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Eastern Equine Encephalitis

Eastern Equine Encephalitis

Aug 19, 2019 | EEE Eastern Equine Encephalitis, Vaccines

Tuesdays with Tony

Eastern Equine Encephalitis  

 

So I was scrolling through Facebook the other day (I may have hacked one of the docs pages, one day maybe they will let me have my own page) but to my surprise I came across a post about horses and people in Florida becoming infected with Eastern Equine Encephalitis. I was shocked and frankly a little scared! I have heard everyone around here talk about the dreaded “triple E” before and I even think we had a few cases come through the clinic last year. Nonetheless, reading about it being so close to home yet again, made me realize just how lucky I am that cats don’t get EEE.

 

What is EEE?

 

Eastern Equine Encephalitis, sometimes referred to as “Sleeping Sickness”, is a viral disease that affects birds, horses and humans. It typically occurs on the eastern half of the United States and more specifically in the southeast. “Encephal” means head or brain, and “-itis” means inflammation, therefore, the virus that causes EEE results in inflammation of the brain in both humans and horses. Birds typically are not affected by the disease and just carry it, although the exception to this is Emus.

 

How is EEE Transmitted?

 

Mosquitoes, what are they even good for? All they do is buzz around, bite us, cause horrible itchy skin, and spread nasty diseases. These little suckers are the main transmitters of EEE. A mosquito bites a bird that is a carrier of the virus. The mosquito then bites your horse (or you) and transmits the virus. Don’t you just wish we could wash mosquitoes mouths out with soap? Lucky for most birds and mosquitoes, the virus typically does not affect them, they are just the carriers and transmitters of the disease. However, once an infected mosquito bites you or your horse, the whole story changes. A horse that is infected with EEE cannot, however, spread the disease to another horse, or to a human, and humans cannot spread the disease to horses. Basically, transmission of the virus is the fault of birds and pesky mosquitoes. 

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Clinical Signs

 

90% of horses and 35-50% of humans that become infected with EEE will die from the disease. Once a horse is bitten by an infected mosquito it takes 7-21 days before clinical signs appear. An infected horse may initially show signs of depression, fever, increased heart rate, decreased appetite, and drooping of the eyes and lips, hence the term “Sleeping Sickness”. Clinical signs can eventually progress to weakness, erratic behavior, and seizures which can lead to your horse laying down and not being able to get back up. 

 

Treatment

 

As an honorary doctor, my favorite thing about my job is the successful treatment of an ill patient. Sadly, EEE does not have a specific treatment, and supportive treatment is often unsuccessful. It hurts my kitty heart when I hear about a horse who has had to suffer through the effects of EEE. Of course, myself and the docs here will do all that we can for a horse who has contracted EEE. 

The goal of supportive care is to treat fevers associated with EEE, and this is usually accomplished with the use of NSAIDs. Often times, horses with EEE will be placed on intravenous fluids and may require nutritional support as they typically have a hard time drinking and eating on their own. 

Once a horse reaches the point of the disease where they lay down, it is unlikely they will stand back up. When they are down they can thrash and cause self-inflicted trauma. Slings have been used on occasion to assist a down horse back into the standing position, however, horses with EEE are typically in a comatose state and the use of a sling is widely unsuccessful. Since EEE is a virus, no kind or amount of antibiotics will be useful in treatment. Often, humane euthanasia is elected by owners to prevent their horse from further suffering. 

 

Prevention

 

Fortunately, there is an extremely effective vaccination against EEE. As you are all well aware by now, my docs here are sticklers for upholding the highest standard of care for your horses. This includes the EEE vaccination which is also considered a “Core Vaccine”. What is a “Core Vaccine” you ask? Well, it is a vaccination that is vital to keeping your horse healthy and protected from diseases they are at risk for. 

Here at the clinic we use a combination vaccine that will provide your horse protect from 4 or 5 of the common diseases they are exposed to. You may hear the docs or technicians refer to the vaccine being administered to your horse as the EWT/WN or EWTR/WN.  All these letters can get very confusing at times. EWT/WN stands for Eastern encephalitis, western encephalitis, tetanus, and west nile, where as EWTR/WN includes all of the above plus the rhinopneumonitis vaccine.  

These vaccines are given at least every 6 months. Horses that travel often or are in many competitions during the year may receive the EWTR/WN vaccine 3 times a year. The most important thing to remember is that mosquitoes are present in Florida all year long! Because of this, twice yearly vaccinations against the mosquito-borne illnesses including EEE and West nile are imperative to your horse’s health and frankly, their life. 

It is definitely mosquito season and there have been reports of EEE all around the area, so if you think you might be behind on getting your horse vaccinated, give me a call at the clinic and we will get you on the schedule and your horse up-to-date.  

 

Until next week,

~Tony

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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To Lunge or Not To Lunge

To Lunge or Not To Lunge

Aug 13, 2019 | Lunging

Tuesdays with Tony

Those crazy sticks that horses walk around on. It’s not a great design. Then you humans do crazy things like lunging. I mean, I get it. Horses worry about big cats, like me, attacking them out of nowhere, especially if they’re in a new environment like a horse show. A great way to get them to worry less about make-believe monsters is to make sure they’re a bit on the tired side. Lunging has become the preferred method for this. Let’s talk about why that’s not such a great idea for the long term soundness of your best friend. 

 

Circles. All the circles

 

Let’s begin with the obvious. Lunging involves horses going around in a circle on a long lead rope. Most of those lead ropes are in the 30 foot range. For a human, this would be like running around on about a 10 foot diameter circle. Try it for a while, and see how it feels. I’ll give you the answer: if you are going to the left, after about 5 minutes the inside of your right foot and the outside of your left foot are going to get sore. Keep going and your knees are going to get sore. Throw in a buck, and a rear while someone pulls on your head just to see how that goes. I think you probably get the idea. 

Lunging is really, really hard on the joints. It’s even harder on the joints when your horse is wild, and doing the gallop whilst leaning at a 45 degree angle to the ground, oh and adding some airs above the ground work. You can see where this could be really, really hard on those sticks they run around on. Add in a foot that’s off balance, and you have a real recipe for disaster. Shameless plug for my many foot blogs. It’s a very important topic, and that’s why I talk about it A LOT.

 

Options other than circles

 

I get it. I’ve seen what those crazy horses do when they decide the world is a scary place. I certainly wouldn’t want to ride them when they’re like that! This is a good time to evaluate options before it’s time to tame the wild beast. I hear trainers talk about the importance of transitions all the time. Asking your horse to walk, trot, walk, canter a few steps, walk, while on the lunge line is a great way to get their brain thinking. 

Teach them this before the horse show. Don’t just stand in one place while your horse runs around you. Move around. This will make the circle bigger, which will put less stress on your horse’s joints. If your horse is a real wild one at shows, you may want to consider teaching them how to lunge in a surcingle, and side reins. This will give you a whole new level of control. A surcingle and side reins also help your horse work while lunging, instead of running around in circles. 

Teaching Zen

 

My favorite option is the ‘not lunging’ option. There are lots of ways to do this. Finding the way that works best for you is key. My favorite is groundwork. There are approximately 8,432 natural horsemanship videos on YouTube. It’s a good place to start getting an understanding of what good groundwork can do for you, and your horse. I myself didn’t understand this whole groundwork thing for a very long time, but I now know it’s all about teaching your horse to stay calm when you say it’s ok. Yes, there can be lots of circles involved in that process, but these can be done at home, and in a controlled fashion. Once your horse understands the principles, there are very few circles, and you can “catch” the brain pretty quickly in even the craziest of horse show worlds. Hand walking for long periods of time around showgrounds is also great. It is low impact on your horse, but let’s them see all the sights and sounds. 

 

Better Living Through Chemistry

 

Now, I know there are two definite camps here. One is, you don’t need drugs, you can get it done with training. I agree with that camp, but I also agree with the other camp. That camp says I’m old, and it’s really going to hurt if I fall off. Both are the right answer. If you have all the time in the world, and you aren’t worried about falling off, go with the first one. Time will get you there. If you are scared, don’t make a bad situation worse. Talk to my Docs about options for a little sedation. The key is A LITTLE sedation, AND spending time helping your horse understand how calm they can be. To be clear, I’m not saying that you show your sedated horse, and I’m not saying sedate the snot out of them, then get on. I’m saying a little sedation and a training opportunity can go a very long way to teaching horses they can be calm. This should also only be tried under the supervision of my Docs, and a good trainer. 

 

Lunging is a great way to cause, and exacerbate, lameness. Make it your goal to do less of it, and work on horsemanship more. That’s really good advice from a very wise cat. You should follow it. Know what else you should do? Scroll down a little bit, and click on the subscribe button. All the cool humans subscribe to my blog. 

Until next week,

Tony

P.S. Have you listened to any of the podcast episodes my docs produce? It’s called Straight from the Horse Doctor’s Mouth, and it’s absolutely loaded with good information, much like my blogs. Oh, and it’s free! Check it out here: Podcast

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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Rabies

Rabies

Jul 29, 2019 | Rabies, Vaccines

Tuesdays with Tony

Rabies

This week I’m starting with the condensed version of things. Rabies can look like just about anything neurologic, from a little bit quiet, to raging maniac. It can also look like a wound that won’t heal, and is super itchy. Oh, and it can also look like a mild colic that doesn’t respond to Banamine. Even better, you can get Rabies from your horse. The answer? VACCINATE your horse for Rabies. And your dog, and cat, too! And now, the rest of the story.

If you’re a mammal, you can get it

Rabies is an interesting virus. Lots of them are, but Rabies is really good at getting itself passed around. To start with, it only infects mammals, but it does a pretty good job being able to infect all of them. From rats, to foxes, to dogs, cats, and elephants, they all have the potential to get Rabies. Once an animal is infected, it usually takes between three and eight weeks to show symptoms. BUT, and it’s a huge but, it can take a really, really long time for symptoms to show up, like months, and in rare cases, years. Rabies has to travel from the point of entry to the brain before it starts wreaking havoc, and the immune system is fighting it the entire way. This means if an animal gets infected by a bite at the tip of its tail, it’s going to be a long time before it makes it to the brain. Know what keeps it from getting to the brain? A vaccinated animal! Know who makes sure your horse gets all the right vaccines at the right time? My Docs!

Rabies in Da House!

I’m not gonna lie, I find it fascinating what teanie, tiny viruses can do to make sure they live, and reproduce. Now that the Rabies virus has made it to the brain, it’s going to change the behavior of the animal to increase the chances it gets passed around. How crazy is that?!? I mean, I’ve changed the behavior of my humans so it’s more to my liking, but I’m a wickedly intelligent cat. This is a virus. You can’t even see it with a microscope. While signs of rabies can start out pretty varied, almost all infected animals will go through these next phases at some point. The virus will make them start drooling. This is brilliant because the virus is concentrated in the saliva. What better way to spread yourself than make more drool? 

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Next, the virus makes the animal lose its fear. This means that wild fox is faster to come up to you and act tame. Or, if no humans are around, go after a horse like you see in this video https://www.facebook.com/TCEESFL/videos/1985117155060876/   The fear of water thing is a bit of a myth, but nearly all of them will get aggressive at some point. Which makes sense. This aggression drives them to attack and bite other animals, and then the virus gets to live another day, in another animal. Know what prevents this? A properly vaccinated animal. 

What’s with the crazy quarantines?

Because rabies can be given to humans, the Health Department takes quarantine and testing very, very seriously. My Docs recommend calling your local Health Department if you have an animal you think may have rabies.They will work with animal control, and/or local veterinarians to capture and test the suspicious animal. They will then quarantine your animals, and your property for the safety of everyone else. You don’t want to be the one responsible for spreading rabies to everyone in your neighborhood, do you? Pretty sure that would get you unfriended in real life as well as the Face thingy. 

If your animals are vaccinated by a veterinarian, that quarantine will only be 10 days. I know none of you would vaccinate your animals any other way, because you know your veterinarian is the best way to make sure the vaccines are handled and administered properly, but we all have weird friends and relatives. If you vaccinated your animals, or, even worse, if they aren’t vaccinated at all, that quarantine could be as long as 6 months, because of the potentially long incubation time I talked about earlier. Seems like cheap protection to have your veterinarian properly vaccinate your horse. 

Speaking of Vaccines

I hear this one all the time: my dog and cat get vaccinated for rabies every three years. How come my horse gets it every year? Because your horse is really bad at responding to the vaccine, that’s why. Horses are really bad at the important things like digestion, good support structure, and responding to vaccines. Extensive research shows that horses are protected by the vaccine for 14-16 months. That’s not a spectacular response time. And that’s why your horse should get one every 12 months. Rabies vaccines are also only recognized by the powers that be when administered by a veterinarian. Again, I know you would never administer your own vaccines, but there’s the weird friends and family to think about. 

Back to where I started. Make sure your horse is vaccinated for rabies yearly, and report weird wildlife behavior. 

Now be a well-behaved, non-rabid human and scroll down to the subscribe button. If you subscribe, you get my blog a day early, and you never miss my wisdom and charm. 

Until next week,

~Tony

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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Vesicular Stomatitis

Vesicular Stomatitis

Jul 22, 2019 | Vesicular Stomatitis

Tuesdays with Tony

All the buzz around the clinic is the recent outbreak of Vesicular Stomatitis. This was a new one to me, I do not recall ever hearing the docs talk about it before. I suppose it is possible I was off galavanting around outside when it was discussed, but my cat hearing is usually pretty keen when it comes to listening to the diseases the docs talk about. So when I heard them talking about it the other day, I felt some research was necessary so I could pass on the information to my adoring fans. 

 

What is Vesicular Stomatitis?

 

Vesicular Stomatitis is a viral disease that affects livestock including horses, ruminants, and pigs. The virus causes ulcer-like lesions on the mouth, feet, and udders.  Lesions are painful and can lead to anorexia, mastitis, and even laminitis. 

Why am I telling you all about this disease when the outbreak has not affected horses in Florida? Well, there are a few reasons, the first one being that Vesicular Stomatitis is a reportable disease.  What does that mean? That means that if your horse develops ulcers, vesicles, or erosions around their mouth, feet, or on their udders, and the docs look at them and suspect vesicular stomatitis, they must call the state and federal veterinarian and inform them of the case.  This will lead to facilities being quarantined and movement of animals will be restricted.  

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

The next reason we need to talk about vesicular stomatitis is the fact that animals are transported all the time. While we have not seen a case of vesicular stomatitis yet in Florida, it does not mean that an animal from another state where an outbreak has occurred may not enter Florida and spread the virus. As a horse owner, it is your responsibility to monitor your horses, check them for lesions, watch for changes in behavior and appetite, and be aware of new animals coming on to the property where your horse is located. I am available for “cat-scans” of any new animals, just bring them to the clinic and I will perform my world famous Tony cat-scans. While you’re here, you could have one of my docs check out the new member of your farm.  

Yet another reason we need to talk about vesicular stomatitis is that, while it’s not a deadly disease in and of itself, it can lead to complications that may lead to death and it can look very much like other diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease. If left undetected, vesicular stomatitis can restrict international trade and can cause widespread Foot and Mouth Disease among the livestock in the US. 

Finally, we need to discuss vesicular stomatitis because it is zoonotic.  I am a pretty smart kitty, but I had to look up what zoonotic means. It means that the virus that causes vesicular stomatitis can be spread from animals to people resulting in people becoming ill. 

 

Transmission

 

As if bugs were not pesky enough and didn’t cause us enough trouble, we can officially add spreading vesicular stomatitis to the list of annoying things bugs do.  Everything from sandflies, black flies, and culicoides can spread disease. Once an animal develops a lesion, the insects feed on the lesions or secretions from the lesions and becomes infected with the virus. The virus is then spread to other animals via the insects.  Once an animal or herd of animals is infected, the virus is easily spread from animal to animal by direct contact. All I know is, if any other animals come near me with lesions on their mouth, they will get the claws! Feed/water buckets, milking machines and other farm equipment can also spread the virus. As I said before, the virus is zoonotic, so people can become infected by coming in contact with lesions or secretions from the lesions as well as insect bites. 

 

Clinical Signs

 

Vesicular stomatitis is characterized by vesicles, papules, erosions, and ulcers around the mouth, feet, udders and prepuce. Occasionally, a fever may be noted but has usually resolved before the animal is examined by a veterinarian.  Lesions typically begin as blisters that range in sizes and may cover the lips, tongue and palate of the animal. Blisters burst and become painful erosions and ulcers. These lesions can lead to anorexia, refusal to drink, and subsequent colic. 

If lesions develop on feet, they usually develop as blisters along the coronary band which can lead to lameness, laminitis, and even sloughing of hooves.  Lesions can affect milk production, and lead to weight loss and secondary infections. Vesicular stomatitis is not considered a deadly disease but secondary ailments can lead to the death of affected animals. 

 

Diagnostics 

 

In order to diagnose vesicular stomatitis, the virus must be obtained directed from fluid found in the blisters before the burst, swabs of ulcers/erosions, and skin cells that form the blisters. If you notice any of these lesions on your horse, you will want to get him/her seen by one of my docs as soon as possible. They will want to sedate your horse and possibly perform a local anesthetic to the lesions prior to obtaining a sample from the lesion. They will also pull some blood to sample. 

Once they get their samples they will send it off to the lab for analyzing. Those super smart, sciencey people at the lab will run tests on the sample to isolate the virus that causes vesicular stomatitis. Once the virus is isolated the lab will let my docs know, the state and federal veterinarians will be notified and quarantine protocols will be put in place if not already in place. 

 

Treatment

 

Like all viruses, there is no definitive treatment. All treatment is symptomatic. This includes cleansing of the lesions with a mild antiseptic, topical protection from bugs, and offering softened feeds. The docs will also likely prescribe pain medications such as bute or banamine. Typically antibiotics are not required for viruses, they just have to run their course. However, if secondary bacterial infections occur, my docs may also prescribe an antibiotic for your horse.  Just remember, do not use these medications unless one of my docs tells you to. Boy, are they bossy sometimes!

 

Prevention 

 

The best way to prevent the spread of vesicular stomatitis is to isolate affected animals from unaffected animals. This includes moving affected animals to a separate location on the farm. It also involves restricting movement of any animals onto or off of the farm until quarantine is lifted by the state or federal veterinarian, which is typically 21 days after all lesions have healed. 

Sanitation is key. Disinfection of feed and water buckets, farm equipment, and milking equipment should be performed daily to prevent the spread of disease. There has been some research that found that animals that are kept stabled during an outbreak tend to heal quickly and spread less disease. As always, insect control is key. If you want to learn more about insect control, be sure to come out to the clinic on Thursday at 6:30 pm for our Summertime Blues Seminar where my docs will discuss all the pesky things we deal with all summer long, including bugs. As a bonus you’ll get to visit yours truly and I could really use some extra pets these days. 

Until next time,

~Tony 

P.S. If you haven’t already subscribed, just scroll down a bit. There’s a giant purple box. That way you can get my blog emailed to you on Mondays instead of hoping that Facebook will let you know it’s there. I’m just saying that you’ve gotta be on top of this stuff. Trust me, I’m a cat.

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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Dippity Pig

Dippity Pig

Jul 15, 2019 | Pet Pigs

Tuesdays with Tony

    Did you know that in addition to horses, Dr. Vurgason is our resident pet pig expert? There aren’t many of those in the country, and pig owners come from far and wide to seek her advice. This week I heard her talking to an owner about his pig’s condition- a syndrome known as Dippity Pig. Yep, that’s right: Dippity Pig! With a name like that, I had to learn more about this disease. 

 

What is Dippity Pig? 

      Dippity Pig is the name for a newly recognized syndrome in pigs, characterized by painful, bleeding sores down the back, hind-end weakness, and fever. No, it’s not a hair cream for girls with curly hair. It is thought to be a virus, although the exact organism has not been isolated yet. The disease is mostly seen in pet pigs, but that may be because most commercial hogs don’t live beyond 6 months of age. (If you don’t know why, go ask your mother.)

Dippity Pig is very similar to Erythema Multiforme, a viral skin disease that has long been recognized in commercial pigs. In fact, some scientists believe they are one in the same. Without further research into the cause of Dippity Pig, there is a lot we still don’t know yet. But I’m here to tell you what we do know (which I, in turn, learned from Dr. V)!

 

How is Dippity Pig recognized?

     The onset of Dippity Pig can be very rapid. Your pig may be fine one day and squealing in pain unable to stand the next. One of the tell-tale signs is a “dipping” of the hind end when attempting to walk. Affected pigs will often hunch their back and tuck in their tail. This may progress to a splay-legged stance in the hindlimbs, with the pigs crawling around, pulling themselves with their forelimbs.

    The other characteristic sign of Dippity Pig is bleeding sores along the back, especially in the lower back and hip region. The skin along the back becomes extremely painful and sensitive. Some pigs even appear as if they have been scratched by something. These sores usually run across the back side-to-side as opposed to ear-to-tail. The rest of the skin along the topline may be reddened, crusted, or otherwise irritated.

     It is unclear whether pigs drop their hind end due to the severe pain of the skin along their backs, or whether the virus also affects the spinal cord and pigs lose control of the nerves that go to the hind limbs. These pigs are obviously very sensitive to touch and will even vocalize in pain if their backs are palpated. However, some affected pigs certainly appear as if they are physically unable to stand in the hind end. 

     Pigs affected by this disease also often have a fever and all the signs that go along with it. This includes acting lethargic, going “off feed,” and just generally being puny. Fevers are a common sign of a virus. Your pig’s fever may spike and then drop, so don’t rule out Dippity Pig because your pig’s temperature is normal. Remember, if your pig ever spikes a fever over 103.0 degrees, you should always call your vet. 

 Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

Is Dippity Pig treatable?

     The good news about Dippity Pig is that it is usually a self-limiting virus, and only lasts about 7-10 days on average. In the meantime, the signs of Dippity Pig can be managed with anti-inflammatory medication and supportive care. However, since it is a virus, there is currently no cure or definitive treatment for the disease. Like the common cold, it just has to run its course. 

     There are some anti-inflammatory medications that are known to be safe for use in pigs, and others that are not. Those that are approved for use in pigs include Flunixin Meglumine (generic Banamine), and Meloxicam (generic Mobic, or Metacam). Medications that are NOT approved for use in pigs include the Aspirin you found in your bathroom medicine cabinet! Since pigs are considered food animals (that’s not my opinion, it’s just a fact), the FDA drug approval process has a lot to do with determining how long these drugs last in the meat of these animals. In addition to meat withdrawal times, FDA approved drugs also have to be shown to be safe for use in the species they are labeled for. 

    I guess what I’m saying here is, if your pig has a fever, have it treated by a vet. Use medications your vet prescribes, at the prescribed doses; don’t use whatever human medications you happen to have on hand at the time. Not only is it the law, but it is also for the safety of your pig. 

 

How can I prevent Dippity Pig?

     There is currently no vaccine available to protect against Dippity Pig. Again, more research will lead to more knowledge in this area and hopefully eventually to a successful vaccine against this disease. What we do know is that Dippity Pig usually happens secondary to stress. “But my pet pig has a totally stress-free life!” you may say. Well, what is stressful to you may not be the same as what is stressful to a pig.

Common stress-inducing events in pigs include transportation (even short distances, even in an air-conditioned car), change in environment, change in routine, change in feed, farrowing (giving birth), introduction of new pigs, and heat stress (a big deal in Florida this time of year). The more you can do to prevent these types of stress in your pig, the better your chances of preventing Dippity Pig. 

 

  What should I do if I think I have a Dippity Pig?

    I think you already know what I’m going to say here: call your vet! I happen to know a great one when it comes to pet pigs. Don’t have a pig? Well, maybe you should think about getting one! They make excellent pets, and there are always plenty of pigs available through adoption organizations looking for their forever homes. Know anybody that has a pig? Please spread the word that Dr. Vurgason is not only willing but eager to treat pet pigs! As a lifetime pig owner and lover, she has studied everything there is to know about pet pig medicine. Heck, she will probably write a book on it herself someday. Do you think she’ll ask me to write the Foreword? I can’t think of a better choice. 

   Happy Tuesday, fellow pig lovers!

           -Tony

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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ProBiotics

ProBiotics

Jul 8, 2019 | Probiotics

Tuesdays with Tony

A long, long time ago, in a pasture far, far away, horses evolved eating plants and grasses from a wide variety of locations as they migrated vast distances following the growth of those plants and grasses. They also had to stay on the move, so my great grandmother about 1000 times removed didn’t eat them. Sampling from all these outdoor dining locations exposed ancient horse guts to a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. While supervising the recording of the podcast, Straight From The Horse Doctor’s Mouth recently, I learned just how important these microscopic creatures are for not just horse guts, but cat and human guts, too!

 

For this podcast, Dr. Lacher brought in an expert: Dr. Rob Franklin from Full Bucket Animal Health. Now, I have to tell you, this week’s blog is the short version. Dr. Franklin and Dr. Lacher talked about a ton more stuff on the podcast. After you read my version, I highly recommend you take a listen.

 

What is a probiotic?

 

I was sure I knew the answer to this question. Please take note of the following statement: I did not, in fact, know the answer. That’s right, I was wrong. It even happens to us cats now and then. I thought probiotics were “good” bacteria in the gut. Dr. Franklin gave it a much, much broader definition: probiotics are any living organism which helps you do what you do. From digesting food to keeping your skin healthy, and a bunch of other stuff, we (including cats) rely on other critters to survive. Those other critters also rely on us, so it’s a two-way street. I was sort-of right in that lots of these probiotics are bacteria, but some are fungi, some are viruses, and some are critters we don’t even know what to call.

 

How do we get these bugs?

 

Dirt, and food, and your parents. Basically from the world around you. Every time your horse goes out in the field to graze, they are picking up probiotic organisms. When your horse was born, they started the process on the way out of the uterus. I know! I thought this was crazy too! But the moment we enter the world, we are picking up bugs. Before you get all grossed out like you humans like to do, remember, we need those bugs to survive. Anyway, back to probiotics. 

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic 

If you think about the way horses (and cats, and humans) live these days, there are fewer and fewer opportunities to acquire these probiotics from the environment. Stalls are far from natural, and are often filled with heat-treated shavings, processed feed, and hay. Let’s not even talk about what you humans eat. And my food comes from a can, so I can’t say much. I will say I would rather not have to put out all that effort to catch my food, though. It really cuts into my laying on the front porch time. 

 

No really, how do we get these bugs?

 

So how does one go about acquiring probiotics in the modern world? You merely have to check out the shelf at your nearest feed store, or grocery store, for the humans. You’ll see a ton of products offering up probiotics. If it was that easy, I wouldn’t be writing a blog, so you know there’s a trap here somewhere. 

 

It’s not that easy. However, for horses, lots of turnout on good pasture is a start. It gives them the opportunity to return to their roots. Literally. They can eat some roots, get some dirt, and help repopulate their gut with good bugs. In fact, my Docs will often tell owners of horses who have recently had diarrhea to turn them out. Now I know why they say that! For humans, your parents were right: eat more fruits and vegetables. 

 

Again, how do I get probiotics?

 

But there are probiotics on the shelf at the feed store, you say. I know, I know. But you need the right kind, and you need the right amounts, and you need them to be alive. That is a trick! You’ve probably seen lactobacillus mentioned. Along with, maybe, bifidobacterium. These sound great, but in horses, we haven’t figured out, #1 How important they are, and #2 How to keep them alive in the quantities we need while getting them through the stomach. Another tricky part is that we often need probiotics when horses are on antibiotics. Know what lactobacillus and bifidobacterium think of antibiotics? Not a whole lot. They also get killed. 

 

Yeast to the rescue!

 

Enter saccharomyces boulardii (pronounced: Sack-Row-My-Uh-Sees Bow-Lard-E). This particular strain of yeast is the ultimate hero. S. boulardii goes in, tells the bad guys to leave, and helps the community return to normal law and order. Super bonus: as a fungi, it isn’t killed by antibiotics. Marvel should make a movie about this yeast. It’s the stuff legends are made of. And note the boulardii part of the name. There are other saccharomyces out there, like brewers yeast, but it’s not the same thing. Don’t get confused about that.

 

Now we have the right organism, but you have to make sure you have the right amount, and that it’s alive. Insider tip: there are no living probiotics in your feed, no matter what it says on the bag. And that’s why we were talking to Dr. Franklin. He explained how hard it is to keep probiotics alive long enough to get them into your horse and past their stomach, and trust me, if it isn’t encapsulated and freeze-dried, it ain’t gonna arrive alive.

 

Dr. Franklin had the same issues with the available S. boulardii supplements, so he made his own. It’s been a long project to get the right numbers, and to get the buggers to survive in a form a horse will eat. The result is Full Bucket Probiotic granules, pellets, and paste. The granules and pellets work great as a day to day. The paste is a super-high dose for sick horses. It’s good stuff. My Docs have found Full Bucket super helpful on cases ranging from diarrhea to chronic colic. 

 

Now you know the quick version of the probiotic story. Go listen to Straight from the Horse Doctor’s Mouth for the full version. You should really listen to all the podcasts. It’s tons of good information for free! You can’t beat that. And go ahead and subscribe to this blog while you’re here. It’s down just another inch or so.

Until next week,

~Tony

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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Equine Influenza

Equine Influenza

Jul 1, 2019 | Equine Influenza

Tuesdays with Tony

I was perusing the email the other day when I saw this:

“Oh Goody!” I thought. I love a good disease outbreak! And who doesn’t enjoy the topic of influenza?

How Do They Get It?

Snot is the answer. Just like human flu, the equine influenza virus is great at traveling long distances in snot. Think about a good horse sneeze. Stuff flies really far! Aerosolized influenza virus can live for 3-4 hours. Virus on your hand can live for around 10 minutes. Imagine starting at one end of a barn aisle, or even worse, a warm up ring at a horse show, and petting every horse. You could spread a whole lot of flu really fast. Now imagine that influenza virus living for 3 days in a water bucket, or 2 days on a stall door. Influenza, like most respiratory viruses, is great at spreading itself around. 

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic 

“My horse is never going to see another horse, ever!”

 

While one way to keep your horse from getting the flu, it’s not very realistic. How about you step away from the crazy horse owner ledge, and we talk basic biosecurity? That’s better. First off, don’t ever, ever, ever touch a hose to the water in a water bucket. This is a very effective way to transmit all kinds of bad things, influenza included. Be aware of other horses. Limit your time in large groups of horses. We all know what the in-gate looks like at a horse show. Don’t hang out there! The in-gate people will love you for not contributing to the chaos, and you will decrease the chances of your horse catching nasty bugs from the other horses. Use this same philosophy everywhere you go on the show grounds. You humans like to congregate. Be more like cats. Be a loner.

 

Vaccinate

 

Here’s a novel thought: vaccinate your horse for influenza. This vaccine isn’t 100%, but a less bad version of the flu is WAY better. Want to really, really protect your horse from influenza? Use the intranasal influenza vaccine. You see, the flu virus gets into your horse (or yourself) through the mucosa that lines your nose, mouth, and windpipe. Intranasal vaccines get the immune system in these areas primed and ready to fight the flu virus. They keep the virus from even getting into the body to cause disease.  Giving intranasal vaccines can be a challenge, but my Docs have a bunch of tricks, including clicker training, to make it easy peasy. 

 

Keep ‘em Healthy

 

Want to give your horse the best shot of handling the viruses they will inevitably be exposed to when you leave home? Keep them healthy with good nutrition, and a good fitness program for what you intend to do. Slowly exposing your horse to the outside world will also help reduce stress. Stress is a great way to get a horse sick! Start with an hour-long venture to another farm. Don’t start with a two-week-long horse show that’s a 12 hour haul away from home. You have to train your horse how to be away from home just as much as you have to train them to ride. 

 

The Flu can be scary, but with a few easy steps, you can significantly reduce your horse’s risk. Worried about the best answer for vaccines for your farm? Call my Docs. They’ll help you find the best answer for your lifestyle!

 

Now be a good human. Scroll down, and click subscribe. Get my words of wisdom a day before everyone else. If you want to know even more about equine influenza, check out Season 2, Episode 6 of our Podcast. You can listen right over your phone or computer for 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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Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic Resistance

Jun 24, 2019 | Antibiotic resistance

Tuesdays with Tony

If I have learned nothing else about horses over the years, it is that they love to injure themselves. Most of the time we have no idea how they do it, but it’s usually late at night on a weekend or holiday.  You will call one of the docs here at Springhill on emergency and they will come out and assess your horse. They will likely prescribe your horse antibiotics. Injury is not the only reason one of my docs will prescribe antibiotics for your horse, antibiotics have their time and place in the treatment of different ailments. I have heard over and over again my docs discuss different methods for administering antibiotics, but boy was I surprised when I overheard them talking about all the wrong ways antibiotics are administered and all the problems that incorrect administration can cause. 

 

Mistake Number One

One of the most common mistakes many horse owners make is not finishing the entire course of antibiotic that their horse is prescribed. Your horse is prescribed an antibiotic by a veterinarian and you give it very diligently for several days. Then you start noticing that he is improving, and you think, GREAT, the antibiotic is working and my precious baby is all better. Here is where the mistakes begin.  

 

It is extremely common for owners to see their horse improving and decide to discontinue antibiotics before they have finished the full course. DO NOT do this, listen to the professionals! The problem with not finishing a full course of antibiotics is, it sets your horse up for antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics are prescribed for a specific length of time. During this time the bugs are being killed, which is why  you usually see such an improvement so quickly.  

 

What happens when you stop antibiotics early is that some of the bugs have not died yet, but they have been exposed to the antibiotic. They start to reproduce again and the next thing you know your horse is showing signs of infection again. Bacteria bugs are super smart and stealthy, not quite cat-like, but pretty darn close. Once they are exposed to an antibiotic, they begin to recognize it. When you see the clinical signs return, you assume it is safe to start the antibiotic again. This time however, clinical signs do not improve.  You call one of my docs out and they recommend a culture and sensitivity which shows that the bugs are now resistant to the antibiotic that previously worked on your horse’s infection. 

 

By discontinuing antibiotics before the full course was administered, superbugs are formed, and now the superbugs are reproducing. The superbugs recognize the first antibiotic and laugh at it when it is restarted, as they have developed superpowers to prevent the antibiotics from killing them. Now we have a superbug that needs an even stronger antibiotic. Hopefully, this time, you have learned your lesson and give the entire course of prescribed medication. However, as I have come to notice, often it takes you humans more than once to learn your lessons. So, you repeat the above scenario with stronger antibiotics, and a super-superbug forms and a stronger antibiotic is required. It isn’t long before there are no antibiotics left that the bug is susceptible to, and now your horse has a resistant infection that cannot be treated. 

 

Mistake Number Two

Mistake number two may be even more common than mistake number one. Everyone knows that you have old antibiotic lying around in your feed/tack room somewhere. Even the vets here do, believe me, I have catscanned all of their farms when they weren’t looking. I can guarantee that most of you have been a part of mistake number one which means you definitely have leftover antibiotics floating around.  

 

As we have already determined, horses get hurt and sick at the most inopportune times. You notice your horse has an infection and think, well, I have some of that old antibiotic in the tack room, I’m sure that it would be totally fine to treat my horse with that. That, my friends, is where I get to take off my sweet, innocent, lovable kitty face and put on my stern, mad, disappointed kitty face and tell you you are wrong. Never, and I mean NEVER,  administer a previously prescribed antibiotic to your horse, even if it was prescribed for him. ALWAYS call me at the clinic first, and let me get you in touch with my docs so they can better assess the situation.  

 

They may very well tell you to use the antibiotic you have on hand, but unless you want antibiotic resistance as described in mistake number one, don’t just do it on your own! Trust me, you will make my docs very happy when you call them and have not given your horse antibiotics, which in turn will make me happy, and you know the saying, Happy Tony, Happy Life.  

 

Mistake Number Three

All too often I will hear the office staff talking to people on the phone. From what I have heard as I drift in and out of dream land, is that sometimes people call asking for antibiotics to treat their horse and yet my docs have never even seen the horse. Not only is this illegal for my docs to do, it is also very dangerous for your horse. If my docs prescribe your horse an antibiotic for an ailment that they have not been seen for, they are risking their veterinary license. Not to mention you are putting your horse at risk for developing antibiotic resistance. 

 

A common misconception is that all infections are treated the same. This could not be further from the truth.  Some bacteria thrive in an environment without oxygen, some thrive in an environment with oxygen, others have super strong cell walls that require stronger antibiotics, and others are more easily treated. Even further, some infections are a mixed bag of multiple different bacteria. The only way for one of my docs to have any idea of what kind of infection your horse has is for them to see your horse. And did you know that viruses NEVER require antibiotics? 

 

Let’s say you suspect your horse has a bacterial infection. He has a fever, he isn’t eating well, and he’s lethargic. So you call the clinic and ask for an antibiotic from one of my docs even though the horse hasn’t been seen for this problem.  If my docs were to prescribe your horse an antibiotic without seeing him, you could be giving your horse an antibiotic that is not necessary, thus leading to antibiotic resistance (are you sensing a theme here?) not to mention spending money on an antibiotic that your horse doesn’t need.  

 

In contrast, you might think your horse has a bacterial infection. You do the right thing and call me at the clinic to have one of my docs out, and they find your horse has a very high fever and that his infection is not actually bacterial, but viral. They recommend supportive care and the next thing you know, you and your horse are back riding again, and you have saved money by not paying for unneeded antibiotics.  

 

I know it’s only Tuesday and it’s summer time, so the heat is getting to us all, but antibiotic resistance is a big concern. Luckily, it is easily avoidable simply by making sure you have a veterinarian examine your horse prior to treatment, following your veterinarians orders, and calling me if you are having trouble with the prescribed treatment.  Remember, I LOVE phone calls, it makes me feel even more important than I already am. So, call me, tell me you can’t administer the antibiotics that were prescribed, or that your horse refuses to eat them. That is totally ok, my docs are basically miracle workers and will find you another way to treat your horse and avoid antibiotic resistance. The future of equine healthcare is depending on it.

 

Until next week,

~Tony

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

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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Trailer Shopping

Trailer Shopping

Jun 17, 2019 | Trailer Safety, trailering

Tuesdays with Tony

You may have noticed Dr. Vurgason and her horse Smokey galavanting around town in their new horse trailer. Now who do you think Dr. V asked for advice about which horse trailer to get? That’s right- the one and only Tony! After all, I spend most of my day every day watching various makes and models of horse trailer pull around this office building. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the very ugly! As a result, I consider myself quite the expert.

As a vet clinic cat, you shouldn’t be surprised that the first thing I’m going to tell you to consider in a horse trailer is safety. Now I’m all for buying a used trailer—that’s definitely how you’re going to find the best deal—however, you do need to make sure it’s safe. Look at and ask about the floors. Pull up any mats and check the condition of the boards or metal underneath. You also want to check out the tires and see if they are ready to be replaced. If your tire were to go flat during a haul, it could cause a serious accident. In addition, be sure to look and feel inside every square inch of that trailer for sharp things—because we all know how good horses are at seeking those out!

I would strongly recommend having a used trailer professionally inspected before purchase. Heck even if you’re not buying a new trailer it’s not a bad idea to get your Old Faithful checked out about once a year. After all, you’re going to be hauling a live animal in that thing, not just a sofa or something! The pros will make sure all your welds are strong, your hinges aren’t too rusty, and your floors are in good condition. One more word on safety, then I’ll get off my cat box: you should never have any loose items in the trailer when you are hauling a horse. So if you are planning on hauling anything in addition to your horse (hay bales, tack trunks, jump poles, barrels, buckets, etc.) consider a trailer with a separate tack room or floor-to-ceiling dividers between stalls.

The next most important thing for us Floridians to consider in a horse trailer is air flow. There are several different options horse trailer manufacturers use to achieve some air movement inside those hot metal boxes. These range from sliding windows, to open slats (especially in stock trailers), to drop-down windows. The air flow inside a trailer can be further supplemented by front or ceiling air vents, built-in fans, or even air conditioning! Now even the coolest, most open stock trailer is going to get pretty toasty if you pack enough horses in there. So, remember to consider your packing density and the climate when selecting a trailer.

Now as long as the trailer is safe and cool enough that your horse isn’t going to overheat, the rest just comes down to personal preference—of both you and your horse. I’ll tell you from my observations at the clinic, horses are a bit claustrophobic; they don’t like walking into small, narrow, dark spaces. So if you have a young horse or one who might not be the best at loading, you may want a trailer that opens completely in the back, and is very bright and inviting. There is much debate on whether horses prefer to load on a ramp or a step-up; my cat conclusion is that horses like what they are used to. With the right combination of patience, treats, and training, any horse will load on any trailer.

There are a couple more items to consider when selecting your dream trailer. Perhaps most importantly, how much can your vehicle tow? Remember that you need to add the weights of each horse plus the weight of the trailer, and that weight should be well below the maximum towing capacity for your vehicle. Almost all new trailers are aluminum, which is much lighter than the older models. However, some people report the aluminum trailers are less robust and less sturdy than their older counterparts.

Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic

In general with horse trailers, the old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ is true. If one brand is less expensive than another, it is probably more cheaply made, and thus may not hold up as well or last as long as a more expensive trailer of a more reputable brand. Also keep in mind if you are ever planning on selling your trailer that the more expensive big-name brand trailers tend to hold their value better.

Hopefully I’ve given you some things to consider before your next major trailer purchase. Now all you need is another horse to haul in it, right?

Don’t forget to come out to my annual Piggy Ice Cream Social this Saturday from 10:00-noon. Whether you own a pet pig or not, believe me you don’t want to miss this entertaining event!

Until next week,

~Tony

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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Sand Colic

Sand Colic

Jun 10, 2019 | Colic, Sand colic

Tuesdays with Tony

Ahh, Florida. The rest of the world is sure it’s all sun, surf, and sand. They’ve got 2 out 3 right, and according to Meatloaf that ain’t bad. Where am I going with this? To the sand. For reasons I don’t understand, horses feel it’s appropriate to eat sand. This can, obviously, lead to problems. This week, we’re going to talk about those problems. More importantly, we’re going to talk about how to be smarter than your horse so that you can avoid these problems. I have faith you humans can do it. I’m not asking you to be smarter than a cat. That would be impossible.

 

How do I know they have sand?

 

Many of you have likely heard of the Ziploc bag test. I’m sure this is a use Ziploc did not envision for their handy plastic bags. This test involves grabbing a few fecal balls from a fresh, clean pile, adding water, sealing the bag (very, very important step), and shaking. Let the bag sit for a few minutes, and see if there’s sand in the bottom. There will be sand. After all, we do live in Florida. The question is how much sand is there? If there’s ¼ sand or less to ¾ poop in your sand-to-poop ratio, congratulations your horse is moving sand out of the gut. That word ‘moving’ is important. That’s the limitation of this test. It is moderately useful, but it only tells us that sand is moving out of the gut. You see, horses are sneaky. They also like to have a gut full of sand that’s just sitting there doing nothing! That sand won’t show up on the Ziploc test.

 

Behold! The awesomeness of x-rays and ultrasound! If my Docs have a sand suspicion, but no sand on the baggie test, they pull out the big guns. They will start with the ultrasound. My Docs will put an ultrasound probe right on the middle of the bottom of the abdomen. If there’s sand, they will see a colon with no ridges. Those ridges are what they call sacculations of the large colon. These sacculations are what allow the colon to expand with gas and food, then shrink down as it empties. Sand, however, fills all that up. Sometimes, it can be a little tough to decide on ultrasound thanks to gas. Ultrasound can’t see through gas, so if your horse has a lot of it, and horses often do have a lot of gas, the Docs will switch to x-ray. They shoot an x-ray through the bottom of the abdomen, and get an image that looks like this:

Getting Rid of Sand

 

Great, you’ve now identified that your horse has sand in the belly. How do you get rid of it? If there’s lots of it, my Docs will tube your horse with a combination of psyllium (basically Metamucil), Epsom salts, and mineral oil. The psyllium and Epsom salts work to grab the sand, pick it up, and move it out of the gi tract. The mineral oil works to protect the walls of the GI tract from all that abrasion as the sand moves. You can just imagine how abrasive that can be…..go ahead, imagine. Usually one treatment clears the sand, but sometimes it takes more than one. Rarely, my Docs have to bring one of these guys into the clinic for IV fluids along with the Epsom salts, and psyllium. I will say it is very impressive when they start passing sand. There’s nothing like sand, psyllium, Espom salt diarrhea to really make a mess out of stall!

Springhill Equine

Even better, keep sand out

 

“On ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure” was never more true than sand and horses. The number one key is hay. Yep, hay, and lots of it. As far as horses are concerned, this is the key to preventing lots of things. For sand, hay acts like a vacuum. As all that roughage travels through the GI tract, it sucks up the sand, and sends it out the back end safely. If you’ve paid any attention to my blogs, or the awesome seminars my minions have, you know that the minimum amount of hay a horse should eat is 1-2% of their body weight daily. That’s 12-24 pounds for the average horse every day. Live on a sand hill? Stay closer to that 24 pound number!

 

Minimizing the amount of sand that goes in will also help. Feeding hay from slow feed hay nets, or off clean rubber mats can help reduce sand consumption. Keeping your fields from being overgrazed can also help. When horses are seeking out the small amounts of grass in an otherwise sandy field, they will eat way, way more sand. Bringing horses into a stall for grain meals can also reduce the amount of time they spend snuffling through sand to get that very last pellet they dropped. (Total shameless plug for our ‘How To Handle Your S#!t Seminar’ this Thursday at the Clinic, to help you keep those fields in good shape.)

 

With a little strategy, you can avoid those pesky unscheduled calls with my Docs for a sand colic. And I know how much you humans enjoy a good unscheduled visit. Think your horse might have sand? Call the Clinic to schedule an x-ray or ultrasound to see what’s inside!

 

Now be a good human and subscribe to my blog. That way you can get all my awesomeness a day before everyone else.

Until next week,

~ Tony

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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