The University of Kentucky Department of Veterinary Science hosted a free Zoom Continuing Education opportunity May 28, “Nipping disease in the bud, preventing treatment errors - unleash the power of the microchip.” The event featured Kevin Corley, BVM&S, PhD, DACVIM, DACVECCS, MRCVS, internal medicine specialist, and Alan Dorton, DVM, a renowned central Kentucky practitioner.

Dorton shared his experiences with the Equitrace app and bio-thermo microchips, describing how he uses these ID chips to read body temperature without using a thermometer, with vastly reduced risk to personnel, and with social distancing. He also described how frequent temperature monitoring facilitates picking up signs of disease earlier, as well as chip use assisting with the GPS locations of horses. 

Corley, one of the app developers, discussed further uses of this technology and the scope for medical record keeping, integration into management practices and more. 

Speakers were invited to discuss this seminar on the National Equine Conference Call, which is a national communication network for the horse industry.

UK is developing more online VetCE using Zoom. We hope to have further opportunities in July and thereafter every month. We will keep you posted and offerings will also be posted on the Gluck website; https://gluck.ca.uky.edu.  For further questions, please contact Emma Adam, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, DACVS, assistant professor, research and industry liaison at the Gluck Equine Research Center (emma.adam@uky.edu).

Holly Wiemers, MA, APR, is the communications and managing director of UK Ag Equine Programs.