP to improve the welfare of the horse. AAEP Foundation awards more than $316,000 in support of equine welfare New disease mitigation projects among 25 grant recipients in 2013 The AAEP Foundation has approved 2013 funding of $316,298 for 25 equine organizations and special projects committed to the Foundation’s mission of improving the welfare of the horse. The 2013 grant funding brings the total disbursed by the Foundation, the charitable arm of the AAEP, since its inception in 1994 to more than $2.8 million. New initiatives awarded funding include an Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy Summit, the AAEP’s National Equine Health Plan Task Force and its efforts to develop an Equine Disease Communication Center, and additional support for laminitis research. The education and preparation of the next generation of equine veterinarians continued as a focal point with financial assistance awarded to 52 student veterinary scholarships, in addition to support of dentistry, farriery and horsemanship short courses, and other student member programs. The Foundation addressed the plight of the world’s working equid population through support of outreach projects and workshops in Mexico and Costa Rica as well as training and education efforts in Mongolia and Gambia. Additional grants were earmarked in support of equine advocacy, unwanted horses, equine research, professional development and youth development in the equine community. A complete list of 2013 grant recipients is available at www. aaepfoundation.org. Veterinarian/Farrier Short Courses are among the AAEP Student Member Programs to receive financial support from the AAEP Foundation.
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NAVIGATORT h e N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e A A E P F o u n d a t i o n
Fall 2013
www.aaepfoundation.org
Mission Statement:To serve as the charitable arm of the AAEP to improve the welfare of the horse.
AAEP Foundation awards more than $316,000 in support of equine welfare
New disease mitigation projects among 25 grant recipients in 2013
The AAEP Foundation has approved 2013 funding of $316,298 for 25 equine organizations and special projects committed to the Foundation’s mission of improving the welfare of the horse.
The 2013 grant funding brings the total disbursed by the Foundation, the charitable arm of the AAEP, since its inception in 1994 to more than $2.8 million.
New initiatives awarded funding include an Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy Summit, the AAEP’s National Equine Health Plan Task Force and its efforts to develop an Equine Disease Communication Center, and additional support for laminitis research.
The education and preparation of the next generation of equine veterinarians continued as a focal point with financial assistance awarded to 52 student veterinary scholarships, in addition to support of dentistry, farriery and horsemanship short courses, and other student member programs.
The Foundation addressed the plight of the world’s working equid population through support of outreach projects and workshops in Mexico and Costa Rica as well as training and education efforts in Mongolia and Gambia.
Additional grants were earmarked in support of equine advocacy, unwanted horses, equine research, professional development and youth development in the equine community.
A complete list of 2013 grant recipients is available at www.aaepfoundation.org.
Veterinarian/Farrier Short Courses are among the AAEP Student Member Programs to receive financial support from the AAEP Foundation.
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Legacy gift underscores role of education in equine welfare
As former chairman of the AAEP Foundation, Dr. Nat White helped nurture the Foundation and steer it on the course of greatest impact on the welfare of the horse. As a member of the Foundation’s Legacy Society, the professor of surgery at Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center has chosen to ensure his continued and indefinite support of the Foundation’s mission. Dr. White recently discussed his bequest, which he said dually acknowledges the horse for his livelihood and the AAEP as a contributor to his success.
Describe the important role horses have played in your life. My family acquired horses when I was in seventh grade. I participated at horse shows and in 4-H while learning to care for horses. Some excellent mentors influenced my decision to focus on equine medicine in veterinary college. My experiences as an intern and resident furthered my interest in surgery. Since then my goal has been to find ways to improve the outcomes for horses, particularly for colic and orthopedic diseases. How do you advocate for the AAEP Foundation with your clients and colleagues, including students? It is easy. When anyone says they want to help horses, I immediately start talking about the need for more equine research. It is an educational process, as most don’t realize what research costs. The Foundation has funded numerous projects that have helped horses, including research, scholarships, unwanted horses, youth development, and disaster preparedness. These programs are great examples of how the Foundation has stepped up to improve the health and welfare of horses. As a longtime chairman of the AAEP Foundation and someone who was instrumental in its establishment, how has the Foundation evolved to address the changing needs and priorities in equine welfare through the years? Some time ago we made the decision to start spending 70% of annual donations to fund projects and programs aligned with the mission of
the Foundation. These are programs that members have suggested and supported. By putting the donations to work each year there is an immediate benefit to horses and horse welfare. Donors feel good about having their donations used immediately and not just saved in the Foundation corpus. This policy also attracts other donors who want to see success with similar projects. The Foundation now supports a large number of scholarships each year, and over the last few years AAEP members have indicated their desire to have AAEP support more research. The Foundation has responded by raising funds specifically for laminitis research while continuing to fund projects for both education and welfare. Why, as an AAEP member, do you feel it is necessary to support the AAEP Foundation? The Foundation is the best way for me to support research and welfare issues because of the types of programs it funds and the careful use of my donations. All of us in the horse industry owe horses for our livelihood and the Foundation is one of the best ways to give back to the horse and ensure the benefits veterinarians provide for horses and clients continue both now and in the future. Talk about the planning that went into your estate gift and the importance of estate planning in general for equine practitioners. AAEP has been instrumental in my success as a veterinarian and educator. When making decisions about allocation of funding in my will, I wanted to leave something to AAEP. This is a personal decision that first involves making sure my family is cared for after I am gone. It was important
to me to make sure there is a possible benefit for AAEP. It is critical to make these types of decisions now while the
bequest can be carefully planned and to ensure it is honored in the future. What legacy do you hope to leave through your estate gift? Just the knowledge that I cared enough for horses and my profession to provide some help for the future. Describe the impact the Legacy Society is likely
to have on the Foundation’s ability to serve the welfare of the horse. If enough donors – both members and clients – establish a bequest, eventually there will be a substantial increase in the number of programs that will benefit from the AAEP Foundation. Philanthropy starts with the idea that a gift will do good. Large or small, bequests will have a huge impact for horse welfare and well-being in the future.
Dr. Nat White with Play
Legacy Society Members
Dr. Kathleen M. AndersonCaroline Anderson-MeadowsDavid T. & Jodie K. BinghamDr. Jerry B. & Melinda BlackDr. R. Reynolds & Evie CowlesDr. Ann E. DwyerDr. Leslie A. EasterwoodLeslie R. & Dr. Kathleen
‘Casey’ GondaDr. Michelle M. LeBlanc*Dr. Midge Leitch Drs. Tom R. & Erin LenzDrs. Wayne McIlwraith
& Nancy L. GoodmanDr. John S. MitchellDr. William A. MoyerDrs. Nathaniel A. White
& Leslie Sinn
*Deceased
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AAEP FOUNDATION, INC.
4075 Iron Works ParkwayLexington, KY 40511TEL (800) 443-0177 (U.S. & Canada)TEL (859) 233-0147FAX (859) 233-1968www.aaepfoundation.org
2013 AAEP FOUNDATION, INC. OFFICERS
Ann E. Dwyer, DVM President
Jeff A. Blea, DVM President-Elect
G. Kent Carter, DVM Vice President
John S. Mitchell, DVM Immediate Past President
James P. Morehead, DVM Treasurer
2013 AAEP FOUNDATION ADVISORY COuncil
C. Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc, Ph.D.Chairman
James P. Morehead, DVMBoard Liaison
Duncan AlexanderKathleen M. Anderson, DVMJerry B. Black, DVMKathryn A. Carter, DVMJack Easley, DVM, MSKaren L. Jackman, DVMJohn W. Lee, Jr., DVMThomas R. Lenz, DVM, MSWilliam A. Rood, DVM, JDJohn Wesley Williams, DVM
Laminitis Study continues to need data on new cases
Some horses that develop laminitis recover and go on to lead long, useful lives. Unfortunately, others suffer such severe, irreparable damage that they are euthanized for humane reasons. It is a condition that is devastating to horse owners and terribly frustrating for veterinarians.
The goal of the AAEP Foundation’s Laminitis Research Project is to improve the welfare of the horse by establishing foundational research to find veterinary solutions for laminitis. The project’s first study, “A Case-Control Study of Pasture- and Endocrinopathy-Associated Laminitis (PEAL) in Horses,” is currently underway.
Researchers at Texas A&M University are continuing to collect data through the end of this year. Because these are prospectively designed studies of naturally occurring cases of disease, they have the advantage of not causing any undue suffering in research horses while capturing the true nature and predisposing factors of laminitis. Furthermore, everyone – backyard horse owners, professional trainers, farm managers, farriers, solo practitioners, veterinary hospitals, and academic research institutions – can help with these studies.
However, with this design, researchers must depend on the practitioners to identify and submit
cases. It appears that veterinarians are seeing fewer new cases of laminitis this year, which is good news for horses and horse owners, but has lengthened the study timeline in order to gather data on enough cases to
approach the target of 200 cases and 400 controls.
The first study includes over 500 AAEP members who have agreed to participate by submitting information about cases they see. As of October 11, data had been collected on 130 cases, 100 healthy controls and 76 lameness controls.
Generous contributions from individual donors as well as Prascend®, manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., and the USA Equestrian Trust have helped support the initial study in the project series. With new information about the nature of laminitis, the AAEP Foundation intends to equip practitioners with the ability to prevent and treat the disease.
To learn more or to submit a case, visit www.aaepfoundation.org.
Tributes make unique holiday gifts Have a special client or friend you’d like to thank this holiday season? A tribute to the AAEP Foundation may be just the right gift.
The “Donate Now” button on the Foundation’s website makes each gift easy! Or call us at (859) 233-0147 and we will be happy to assist you.
We’ll take care of the rest, including a personalized note letting your client or friend know that you have made a donation to the AAEP Foundation in his or her name.
“The most important aspect of my career is to make discoveries that will improve our ability to definitively diagnose neurologic diseases in the horse. As a veterinarian, I have been extremely frustrated by our inability to provide an answer to owners as to the cause of their horse’s neurologic disease. I want to be able to provide veterinarians, horse owners and breeders with a genetic test for NAD/EDM that will allow for accurate diagnosis and prevention of future cases.” — 2010 AAEP Foundation Past Presidents’ Research Fellow Carrie Finno, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM
Dr. Carrie Finno, a post-doctorate researcher within the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, discussed her ongoing research into equine neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD) – a neurodegenerative disorder affecting young horses of various breeds – and its more severe variant, equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM). Since her fellowship, Dr. Finno’s research has identified genetic and nutritional factors that contribute to the development of NAD/EDM.
Her current research aims to identify a region in the genome that is associated with the disease. In conjunction, sequencing has been performed on tissue from NAD/EDM-affected and control horses to characterize the expression of every gene and non-coding RNA in the genome; and immunohistochemistry will be used to identify proteins that may be up-
or down-regulated in the nervous tissue of NAD/EDM-affected horses.
Return on Investment
AAEP Foundation Past Presidents’ Research Fellows making a difference
