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Poisonous Plants and Horses

Poisonous Plants and Horses

Jul 15, 2024 | Poisonous Plants

Whinny’s Wisdoms

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Whinny’s Wisdom: A Field Mouse’s Perspective on Horse-Killing Weeds

Hey there, fellow creatures of the field! Whinny here, a curious little field mouse with a nose for adventure (and sometimes, trouble). Today, I want to talk about something important for any horse that gets turnout: poisonous plants!

You see, us field mice have a pretty good idea of what’s safe and what’s not safe to nibble on. But horses, with their big noses, curious ways, and knack for self-harm, can sometimes get into trouble with plants that look harmless but are actually quite poisonous. So, I’m here to share some of the most common culprits in North America, straight from the perspective of a tiny, knowledgeable rodent.

The Pretty, But Deadly: Azaleas and Rhododendrons

These flowering shrubs are a sight to behold, with their vibrant blooms in shades of pink, purple, and white. Here in North Central Florida they’re everywhere. But don’t let their beauty fool you! All parts of azaleas and rhododendrons are toxic to horses, containing a nasty toxin called grayanotoxin. If your horse ingests even a small amount, it can cause severe problems like:

* Excessive drooling

* Loss of appetite

* Colic

* Muscle weakness

* Abnormal heart rhythm

* Coma

* Death

The Tall and Toxic: Red Maple Trees

Red maples are majestic trees that add a touch of autumn splendor to the landscape. However, their leaves, bark, and twigs contain a toxin called gallic acid, which can be harmful to horses. If your horse munches on these parts, especially in the fall when the leaves are wilted or dry, it can lead to:

* Severe anemia

* Colic

* Muscle weakness

* Kidney damage

The Unassuming Threat: Black Walnut Trees

These common trees might seem harmless, but their leaves, nuts, and bark contain a toxin called juglone. This nasty stuff can cause problems for horses, including:

* Laminitis

* Colic

* Diarrhea

* Skin irritation

The Bitter Surprise: Milkweed

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While most horses avoid this plant due to its bitter taste, it’s important to be aware of its potential dangers. Milkweed contains a toxin that can cause serious problems if ingested, such as:

* Muscle weakness

* Seizures

* Respiratory difficulties

* Coma

* Death

The Hidden Danger: Poison Hemlock

This plant might look like harmless parsley, but it’s one of the most poisonous plants in North America. All parts of poison hemlock are toxic, and even a small amount can be fatal to horses. Branches falling into a water source can contaminate the water as well! Symptoms of poisoning include:

* Muscle tremors

* Convulsions

* Respiratory failure

* Death

Keeping Your Horses Safe: A Field Mouse’s Tips

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Whinny, this is scary! How can I keep my horse safe from these sneaky plants?” Don’t worry, my friends, I’ve got some tips for you:

Know your pasture: Regularly inspect your pasture for any of the plants mentioned above. If you find them, remove them immediately. If in doubt, contact the local County Extension Service. It’s free and they are incredibly knowledgeable!

Provide good quality hay: Horses who are well-fed are less likely to nibble on potentially harmful plants.

Be aware of seasonal changes: Some plants become more toxic at certain times of the year, like red maples in the fall.

Contact my Doctors immediately: If you suspect your horse has ingested a poisonous plant, don’t hesitate to seek veterinary help. Time is of the essence in these situations.

Remember, knowledge is power! By being aware of the dangers lurking in your fields and pastures, you can keep your horses safe and healthy. And if you ever see a curious field mouse like me, don’t shoo me away! I might just have some helpful insights about the sneaky plants hiding in plain sight.

Until next week,

~Whinny

P.S. If you’d like to watch an entire Seminar video about poisonous plants put on by our local extension office, CLICK HERE. It’s a great presentation from a few years ago, very entertaining and very educational!

Whinny’s Wisdoms is the official blog of Whinny the Clinic Mouse 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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Twins in Horses: Risks and Management

Twins in Horses: Risks and Management

Jun 17, 2024 | Breeding

Whinny’s Wisdoms

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Hi there! It’s Winnie the Clinic Mouse, and guess what? I’m a quintuplet, which means I have four siblings who were born at the same time as me! It’s quite a busy and exciting life, having so many siblings. But that’s not all—one of our veterinarians, Dr. Carter, is a twin! It’s fascinating to see how different species experience multiple births!

In the world of mammals, many of us can have multiple babies at once. For mice like me, having a bunch of siblings born together is pretty normal. But for horses, it’s a whole different story. While some mammals handle multiple births with ease, twin pregnancies in horses can be very dangerous.

Causes of Twin Pregnancies

Twin pregnancies in horses occur when two ova are fertilized simultaneously. This happens when a mare double ovulates or releases two eggs. While this may sound like an advantage for breeding, it often leads to complications.

Risks Associated with Twin Pregnancies

The main risks of twin pregnancies in horses include:

  • Abortion: The majority of twin pregnancies end in early embryonic loss. The limited space and nutrient availability within the uterus make it challenging for both embryos to survive.
  • Dystocia (difficult birth): If the pregnancy continues to term, the mare is at a higher risk of dystocia, which can endanger both the mare and the foal.
  • Abnormal Foals: Even if twins are carried to term, they are often born weak and underdeveloped due to the shared resources in the womb.
  • Mare Health Issues: The mare can suffer from complications such as retained placenta, which can lead to severe infections.

Diagnosing Twin Pregnancies

  • Early detection of twin pregnancies is crucial. This is why the 14 day pregnancy check after breeding is so important. At this time, we can diagnose and manage twin pregnancies.
  • Ultrasound Scanning: A veterinarian can perform an ultrasound around 14 to 16 days post-ovulation to detect multiple embryos. If twins are identified, steps can be taken early to manage the situation.

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Management of Twin Pregnancies

Once twins are detected, it is highly recommended that the mare does not continue to carry both embryos and that one embryo is removed, or the pregnancy is terminated due to the high risk to the mare and foals in twin pregnancies.

  • Selective Reduction: This is the most common and effective method. One embryo is manually reduced via ultrasound guidance, allowing the remaining embryo a better chance to develop normally.

Twin pregnancies in horses present significant challenges and risks, but with early detection and appropriate management, these risks can be mitigated. Understanding and managing twin pregnancies effectively can lead to successful breeding outcomes, despite the inherent difficulties. If you plan on breeding your mare, make sure you follow the recommended pre- and post-breeding appointment plan from your veterinarian. It’s a lot of appointments, but for very good reason!

Until next week,

~Whinny

P.S. Have you listened to all of the breeding episodes on my Doc’s podcast? They have a number of different episodes about various aspects of breeding, and you won’t want to miss any of them! You can find them over on the Podcast Page of my website, or subscribe to Straight from the Horse Doctor’s Mouth on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Whinny’s Wisdoms is the official blog of Whinny the Clinic Mouse 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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How to Weigh Your Horse

How to Weigh Your Horse

Jun 10, 2024 | Weight loss/gain

Whinny’s Wisdoms

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Hi everyone, Whinny here! Horses are high maintenance creatures, have you noticed? They require a careful eye to make sure they stay healthy and in good condition. One of the ways you horse owners can monitor your horse’s health is to keep track of his weight.

Knowing how much your horse weighs will help you keep an eye on weight gain and weight loss through the seasons, so you can adjust his feed accordingly. If he is overweight, you probably know that he is at risk of developing laminitis – a serious concern. If he is underweight, you’ll have to figure out why. That could mean his diet needs to be changed, his teeth need attention, his worm load is too high, or several other health reasons. Keeping track of weight changes and making small adjustments early is definitely better than waiting until there are big, obvious health problems. It’s also important to know your horse’s weight so you can give medications such as dewormer correctly. You don’t want to overdose or underdose him.

But how to weight him? Unfortunately, you can’t just ask your horse to step on the bathroom scale. The good news is that there is an easy measurement you can do at home to get a pretty darn accurate weight for your horse. You may have seen my docs and techs do this when they come out to give your horse his vaccines. You can do it just as easily yourself! It doesn’t require any special equipment, just a flexible tape measure and a calculator (unless you really like long division). A metal tape measure isn’t bendy enough, but a fabric or plastic one with inch markings works great.

Here’s what you do:

  1. Stand your horse on a relatively flat surface. He should be standing “square”, with his legs placed evenly, not stretching one forward or back too much.
  2. Measure around your horse’s heart girth: Holding the “zero” end of the tape, place the other end of the tape over his back behind his withers (about where his mane ends). Reach under his belly and pull the end of the tape under his barrel about where the girth would sit. Bring the tape up to meet the end with the “zero”. The number on the weight tape where the “zero” meets is the heart girth number.
  3. Measure his length: Place the “zero” end of the tape at the point of his shoulder. Measure the length of his body straight back along his side to the crease between his muscles just below the point of his buttock.
  4. Plug your 2 measurements into this formula. Choose the right one based on whether he is an adult, a yearling, or a weanling.

 Adult horse weight in pounds = heart girth x heart girth x length divided by 330. For yearlings, divide by 301. For weanlings, divide by 280.

To make it easier for you to see this in action, here is Dr. Yorke with a video on how to do the measurements!





Until next week,

~Whinny

P.S. Have you subscribed to my blog yet? Don’t rely on Facebook to let you know when I write a new one. Just scroll down to the big purple box, put your email address in it, and I’ll email you my blog every Monday, a day before it goes out on social media. No spam, no ads, just the blog! Go on, be a good human! You can do it!

Whinny’s Wisdoms is the official blog of Whinny the Clinic Mouse 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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A Deep Dive Into Hay

A Deep Dive Into Hay

Jun 3, 2024 | Hay

Whinny’s Wisdoms

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

A Deep Dive into Hay: Selection, Evaluation, and Storage for Optimal Equine Health

Greetings, esteemed equestrians and discerning horse enthusiasts! Whinny, your resident field mouse investigator, returns with a comprehensive exploration into the world of equine forage – hay. While the average farmyard observer might see just a pile of dried grass, we delve deeper to understand the intricacies of hay selection, evaluation, and storage for optimal horse health. Since hay forms the foundation of a horse’s diet, ensuring its quality through proper management is essential for responsible horse care. 

Deconstructing the Haystack: Grass Species and Nutritional Profiles

Beyond the basic categorization of “hay,” a multitude of grass species exist, each offering a distinct nutritional profile. Let’s dissect some prominent players:

  • Alfalfa: This nitrogen-fixing legume boasts exceptional protein (20-25% crude protein) and calcium content, ideal for supporting growth in foals, pregnant or lactating mares, and performance horses. Alfalfa is low in sugars which can make it a good option for horses prone to issues with sugar. However, because of the high calorie content it should only be a portion of the roughage for overweight horses (pronounced easy keepers). 
  • Timothy: The “gold standard” for many, Timothy hay offers a balanced combination of fiber and moderate protein (10-14% crude protein) levels. This makes it a staple for adult horses in moderate work or maintaining weight. Being a grass hay, sugar content can vary a lot based on conditions at the time of baling.
  • Orchardgrass: An increasingly popular option, Orchardgrass hay provides a balance between fiber and protein (10-15% crude protein) content. This makes it suitable for a wider range of horses, from performance animals requiring sustained energy to those needing weight gain compared to Timothy hay. It’s also palatable and easily digestible. Orchardgrass, much like Timothy, can have highly variable sugar content.
  • Bermudagrass Hay: A warm-season favorite, Bermudagrass hay is known for its high digestibility and fiber content. This makes it well-suited for horses in lighter work or residing in warmer climates, like Florida. It has a lower calorie content than the other three options here so can be a great option for overweight horses.

The Art of Hay Evaluation: A Multi-Sensory Approach

Identifying high-quality hay goes beyond just grabbing a random bale. Studies have shown that touch and smell can readily identify quality hay. Here’s how to transform into a hay evaluation extraordinaire:

  • Visual Inspection: Fresh hay boasts a vibrant color – green for legumes like alfalfa, golden brown for grasses like Timothy or orchardgrass. Avoid hay with excessive dust, signs of mold (indicating moisture damage), or a bleached appearance (signaling sun exposure).

  • Tactile Assessment: Dive in (figuratively, of course!) and feel the hay’s texture. High-quality hay should be pliable and soft, not brittle or dusty. The stems should snap with a slight bend, not crumble.

  • Olfactory Exploration: Engage your nose! Fresh hay should emit a pleasant, grassy aroma. Musty odors point towards spoilage from moisture or mold growth, while a sweet smell might indicate excessive sugar content.

  • Botanical Scrutiny: Keep an eye out for excessive weeds or signs of pests like insects or rodents (ahem, not that I would know anything about that). These can impact the hay’s palatability and potentially harbor contaminants.

Whinny Wisdom: Feeding hay in slow-feed hay nets will keep your horses occupied for longer without increasing their calorie intake, reduce wasted hay significantly, and keep their hay off the ground which will reduce their exposure to environmental contaminants like botulism, EPM, parasites, and more!

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Hayven Secrets: Storage Strategies for Peak Quality

You’ve sourced the perfect hay – fantastic! But the journey doesn’t end there. Proper storage safeguards quality and prevents spoilage. Here are some expert-level storage tactics:

  • Environmental Control: Location is paramount. Select a dry, well-ventilated space with protection from rain and direct sunlight. Moisture is the archenemy of good hay! Aim for relative humidity below 60% to prevent mold growth. This can be tricky in humid environments like Florida. Buying less hay, so you can quickly rotate stock, can help.

  • Off the Ground: Don’t let your precious hay become a buffet for moisture and hungry critters like yours truly. Store bales on pallets or platforms, allowing for air circulation around them.

  • Bale Management: Consider the practicality of bale size. While large round bales might seem economical, they expose a larger surface area to potential spoilage and require specialized feeders to minimize waste. Small square bales offer greater manageability and reduce waste.

  • First-In, First-Out (FIFO) Implementation: Ensure a steady supply of fresh forage by adhering to the FIFO principle. Use older hay first to maintain a consistent quality for your horses. This principle should be used with everything your trusty steed consumes!

Conclusion: Hay There, Healthy Horses!

By understanding the intricacies of hay selection, evaluation, and storage, you will empower yourself to provide your horses with the optimal fuel for peak health and performance. Remember, a balanced diet starts with high-quality roughage, and a keen eye (and nose!) can make all the difference. Got more hay questions? My esteemed doctors and technicians can give you answers! Give us a call to schedule a nutrition consultation today! 352.472.1620.

Until next week!
~Whinny

P.S. If you want to learn more about equine nutrition, check out this video on my YouTube Channel about different types of feed! It’s something every horse owner needs to understand, just like hay. Make sure you explore my other videos while you’re there!

Whinny’s Wisdoms is the official blog of Whinny the Clinic Mouse 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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Foals and Ascarids

Foals and Ascarids

May 20, 2024 | Ascarids, Foals

Whinny’s Wisdoms

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Spring is moving into summer, the rains are coming, and lots of new foals are running around fields. Some of these frolicking fillies are harboring some extra passengers though…

Let’s wriggle into the world of roundworms, known to smart medically-minded mice like me as ascarids!

What are Ascarids?

Ascarids are small parasitic worms that live in the intestines of horses. They are called roundworms because, well, they have a round shape. These worms can grow to be several inches long and can cause health problems for foals. However, it’s not like foals are out there gobbling up full-sized worms in the grass (though I wouldn’t put it past them!). So let’s go over the lifecycle of these pesky parasites, and how they wind up in our horses.

  1. Egg Production: The life cycle of equine ascarids begins with adult female worms residing in the small intestine of the horse. These fecund females produce large numbers of eggs, which are then shed into the horse’s feces. 
  1. Environmental Contamination: Once the eggs are passed in the feces, they contaminate the environment where the horse lives. This can include pastures, paddocks, or stalls where horses graze or spend time.
  1. Egg Development: In the environment, under suitable conditions of temperature and humidity, the eggs develop and mature over a period of several weeks to become infective larvae. This is dependent on temperature and humidity, but these eggs are quite robust and can often overwinter and remain infective on a pasture into the next foaling season. 
  1. Ingestion: Foals become infected when they inadvertently ingest the infective larvae while grazing, eating contaminated feed or water, or through grooming behaviors where they ingest soil or other environmental material containing the larvae. We all know foals put their mouths on everything, so this part isn’t very hard!
  1. Larval Migration: Once ingested, the eggs hatch and larvae begin hepato-tracheal migration, arriving in the lungs about 1 week post infection. Here, they penetrate the alveoli and bronchioles, where they remain for another 2 weeks before they are coughed up into the pharynx and swallowed to return to the small intestine as more mature larvae. The first intestinal stages appear 3–4 weeks post infection.
  1. Maturation to Adult Worms: Inside the intestines, the immature worms continue to grow and develop into adult worms over the course of several weeks to months. Once mature, they begin producing eggs, completing this crazy, complicated lifecycle and perpetuating the infection.
  1. Egg Shedding: Adult female worms release eggs into the horse’s feces, restarting the cycle by contaminating the environment with new infective eggs.

Symptoms of Ascarid Impactions

 When foals have a lot of ascarids in their intestines, they can actually lead to obstructions. Literally, a road block of worms! This can actually happen with live worms OR with dead worms after the foal has been given a dewormer. This is one of those (many) times when consulting with that veterinarian that you have a great relationship with about the best deworming protocol gives you the best shot at getting things right.

Sometimes even when we do everything right, those poor babies still end up with ascarid impaction. Here’s what that might look like:

– Swollen belly

– Not eating well

– Diarrhea

– Weight loss

– Lethargy

– High heart rate

Preventing The Impaction

There are some things that can be done to help prevent foals from getting infected with ascarids:

– Keep the environment clean: Regularly clean up manure and bedding to reduce the number of worm eggs in the environment.

– Deworming: discuss the protocol with our doctors, but often times they’re going to have you give dewormers every few months in a specific order and dose

– Fecal Egg Counts: if there is any question, just like with adult horses, we take a sample of poop and put it in our fancy machine to tell us how many and what type of parasites we have

– Quarantine new foals: Keep any new animals separate from others until they can be dewormed and checked for worms or other issues by our doctors.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Treating Ascarid Impactions

Here’s the scoop: these worms, when they get stuck, often have to be surgically removed. The surgery works a lot like other colic surgeries. Following surgery, the foal will be monitored closely at the hospital. It’s important for the referral docs to slowly reintroduce the foal to food and watch for signs of infection. This can often be a time and money-intensive process, but foals typically recover well from this surgery and go on to live happy, normal, lives.

Whinny’s Wisdom: Ensuring access to transportation for horses is paramount for all horse owners, but particularly crucial for those with higher-risk animals such as foals. Transportation facilitates timely access to veterinary care in case of emergencies, ensuring prompt treatment for any health issues that may arise.

Remember, failure to plan is planning to fail! If you are raising a foal, make sure you have a plan and a schedule worked out with your veterinarian to minimize risk on all health fronts. Foals are hard enough as it is, so don’t miss out on an opportunity to set yourself and your foal up for success!

Love and cheese,

Whinny

P.S. If you want to learn way more about parasites and deworming than this mouse can tell you, check out our podcast, Straight from the Horse Doctor’s Mouth! It’s free, and you can learn more than you ever knew you didn’t know by listening! Just click on the link to visit the Podcast Page of my website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Whinny’s Wisdoms is the official blog of Whinny the Clinic Mouse 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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