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Neuro Behavior in Horses

Neuro Behavior in Horses

Sep 26, 2022 | Neuro Behavior

Tuesdays with Tony

Being a Clinic Cat will make you a bit paranoid. I spend a lot of time seeing not-normal horses, and only a small slice of my day seeing normal horses. The hardest not-normal horses we see are the ones my Docs call neurologic. My understanding of the word neurologic is that the connection from the brain to the body parts isn’t working correctly. This can come in many forms, from none of the legs working, to tripping when walking downhill. Let’s talk about how my Docs figure out if your horse is neurologic vs. lame, and what they do about it!

The Nervous System Superhighway

Let’s start with how the system works. (If you’re a neurologist, yes, I know I simplified things a bit. I’m a cat [superior being] explaining things to humans [inferior beings]) Okay: your horse looks at a flake of hay on the ground and thinks, “I’d like to eat that.” The brain sends a signal down the spinal cord to the limbs to say “Move forward towards the delicious food.” There’s another signal that says, “Put your head down so you can reach the food,” and yet another group that instructs the mouth on how best to move the food from the outside to the inside. 

All of this happens via nerves coming out of the brain and talking to other nerves in the spinal cord who send the signal on to the proper part of the body. Honestly, it’s a miracle any of this works on any of us. You can see how there’s ample opportunity for this entire system to go wrong at so many different places. It can go wrong at the brain, at the nerve going to the spinal cord, in the spinal cord, in the one that goes from the spinal cord to the body part, and all the places where there’s a connection between all those things. Like I said, it’s amazing it works at all. 

The Brain

This is going to be a short section. When the brain is the problem, you know. In rare cases like brain tumors, it may start subtle, but within a very short time (think days, not weeks) it’s obvious there’s something very not right with the brain. The more common way my Docs see the brain as the problem are with viruses like Eastern Encephalitis and West Nile virus. These horses have no idea where they are or what they’re doing. It’s awful. Vaccinate your horses for these diseases. Anyway, you know when the brain is the problem. It’s bad. End of section.

The Rest of the System

This is where things get harder. One of the hardest questions my Docs have to answer is, “Is it lame or is it neurologic?” When you have a critter who can’t answer questions, this can be very difficult to determine. If you went to the doctor, they would ask you questions about walking up and down stairs, can you feel it when I poke here, close your eyes and do this task, etc. All of these things help determine if you as a human have a neurologic component to your problem. They can also then do things like x-ray or MRI of your spine, but more on that later. 

My Docs have to come up with all sorts of different tests to ask horses those same questions. A few examples are walking over poles, walking up and down hills, walking with the head up or down, and turning fast. These all set up conditions where the signal has to smoothly and quickly travel from the brain to the body part. Based on responses to these tests, my Docs then work to determine if this a nerve (roadway) problem, or maybe a connection (stoplight) problem, or is it a problem at the destination (the parking lot). Usually it’s the roadway, so my Docs generally start there. 

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

The Roadway and its Issues

The spinal cord in a horse is pretty dang long. It goes from the ears to the tail. That’s a lot of real estate to have problems with. The most common issue my Docs see is arthritis of the joints that make up the bones of the spinal column. The problem is the nerves have to come from the spinal cord out into the body to carry the signal. This means they have to travel through the bones at strategic points. Those strategic points can get cut off by arthritis causing bony growth to close the hole. In the early stages, this can be tripping, having trouble doing movements like lateral work or transitions, and can even show up as a lameness. There may be good days and bad days, making it difficult on you humans to determine if it’s even real. It can also make it tough for my Docs to see since it may not be happening on the day they’re looking at your horse. Being patient and allowing repeat evaluations is key to figuring out these horses. 

If my Docs are suspicious of a neurological issue based on talking with you and evaluating your horse, they will likely suggest x-rays and ultrasound of the neck, and maybe moving on down the back. This will largely depend on how your horse is showing neurological symptoms. Here’s where things get tricky. Horses are really big. If you want to know what my back looks like, you can plop this entire cat in an MRI or CT scanner and have a very thorough picture of what it all looks like. You will also have a sleepy cat, because you’re going to have to give me some drugs to get that done. No such luck with horses. 

CT can now be done on most of the neck, MRI can be done on the head and some of the neck, but get down low and on into the back and it’s a no-go zone. First off, horses have to be able to fit inside the CT or MRI scanner. It’s basically a donut they have to go through. You need a really, really big donut hole to get an entire horse through, especially when you factor in those long skinny legs. Once you make the donut hole big enough, you can’t beam the signal all the way across the hole, so you can’t make an image of everything. Physics is the problem, and there’s very little you humans can do to overcome the Laws of Physics. This means there may be lots of combining x-rays and ultrasound to attempt to determine what the 3D structure of the back looks like. There’s also likely to be lots of testing of movement and head scratching on the way to a diagnosis. As you’re realizing, it’s not an easy or straightforward process.

Treatment

I’m being a less-than-upbeat cat today, but treatment for many of these things can be difficult. Arthritis can be managed with stretches, strengthening exercises, and targeted injections. However, it’s an advancing problem and eventually it will get ahead of what my Docs can manage. Knowing what’s normal for your horse can be key to identifying problems early! 

For many of the other neurological issues seen with horses, it can be tricky to come up with good treatment options. Working closely with my Docs to figure out the exact problem will help narrow down potential treatments. 

Neurological disease is tough. It’s tough to identify, and tough to treat. If your horse is doing something weird, be sure to check in with my Docs sooner rather than later. Finding the cause of the weirdness early goes a long way to better treatment options. If you want to learn how to test your horse for signs of neurological behavior, check out this video on my YouTube channel. It will help you rule out some things.

Until next week,

~Tony

P.S. While you’re watching that video, make sure and subscribe to my YouTube Channel. It’s got a lot of great content, and subscribing will get YouTube to tell you when I post a new video. It also makes me feel good to see how many adoring fans I have. Hey, I’m a cat! Collecting fans is mostly what we do. That, and sleeping, which I’m off to do now.

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. If you liked this blog, please subscribe below, and share it with your friends on social media! For more information, please call us at (352) 472-1620, visit our website at SpringhillEquine.com, or follow us on Facebook!

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Wet Weather and Mushy Feet

Wet Weather and Mushy Feet

Sep 19, 2022 | Abscesses, Feet, Hoof Care

Tuesdays with Tony

We sure have been getting a lot of rain around here lately. As you know, we cats are not fond of rain, and now all my favorite sunbathing spots in the clinic parking lot have become puddles! Yeah, yeah we need the rain to grow grass, but the daily thunderstorms and high humidity can wreak havoc on your horse’s feet.

Horses evolved on dry, grassy steppes… not a lot of swampland or rain there, so their feet didn’t evolve a good water management system. The repeated wet-dry cycles (or sometimes just wet) we have here cause the tubules that make up the hoof wall to suck up water and swell. When they release that water, the tubules shrink again, leaving empty space between the inter-tubular material and the tubules. This repeated cycle causes hoof walls to crack and split, and the soles to erode away. If your horse has shoes on, it makes those pesky nails loosen way before the next scheduled farrier visit. Let’s talk about the various moisture-induced hoof conditions my docs are seeing a TON of lately, and what you can do about them.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Thrush

You know the smell. That rotting, nasty smell that you notice while picking your horse’s feet. You may also see some dark black or gray gunk oozing from your horse’s soft frog, or the deep sulci (clefts) around the frog. Thrush is caused by a mixture of several bacteria that love wet, oxygen-poor environments, like the deep grooves in your horse’s muddy feet. Horses aren’t usually very lame unless it gets really bad, but you’ll want to treat it before that happens. Luckily, with daily cleaning and application of a topical treatment, you can control thrush.

There are a variety of commercial products you can buy at the tack store to treat it. One of my doc’s favorite home-made treatments is a mixture of copper sulfate crystals and either wax or Desitin cream. My doc buys a toilet bowl wax ring from the hardware store (or Amazon) and uses bits of that mixed with the copper sulfate. It’s cheap, and it sticks to the foot like a cat to a tuna can. It’s important to pick out the feet so the treatment can contact the damaged tissue really well. Whatever product or treatment you’re using, apply it all over the frog and into the deep cleft in the center of the frog. Repeat once a day in the beginning, and as you get it under control, you can space it out.

Mushy Foot

This is a disorder that my docs see regularly here in Florida in times of wet weather. The entire sole gets soft, thin, and crumbly. You may see a depression just behind the toe where the sole compresses (it can even hold a small pocket of dirt). If you press the sole with your fingers, you may be able to slightly move it. Soles like that aren’t nearly strong enough to take the weight of a horse and protect the bones inside his foot. Mushy foot can be really painful for your horse and can look as bad as laminitis. 

During this season of frequent rainfall, your horse may need to spend some time every day in a dry area like a clean, bedded stall, to allow his feet some time off the moist grass. Remember that even if it’s not actively raining, a grassy pasture can keep the feet wet from the dew and rain it holds on to. You’ll want to pick your horse’s feet out every day.

The best topical treatment out there for “Mushy Foot” is daily application of Durasole (my docs carry it in their vehicles). Durasole contains drying and strengthening agents that thicken and harden the sole in a short period of time. Apply it every day until the sole is harder and the horse is more comfortable, then you should be able to decrease to 2-3 times a week. Work with your farrier to make sure your horse’s feet are trimmed on a 4-6 week schedule to promote healthy soles and hoof walls. If your horse is really sore, my doc may suggest he wear padded boots to temporarily cushion his feet until they start to improve. She won’t want him to stay in the boots for too long though, since the inside of a boot can be a moist environment as well.

Hoof Cracks and Abscesses

Another foot problem my docs see in this weather is cracked, crumbling hoof walls. As always, the first line of defense in keeping your horse’s hooves intact is regular trimming by a knowledgeable farrier. Too-long or unbalanced hoof walls put extra pressure on hooves that are already weakened by wet weather, and can cause those cracks to start or chunks to flake off.  Along with avoiding muddy pastures, be careful how often you wash your horse, as that’s just additional moisture he’s standing in.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Abscesses are also common this time of year since soft, mushy feet allow easier entry for bacteria. A sudden onset of severe lameness is the most common presentation, but since that could mean other problems too, you’ll want to have my docs out to examine your horse. Also check out their YouTube video on how to make a hoof bandage so you’re prepared to manage this common problem!

Proper Diagnosis, Proper Treatment

If you suspect your horse may have any of these foot problems, give one of my docs a call for an exam. There are more serious conditions (such as laminitis) that can masquerade as one of these conditions, and an expert evaluation is highly recommended. You can even come find me here at the clinic for a “Cat-Scan”… but if it’s raining, don’t expect me to greet you outside!

Until next week,

~ Tony

P.S. If you want more, the humans have a podcast called Straight from the Horse Doctor’s Mouth, and they have several episodes on feet. I highly recommend you check that out, which you can do over on the Podcast Page of my website, or you can subscribe to it on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. If you liked this blog, please subscribe below, and share it with your friends on social media! For more information, please call us at (352) 472-1620, visit our website at SpringhillEquine.com, or follow us on Facebook!

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Teaching Puppies and Kittens to Love the Vet

Teaching Puppies and Kittens to Love the Vet

Sep 12, 2022 | Cats, Dogs

Tuesdays with Tony

Listen, my staff are all vets and vet techs, so I do have an… appreciation for them (love may be a strong word), but I recognize that an inherent love for the veterinarian may not be present in all dogs and cats. As the human caretakers of your respective puppies, kittens, and rescued animals, you have the ability to foster a calmness and appreciation for the service providers at the vet clinic from an early age. This is done by acclimatizing your pet to things commonly done at vet visits, including general restraint, looking in ears, eyes, and mouths, and feeling legs and paws.

When you adopt or buy a new pet, it’s very important to bring them for an establishment exam to meet their new veterinarian, even if they aren’t due for vaccines or medications. In fact, making this first visit a positive one with minimal invasive procedures is another great way to foster a positive association with the doctor.

Cats (the superior species, obviously) often don’t go see the doctor enough. All animals should see their doctor at least once per year (just like all people… how’s that going for you, human?), but cats are especially good at hiding signs of disease until they’re very advanced. If they see their doctor yearly or twice yearly for general checkups, there is a very good chance illness can be caught earlier (which makes everything easier to treat).

To make your pet the best patient they can be, make going to the vet a normal part of life. Try out “happy visits.” This is when your pet comes into the clinic but nothing scary happens, just cuddles and treats. Make sure you talk to your vet clinic about this. Most are happy to do them, but they may need to put them on the schedule. Because my veterinary staff have both mobile and in-clinic appointments, they would need to make sure someone was here to appropriately snuggle the cute visitors. You can do happy visits between their regularly scheduled puppy or kitten visits, maybe once a month or every two weeks. But there’s multiple things you can do way more frequently than that.

Play with their paws and ears and open their mouth. Now, I say this mostly echoing what Dr. Speziok tells new puppy and kitten owners, because as a distinguished cat, I don’t *particularly* like my paws, ears, or mouth played with, but I will say it’s nice when it’s not a surprise. Puppies and kittens are new to the world and don’t know what is okay and what isn’t. So, teach them that it’s normal to have their human staff check out their ears, mouth, and paws. This will also help you in the future giving them nail trims.

I find that humans tend to hold puppies and kittens a lot in their first few weeks at home, but then that drops off as they get older and more independent. This results in a pet that’s very used to being held at the 8- or 12-week visit, but a very offended, very boisterous teenager at the 4- and 6-month visits.

There are some simple holds you can practice with your animals at home, and if you pair these with treat time, they will associate this practice with good things. Your goal should be to create positive associations with the things that will happen at the vet. This makes vet visits go smoother, which creates more positive associations! A happy pet at the vet means a happy vet and no barriers to a very thorough exam.

Anyway, the first one to practice is with your pet standing. Put one hand or arm under their belly and the other around the front of their chest, hold them close to your body and just let them stay still for a few minutes. If you have a second human to assist, they can practice looking in ears or eyes or picking up paws while you hold your pet– make sure to give lots of treats! Start small, puppies and kittens have super short attention spans so even 30-45 seconds at a time is helpful. An important note: if your puppy or kitten throws a bit of a tantrum, do your best to let them calm down before you release them. This way they don’t learn that a tantrum is the way to get out of restraint. Unless it’s me, and you should release me immediately. I’m just saying.

photo courtesy of ruralareavet.org

Another hold to practice is fairly simple, but you’d be surprised how little it happens outside the vet clinic. Have your puppy or kitten sit down facing away from you. You can do it on the floor or on a table, depending on how big they are. Use treats to convince them to get in this position and stay there initially, then you can work up to holding them around their chest or gently under their chin. This is usually the position animals have to get into to have their blood drawn, and if it is taught as a “normal” thing that humans sometimes ask them to do, it’s way less scary! This is also the easiest position to pill a dog or cat from, though in this cat’s opinion, you should almost always offer pills in some tasty food, as my human staff do for me.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

photo courtesy of oregonhumane.org

Finally, when your puppy or kitten is already feeling a little rollie pollie, maybe after a meal or a good play session, you can practice restraining them gently on their side. It’s usually best to start this one when they’re already laying down, but all you’ll do is put one arm across their belly and gently grasp their bottom hind leg, then put one arm gently across their neck (no pressure here!) and gently grasp their bottom front leg.

This is probably going to be really confusing at first, but if you have a second human staff member there with some tasty treats, and only hold the position for a few seconds at a time to start, it can quickly become a fun activity. Keeping animals on their sides like this is pretty common during sick vet visits, if they’ve hurt a leg, or if they need a nail trim. It’s a very normal position for animals to take, but what’s not normal if you’re not used to it with the human involvement. Making that a somewhat normal part of life from the beginning will make those future vet visits way more fun for all involved.

Being a human really isn’t that hard, much easier than being a cat, so I hope you don’t mind me adding this homework on to your job as a pet owner. Investing time into comfort with vet visits when pets are young– or new to your care– will pay off with huge returns over the course of their life, as vet visits will be less stressful and more enjoyable for everyone.

Until next week,

~Tony

P.S. Are you still relying on Facebook to show you my blog each week? Be a good human and subscribe so you can get my wisdom in your email, and a day earlier than everyone else! It’s the big purple box down below. Just scroll down a bit. That’s a good human, you can do it!

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. If you liked this blog, please subscribe below, and share it with your friends on social media! For more information, please call us at (352) 472-1620, visit our website at SpringhillEquine.com, or follow us on Facebook!

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Mares (mostly) and Hormones

Mares (mostly) and Hormones

Sep 5, 2022 | Hormones

Tuesdays with Tony

There’s a thing here at the clinic called Regumate. It gets talked about a lot. Some talk of it in hushed tones as if its very mention can bring forth chestnut mare syndrome. My Docs tend to talk about it as a tool, usually during breeding season. This week, let’s explore the weird and wacky world of hormones, and the crazy things they do to mares and stallions.

One Hormone to Rule Them

It all starts in the brain for both males and females. I realize many of you may question if anything for males, particularly young males of any species, starts in the brain, but trust this cat. It does. In the brain there’s a hormone called gonadotropin-releasing hormone. We’re gonna go with GnRH because that’s a lot to type with only two paws. GnRH sends signals to the rest of the body to tell it to make more hormones like testosterone and estrogen. (If you are a hormone researcher, I ask you to give a cat a break. Yes, I know I’m simplifying things, it’s what I do. Back to the blog.) 

GnRH levels are strongly affected by daylight length. This is why mares are generally more mare-y and stallions are more stallion-y during the longer days of late spring, summer, and early fall. It’s a brilliantly designed system to ensure most reproduction happens during a season which will produce babies when there’s food. The same system is tweaked based on gestation length for other species. For example, goats and sheep experience these effects in the fall so they have babies in the spring. That Mother Nature is a smart cookie!

Moving Down the Body

So GnRH got released in the brain and did some stuff. What exactly is that stuff? GnRH hits the ovaries in mares, and the testes in stallions to cause them to crank up the pathways that turn cholesterol (yes, cholesterol) into estrogen and testosterone. But wait! This happens in a few other places as well. The skin and adrenal glands can also make estrogen and testosterone. This is important to understand when it comes to removing the ovaries and testicles. The moral of this story is that, sure, ovaries and testes do the heavy lifting of hormone production, but they aren’t the only ones to do it.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Estrogen and testosterone get blamed for a lot of things in the world. Some of it’s valid, but these hormones do a lot of other things besides rev up the libido. In males and females, estrogens help manage the metabolism, prevent bone loss, and protect blood vessels from damage. Testosterone is important for muscle metabolism, and red blood cell formation. Testosterone is also an important source of estrogen, particularly in males. This seems backward at first read. However, the body takes testosterone, turns it into estrogen, that estrogen then signals things like bone to get stronger. Most of this happens on the spot, which keeps those estrogens from sending bodywide signals. It only affects the things that need affecting. 

Hormones and Behavior

Estrogen and testosterone also drive some behaviors to occur, and here’s where we get back to where it all started, Regumate. These hormones drive mating behavior, which isn’t always conducive to good horse riding behavior. Being smart humans, you’ve found that by increasing the progesterone in the system, you can make these behaviors calm down a bit. Progesterone is a hormone most often associated with pregnancy. It does have high levels there, but it’s also around most of the time in males and females doing various progesterone things. One of the big things it does is reduce estrogen receptors. And Regumate is a synthetic progesterone, which means Regumate reduces estrogen receptors. Surely if there’s less estrogen receptors, your mare will be more focused on your riding goals than finding the closest eligible bachelor, right? Meh, maybe. 

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Does anything about this look straightforward and simple? This diagram is the simplified version of how all these hormones get created. This means something like Regumate might help you get through some tough days with your mare. However, it also means there’s a lot of things to factor in, and there’s almost certainly a behavior component involved. If nothing else, having hormones run around the system sets up certain behaviors, and once a brain learns something, it can be very hard to unlearn that thing!

Not a Magic Wand

Regumate, and similar hormone therapies, are often a go-to for mares when they are behaving badly. It’s even used occasionally for stallions or geldings being less-than-wonderful horses. The problem is, it’s not that simple. For stallions, it’s really not that simple. There’s no work to show if use of progesterones, like Regumate, can affect longterm fertility. For geldings, the best you might, and it’s a very tiny might, get is some slight calming effects that progesterones have. For mares, you will blunt the effects of being in heat which may help your mare focus, but you won’t suddenly be riding a quiet, laid-back gelding. 

For most instances, my Docs recommend giving something like Regumate a try, while also working on behavior modifications. It may be that Regumate helps you manage that horse show that falls exactly when your mare is in heat, but that it’s not necessary when she’s not in heat. Think of it as a tool rather than a magic wand. 

When to Look Further

There are some cases where my Docs get asked about Regumate for a mare who has suddenly changed behaviors pretty drastically. In these scenarios, the mare should be checked for a specific type of tumor called a granulosa cell tumor. These tumors secrete huge amounts of just about every hormone on the chart above. It leaves mares wondering if they’re in love, or ready to fight the world. A quick scan of the ovaries and uterus with an ultrasound, along with a blood test, can help determine if this is the problem. In these cases, removing the offending ovary puts all back to right with the hormones. 

Hormones are hard! If you think your horse might need some Regumate, I suggest a chat with one of my Docs to determine the best plan to move forward. There may be more going on than a dab of progesterone can fix. 

Until next week,

~Tony

P.S. The humans did a podcast on hormones that really gets in the weeds. If you want to check that out, you can find it over on my Podcast Page, or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Not sure what a podcast is? It’s an audio recording, just like a radio show in the old days. You can listen to it right from your phone or computer, and it’s free!

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. If you liked this blog, please subscribe below, and share it with your friends on social media! For more information, please call us at (352) 472-1620, visit our website at SpringhillEquine.com, or follow us on Facebook!

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Pre-Purchase Exams (and why you need one)

Pre-Purchase Exams (and why you need one)

Aug 29, 2022 | Pre-Purchase Exam

Tuesdays with Tony

Horse shopping is at once thrilling and terrifying. You may have spent months searching and trying out horses. Now finally you think you’ve found the right one, Woohoo! You love his personality and the way he rides! He’s even the right color! He’ll be purrfect for what you want to do with him! What are you waiting for?!

Whoa there, human. Take a moment and listen to my cat wisdom. Buying a horse is a big step. There might be a hefty price tag involved, and you’ll want to make sure you’re spending that money wisely. But even if the price isn’t high, a new horse is a time investment and often an emotional commitment, and it’s super important to find one that’s going to fit your plans well.

Why should I want a Pre-purchase Exam?

The point of the exam is to give you enough information to make an informed decision about whether the horse’s health, conformation, and soundness will fit your needs. You’ll want to know if there are pre-existing issues that would prevent him from being able to do the job you intend. It can be heartbreaking to invest all that time, money, and emotion into a horse just to find out he’ll never be suitable.

But don’t think about a PPE as just a reason to say no to a sale. Another important purpose is to learn about your new horse’s health. It’s very rare to find a horse with no problems at all (unlike cats, who are above such things, of course), and if you decide the exam findings are something you can handle, you’ll have a leg up on how to best care for his needs.

What happens in the Exam?

There are three basic parts to a pre-purchase exam. The first is a detailed physical exam. My docs take out their fine-toothed combs for this kind of evaluation. They’ll assess general condition, evaluate the heart and lungs, and examine the eyes, ears, and teeth. They’ll do a thorough palpation of the joints, tendons, and ligaments of the horse’s legs, looking for evidence of past or current injury. They’ll examine the hooves closely, since the old saying “no hoof, no horse” still rings true. They’ll also look at the horse’s conformation for red flags that could mean problems later. Lumps, bumps, growths, and scars will be assessed. A basic neurological exam will be performed, and his back and muscles will be checked out. If any abnormalities are found, my docs will talk with you about whether she thinks they’ll be problematic, or just cosmetic blemishes that won’t bother the horse.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

The next phase is the movement evaluation, where my docs will look for signs of lameness. She’ll watch the horse move in-hand at the walk and the trot on a straight line. A firm, level surface is best. Then she’ll watch him circling in both directions, usually on a longe line or in a round pen. She’ll perform flexion tests to simulate stress on a particular joint, to see if underlying lameness shows up.

The last phase of the pre-purchase exam is additional diagnostic testing. Not every PPE will include this. If the buyer is satisfied with the results of the first two phases, the exam may end there. On the other hand, if the horse appears lame or there are problems with the physical, they may have enough reason to walk away from the sale already.

X-rays are the most common type of additional testing. In many cases, buyers want screening images of areas where lameness problems frequently occur (like the front feet) or areas that will undergo strain in the horse’s intended career (like hocks and stifles for a dressage horse or a reiner), even if there are no signs of a current problem. A horse might be sound on the day of the exam, but if a significant problem shows up on the x-rays, my docs may be able to make predictions about future lameness problems. If abnormalities such as heat, tenderness, or swelling were found on the physical exam, or if the horse appeared lame, those may be enough of a concern to require further investigation.

How many x-rays are taken will depend on how the buyer wants to balance the expense of the x-rays against the value of the horse. The breed, age, and intended use of the horse also play a factor. Some buyers will feel comfortable without x-rays, and some will want to image every area possible. My docs can work with you to customize the exam for your risk-tolerance, budget, and plans for the horse. It’s never wrong to have a baseline set of x-rays on your new horse, so you can know what you’re starting with in case any future problems occur. Some issues are immediate deal-breakers, and you can save yourself heartache later. On the other hand, some x-ray imperfections don’t prevent the horse from being able to perform. Perfection is hard to find outside of cats, and most buyers will have to balance how well the horse fits their purpose, their budget, and the exam findings. My docs will help you determine if they are really a problem, since after all, you ride the horse, not the x-ray.

Other types of diagnostic imaging, such as ultrasound, are usually recommended only if my doc finds something that worries her, like a thickened tendon.

There are a few kinds of blood test commonly requested. A coggins test is required if the horse will be crossing state lines. A “wellness profile” including a CBC and blood chemistry panel can be used to screen for overall health and organ function. Drug testing can be used to check for pain medications or sedatives in the horse’s system.

What a PPE is and what it is not

A pre-purchase examination is an opinion of the horse on the day of the exam. Your vet will let you know if she finds indications of problems. No one cannot predict the future of any horse and its’s impossible to be certain that no sub-clinical problem exists. The exam isn’t a guarantee of long-term health or soundness, but a snapshot of a moment in time.

It’s also not a “pass or fail” test. A completely clean pre-purchase is a rare thing. Some findings are manageable but will require care to keep the horse performing well. There can be wide variation between what’s acceptable for a grand prix jumper versus a kid’s trail horse. The same finding may be a deal breaker for one but never cause an issue for the other. Arthritis in the joint of a 3-year-old you plan on jumping for decades to come is different than in the schoolmaster who has been competing successfully and probably has wear and tear from years of work. My docs can’t tell you whether you should buy the horse or not, but they can give you the information to make an informed decision for yourself.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Do’s and Don’ts

It’s important to choose carefully who will perform the exam. Do choose a vet who is experienced with equine medicine and lameness. To avoid conflicts of interest, don’t choose a vet who has previously cared for the horse or worked for the seller. The vet performing the pre-purchase exam is paid by and reports to the buyer, so an unbiased opinion will best protect your interests. Talk to the vet about basic exam costs and what diagnostic tests you want.

Do request the horse’s health records, including vaccines, deworming, and dentistry from the seller. If they will release previous x-rays and other medical records, even better.

Do have a clear idea about what you want to use the horse for, how long you hope to own him, and how much management you’re willing to put into keeping him sound. Do think about what issues would be deal-breakers for you.

Do be there for the exam, if possible. Unless you’re buying a horse from across the country (or plantet), it’s best to be present during the exam to discuss findings as they come up. If that can’t happen, talk with the vet ahead of time about your intentions for the horse, and be available by phone to make decisions during the exam.

Here’s the hardest one… don’t get so attached to the horse that no matter what my docs tell you, you’re going to buy him anyway. That’s called a “post-purchase exam” and it’s kind of not the point!

Happy horse hunting!

Until next week,

~ Tony

P.S. If you really want to dig into PPE concepts, my docs have a brand new podcast episode releasing September 1st that will teach you a ton of useful things regarding the purchase of horses. This old cat even learned a few things, and I already knew everything. Well, pretty much everything. Anyway, you can find it over on the Podcast Page or wherever you get your podcasts.

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. If you liked this blog, please subscribe below, and share it with your friends on social media! For more information, please call us at (352) 472-1620, visit our website at SpringhillEquine.com, or follow us on Facebook!

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