Source: Boehringer Ingelheim 

New collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim and Sleip leverages AI technology to help detect lameness in horses. The Sleip app uses artificial intelligence (AI) to provide objective analysis of a horse’s movement with just a smartphone. 

Burlington, ON, July 18, 2024 – A new global commercial partnership between Boehringer Ingelheim and Sleip will expand access to AI to enhance detection, diagnosis and treatment of lameness in horses. This partnership delivers on the shared commitment of Boehringer and Sleip to deliver innovative solutions that help veterinary professionals continue to advance their profession and improve the care and well-being of horses. 

Changes in gait and signs of lameness can be less pronounced at first and difficult to detect. The Sleip app can help make a real difference. Veterinarians can record the horse in action using a smartphone — no sensors or complicated camera system needed. Sleip’s AI-powered technology then analyzes the horse’s movements and displays the results in the app within minutes, including stride-by-stride analysis video with synchronized biomechanical data. The veterinarian can follow up immediately, leading to better health outcomes for horses. 

“Our aim is to better serve the equine veterinary community, and the Sleip app will help us drive awareness and improve diagnosis and treatment compliance rates for lameness in horses,” shared Saskia Kley, Global Head of Equine at Boehringer Ingelheim. “With this innovative technology, we now have the opportunity to have an even greater positive impact on the lives of horses and the people who care for them.” 

“Sleip draws on decades of equine biomechanical research and advances in artificial intelligence to aid in a better understanding of how and why horses move the way they do,” said Elin Hernlund, DVM, PhD and Chief Medical Officer at Sleip. “Our vision is to improve horse welfare by making Sleip’s technology available for all those who care for horses – improving diagnostics and promoting collaboration around the health of each individual horse to support early detection and prevention. We are thrilled to partner with Boehringer deliver on this mission.” 

Dr. Guillaume Cloutier, Technical Services Veterinarian, Equine with Boehringer Ingelheim Canada said Sleip is an extremely useful tool for practitioners. 

“It provides objective data to help diagnose lameness, support communication of information, and monitor changes over time,” Dr. Cloutier said. “The markerless AI technology is a game-changer in the field of objective gait analysis.” 

Innovative technology helps increase access to care for veterinarians and horse owners 

The partnership, which includes Boehringer becoming a shareholder in Sleip, reinforces the value that each brings to the equine veterinary community. While Boehringer is a global leader in equine health with a portfolio of market-leading treatments for various causes of lameness, Sleip uses AI to aid veterinarians in the detection of biomechanical asymmetries that can enhance their ability to diagnose and monitor lameness with greater sensitivity than the human eye alone. Through this collaboration, Boehringer will support the introduction of the pioneering Sleip app to the veterinary community, making this technology even more accessible. 

Boehringer will begin promotion of the Sleip app to veterinary customers in Canada in summer 2024. 

For more information on Boehringer, visit Boehringer Ingelheim Canada. 

Photo: Shutterstock/Aleigha Blackley