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Cooling Horses When The Heat Is On

Cooling Horses When The Heat Is On

Jul 16, 2018 | Hot Weather

Tuesdays with Tony

I spent my Saturday morning lounging on a table watching the Piggie Ice Cream Social happen all around me. While supervising all the events, I noted it was hot. Really hot. I was glad my tasks were limited to sitting on the table, inspecting the pools, and looking disdainfully at the pigs. Unlike horses, I’m not expected to partake in athletic endeavors. I pity the ponies this time of year. Never fear though, I have combed through the research and am here to give you solid advice.

 

I saw it on the internet

 

There’s a post going around Facebook right now about the fate of horses turned out when wet. Short version: Rated as Not True by this cat. Also rated as not true by some excellent research done before the 1996 Olympics.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

What’s so special about the 1996 Olympics?

 

The 1996 Olympics were held in Atlanta. Also known as Hotlanta. Also home to heat and humidity of near-Floridia levels. The 1992 Olympics in Barcelona presented hot weather challenges to the horses competing. Most came out of it OK, but it opened eyes to the need to manage high-level equine athletes in hot weather, or risk losing horse events in the Olympic games. Scientists went to work to look at what could realistically be done to improve heat tolerance by horses.

 

Acclimate

 

Researchers found horses did best when given 14-16 days to acclimate to heat and humidity. Why does this matter to me, you ask? Sudden heat waves do happen in Florida. If we have been bebopping along in March with less than swamp-on-the-sun conditions, your horse may not be prepared for a sudden April heat wave. In July, we’re all more prepared for that lovely humidity.

 

Diet

 

Not my favorite word. However, researchers found that decreasing roughage and protein, and increasing fat helped horses handle heat. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT, do this without talking with one of my Docs. This is only recommended for horses about to partake in some pretty serious work in some pretty hot weather. It also has to be done carefully to make sure there is enough roughage in the diet. Definitely not something to approach all willy nilly.

 

It really is the humidity

 

No, really, it is. Sure, when temps are in 110s in the desert Southwest, it’s hot. However, horses rely very, very strongly on sweat evaporating to cool off. That means when it’s 85 degrees, and 92% humidity in Florida, they can’t cool off. Horses are way better off in that 110 degree heat. And by way better off, I mean they can cool off a smidge faster. I don’t mean they can go out and jump around a 4 star cross country course and be fine. Look for ways to increase evaporation on those hot, humid days. Researchers found misting with water for 30-45 seconds, walking for 30-45 seconds, and repeat, worked best to create some airflow over the big veins of the neck and legs which, in turn, improved cooling.

 

Cold, and I do mean Cold, water

 

When Dr. Lacher was a kid, there was no arguing that cold water on a hot horse would kill that horse. Everyone knew it. Researchers looked at this, too. The verdict: Myth Busted. Cold water (as in 40℉ cold) worked best to get rectal temperatures down quickly and safely. The horses used for this study ran a real live 3 star level cross country course in Northern Georgia in July. It was for-real hot and humid. Cold water was misted onto their entire bodies, with particular attention paid to the big muscles of the hindquarters, and the neck. The horses were then walked for a very short period, and the misting repeated. This was done with cold and tepid water. The cold water horses dropped their rectal temperatures faster, as expected. They also recovered faster according to blood work parameters! You can easily replicate this at home with those pump-up sprayers for lawn stuff. They even make smaller versions you can take to the ring with you during horse shows. Add ice, and you’ve got cold mist for cooling horses down anywhere.

 

Heat is tough. I survive it by lounging on the benches in front of the Clinic. When it gets too rough, I go inside to the air conditioning. Most horses don’t have that option. Pay attention to what they are telling you. Cut workouts short, be ready to cool them off fast, and have good fans that move lots of air. Oh, and you can scrape them and turn them out wet. I promise they’ll appreciate the hose off!

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Now be a good human, scroll down a little farther, and subscribe to my blog. Tiny swipe with the thumb. Your thumb did more work texting your best friend about that awesome half halt you had during your lesson today.

Until next week –

Tony

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. 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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I Like Pig Butts and I Cannot Lie

I Like Pig Butts and I Cannot Lie

Jul 9, 2018 | Pet Pigs

Tuesdays with Tony

You cats definitely don’t want to miss my next See Tony event- it’s the 3rd Annual Piggie Ice Cream Social! It will be going down right here at the clinic this Saturday, July 14th, 2018 from 10:00 am till noon. Once I realized these kinda loud, stinky, round little patients were here to stay, I decided to embrace and even celebrate them. And how better to celebrate in July than with frozen yogurt, kiddie pools, and watermelons?!? If you have a pig, please bring him or her (on a leash) to join in the fun! Even if you don’t have a pig, you’re going to want to come check this out. Dr. Vurgason’s own pigs will be performing some tricks, Frozen Berry will be supplying fro-yo for the humans, and it is pretty amusing to see a pig neck-deep eating a watermelon. There will even be adoptable piglets available, in case this event changes your mind about piggy ownership!

In case I succeed in convincing you that potbellied pigs make the second best pets (after cats, of course), here are the answers to the top 3 questions Dr. Vurgason gets asked by piggy parents:

 

What should I feed my PBP?

Vietnamese potbellied pigs, which are the breed of almost all pet pigs in this country, were essentially bred for lard. Yes, prior to the great influx of potbellies to the new world in the ‘80s (1980’s that is) these pigs were raised and bred in Vietnam as a fat source for cooking. What this means for today’s pet pig owners is that potbellied pigs can become overweight, and even morbidly obese, very easily. Obese pigs can even develop overhanging facial fat to the point that they can’t see, also called “fat blindness.” Often diet alone is not enough to treat these pigs, and surgery is required to remove the excess skin and fat hanging over their eyes.

We are never going to let our pet pigs get to that point though, right team? Instead, let’s stick to a diet that consists of a feed specifically designed for Mini pigs, with fruits and vegetables used (sparingly) as snacks. There are two commercially available, easily accessible brands of Mini Pig food that we commonly recommend. One is Country Feeds Mini Pig Feed; the other is Mazuri Mini Pig Feed. It is perfectly acceptable to give fruits and vegetables as snacks or treats, but one of these pig feeds should always make up the majority of your pig’s diet.

Pig vet Gainesville FL

 

How much should I feed my PBP?

Very young piglets can be fed pellets free-choice. However, by the time your piglet is 12-16 weeks old, you will need to start limiting his diet. If left to their own devices, pigs would probably eat themselves to death! The amount your pig will need is highly dependent on his weight and body condition score. In general, think small. On average, you should feed approximately one cup twice a day for a 100 lb pig. This means that if you have a 25 lb pig, they only need 1/4 cup twice a day. It is best to feed at least 2 meals a day, although you can split their daily allowance of pellets into more smaller feedings if your schedule allows. Be sure to ask Dr. Vurgason to Body Condition Score your pig at his annual Wellness visit!

In this practice, overweight pigs are much more common that underweight pigs, although Dr. Vurgason has seen a few that were malnourished due to their owner’s attempts to keep them small. Once a pig becomes too fat, it is a major challenge to get them to lose weight. How do you exercise a pig? I don’t know…get back to me if you find out!

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic pet pigs

How do I combat boredom in my pig?

You may have heard this before, but pigs are highly intelligent creatures. I’m not saying they’re as smart as cats, but I’m also not saying I’m willing to put it to the test. Pigs can be house-trained for sure, but the most common reason that the majority of our piggy patients get kicked out to the barn is that they are causing damage inside while exhibiting their natural behaviors.

Pigs love rooting, and if they don’t have grass and dirt to root under, your carpet will do just fine. They also love scratching on just about everything. It makes no difference to a pig whether their scratching post is a tree or your sofa. Pigs also love to eat, and they basically use their nose and mouth to explore the world around them. If there is something you don’t want your pig to eat, you probably shouldn’t leave it any lower than 2 feet off the ground. This goes for shoes, furniture, kids’ toys, your toes, and any other objects your pig might find interesting.

So, your sweet little piglet is now an outdoor pet. What can you do to occupy his busy little mind all day? First, get him a friend. Pigs are very social animals, and they do get lonely when they are cut off from contact with everyone else. The best friend for a pig is another pig, although they can befriend other species such as dogs or goats as well. Just be careful when introducing new animals to your potbellied pig; bite wounds are a common injury we see here at the clinic.

In addition to a friend, you can stimulate your pig’s brain with training. Pigs can learn to do all sorts of tricks: everything from waving to dancing to painting a picture. The best part? Pigs will do almost anything for a cheerio or a peanut! Food-motivated animals are the easiest to train. Dr. Vurgason trained her pigs to perform a circus act in just a few months. We highly recommend, at the very least, training your pig to a harness and leash at an early age. It is a lot easier to get pigs in and out of a harness while they are still small! There are also several food puzzles available at your local pet store (in the dog toy section). These puzzles will keep your pig entertained and interested for potentially a few hours as opposed to a few minutes around feeding time. Don’t hesitate to get creative! Pigs love toys, and they are always exploring their environment to find new treasures.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic pet pigs

To have these and all of your other pet pig questions answered, come out to my Piggy Ice Cream Social this weekend! And remember that all of this advice and more is included with our annual Pig Wellness Packages. We’ll chat about this more over some delicious Dole Whip fro-yo this weekend, but right now it’s time for my cat nap.

 

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Office Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. 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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Encephalitis: Mosquitoes and their Nasty Viruses

Encephalitis: Mosquitoes and their Nasty Viruses

Jun 25, 2018 | EEE Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Mosquitos, Vaccines

Tuesdays with Tony

Eastern Equine Encephalitis

It’s been a rough two weeks around here. My Docs have diagnosed three horses with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Two of those were very healthy, well cared for horses which helped them defy the odds, and survive the virus. The third horse, unfortunately, had to be euthanized. Ninety (yes, ninety) percent of horses who get EEE die or are euthanized. Being a cat, I’m not one to mince words, but I’m really not going to here. It’s a horrible way to die. They get super-high fevers, they get massive headaches, and, after as little as 12 hours, they start having seizures. Once they start having seizures it can be impossible for my Docs to even euthanize them.

Horrible, awful, no good mosquitoes

EEE normally goes about life happily going from birds, to mosquitoes, to birds, and round and round. This works well for EEE. Birds (most of them anyway) don’t get sick or die from the virus, and mosquitoes make an excellent delivery vehicle as they fly around being annoying. However, if one of these mosquitoes carrying Encephalitis bites a horse or human, the story changes dramatically.

The key to remember here is that a mosquito is carrying the virus to your horse. All that’s needed is some water (we’ve got lots of that in Florida), some mosquitoes (we probably have more mosquitoes than water in Florida), some birds, and some EEE virus. Your horse doesn’t even have to leave the farm to get sick. No other horse has to come visit to bring the virus. It comes to you just like a pizza delivery.

EEE Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Is EEE everywhere?

Yes, it’s everywhere in Florida. If you want to know just how everywhere it is, click here. Each week the State of Florida posts an update about the prior week’s mosquito-borne virus activity. Personally, it’s what I’m checking out while it appears I’m sleeping on the keyboards around here. Did you know the State has sentinel chicken flocks? These are chickens that get a little bit of blood taken every week. This blood is tested for EEE, WNV, and a bunch of other viruses to see if the chickens have been exposed. Watching these flocks helps people like my Docs know if Encephalitis or West Nile Virus is active in an area. You can see some crazy stuff on these reports! This past week a person in Taylor county tested positive for EEE!!!

Wait… Humans can get it too?

Yep. I said it earlier, but you might have been distracted as you humans are prone to do. The good news is not every horse or human will get sick. The DNA that particular horse or human has is a key factor in how they respond. If they have an immune system that lets the virus get into the brain and spinal cord, that’s really bad. If the immune system then recognizes the foreign invader and goes after it with all-out warfare, that’s really, really bad. The immune system likes to respond with a nuclear annihilation-level response. That response inside the brain and spinal cord causes a lot of swelling. Swelling inside the skull doesn’t go very well.

Vaccines save lives

Great news: there’s an easy, inexpensive way to save your horse from the agony of EEE. Vaccinate. It’s so easy even a dog can understand it. For the average horse, twice-yearly vaccination for EEE will give them good protection. For youngsters, old guys, and anyone else who may have a stressed immune system, every 4 months is a better plan. This vaccine works! My Docs have even made it easy to know if your horse is protected with their Wellness Plans. In fact, Eastern Equine Encephalitis is one of the biggest reasons the Wellness Plans exist. My Docs want to make sure every horse is well-vaccinated against this horrible virus, so they came up with a plan that made it easy for you horse owners to stay on schedule. Sure, it’s a shameless plug for the Wellness Plans, but this is one of the many reasons Wellness is fantastic!

We live in the land of mosquitoes and water, which means EEE has the perfect environment to live the good life. Be a good human. Vaccinate your horse so they don’t get this horrible virus.

Now be an even better human and scroll on down and subscribe to my blog. Weekly Tony wisdom for free: You can’t beat that!

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Clinic Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. 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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The Joys of Being an Equine Veterinarian

The Joys of Being an Equine Veterinarian

Jun 19, 2018 | Uncategorized

Tuesdays with Tony

First for a little housekeeping: Don’t forget to join me on Thursday at 6:30 for my Skin Funk Seminar, right here at the clinic! One of our most popular topics of the year, this Seminar is always well attended, and there are sure to be a bunch of free giveaways. Sponsored by Kinetic Vet, makers of Equishield products such as IBH and CK, this Seminar is definitely one you don’t want to miss!

I was at a family reunion this weekend talking to my cat cousin, whose owner is a human Anesthesiologist. He asked me about my job and the people I work for, and he was astounded to learn how many hats veterinarians wear. I guess it is kind of surprising when you think about it, especially compared to the highly specialized world of human medicine. In a given day, either of our docs might be a dentist, a surgeon, an ophthalmologist, an internist, a radiologist, an orthopedist, an anesthesiologist, a neonatologist, a podiatrist, a dermatologist, and a GP! So, in case you were wondering, here’s how it works in the world of veterinary medicine.

What is a DVM?

A DVM, which stands for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, is a degree which confers the right to treat ANY species of animal in any capacity with only one exception: Homo sapiens. With a DVM, you can work on lions and giraffes in a zoo, you can work for the USDA inspecting meat, you can work in Public Health studying diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans, you can be a large animal vet, or a small animal vet, or anything in between. The possibilities are endless, and the choice is yours. Our DVMs here at Springhill Equine have chosen to focus primarily on horses (although we extended our services to pet pigs starting 3 years ago.) If they so desired, either of our docs could decide tomorrow that they want to go work at an all-feline practice (an obvious choice in my mind), or move into the veterinary pharmaceutical industry. However, both our vets chose to focus on horses because they had a lifetime of personal experience with horses, so I doubt either will change their mind anytime soon. Side note: just to be different, graduates of the University of Pennsylvania are granted a VMD (Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris) as opposed to a DVM. The degree still means the same thing, it’s just that the “Penn-We’s” prefer the Latin name.

What is a DACVIM, DACVS, DACT, DACVO, etc?

While many veterinarians in general practice are proficient at services that would be considered the purview of a specialist in the human world, specialists do exist in veterinary medicine as well. In fact, there are currently 22 recognized veterinary specialties. As a vet, if you feel like going to more school after 4 years of college, 4 years of vet school, and a 1-year internship, more power to you! Most veterinary residency programs consist of 3 very intensive years of work, study, and research. But once they graduate, these guys are pros! They know just about everything there is to know about their field of expertise. My docs regularly consult with specialists including surgeons, internists, ophthalmologists, theriogenologists, and radiologists. Another great thing about my vets is that they are more than willing to refer your horse to a specialist if the problem is one they are not comfortable treating. Oh, and all those letters? They stand for “Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary…”. So DACVS is Surgeons, DACVIM is Internal Medicine, etc. Many of these crazy smart vets have gotten a PhD somewhere along the way too, so they often have 10-12 extra letters after their name!

So, why horses?

My docs often get asked, if you can treat any species, why do you work exclusively on horses? Well first of all, there is enough to know and continue to learn about horses alone to last a lifetime. Even if they practiced until they were 100 (hopefully they will retire before then) they would probably not diagnose every horse disease, see every type of surgery, or treat with every equine medication out there. The world of equine medicine is evolving so rapidly, there is always something new to learn! Did you know that each of my docs goes to one or more Continuing Education events every year? As if 8 years of higher education wasn’t enough! They both find CE enjoyable as well as educational, and they go out of their way to stay current.

In addition to the unlimited learning opportunities in equine medicine, our docs both have a lifelong love of horses and a passion for riding. Anyone who grew up with horses will understand that once you catch the horse bug, you have it for life. I think it’s pretty awesome that my docs figured out how to turn their hobby into a rewarding career. Now I just have to figure out how to earn money by napping…

 

-Tony

The joys of being an equine veterinarian

Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Office Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. 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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Large Animal Emergency Rescue

Large Animal Emergency Rescue

Jun 11, 2018 | Large Animal Emergency Rescue

Tuesdays with Tony

My Docs love to have adventures on weekends. Normally it’s injuries that make for the most interesting stories, but this past weekend it was a sinkhole and a large animal emergency rescue. We have had a ton of rain so far this year in Florida. Combine that with some other factors, and sinkholes become a problem. This past Saturday a sinkhole opened up in a pasture where a blind patient of Springhill Equine lives, and she ended up in it. And that’s where my story begins.

The Situation

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Springhill Equine got the call very shortly after the owner found this poor girl in the sinkhole. Luckily, this was about a horse-sized hole, and it wasn’t terribly deep, as you can see.  After some questioning, it seemed she had, at most, been in there since morning (it was now late afternoon), and she was interested in food and water. She didn’t seem to have any injuries, and was mentally pretty OK about everything. This means the safest place for her to be was in the hole until help could arrive. Dr. Lacher told the owner to keep offering water and grain, keep her as calm as possible, and she was headed that way (as soon as she finished treating the colic she was at, because horses get together and plan emergencies). Dr. Lacher hung up the phone and called the University of Florida VETS team. This is like calling MacGyver out to your emergency. They get called when animals are stuck and need help getting unstuck. Like in a sinkhole, trailer accidents, swimming pool, or recently, a pug in a 30 foot hole. You get the idea.

I’ll just do this thing…

There’s a temptation when you see this horse is this hole to think “We can just dig that out.” Don’t. It seems like an easy solution, but it can make things a lot worse. First, in this situation the hole had just formed. The owner knows it wasn’t there as little as 18 hours before finding the horse. Bringing in a backhoe, or other heavy equipment, could have caused unsettled ground to unsettle more. Second, horses and large machinery don’t mix well. My not so humble advice: call my Docs, get their thoughts, then get them there before you do anything!

Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER)

TLAER is what the UF VETS team does. It’s the use of straps and pulleys, and A-frames, and all kinds of stuff to get live animals out of the crazy places they get themselves without further harming them. They say curiosity killed the cat, but I rather think that statement could include horses and cows. Back to TLAER. Training starts with classroom work on how animals respond to scary situations (Pro Tip: we usually go with either fight or flight, and sometimes both at the same time), concepts in leverage, and how to attach animals to said leverage devices safely. Animals, kind of like people, come in all different shapes and sizes. To get them out of tight quarters, straps and webbing are often used. There are safe places these straps can go without causing harm, and there are places they can go and cause tremendous pain and injury.

Part two of training involves practicing on model horses. Not model as in super model, model as in life-size plastic model. It takes a lot of practice to formulate a plan for how best to get the horse, or cow, or pug, out of wherever they’re stuck in the safest, most efficient manner. It also takes practice putting straps on, setting all the gear up and working as a team. This means there’s the initial training, and then there’s lots and lots of practicing so when it’s a real emergency the team is ready!

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Up and Out

The UF VETS team decided that for this mare, the best answer was to slide her out. This meant digging the hole out a little further so that a large heavy plastic mat could be placed next to her. Luckily, this wise girl took it like a champ. Dr. Lacher was standing by with sedation in case she got nervous about all the goings on. Next, the mat was put in the hole so that it was next to her, with another on the ground just outside the hole. Webbing was then placed around her just behind her front legs, and just in front on her hind legs. Again, this mare was amazing through the entire process! She let them place the webbing with reassurance from her owner that it was all OK. Once the webbing was placed, Dr. Lacher sedated her.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

The hope was that she would let us get this done with just sedation, but Dr. Lacher was ready with the knocked-out-all-the-way drugs if they were needed. While they were letting the sedation have a few minutes to kick in, the webbing was attached to a super cool block and tackle system which gave the humans enough leverage to pull the horse out without having to rely on heavy equipment. Sedation having kicked in, they gave hoisting the mare a try, but she wasn’t having it. Can’t say I blame her!!! So the knock-out drugs were given. Once she was asleep, she was hoisted up and out of the hole in about 5 minutes, and gently placed on the plastic mat on solid ground. An ATV was hooked up to this mat, and she was moved a safe distance away from the hole to wake up.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Teamwork!

It’s hard for a cat to say teamwork makes the difference, but there you have it. This is an excellent example of a case where teamwork made all the difference. It took an amazing owner, a veterinarian, and an entire team of dedicated large animal emergency rescue folks to get this mare safely out of the hole. I teared up a little thinking about how they all worked together to make the world a better place for horses!

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Tuesdays with Tony is the official blog of Tony the Office Cat at Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic in Newberry, Florida. 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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