<p> Duchenne&rsquo;s Muscular Dystrophy is a debilitating disease that affects skeletal and cardiac muscle of 1 in 5000 male births. In the last thirty years, the gene responsible for the encoding of Dystrophin has been identified, sequenced and the variations of mutations described. There remains a void in the successful treatment of the disease although corticosteroid use has proven useful in delaying progression. Novel therapies are produced in the categories of virus-mediated gene delivery and stem cells, but evaluating their efficacy is hindered by an inability to contemporaneously assess the changes in muscle. The purpose of this pilot study was to characterize the changes in skeletal and cardiac muscle in a clinically advanced population of dogs affected with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Using traditional sequences, delayed gadolinium enhancement, novel sequences and spectroscopy, changes in the investigated muscle were characterized. By establishing the differences between affected and unaffected dogs, the long-term goal of this body of work is to characterize these changes longitudinally and design a non-invasive method for tissue assessment as novel treatments are trialed.</p><p>

<p> Horses are powerful animals: a galloping horse&rsquo;s forefoot hits the ground with an average of about 2,000 pounds of force. This can result in many kinds of injuries. To work with and love a horse properly, the owner needs to understand more than just grooming and feeding. Owners must understand how the horse operates, particularly the structure and workings of the horse&rsquo;s legs, to comprehend how a broken leg impairs a horse. This understanding enables the owner to work well with a veterinarian in determining the best course of treatment for an injury. </p><p> A review of the current veterinary literature and public resources showed that illustrated information regarding types of limb fractures in horses, options for repair and post-operative outcomes, that can be easily understood by the lay person, do not exist. The lack of sufficiently illustrated resources covering this topic indicates a great need for this valuable information. </p><p> The objective of this thesis is to illustrate common types of fractures, to assist owners in understanding different types of fractures, repair options, and possible outcomes of any intervention. Three cases, each with a specific type of fracture, were analyzed to develop understanding of the damage, the impact on the horse and surgical options versus the need for euthanasia. The finished product of this research was two posters, one for repair and the other for euthanasia, designed to enhance the owner&rsquo;s comprehension of the injuries.</p><p>