Collar May Aid DDSP

Dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) can cause partial obstruction of the horse’s airway during exercise. Researchers at Cornell University discovered that horses with DDSP breathed more freely when the larynx was stabilized by hand. A device known as the Cornell collar has been developed to reposition and hold the larynx and hyoid bone in place, thus preventing throat tissues from collapsing and blocking the passage of air. Cornell scientists hope to perfect the collar and make it available for testing. They feel that, even if the device is never used on racing horses, it may help identify animals that would be helped by surgery.