Faculty and Staff

SARAH L. RALSTON, VMD, PH.D., DIPLOMATE ACVN

Education:

1969-1973 - B.A., Biology, College for Women, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
1975-1977 - M.S., Zoology, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colorado
1976-1980 - VMD, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
1977-1982 - Ph.D., Anatomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Specialty Board Certification:

1989 - American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN)

Positions Held:

2003-present – Associate Director-Teaching, Equine Science Center, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ
1995-present - Adjunct Professor, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
1989-present - Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science, Cook College, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
1983-1989 – Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, Colorado
1982-1983 - Research Associate, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Awards:

2003 – Rutgers Award for Programmatic Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
1998 - Sabbatical Leave, Department of Animal Science/College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
1997 - The Cook College Executive Dean’s Team-Building Award
1991 - Scheidy Award for scientific merit of paper presented to 1991 World Veterinary Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sigma Xi
Phi Zeta Honor Society

Consulting:

2004-present - Idleacres, Cokato, MN.
1995-present – Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, St. Davids, Pennsylvania
1999-2000 – Haras Ponta Pora, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
1997-2000 – ZinPro Corporation, Eden Prairie, Minnesota
1995-1997 – American Cyanamid, Princeton, New Jersey
1992-1995 – Church and Dwight, Princeton, New Jersey
1992-1995 – Purina Mills, Inc.
1988 - National Research Council, 1988, outside reviewer for the 1989 Nutrient Requirements of Horses
1987-1990 – Ralston Purina Company, St. Louis, Missouri

Editorial Boards:

The Horse
Journal of Equine Veterinary Science

Patent:

Diagnosing a predisposition for equine osteochondritis dissecans. U.S. Patent 5,888,756. March 30, 1999

Selected Publications:

Books and Book Chapters:

Ralston, SL. Nutritional guidelines for the injured, hospitalized, and post surgical patient. In: Equine Emergencies: Treatment and Procedures, 3rd Edition. Divers TJ, Orsini JA (eds), Elsevier, St. Louis, MO, pp671-674, 2007.
Ralston, SL, Anderson H, Johnson R. Growth and Glucose/insulin responses in draft cross weanlings fed Total Mixed Ration Cubes versus hay/concentrate rations. Applied Equine Nutrition and Training. Arno Lindner (ed), Wageningen Academic Publishers, Netherlands. pp233-239, 2007
Ralston, SL. Evidence Based Equine Nutrition. In: Veterinary Clinics of North America Equine Practice: Evidenced based Veterinary Medicine. Ramey DW (ed) Vet Clin Equine 23:365–384, 2007
Ralston, SL. Nutrition of the Geriatric horse. In: Equine Geriatric Medicine and Surgery. Bertone, J (ed). Elsevier Publishing, St. Louis, MO, 2006, pp169-171.
Ralston, SL. Nutrition: horses. In: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 9th edition, Aeillo S. (ed), Published by Merck & Co, Whitehouse Station, NJ, pp. 1872-1888, 2005.
Ralston, S.L., Naylor, J.M. (eds.). Large Animal Clinical Nutrition. CV Mosby Yearbook, St. Louis, MO. 1991. 576 pp. 45 chapters, 23 authors.
Ralston, S.L.. Hyperinsulinemia and glucose intolerance. In: Equine Internal Medicine 2nd Edition. Reed, S, Bayly W., Sellon, D (eds.), Elsevier, St. Louis, MO. pp.1599-1602, 2004.
Ralston S.L.. Nutrition: horses. In: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 9th edition, Aeillo S. (ed), Published by Merck & Co, Whitehouse Station, NJ, 2003.
Ralston, S.L. Insulin and Glucose Regulation. In: Veterinary Clinics of North America Equine Practice: Endocrinology, Messer NT, Johnson PJ (eds). Vet Clin Equine 18:295-304, 2002.
Ralston, S.L.. Nutritional support after alimentary tract surgery. In: Manual of Equine Gastroenterology, Mair T, Divers T, Ducharme N (eds),WB Saunders, Philadelphia, 2002, pp 196-198.
Ralston, S.L.. Care for the Older Horse: Diet and Health. In: Recent Advances in Equine Nutrition, Ralston S.L., Hintz, H.F. (eds.). Ithaca: International Veterinary Information Service (www.ivis.org), 2001, A1503.1001.
Ralston, S.L. Geriatric Horse Nutrition. In: Thompson, K.N., ed. The Veterinarian’s Practical Reference to Equine Nutrition. Purina Mills and American Association of Equine Practitioners, 1997, pp 27-32.
Ralston, S.L. Nutrition of Horses Before and After Surgery. In: Thompson, K.N., ed. The Veterinarian’s Practical Reference to Equine Nutrition. Purina Mills and American Association of Equine Practitioners, 1997, pp 131-134.
Ralston, S.L. Diagnosis of Nutritional Imbalances. In: Robinson, N.E., ed., Current Therapy in Equine Medicine, 3rd Ed. W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia, 1991, pp 717-719.

Selected Refereed Papers:

Hovadance MS, Ralston SL, Pelczer, I. Beyond Blood sugar: The potential of NMR-Based Metabonomics for Human Diabetes Type 2 and the Horse as a possible model. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 387 (2): 533-537, 2007.
Ralston, SL. Factors affecting glucose and insulin metabolism in young horses. Pferdeheilkunde. 21: 83-86, 2005.
Allen E, Meyer W, Ralston SL, Watts K. Variability in soluble carbohydrate and mineral content of pasture grasses. Pferdeheilkunde. 21:11-12, 2005.
Ralston, S.L., D.L. Foster, T. Divers, and H.F. Hintz. Effect of dental correction on feed digestibility in horses. Equine Veterinary Journal 33(4): 390-393, 2001.
Ralston, S.L. How I treat chronic weight loss in geriatric horses. Comp. Cont. Ed. Vet. 21(7): 655-656, 1999.
Black, A., P.A. Schoknecht, S.L. Ralston, and S.A. Shapses. Diurnal variation and age differences in biochemical markers of bone turnover in horses. Journal of Animal Science 77:75-83, 1999.
Ralston, S.L. and L.H. Breuer. Field evaluation of a feed formulated for geriatric horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 16:334-338, 1996.
Ralston, S.L. Hyperglycemia/hyperinsulinemia after feeding a meal of grain to young horses with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions. Pferdeheilkunde, 320-322, May 1996.
Andrews, F.M., S.L. White, L.H. Williamson, P.L. Maykuth, D.R. Geiser, E.M. Green, S.L. Ralston, and R.A. Mansmann. Effects of shortening the steeplechase phase (Phase B) of a 3-day event. Equine Veterinary Journal Suppl. 20:64-72, 1995.
Andrews, F.M., S.L. Ralston, C.S. Sommardahl, P.L. Maykuth, E.M. Green, S.L. White, L. Williamson, C.A. Holmes, and D.R. Geiser. Weight loss, water loss and cation balance in horses competing in a 3-day event. Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association 205:721-724, 1994.
Bagshaw, C.S. S.L. Ralston, and H. Fisher. Behavioral and physiological effects of orally administered tryptophan on horses subjected to acute isolation stress. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 40:1-12, 1994.
Eisner, R.J., D.A. Meirs, D.A. Meirs, III, and S.L. Ralston. Lack of correlation between exposure to Lyme disease (Borrelia Burgdorferi) and pregnancy loss in mares. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 14:102-105, 1994.
Ralston, S.L. Dietary influence on serum copper and zinc concentration in horses. Pferdeheilkunde, 96-98, 1992.
Ralston, S.L. Effect of soluble carbohydrate content of pelleted diets on post prandial glucose and insulin profiles in horses. Pferdeheilkunde, 112-115, 1992.
Ralston, S.L. Regulation of feed intake in horses in relation to gastrointestinal disease. Pferdeheilkunde, 20-23, 1992.
Baucus, K.L., S.L. Ralston, C.F. Nockels, A.O. McKinnon, and E.L. Squires. Effects of transportation on early embryonic death in mares. Journal of Animal Science 68:345-351, 1990.
Bertone, A.L., S.L. Ralston, and T.S. Stashak. Fiber digestion and voluntary intake in horses after adaptation to extensive large colon resection. Amer. Journal Vet. Res. 50:1628-1632, 1989.
Bertone, A.L. P.J. VanSoest, D. Johnson, S.L. Ralston, and T.S. Stashak. Large intestinal capacity, retention times, and turnover rates of particulate ingesta in horses associated with extensive large colon resection. Amer. Journal Vet. Res. 50:1621-1627, 1989.
Baucus, K., S.L. Ralston, V.A. Rich, and E.L. Squires. Mineral content of mare’s milk. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 9:203-205, 1989.
Ralston, S.L., E.L. Squires, and C.F. Nockels. Digestion in the aged horse. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 9:203-205, 1989.
Ralston, S.L. and K. Larson. The effect of oral electrolyte supplementation during a 96-kilometer endurance race for horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 9:13-19, 1989.
Ralston, S.L., S. Barbacini, E.L. Squires and C.F. Nockels. Ascorbic acid supplementation in stallions. Journal of Equine Science 8:290-294, 1988.
Ralston, S.L., C.F. Nockels, and E.L. Squires. Differences in diagnostic test results and hematologic data between aged and young horses. Amer. Journal Vet. Res. 49:1387:1392, 1988.
Ralston, S.L. Nutritional management of horses competing in 160-km races. Cornell Vet.78:53-61, 1988.

Extension Fact Sheets:

Ralston, SL, Williams, C. Metabolic Problems in the Horse: Sorting out the Diagnosis FS#1067, 2007.
Ralston, SL, Wright, B. Fourrages de remplacement pour chevaux. Ontario Ministere de L'agriculture, Commande #05-056, 2005
Ralston, S.L. Maintenance of the “Easy Keeper”, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, FS#799, 2001
Ralston, S.L. Care for the Older Horse: Diet and Health, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, FS #759, 2001.
Ralston, S.L. and B. Wright. Forage Substitutes for Horses. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, September, 2000.
Ralston, S.L. Odd Things that Horses Eat. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, FS #062, 2000.
Ralston, S.L. Alternate Sources of Roughage for Horses. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, FS #073, 2000.
Ralston, S.L. Feeding Horses for Competitions: From Racing to Dressage. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, FS #934, 1998.
Ralston, S.L. Diagnosis of Nutritional Problems in Horses. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, FS #894, 1998.
Ralston, S.L. Feeding Rapidly Growing Foals. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, FS #895, 1994.
Ralston, S.L. Performance Horse Nutrition. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, FS #752.
Ralston, S.L. Management of Old Horses. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, FS #715, 1993.
Ralston, S.L. Analysis of Feeds and Forages for Horses. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, FS #714, 1993.

Contact:

Sarah L. Ralston, VMD, Ph.D., ACVN
Department of Animal Sciences, Bartlett Hall
Cook College, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
84 Lipman Drive
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8525
732-932-9404 (T)
732-932-6996 (F)
ralston@aesop.rutgers.edu