1.
GV Horse being tested for lameness with broad method
0.18

2.
SV X-ray machine being set up (2 shots)
0.26

3.
SV ZOOM OUT Horse being x-rayed (4 shots)
0.38

4.
CU X-ray pictures
0.45

5.
SV Veterinaries looking at x-rays showing deformed bone
0.54

6.
SV & CV Horse being tested on deep sand for bone defects (2 shots)
1.07

7.
CU Another horse in stable
1.10

8.
SV & CUs Horse x-rayed for tendon damage (3 shots)
1.23

9.
SV Horse undergoing therapy (2 shots)
1.33

10.
SV Hose wheeled into operating theatre
1.42

11.
SV Vet. looking at ex-ray pictures
1.47

12.
CU Vet. operating on horse (2 shots)
1.58

13.
GV & CU Horse undergoing electronic monitoring of strain on heart and circulatory system (3 shots)
2.14

14.
SV Horse treated for respiratory trouble in inhalation chamber
2.19

15.
SV Hose at smithy being fitted with orthopaedic shoe (3 shots)
2.32

16.
GV Horse undergoing rehabilitation treatment (2 shots)
2.51



Initials BB/0045 MF/PN/BB/0130


E???UESTRIANISM

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Diagnosis and therapy methods from human medicine are now being applied in the treatment of sick and injured animals at a clinic in West Germany.

Most of the clinic's 'patients' are horses -- racehorses, trotters or show-jumpers.

They come to the clinic from stables all over West Germany and even advanced x-ray equipment is available. The high quality of the x-ray pictures produced at the clinic is achieved by means of extremely brief exposure times together with a reduction to the minimum of scattered rays.

To be able to take x-ray pictures of any part of a horse's body, from any angle, without having to move the horse, the x-ray tube is mounted on a specially constructed telescopic tripod.

Two thirds of all the sick or injured horses undergo surgery. Each equine patient -- weighing between eight and ten hundred weight (406 to 508 kilos) -- is anaosthetised before entering the operating theatre. Operations range from fracture repairs to the clearing of intestinal blockages. In the majority of cases the horses are able to return to their normal activities.

SYNOPSIS: At a clinic for horses in West Germany diagnosis and therapy methods from human medicine are being applied in the treatment of sick and injured animals. Here a lame horse is being tested for damage to a hoof.

The veterinary surgeon gets his most reliable information from x-ray examination. To take x-ray pictures of any part of the body, from any angle, without having to move the hose, the tube is mounted on a specially constructed telescopic tripod. The high quality of these pictures is achieved by using an extremely brief exposure time -- together with a reduction to the minimum of scattered rays. This picture shows damage to the splint bone -- probably resulting from a blow.

Movement in the deep sand of the test ring -- one of the clinic's many impressive outdoor facilities -- shows whether the shoulder, knee or tarsal joint of the hose is causing trouble.

In dealing with damage to the joints, ultra-high-frequency waves are used as an additional treatment. In the case of tendon damage x-rays are used because they speed the healing process. This therapy can only be administered in a completely shielded room.

Two thirds of all the sick or injured horses undergo surgery and each equine patient -- weighting between eight and ten hundredweight -- is anaesthetized before entering the operating theatre. Here fractures are repaired, bone splinters removed from joints, intestinal blockages are cleared and dental operations are also carried out. Most horses are completely cued after the operations.

In order to register strain on the heart and circulatory system--particularly at the moment of maximum strain -- the values taken by he probe in this diagnosis are radioed to recording apparatus. For the treatment of bronchial ailments there is even an inhalation chamber.

Since for the treatment of articulatory diseases an orthopaedic shoe is often necessary. the clinic also has its own special blacksmith.

The most important aspect of rehabilitation of the horses is that they move as soon as possible after treatment -- but under expert control. Two or three weeks afterwards they are sent back to their home stables in perfect health.