Growing up on a horse farm in Tennessee , J . Blake Everett , DVM , MS , DACVS-LA , says his passion for horses and the veterinary profession stems from the time he spent raising and showing Tennessee Walking Horses .
oday , Everett is an equine surgeon at the
Equine Surgical Center at ThorSport Farm in Murfreesboro , Tn . Together , he and his wife , Connie are continuing to build a state-of-the-art equine surgical and medical facility in the heart of middle Tennessee .
After graduating from the University of Tennessee ’ s College of Veterinary Medicine , Everett was selected for a rotating internship at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington , Ky . “ That internship encompassed every facet of equine medicine and surgery at an incredible pace ,” he says .
OA is a chronic , progressive disease affecting joints that is characterized by low-grade inflammation . It is this basic mechanism that may hold the key for development of new treatments for equine joint disease notes Everett .
Everett says , “ Within the horse ’ s joint , there are cells called macrophages that are responsible for controlling inflammation . As such , macrophages can either increase or decrease
Everett then began a dual masters ’ research program and large animal surgical residency at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg , Va . Specifically , his research interests focused on equine joint disease and the development of novel therapies to treat osteoarthritis . Recently , he became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons ( Large Animal ).
Osteoarthritis ( OA ) can affect horses of all ages and is the most common cause of lameness across disciplines . He notes osteoarthritis is a common source of pain in people and horses , and “ current treatments provide only symptomatic and temporary relief , creating an urgent need for the development of more effective treatment options .” inflammation , depending on the situation . In health , macrophages act as house-keeping cells and produce molecules required for maintaining adequate joint health .
When these physiologic functions are overwhelmed by damage ( such as joint trauma ), macrophages incite inflammation via the
7 NWHA National News | July 2023