West Nile has been very quiet for the last 5-6 years.  This is largely due to widespread vaccination and a reduction in natural spread in the wild bird population.  Over the past several months however, there has been an increase in virus-infected sentinel birds (birds used to detect natural virus levels in the wild) and one confirmed fatality from the disease in a horse in Alachua County.  You may have thought this disease was dead and gone, but much like Eastern Encephalitis it will most likely be an occasional presence in our area.  At Springhill Equine, we are doing our part to keep your horse protected from this killer virus by providing your horse with the highest quality vaccine, along with our reminder system and Wellness Program to make sure your horse gets vaccinated at the right time.  Keep in mind that mosquitoes spread this virus, so we may not see the true extent of resurgence before our mosquito levels peak next spring, but your horse will still be at risk over the temperate fall and winter months in Florida.  Be sure you horse is not left unprotected.

EWT

The EWT vaccination is a combination product that provides a six-month duration of immunity against deadly Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis viruses and Tetanus infection.  Despite its availability and effectiveness to prevent these diseases boosters must be done every six months, and as a result there have been several documented cases of Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis in Alachua and surrounding counties this year alone.  The more numerous these cases become, the more risk there is to any horse in the area, which remains unvaccinated and consequently unprotected.  Although this vaccination is widely available in most local feed stores, it is important to keep in mind that this vaccine is only effective if properly handled up until the vaccine is administered.  That being said, any period of time the vaccine is not kept adequately refrigerated will reduce and possibly eliminate its efficacy.

Rabies

Rabies is a yearly vaccination that provides protection against the deadly rabies virus.  Rabies is an important disease among our domestic animals because it is one of the very few diseases that we as humans can catch from direct contact with our horses.  Animals with rabies spread the disease through saliva or other bodily fluids, and do so for weeks prior to showing any outward signs of infection.  That being the case, there are strict requirements with regard to a horse that may have been exposed to a rabid animal trapped on or near your property, in order to insure that your horse may not have inadvertently exposed you to the virus.  Unfortunately, it is impossible to test an animal for exposure to the virus while it is still alive, so this necessitates euthanasia of the horse.  If vaccination by a licensed veterinarian within the previous 12-month period can be proven, than the horse is simply quarantined for the next 14 days and released if no symptoms are seen.    Again, appropriate vaccination handling and correct administration is imperative for this vaccination to ensure adequate immunity, but when done properly this vaccination will serve to protect not only your horse but also all those in contact with your horse.

Flu and Rhino

These two vaccinations have historically been given to horses as a combination product, but recently a more effective nasal influenza vaccination has been developed which provides yearlong immunity over the previous IM injection that only lasted for six months.  In addition, the rhinovirus vaccination can now be combined with your horses EWT shot, so that your horse will need only receive one   injection every six months.  The next question that most owners ask is “does my horse need to be vaccinated against flu and rhino?”  It is true that these viruses are not usually life-limiting, however they can certainly put your horse out of commission for several days with nasal discharge, fever and general malaise.  In addition, the flu and rhino viruses can even result in death when contracted by young or debilitated animals.  So, the answer to this question is yes if you have foals or geriatric hoses, or if your horse travels off the farm (or is exposed to any other horses traveling off the farm) on a regular basis.  If your horses remain isolated from exposure to other horses, you can feel very comfortable skipping these vaccinations.  It is also important to recognize that although these vaccinations are effective against many forms of these viruses, there are new forms that develop (much like the H1N1 version of flu in people) that even a vaccinated horse can contract.  Therefore, it is important to contact us if you notice these symptoms even if your horse is already vaccinated.

To help ensure your horse stays well protected, Springhill Equine is once again happy to offer our Wellness Programs.  There will be three programs, each available with customized deworming program targeted to your horse’s lifestyle.   We take care of remembering everything and you get a discount on services!

Is the grass always greener on the other side of your fence?  Wonder how your neighbors have such beautiful pastures and you have weeds?  Jim Smith at Growers Fertilizer in Newberry and Cindy Sanders from the Alachua Country Extension Service gave us some pointers for pristine pastures.

You can’t fix what you don’t know is broken.  Start with a soil test.  This will highlight any deficiencies in the biggies: Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.  Testing will also give you your soil’s pH level and let you know if any of the trace minerals are out of balance.  Many of our local farm supply stores sell soil sampling tools which allow for deeper samples or you can use a shovel.  Either way, be sure to get twelve to fifteen samples per area you are interested in, mix well and then take your final sample.  Once you have your final sample, your fertilizer company can send it off and determine an appropriate mixture for your property.

A few tips:  If you have a large property with several pastures, separate your testing samples so individual pastures can have different mixes if necessary.

Have an area that just won’t grow grass?  Sample that area separately to see if anything special should be done.

Sand-spurs are often an indication of low soil pH.  We usually have a low pH problem in this area.  This is easily corrected with the application of dolomite.

Now that you know what your pastures need for Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus, you have your pH and your trace mineral deficiencies you are ready to grow some grass!

Your fertilizer company will be a very valuable resource here.  This time of year fertilizer is usually applied.  Grass seed can be added to overseed your pastures and boost grass production in the summer months.  Trace mineral packages may be needed to even out those minor but important components. The pH is generally addressed in the Fall but consult with your fertilizer company on the best plan for your needs.

What should you do for weeds?  Soil testing will, most likely, show some abnormalities in your soil.  Once corrected many of our common weeds will have trouble growing in your pasture.  However, Chamber Bitter and a few others are annoying, invasive weeds that drastically reduce your grass’s ability to compete.  These weeds are best treated with targeted weedkillers.  Once again contact your fertilizer company or the County Extension service for advice on time of year to attack and chemical to use.  Most of these chemicals are very safe for horses and only require a small amount of time off the pastures.  Once under control, weeds can often be addressed every few years rather than being a constant battle.

Because horses are like potato chips and we can never have just one, our pastures often end up overgrazed.  Overgrazing causes a loss of soil quality and gives weeds the opportunity to take over.  Grass can deal with overgrazing if it is given a rest period.  Dividing your pastures so that you can rotate horses off for at least 2-3 weeks will give your grass a chance to catch up.  We will discuss the benefits of rotation for parasite control in the next section.  During our great summer growing season you will see a huge increase in growth by rotating.

Lastly, let’s talk about managing your pastures to help reduce parasites.  Our horses get their internal parasites from themselves and their friends so manure management is very important.  The best method is to remove the manure and composting it will provide you with excellent fertilizer.  For larger properties manure removal can be very difficult.  Dragging your fields is a good alternative but can spread parasites.  Following a few rules will help kill parasites in the manure.  Keep your fields mowed to reduce thatch where parasite eggs can hide.  Only drag when temperatures are over 85 degrees during the day.  Hot temperatures kill the parasite eggs.  Give the pasture a three week break from grazing to kill those parasites with time and temperature.

With these guidelines and a little help from your fertilizer company the grass can be greener on your side of the fence!

Thanks again to Jim Smith of Growers Fertilizer and Cindy Sanders at the County Extension Service!

Jim can be reached at 352.474.6274 or jsmith@growersfertilizer.com

Cindy can be reached at 352.955.2402 or sanders1@ufl.edu

As a yearling to two year old, I started getting on and off the trailer occasionally at home.  During these initial lessons, we didn’t go anywhere and always did this when there was plenty of time to work on trailering.  Later if there was room on the trailer, I would get to ride to lessons or trail rides the other horses were going to so I could learn all about going places.  Finally when I was around 4-5 years old I began getting on the trailer and going to horse shows where I had to show.  This way I was only learning one new thing at a time.  I had already learned to trailer, so looking good at the horse show was the only thing I had to worry about.

Recently I have begun trailering long distances.  Culpeper is the longest trip so far of about 14 hours.  For these longer trips my mom, Dr. Lacher, takes some special precautions to make sure we arrive in tip-top shape.

The best offense is a good defense.  We are kept up to date on all our vaccines but never within 14 days of a horse show.  This gives our immune system time to respond to vaccines before the horse show.  Mom also makes sure our nutrition is optimum.  We eat good quality grain and hay and are kept at a good weight.  She may even let us get a little fat before these long trips since we tend to lose a little bit of weight on the trip.  All of us go on a fitness regimen to make sure we are fit enough for the horse show since fatigue can make the trailer ride and horse show even harder on our systems.

The week before leaving on long trips the trailer is checked thoroughly.  Air pressure in the tires on the truck and trailer are checked as are lug nuts.  Mom is very fanatic about this step since low air pressure contributes to blow outs and she HATES changing horse trailer tires on the side of the interstate.  We also had a tire come off the horse trailer once because the lug nuts had loosened so she is always checking the lug nuts.  Before long trips the bedding in the trailer is stripped and new bedding placed back in.  During this process the floor of the trailer is checked to be sure there are no problems.  I like when this is done with enough time to get the truck and/or trailer in to the shop to fix anything before we leave.  We use the truck and trailer regularly so it doesn’t often go for a test drive before these trips but if you don’t use yours often, I would recommend a small drive around the block to make sure all the lights, brakes, etc.  are working.

The two feedings before our trip we will get extra water added to our regular grain and a bit of added alfalfa to make sure we are well hydrated for the trip.  The last feeding before we leave is usually only half our grain to make sure we don’t get upset stomachs on the trip.  The trailer is loaded with alfalfa just before we get on.  We normally eat alfalfa and recommend that you load the trailer with your horse’s usual hay.  A small amount (1/4 flake) of alfalfa added to your regular hay will help stimulate thirst and keep the G.I. tract moving.

There are two schools of leg wrap thought: do it and don’t do it.  I don’t generally wear leg wraps, especially in the summer, because it is so hot on the trailer anyway and this significantly reduces my ability to cool off with the large leg blood vessels.  I don’t recommend using leg wraps if your horse is not used to wearing them.  Most of us spend the first few hours stomping our feet trying to figure out what these things are and that’s the last thing we need to be doing on a long drive.  If your horse is used to leg wraps, is very active in the trailer and the weather is reasonable, leg wraps are a wise idea since they prevent nicks, cuts and scrapes.  They can also be extremely beneficial if there is an accident since they protect our delicate and important legs.

Once on the road we go with a “drive til you get there’ philosophy.  We only stop when we absolutely have to and food, fuel and restrooms are taken care of in that one stop.  I find the trailer gets uncomfortably warm when we aren’t moving.  At stops, we get more hay if we have eaten all we have and we get offered water.  I don’t like the taste of truck stop water so I don’t drink much but I drink well once we arrive.  We are left loose in our slots on the trailer.  I can’t turn around but it does let me put my head down which helps clear my lungs of any debris.  Mom is always quoting studies and claims there is a good one on the benefits of not tying your horse’s head up when trailering. (Aust Vet J. 1996 Feb;73(2):45-9.Effects of posture and accumulated airway secretions on tracheal mucociliary transport in the horse.Raidal SL, Love DN, Bailey GD.)   She does tie my big brother because otherwise he is a general pest but only ties us up when there is a need.

Once we arrive at our destination, we get off the trailer once our stalls are bedded and fresh water added.  Then we horses get to watch while the trailer is unloaded and cleaned.  Once the trailer is parked and unhooked we get to go for a short walk to stretch our legs.  Then we get a good night’s sleep before going to work the next day.

I find this system lets me look my best for my adoring fans at the horse show and reduces my risk of catching anything from my new friends.  Great places to look for further help include: www.USRider.org and equipass.nmca.com.  Our Doctors and staff are also ready to help you with any of your trailering questions or concerns.

A special Thank You! to Tony for letting me blog this week

Gigi  

This week I offered my cat services during an inferior check ligament desmotomy so I told the Doctors I would write my blog on club feet, especially in foals.

Club feet are probably the most common lower limb deformity we see.  Identifying a club foot early and initiating treatment is crucial for your horse’s long term health.

Let’s start with a definition of club foot.  A club foot is, technically speaking, a contracture of the deep digital flexor tendon leading to a flexoral deformity of the distal interphalangeal joint.  In English that means the tendon that runs up the back of the leg is too tight, causing the hoof to be too upright.  Club feet are not the same as contracted tendons in foals.  This occurs when the deep and/or superficial digital flexor tendon is too tight.  These often respond to bandaging, splints, relaxation treatment with oxytetracycline and stall rest.  Some of these foals will go on to have a club foot but most will be perfectly normal after a few days to weeks of treatment.

Club feet are most effectively treated in foals.  Dr. Lacher and Dr. King will examine your foal during your initial vaccine visit to determine if this could be an issue.  Here I will talk about what they look for and some treatment options.  The foot will initially exhibit a bulge at the coronary band, and the heels will have a contracted appearance to them. In addition, the hoof wall fails to expand when it comes in contact with the ground, resulting in the loss of flexibility in the soft tissue surrounding the coffin joint. The hoof wall at the toe develops a dished appearance and the tip of the coffin bone is more prone to injury.

There are varying degrees of severity and the best course of treatment will depend on the individual involved. Early forms of this condition might require frequent trimming programs for the hooves in order to lower the heels and protect the toe so it does not excessively wear down. In long-standing cases of club feet, surgery might be required if the horse is lame. Surgery will address the needs of the foot as well and aid in lowering the heels. Application of a composite material to the toe will aid in protecting the hoof from further digression.

The diagnosis of a club foot is not necessarily a “death sentence,” which is what many people are conditioned to think. There are several well-known horses with club feet which have gone on to very successful athletic careers. When a horse is diagnosed as having a club foot, immediate and aggressive treatment should be used. This immediate care might allow you to stop the condition before it develops into a severe case. Early detection of a club foot also is key to the successful treatment of the problem; the earlier it’s detected, the earlier aggressive treatment can begin and the better the odds are that the horse will go on to a successful athletic career.

If you are concerned about your horse’s foot conformation don’t hesitate to call Springhill Equine for an evaluation!