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Horse Breeding for Dummies Part 5 – Management of Late pregnancy and Birth

Mar 15, 2012 | Breeding

 

Haylo! Thanks for dropping by for the next “Mare” chapter of our Repro edition blog! Last week we discussed confirmation of pregnancy, management of twins, and the ‘last ditch’ 25-30 day check. Now we are going to discuss the remainder of pregnancy and birth. There are many facets and approaches to pregnancy management – we are going to discuss what the Springhill doctors view is of ideal management.

Starting at breeding, you should be managing your mare in a variety of ways. She should be in a clean, comfortable space with companions who are not a source of stress. She should have ample access to plenty of high quality hay and clean water. Changing over to a higher protein (14%) grain is recommended (although Senior feed is always best for older mares), but please refer to my segment where I visited Dr. Lacher’s feed room! A mare’s demands change as the baby grows, as she can physically fit less fibrous feedstuffs, and has to rely more on concentrated grains.

We recommend starting pregnant mare vaccines at 3 months of pregnancy – particularly Pneumobort (Rhinopneumonitis). This vaccine is repeated at month 5, 7 and 9 of pregnancy. It helps to prevent abortions caused by specific strains of equine herpes virus (Rhinopneumonitis). Your mare should also receive her EWT vaccine every six months (starting prior to breeding), and should be boostered 4-6 weeks prior to foaling. Your mare should be vaccinated for Rabies and West Nile prior to breeding, and then again with the EWT vaccine 4-6 weeks prior to foaling. These vaccines will help boost her antibody levels just prior to producing the colostrum (first milk) that will supply the foal’s immune system for the first 4-6 months of life.

She should be checked regularly for any pus or other discharge from her vulva, which is sometimes seen underneath and/or in the tail. Discharge during pregnancy often indicates placentitis, an infection of the placenta that compromises the foal and the pregnancy.  You should be monitoring your mare’s udder in late pregnancy for signs of development. Early development (5-9 months) can indicate placentitis as well. Please call if your mare exhibits these signs, so we can get your mare on antibiotics (often they use the free ones from Publix!)! If your mare does abort, please let us know and the vets can try to decipher the reason (eg, it could be one of two twins!)!

Ultrasounds can also give us information about the placenta and the foal. Dr. Lacher and Dr. King can attempt to determine if it is a boy or a girl between 59 and 65 days. We use ultrasound later in pregnancy (5-11 months) to determine the state of the placenta, the fluids surrounding the fetus, look for signs of infection (placentitis) – of which there are different forms and causes, and measure the heart rate of the baby. For example, we can measure the thickness of the placenta just in front of the cervix to see if it is thickened. This often indicates bacteria are ‘climbing in’ through a leaky valve – the cervix. This commonly occurs in mares that have had past foaling difficulty and damage to their cervix. If the foal’s heart rate is elevated, it indicates stress (like with placentitis), and if it is slowing down it may indicate impending death.

You should be monitoring your mare’s udder in late pregnancy for signs of development. First the udder begins to fill, but until the teats begin to fill and elongate the mare likely still has time. The first secretions will be a thin, watery drip, and over days to weeks it will change to a thick, sticky white milk. You can bring samples of milk to the clinic in a tube or cup (we can provide you) for us to test the relative concentrations of calcium and other ions, which gives us an idea of time until foaling. The closer she gets, the softer the muscles around her tailhead and the longer her vulva will appear. Remember that maiden mares can be much more unpredictable when it comes to pre-foaling development.  When the incredible process finally begins, be ready for a few common issues.

A red bag is caused when placentitis makes the “bag” so thick the foal cannot break through.  Once the umbilicus breaks, the foal has no source of oxygen.  If a red velvety bag is protruding from your mare (Careful! The foal’s feet are behind it!), cut it with a knife ASAP! DON’T WAIT for us to get there! Call us as soon as you have cut the bag and have the foal’s nostrils clear of materials.  Another birthing problem is dystocia (difficult birth), which occurs when the foal is malpostitioned, or sometimes with deformities. If your mare is actively foaling (following the water breaking) for more than 30 minutes, you should be calling us! DON’T try to pull a seemingly stuck foal yourself. If only one leg (with or without a nose), two feet but no nose, or feet whose soles face the sky are present, the foal is probably malpositioned. It is crucial to stay calm, and stand by for assistance.  Keep the foal’s nose clear if it is visible.

If everything goes as quickly and smoothly as usual, the first thing to know after your mare gives birth is the 1-2-3 Rule.  Your foal should stand within one hour of birth, and nurse within two hours. Within three hours of birth, your mare should pass the placenta—keep it (in a garbage bag and/or bucket)! If not, or it appears in any way incomplete, treatment for retained placenta should be started within six hours of birth. We should come see the foal in the first 12-24 hours after birth to do a physical exam (to check for congenital abnormalities, fractured ribs, signs of infection, etc.), and measure the IgG level (an antibody that tells us if the foal received adequate immunity from his mother’s colostrum).

Dr. King and Dr. Lacher absolutely love foals and are happy to discuss any questions you may have regarding management of your mare! Please let them know if you have any questions! If you find yourself still feeling nervous and unprepared for your mare to foal out at the end of this article, consider the Springhill Foaling Package.  Thanks for stopping by! May your litter box always be clean, and your food bowl full!

 

Don’t Choke!

Mar 11, 2012 | Ailments, Feed

It seems to me that mammals other than horses – cats, humans, annoying dogs, mostly seem to have a really rough time when they are choking.  But should you call Springhill to tell them your horse is choking, they will tell you to stay calm, and wait 30 minutes.  How and why is this?? Choke in a horse is a completely different syndrome that the typical “choking” episode you think of in a person.  The key difference is that choke in a horse results when there is a physical obstruction in the esophagus, not the trachea.

If you come upon a person who is choking, they will be doubled over, gasping for air. They are suffering from an obstruction of the trachea – the main tube connecting the larynx to the lungs. Horses are prone to obstructing at certain points along their esophagus, such as right behind the larynx (the junction of the mouth cavity, the trachea, and the esophagus).  A horse that is choking will appear variably distressed, with feed material coming out of his nose.  It usually occurs just after being fed grain, particularly if the horse is known to bolt (devour) his feed, or if feeding time is a bit later than usual. Dried beet pulp and pelleted grain have been implicated as well – water absorbs into these types feedstuffs and a bolus of food can expand mid-transport. Sometimes a mass is visible or palpable along the underside of the neck.

Call Springhill as soon as you notice your horse choking. Remove any feed, hay, and shavings if you think they will eat them, but leave the horse water. Often chokes resolve within 30 minutes of occurrence – the horse appears to get comfortable, the nasal flow stops, and he wants to go back to eating.  So Springhill will tell you to wait and watch your choking horse for this amount of time, and then Dr. Lacher or Dr. King will be on their way!

When they get there, they will get ready a long tube, a bucket of water, and a particular sedative, butorphanol, that has a specific side effect of making the horse drop his head. With the head below the blockage, the feed can passively drain back out of his nose. The horse also has a more pleasant and less memorable experience during the next part. The vet will pass the tube through the nose to the larynx, where they will encourage the sleepy horse to swallow the tube (against their own good instinct). Once in the esophagus, they will pass the tube forward to the blockage, and then begin to pump.  Slowly and steadily, they will have water pumped through the tube against the blockage, and they will move the tube forward and backward to break up the mass.  The water may bring material back out through the nose, or the water may pass through the blockage to the stomach, and slowly carry it along with it (like a large leaf in a shallow stream).

Most chokes resolve this way. Complicated, recurring, and difficult chokes require referral to an equine hospital, where a 3 meter camera is used to examine the entire length of the esophagus.  The gastroscope, as the camera is called, is passed to the entrance to the stomach (the cardiac sphincter), and the stomach and part of the small intestine is examined as thoroughly as possible (while we’re in there). This is the same exam used to diagnose gastric ulcers in horses, so don’t be surprised if you end up bringing some ulcer medication home from your visit. The esophagus is examined for abnormalities such as a stricture (narrowed section), diverticulum (pouch that develops off the main tube), or tumor. If a large object is obstructing the esophagus, such as a whole apple (just say no to feeding whole apples!), an instrument is passed through the gastroscope to attempt to retrieve the object.

After a choke, the horse will be uncomfortable and it’s best to give a small, warm soupy mash after a few hours. The vets will give re-feeding instructions when they are at your farm. A horse that bolts his feed can have some large, smooth river stones added to his bucket to make him slow down while he eats. If you are concerned, add some water to your feed and make it into a soup. Just don’t let your feed sit wet for too long – it could become rancid.

One of the most important things to be aware of with choke is the aspiration pneumonia that can result.  As the horse attempts to breathe through its nose as the feed is passing out, some of the feed (and all the bacteria living on it) end up in the lungs. It’s called aspiration pneumonia, and it can cause a nasty chain of events if left untreated. Thick pus fills the lungs, and eventually the infection passes into the space between the lungs and the ribcage (the pleural cavity – resultantly called pleuropneumonia), or abscesses may form and can rupture into this space. These infections can end up with the horse being hospitalized for IV antibiotics, and drainage of the pleural cavity with a chest tube. Pneumonia that has advanced to this stage can be extremely difficult and expensive to treat, and many horses eventually succumb to the infection.

It is therefore very important to have us out at some point to check your horse’s lungs, at the very least pay close attention to your horse’s breathing for 3-5 days after the choke episode.  This is especially important if the horse is a chronic choker. Look for increased rate and effort – normal respiration rate is 12 to 20 breaths per minute (watch the flank or put a hand a few inches from the nostril). You should be calling if you see significant nostril flaring, a large abdominal movement, or obvious rib excursions with breathing. Fever should also be reported (>102F). Horses with pleura-pneumonia will begin to act colicky – usually anxiously turning to look at their girth. Proper management of choke can be a smooth, simple experience or can be a fatal event.

On the lighter side, I am full-swing back into my Tony antics – cat-scanning trailers, running off the new neighborhood stray, and defending the clinic from other dangerous foes! I barely limp any more as I charge across the grassy yard toward the woods again. Keep me posted with ideas you want to see discussed on our blog! May your litter box be clean, and your food bowl full!

 

Tuesdays with Tony – Hay There!

Tuesdays with Tony – Hay There!

Mar 4, 2012 | Feed

Tuesdays with Tony

Hay There!

As promised, last week I managed to get Dr. Lacher cornered for a moment to discuss hay at her farm.  I thought this would be easy since she gave me a one word answer, alfalfa, but it did get more complicated than I thought.

To start with, let’s talk about Dr. Lacher’s hay feeding program.  Dr. Lacher recommends basing your feeding program on your forage, not your grain.  It is always cheaper to go with higher quality hay than more grain.  So she evaluated the nutritional needs of her herd, and found that the majority of the horses were going to require a high protein and high nutritional value forage.   Next, she checked with local hay producers to determine the nutritional value of their hay.  Good hay farmers check the protein and nutritional values on their hays, and are happy to discuss their results with you.

In our area there are two primary hay types to choose from:  coastal and peanut.

Dr. Lacher determined that peanut was the answer to her horses’ nutritional needs.  Unfortunately, one of her horses breaks out in horrible diarrhea if he eats even one bite, so she prefers not to have any on her farm.  Peanut is a locally grown legume, unlike alfalfa, which prefers cooler temperatures than Florida has to offer.  Because it’s locally grown, shipping costs are dramatically lower for peanut, giving you equivalent hay for less money.  Legumes come with many added benefits.  These hays create a laxative effect on the GI tract and are a bit salty.  Together, this helps reduce the incidence of colic.  Legumes are also a pretty darn balanced diet for horses.   Dr. Lacher told me that she rarely sees colics in horses who are fed peanut or alfalfa.  The few she has seen were on too little roughage for the weight of the horse (the right answer there is 10-12 pounds per horse per day or 1-1.5% of body weight).  Three of Dr. Lacher’s horses maintain on nothing but alfalfa and 1 pound of ration balancer per day, including a 4 year old and a pregnant broodmare.  This works because legumes are high enough in protein to meet the nutritional demands of a variety of horses.

Coastal is the major type of hay grown in this area.  Coastal is a grass hay, and is usually lower in protein than legumes.  There are several different types, with Tifton 85 usually being the best for horses.  Coastal is a great hay for horses with a low caloric demand.  It provides the GI tract with something to work on (very important for horses), gives your horse’s mind something to work on, and provides some nutrition.  Coastal has one big problem:  ileal impactions.  This is a type of colic almost exclusively seen in horses eating coastal with no other type of roughage.  Coastal remains the best choice for most horses, along with a few add-ons to reduce this risk.  Adding a few pounds of alfalfa or peanut hay, or 3-4 cups of soaked beet pulp twice daily will help keep your horse’s GI tract moving.  If your horse is a very easy keeper, this combination along with a small amount of a ration balancer, such as Purina’s Enrich 32 or Seminole’s Equalizer, will be all you need to feed.  Remember to check with your hay producer to determine the nutritional value of your hay.  We have some amazing farmers in this area growing coastal with protein and a nutritional profile surprisingly close to peanut hay.

Somewhere between these two choices are the mixed grass hays.  The most common one is T & A (or Timothy and Alfalfa) but other versions are Orchard Grass and Alfalfa (O & A), and even coastal and alfalfa.  These hays are an excellent choice for the horse who colics on coastal hay, or needs more nutrition than coastal but less than legumes.

Dr. Lacher finished our discussion on hay by reminding me that with summer coming, the number one roughage our horses will consume will be pasture.  Your pasture can be a significant source of nutrition if it is fertilized and maintained.  She wanted me to make sure everyone knew that the seed heads are very high in protein, fat, and calories.  This is important to remember if you have an insulin resistant or laminitic horse!

Dr. Lacher also said that Beth, our Certafied Nutrition Expert, will be happy to evaluate your horse, farm, and lifestyle and formulate the ideal feeding program.

And most importantly I hope that your food bowl is always full, and your litter box clean.

Tony

 

What’s in Dr. Lacher’s feed room??

Feb 26, 2012 | Feed

 

This was an exciting weekend at Springhill Equine.  We had a crew at the Climb for Cancer at San Felasco and then did a fundraiser for our Relay for Life team with Gentle Carousel at Tractor Supply in Jonesville.  Teeney and I stayed at the clinic and made sure our new cat beds were well loved.

Before all the weekend excitement, I got Dr. Lacher to sit down and talk with me about what’s in her feed room.   I got interested in this while listening to Dr. David talk about Senior horses at our Seminar last week and from a chat with Beth at Midwest Feed when she came by the office.  I am a very busy cat some weeks!

Let’s start with what type of horses Dr. Lacher has at her house.  She has one of every type, as far as I could tell.  Don’t ask her how many horses she has.  She refuses to count them so she can be in denial.  That said there is one hard keeper six year old Thoroughbred, an older easy keeper and an older hard keeper, some young horses, a pregnant horse and some mid to high level performance horses.

So what’s in her feed bins?  A 12% pellet, Equine Senior, beet pulp and Equalizer.  Supplements: Myristol and Cool Calories 100 and during the summer Solitude.  Each horse has a plain and mineral salt block available to them.  She said she does feed Seminole Feed but thinks Purina and Triple Crown also make excellent feeds.

Let’s start with the 12% pellet, Gold Chance 12+.  This pellet is fortified with extra amounts of the amino acid Lysine.  Amino acids make up proteins and Lysine is the most commonly used one in the horse.  Adding Lysine to a 12% protein feed makes it very similar to a 14% feed without the added costs of adding more protein.  This is the feed most of the horses get at her house.  The performance horses, pregnant mare, young horses and easy keeper senior horses are all happy on this feed with no added supplements.   The most any of them get is 6 lbs per day and the easy keepers are on the minimum necessary amount of 2lbs per day.

Equine Senior is fed to the hard keeper thoroughbred and senior horse and a horse with shivers.  Shivers is a muscle disorder which requires low starch, high fat diets and Equine Senior is the base for his diet.  Both the thoroughbred and shivers horse also receive Cool  Calories 100 every day as an easy and palatable fat supplement to their diet.  Fat is a fantastic way to add a whole lot of calories to a diet and keep grain to a minimum.  The thoroughbred eats 10 pounds of senior per day, the shivers horse 2 pounds and the hard keeper senior horse 6 pounds daily.  Dr. Lacher said she has had the best luck with Equine Senior for hard keepers.  It is a balanced diet for any horse over 3 years of age and is easily digestible.   It is also an excellent choice for horses with dental problems (which her hard keeper senior has) because they don’t need to chew the food the release the nutrition.

Seminole’s Equalizer is a ration balancer.  Dr. Lacher explained to me this is like Centrum for horses.  It is a complete vitamin/mineral/protein in a small package with as few added calories as possible.  These feeds are an excellent choice for the very easy keeper because it ensures they are getting what they need without adding calories.  Beet pulp is added to increase fiber and bulk in the diet since the recommended amount of Equalizer is 1 pound per day.

Dr. Lacher feeds Equalizer for a completely different reason:  she has a horse who is allergic to corn.  One of her horses has an insect allergy but her symptoms persisted last year when it was 20 degrees out for 10 days straight.  This led her to believe that there was more to the problem than gnats… She began with a single ingredient diet food trial.  Her horse started on oats and alfalfa only.  After 30 days she was no longer itching her tail or mane.  She then added some soybean meal with no return of symptoms.  She went through this with barley as well.  Since no symptoms were seen, she decided to find a corn free feed and see how her horse responded.  Equalizer fit the bill and one year later she continues to itch from bugs only.

What are Myristol and Solitude?  Myristol is a joint supplement based on research showing that some fatty acids are powerful anti-inflammatories in the joint.  This product contains cetyl myristoleate which was shown to be particularly powerful in studies at Colorado State’s Equine Orthopedic Center.  All of her performance horses are on this supplement.  She said joint supplements aren’t for every horse in every job but can be an important addition to some horse’s diets.  She chooses Myristol instead of regular Adequan or Legend injections and feels that on her horses it has decreased joint injections.

Solitude is a feed through fly control.  It is inactive in the horse and is not absorbed by their GI tract.  Instead it is passed in the manure and kills fly larvae.  She said she started it last year and noticed she had NO flies.  She also used it at her trainer’s facility beginning in the height of fly season and noticed a dramatic drop in flies after about 2 weeks.  She starts her horses once temperatures are consistently above 75 degrees which is usually the end of March.  She said the only fly spray she used last year was at horse shows!

I asked about hay even though that’s not technically in the feed room and she said she would chat with me about that subject next week since the horses needed to be fed.  So tune in next week for what’s in Dr. Lacher’s hay room.  In the meantime, may your food bowl be full and your litter box clean.

 

Equine Dentistry – The Anesthetic Plan

Feb 19, 2012 | Uncategorized

 

Hello there! Hope you are having an enjoyable weekend – I know I am, still cast-free and finally without a limp!  A couple weeks ago we offered a cat’s eye view of equine dentistry. This week, I thought it would be important to discuss a little bit further about everything that goes into forming what we call “the anesthetic plan” for your horse’s dental. While your horse is nowhere close to being under general anesthesia, there are anesthetic considerations for every situation involving an equine dental. The first and foremost is safety – for you, the veterinary staff, and your horse. This is the primary reason we ask you to take a step back during your horse’s dental, and let us do the work!  Some of the sedatives we use can easily kill a human in fractions of the doses used for the dental, and should only be handled by a veterinarian. The vets are prepared with emergency drugs in case of an accidental overdose or human exposure.

The first thing the Springhill vets do about your horse’s dental happens before your appointment time even arrives. This happens when your horse is already a patient of Springhill Equine, or if you have taken the time to provide complete information about your horse by filling out our new client form and sending it back to us before your appointment (also earning you $5 off your bill!). The vets look at the age, breed, sex, and size of your horse to the best of their ability, and begin to consider what type of sedation would best suit your horse’s physiology. We examine relevant past medical history in our records, and if a dental was performed by Springhill in the past, we consult the last dose used. Between these records, and communication between Dr. Lacher and Dr. King, any past known behavior of the horse (such as needle phobias) or response to sedation (‘He’s a cheap date!’) is taken into account. The doctors arrive on the farm with the foundation of an anesthetic plan in their head – prepared to reconsider our anesthetic approach at every step.

Knowledge of your horse’s behavior is crucial due to another important anesthetic principle called “windup”.  Many horses (understandably!) experience anxiety surrounding a dental experience.  Stress experienced prior to, during, and in the minutes following sedation causes physiologic responses that can make the horse require more sedation (sometimes A LOT more).  We work to minimize that. From the start, we try to move calmly and quietly while sedating the horse, and may give your horse treats to make it a more pleasant experience.  Some horses can be very difficult or fearful of intravenous injections, therefore, sometimes more restraint is required to keep everyone involved out of harm’s way. It is important during this time that you let our staff handle the horse.  Accidental injection of these drugs into the carotid artery (instead of the jugular vein) will result in the horse experience immediate and profound seizures. We are prepared to deal with these scenarios, however rare. Should this happen, the horse recovers completely with time, except in cases of catastrophic injury. In horses, catastrophic injury is considered a risk with absolutely ANY anesthetic plan – even “acing” your horse for the farrier!

An important part of the anesthetic plan is using the lowest possible dose of each drug, while providing adequate depth of sedation, length of time to complete the dental, and comfort to the horse during the process. Our arsenal contains five main sedatives – xylazine (a.k.a. “Rompun”), Sedivet (romifidine, similar to xylazine), butorphanol (“torb” or Torbugesic), acepromazine (Ace), and detomidine (Dormosedan or “Dorm”).  Each of these drugs has its own profile of safety, efficacy and side effects. Before these drugs are even drawn into a syringe for your horse, everything discussed above is considered, as well as an assessment of the horse’s attitude, personality, and comfort level with our presence that day.  Environmental factors that may arouse the horse such as wind, temperature, lawn mowers, small children, etc. are also part of the consideration. We listen to the horse’s heart to make sure there are no significant murmurs or arrhythmia’s that could cause an adverse event. Finally, we use the power of synergy to minimize the volume of each drug used by making a cocktail.

I’ll explain by example. When used alone, a whole ml of detomidine may be required to complete a dental on a particular horse. However, Springhill Equine most often uses a triple-threat combination using a “base dose” of xylazine or Sedivet, and add small volumes of the more potent detomidine (Dorm) and Torb. By doing this, we reduce that 1 ml to often 0.2 or 0.3 ml instead.  This keeps the dose for this particular drug well within the margin of safety, minimizing its side effects. Likewise for the others in the cocktail (ingredients may vary – e.g. Tennessee Walkers often are better with ace and xylazine cocktails). By using what is termed a “balanced anesthetic technique,” synergy of the sedatives further reduces the required dose. If more sedation is required midway to complete the dental, we try to use the lowest volume of what we feel will be the most effective to finish our work. The next time, we will take into account any “top ups” that were required. The less sedation required for a balanced plane, the more money and time you save!

In summary, there is an enormous amount of thought put into that little syringe that we pull out during your horse’s dental. There are hundreds of thoughts behind it in our doctor’s heads, from possible safety concerns, potential side effects, quality of anesthesia and the plan for next time! If you ever have questions about the sedatives used, you need only ask them and they will happily explain it to you! May your litter box be clean and your food bowl full, until next week!

 

West Nile Virus

Feb 11, 2012 | Uncategorized

 

In line with our continued discussion of basic vaccinations and horse health upkeep, I wanted to complete our discussion of what we consider “core” vaccines.  Core vaccines are those that every equine (and equid for that matter!) should receive – they include EWT, Rabies, and West Nile Virus. We will continue our blogs with discussion of diseases whose vaccines are not considered part of a core program.  Today, we will close with the newest member of the core group – West Nile Virus.

West Nile Virus (WNV), like EEE and WEE, causes encephalitis (inflammation of the central nervous system) and results in neurological symptoms. Humans and other species can acquire this disease as well. West Nile was not found in the United States prior to its introduction to New York in 1999. Clinical signs usually progress back-to-front, meaning the hind-limbs are often affected first, then the forelimbs and so on forward. Early symptoms include inappetance, fever, hind-limb weakness and ataxia. Often the muscles of the muzzle twitch erratically, and they become hyper-excitable. Many horses with West Nile Virus are seen in a dog-sitting position early in the course of the disease, and it progresses to recumbency (lying down) and death. Other neurological signs seen with WNV include blindness, difficulty swallowing, head pressing, seizures, and aimless wandering.

Like EEE, birds keep the source of West Nile Virus alive in the United States, and mosquitoes feeding on the infected birds are the vectors that transmit it to the horse. There is no specific treatment for West Nile, other than supportive care for vital body functions. Recumbent horses must be supported in a sling or turned over every four hours until recovery occurs (if it does).  Like with other neurological diseases, when the horse becomes recumbent, euthanasia is generally recommended. Vaccination is recommended once yearly, but it is not a guarantee against infection. The goal of vaccination is to reduce the likelihood of infection, and minimize the clinical signs should infection occur. It is also crucial that you do your part in minimizing mosquito exposure for you and your horse!

You can minimize mosquito populations on your property by eliminating sources of stagnant water (or stocking them with fish), and cleaning out your clogged gutters!  Mosquitoes breed in any puddle that is left for more than four days.  Keep your barn lights out at night – mosquitoes are attracted by yellow incandescent bulbs. Placing these bulbs at sites away from your barn can draw them away from your horses. Report any dead birds you find on your property to the Alachua County Health Department (DO NOT pick up a carcass without gloves!), and eliminate roosting areas in your barn.

As you are probably wondering, my foot is doing well – the atrophied muscles are starting to come back and my limp is almost gone! I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be prowling around the office again, inspecting your trailers and your horses. And it was fortunate my recovery happened at such an opportune moment – there’s a new stray lurking around the office that I must defend against!  Have a Happy Valentine’s Day, and we hope you can make it to our Senior Horse Seminar this Thursday at 6PM at Canterbury!  May your litter box be clean and your food bowl full!

 

 

Equine Dentistry. A cat’s eye view.

Feb 4, 2012 | Ailments, Feed

So this week Danielle, one of our technicians, brought her horses into the clinic for their annual dentals. She sat down and told me afterwards all about how Dr. Lacher let her practice using the power tools on her own horses’ teeth and my was it fascinating! Danielle reports that even though she was nervous about practicing, she felt safe that she was in an equine clinic with access to state of the art equipment and facilities and most importantly, our veterinarian’s expertise!

 Danielle brought her horses into the clinic early that morning and kept them in a paddock until Dr. Lacher and she had a free moment from their appointments. Once they were ready, they led her first horse “Bumper” into the shade of the barn and then inside the stocks. It was slightly warm that day, so they decided to turn on the fans not only for themselves but for the horse’s comfort. Dr. Lacher calculated the correct dose of sedation for Bumper, which Danielle explained to me, here at Springhill we use just enough sedation to make horses manageable enough to work on their mouths but not too much to make them sleepy for a long time. While sedated, the horse can also lean on the stocks all they like without moving away from us while we are trying to work inside their mouth, which is different in the field because we can’t carry that luxury with us.

While they were waiting for Bumper to get sleepy, they rinsed her mouth with an antiseptic agent which got rid of loose feed material in her mouth and minimized any bacteria. They also gave Bumper her vaccines and drew blood for a Coggins test while she was unaware.

“That’s one of the nice things about sedating a horse for dentals too,” Erica told Danielle, “we can take opportunities to vaccinate, draw blood, and clean a horse’s sheath and not only are they unaware at the time, they won’t remember anything once they are awake.”

After Bumper was sleepy enough, they placed the dental speculum in her mouth and opened it just wide enough to see in the back of her mouth. Then her head was rested on the head loop hanging from the ceiling, after which Danielle adjusted its height so it was comfortable for her to see in Bumper’s mouth. Even with Bumper’s mouth open it was still mighty dark inside her mouth, so Danielle donned a headlamp and looked around while Erica explained what steps she would take to correct Bumper’s mouth.

Bumper’s mouth didn’t need a lot of correcting because Danielle gets her teeth done every year, which she explained makes Bumper more comfortable and will ultimately prolong her life. After Erica inspected Bumper’s mouth with a mirror and pick she determined there weren’t any cavities or cracks in any of Bumper’s teeth. Then, she had Danielle grab the battery operated Makita and told her to take off the sharp points on the outside of Bumper’s top rows of teeth.

“To hold the tool parallel to her teeth, you need to lift up on the back of the Makita” Erica informed Danielle.

“Wow this is gonna work my shoulders for sure!” Danielle exclaimed.

Danielle told me that it was extremely difficult to keep the skinny tool on the side of her horse’s teeth because Bumper was moving her mouth the whole time and her cheeks kept pushing her tool away.

“That’s why we use a skinny tool for that area of her mouth, it’s hard enough already to get in there. Can you imagine not being able to see where that tool was going?” Erica said.

After this step Danielle was instructed to use the diamond burr power tool to work on the rest of Bumper’s mouth. She explained that it was difficult to keep the tool on her teeth, again because Bumper was moving her mouth so much.

“This takes some real skill!” she remarked “I don’t know how you and Dr. King make this look so easy!!”

“You have to learn to stabilize” Erica said, “Otherwise you’ll get pushed off her tooth every time.”

At this point Danielle’s arms were tired, “I feel like I’m not doing a very good job at getting all the way to the back of her mouth cause it’s so hard to see!”

Dr. Lacher then took over and polished up Bumper’s mouth. After making some corrections, Erica changed out power tools again to a smaller one with another diamond burr.

“We use that tool,” Danielle said “to place a bit seat in a horse’s mouth so pulling on the bit doesn’t pinch their gums. We also use that tool to make corrections to a horse’s incisors or front teeth.”

After releasing the speculum from Bumper’s mouth they checked to make sure her incisors were straight and then checked lateral excursion.  Dr. Lacher uses lateral excursion to make sure the molars are working just right.  Since all looked good, they rinsed her mouth once more to drain the tooth dust out and then waited a few minutes to lead her out of the stocks and back to the shade of her paddock while they grabbed her other horse to repeat the same process.

After all was done I had a new respect for our veterinarians doing dentals. Being able to see in a horse’s mouth makes all the difference for knowing the job was done right and using the power tools is faster and more accurate for sure. I feel confident my horse’s teeth are being done properly because my vets have all the tools they need to thoroughly examine their teeth and prevent small problems from becoming big ones.

Wow, now I’m wondering if I need to go to Newberry Animal Hospital for a kitty dental!

May your food bowl always be full and your litter box clean!

 

So what’s with that EWT vaccine?

Jan 28, 2012 | Ailments, Leg issues

SO I know everyone is dying to know, so I have to announce to the world that MY CAST IS FINALLY OFF!! I am feeling free and happy, and can go outside again!! I’m still limping a little bit, but since I really haven’t stopped my usual routine of jumping on my front counter, I don’t see that slowing me down now.  Thanks to everyone again for all of your sweet rubs, pets and encouraging words that got me through this miserable period of my life!! Next time bring more tuna, words don’t fill my stomach.

 OK – so we’re supposed to be talking about this so-called EWT vaccine that you have to give your horse twice a year.  Let’s start with the basics – the E represents Eastern Equine Encephalitis (also known as EEE).  The W represents Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), and the T represents Tetanus, which was discussed in our last blog.  There is another in the EE group, Venezuelan Encephalitis (VEE), which has not been reported in the U.S. since 1971, and is not routinely vaccinated against in this country. So what is with EEE and WEE, and why do I have to give my horse a vaccine for this twice a year??

Both EEE and WEE are viral diseases causing severe neurological disease, and are carried from horse to horse by mosquito’s.  As with West Nile virus, birds are crucial to maintaining the cycle of virus activity from year to year. While EEE occurs more frequently in the eastern U.S., and WEE is generally associated with the western part of the country, each has occurred in Florida. Administration of the vaccine two to three times a year here in Florida is directly a function of our never-ending mosquito season.  In the northern parts of the country, EWT vaccination is generally performed once yearly in the spring, as hard freezes cause a break in the disease season. The vaccine appears to be effective at preventing disease for 4 to 6 months, so it is crucial to keep up with this schedule. The vaccine product is killed virus, meaning it has no ability to cause disease, and reactions are rare.  Mortality associated with EEE is 75% to 95%, so it is a disease certainly worth preventing.

Horses affected by EEE initially show signs of fever and depression, and symptoms transition into neurological disease about 5 days after infection.  The horse often dies 2-3 days after neurological signs set in.  The first sign is often a change in behavior, which can be in either direction.  Normally calm horses can become irritable and easily excited, attacking owners or themselves.  Others may seem “sleepy,” or even ‘forget’ how to lead, in any case, the horse usually refuses feed and water.  As the dementia progresses, the horse may compulsively walk in circles, press its head against things, grind his teeth, and develop blindness.  Unsteadiness or clumsiness will begin to manifest, as can areas of paralysis (face, tongue, etc.).  The horse will eventually go down, which more often than not signifies the end of the battle – a down horse with this disease has a grave outlook. WEE manifests similarly, although generally more slowly and less severely (mortality ranges from about 20 to 50%).  It is important to remember that a horse with signs of encephalitis (brain inflammation) is not himself – so be extremely careful around these horses, and stay out of the stall until the vet arrives!

Horses are considered “dead end hosts” of the EE’s – meaning a horse with this disease is of no risk to infect other horses, mosquito’s or birds.  Diagnosis involves a CSF tap, so a diagnosis may be presumed if vaccination was >4 months prior, and it occurs in an area where this disease is prevalent (like Florida).  Treatment of this disease is supportive, and often ineffective (especially with EEE).  It is aimed at symptomatically reducing the inflammation in the central nervous system – there is no cure.  Euthanasia is recommended with horses that are down and unable to stand. Horses that do manage to recover often have lasting signs of brain damage.  The staff at Springhill Equine firmly believe that every horse deserves at least twice a year EWT vaccination to prevent the devastating effects of these diseases! Check on your horse’s vaccination status, and schedule with us today if you are overdue!  May your litter box be clean, and your food bowl full!

 

Clostridium – Botulism and tetanus and gangrene, oh my!!

Jan 14, 2012 | Uncategorized

 

After last week’s discussion on Rabies, I decided it was important to discuss another readily-controlled, animal-killing pathogen – Clostridium.  This genus, or group of bacteria has more species members than any other genus of bacteria.  A book could be, and probably has been, written about all of the Clostridial diseases that exist.  Clostridium bacteria produce neurotoxins or tissue toxins when seeded into wounds or ingested.  They generally favor environments that are anaerobic (without oxygen).  A few of the more notable diseases featured in this group include tetanus, botulism (limber-neck in poultry), gas gangrene, and overeating disease.  Others less commonly known include blackleg, red water, Tyzzer’s and black disease.  Many people (and foals, lambs, etc.) have been infected with, and killed by C. difficile diarrhea.  Any diarrhea, abscess (foot or otherwise), or hot, painful deep tissue infection in a vertebrate could well have a Clostridial source.

Many species in this genus live in the environment all around us, like Clostridium tetani, the organism that causes tetanus (not just on rusty nails!).  Some areas of the country (notably Kentucky and Texas), have high levels of botulism in the soil and are avoided.  Only a few years ago, C. botulinum bacteria growing in a batch of haylage produced a neurotoxin that, on ingestion, killed over 100 horses in the Ocala area.  Botulism is an important disease of foals in the Kentucky area, and vaccination is recommended for broodmares and foals in that area of the country.  As it causes flaccid (limp) paralysis, intensive care is required to support almost every bodily function during the weeks of recovery – eating, drinking, and breathing.

Tetanus, like botulism, can kill just about anything.  While botulism is usually ingested or inhaled, tetanus is usually associated with a wound, often a puncture wound that is allowed to heal over, creating the perfect warm, airless environment for it to multiple and produce toxins.  Its neurotoxin has the exact opposite effect than botulism: the uncontrolled paralysis is “tonic-clonic,” meaning the muscles undergo spasmodic continuous contraction.  Stiffness will first be noticed in the limb or area near the wound, and will become generalized in a matter of days.  The powerful clamping of the chewing muscles, often resulting in the subsequent starvation, dehydration and death of an animal affected by tetanus, is what gives rise to the term “lockjaw.” The body takes a rigid, arched position as the back muscles contract, overwhelming the abdominal muscles and pulling the head back.  There are no blood tests to diagnose tetanus, but often the characteristic symptoms readily point to this historic culprit.

Control of tetanus is easily achieved through annual vaccination.  A tetanus toxoid vaccine, given annually, is usually used for small ruminants, but can be given off-label to other species such as al pacas and llamas. Most horses receive their tetanus toxoid vaccine in the “EWT” (Eastern Encephalitis, Western Encephalitis, and Tetanus) combination product twice a year.  Ruminants (cattle, sheep, and goats) are usually are given a “seven way” vaccine as youngsters, then annually and pre-breeding that includes overeating disease (C. perfringens).  Generally vaccination is recommended starting at 4-6 months of age. The vaccines are inactive bacterial products, so unlike some vaccines, there is no risk of infection from vaccination. It is not uncommon for animals (and people) to be stiff for a day or two after vaccination.

If your animal receives a deep wound, call us immediately!  Antitoxin must be given to animals that are not vaccinated if they receive a deep puncture wound that will predispose to infection.  This antitoxin has been associated with reactions resulting in liver disease in horses, so regular vaccination is strongly recommended.  Like for Rabies, vaccination is cheap, easy and effective! Don’t overlook this important and easily preventable disease when taking care of your horses and livestock.

In the meantime, my spoon splint is finally off!!! …although I still have an annoying bandage on my foot (which I continue to shake at people), I feel like my stall-turned-paddock (when I get to go out in the barn aisle-way) rest is close to over! May your food bowl always be full, and your litter box be ever-clean!

 

Rabies!!!

Jan 8, 2012 | Ailments

 

I would like to talk about a very serious subject in this week’s blog:  Rabies.  Dr. Lacher and Dr. King recently heard about a case of Rabies in a pony in North Carolina and asked me to share some information about Rabies and its management in horses.  I was all ears since I too have to be vaccinated for this deadly disease.

Rabies is a virus of mammals which affects the nervous system.  The virus is transmitted from an infected animal to other animals through bite wounds, typically from a fox, skunk, raccoon or bat.  Once the virus enters the animal it seeks out a nerve to bind to and follow to the brain.  The virus is on a search and destroy mission until it reaches the brain, only then does it branch out to other tissues like salivary glands.

We were all taught not to approach the dog foaming at the mouth, it might have Rabies.  If a raccoon or fox is seen during the day and is acting aggressive most of us would worry about Rabies.  What if your horse was mildy colicky, had a slight lameness or was having difficulty urinating?  These are all symptoms of Rabies in horses.  And there is the biggest problem with equine Rabies cases.  Many of us do not recognize it is Rabies until it is too late.  The pony in North Carolina had a wound it was itching and wouldn’t leave alone.  In this case, as in many other equine cases, lots of people were exposed to this horse before anyone realized it might have Rabies.  This means all these people had to go through post exposure vaccination!  That would not make for happy neighbors.

Rabies is definitely a case of the best defense is good offense:  vaccination.  The rabies vaccine is very effective.  It cannot be said with 100% certainty but no one Dr. Lacher or Dr. King could find knows of a single case of rabies in a vaccinated animal.  This makes it among the most effective vaccines we have, which is good since we also have no known treatment.  It is recommended that horses be vaccinated yearly for rabies.  Due to some unique features of the equine immune system it does not respond to the rabies vaccine for very long.  Studies have shown that most horses can fight off an exposure for 14-16 months following vaccination making yearly vaccination very important.  Humans, dogs and cats do a much better job responding to the vaccine and can remain immune for many years.  It is still recommended that dogs and cats be vaccinated at least every 3 years for public health reasons.

You come out to feed in the morning and find a raccoon acting strangely near your horses.   What should you do?  First, do not try to come near any wild creature acting oddly.  Call Animal Control.  Move your horses to a safe area as far away from the raccoon as possible.  Call Springhill Equine.   If your horses are up to date on their rabies vaccines we will administer a second vaccine as soon as possible.  If your horse has not been vaccinated a quarantine will be necessary for 6 months!  If you suspect your horse may have rabies, call us immediately and limit contact as much as possible.    The moral of this story is to vaccinate for rabies.  It’s cheap, easy and effective!

On a personal note, my broken foot continues to heal well.  Dr. Long at Newberry Animal Hospital says I might get my splint off this week.  I sure hope I do since I am so tired of being locked up in the Clinic.  I have a new appreciation for horses on stall rest.  It’s NO fun!!!!