Re: biopsy

["Susan Garlinghouse" <suendavid@worldnet.att.net>]

> Well, a biopsy is pretty invasive--a surgical procedure. Brings out a
chunk
> of muscle about the size of your little finger. That's the primary reason
> racehorses aren't biopsied prior to being sold for millions of dollars at
a
> yearling sale.
>
> On the other hand, a full blood panel would go a long way in the right
> direction.
>
> ti

I'm hoping that when we get to that point, we won't need a biopsy anywhere
near that large, but when we biopsied mules (and wasn't THAT fun), they were
sore for about a day.

Agreed about bloodwork---so, help me out, Tom.  At Swanton, we're going to
collect for e'lytes, blood gases, glucose, enzymes, lactates, insulin, FFAs,
cortisol, and maybe glucagon.  Also hematocrit, RBCs, WBCs, total proteins
and the rest of the usual CBC panel stuff.  Plus rider weight, equine
weight, condition score and digital photos to potentially analyze for joint
angles and bone lengths, etc if I can get the software to work.  All of this
before the ride, at 35 and 69 miles and after the finish.

What would *you* add to the analysis parameters, given I can't do biopsies?
(Seriously).

Susan G