What is Scratches?

QUESTION: My Horse has one white sock, and this winter, she has developed “crusties” along the back side of her pasterns.
She acts as though it hurts if I try to pick at the scabs. One of my friends called it “grease-heel” and another called it “scratches.”
Can you please talk about the differences?
ANSWER:
The short answer to your question is that they are one and the same.

Scratches, Grease- heel, or Mud Fever is not really a specific disease, but a set of signs that we see on the legs of a horse called caudal pastern dermatitis. It often starts on the back side of the pasterns, and if left untreated, can certainly spread around and up the limb as far as the cannon bone! This problem occurs almost exclusively on horses with white hair on their legs, and pink skin beneath that hair. There does seem to be some correlation with the pink skin being much more likely to be effected, but it is not impossible for a non-white leg to have scratches present. The current thought is that there is a relation to sun exposure with the pink skin that is also contributing to a horse getting scratches.

Scratches are a skin over-reaction on the leg, having many potential causes. As mentioned above, it is most commonly seen on legs with white hair and pink skin. There is almost always a moisture component with this dermatitis (skin inflammation) as well. Whether it is sweat from splint boots, morning dew on pasture grass, snow, or even just walking through a creek or stream, there is usually some exposure to moisture without allowing the area to fully dry. From this irritation, the skin can then have some weeping drainage which gives fuel to bacteria or even fungi to grow and cause further inflammation. This process can spiral out of control and get much worse without proper treatment. The inflammation that is caused is usually very uncomfortable for the horse and can even cause a severe lameness.

Treatment of scratches is centered on getting the crusts completely removed from the wound, and also getting the area as clean and dry as possible.
This can be difficult since the inflammation itself is often times painful and horses will not let you do a thorough job of cleaning the scabs and crusts.
In these cases, it will be necessary to have your veterinarian sedate your horse so that they will tolerate this uncomfortable initial cleaning.
In severe cases we will also prescribe an ointment with a steroid anti-inflammatory for topical use and instruct the owner to thoroughly clean the
legs every 2-3 days and keep the horse away from the source of moisture. Remember, FULLY removing the crusts, and keeping the leg clean and dry should
help you to prevent a relapse and to have a rapid resolution.

Spring Time Tune Up For Horses

QUESTION: Is it time for spring shots?

ANSWER:

Warm days, green grass, tulips beginning to show, and the familiar buzz in the background are all signs that Spring is here.The first thought is, “it’s too early”, but sure enough, the bugs are here.Insects are powerful and efficient transmitters of disease.It is the threat of their annual appearance, which reminds us that is time to consider our horses and their “spring shots.”

The term “spring shots” can be a vague one.In general, we consider it the vaccinations which will cover insect borne diseases, as well as those communicable diseases that are passed from horse to horse as we start getting them out, and hitting the proverbial trail.

One of the more commonly administered vaccines for spring is often referred to as a 5-way shot.This label represents the 5 diseases that the vaccine is meant to prevent; Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), Tetanus, Influenza (Flu), and Rhinopneumonitis (Rhino).This year you may also hear of a 6-way shot, which adds West Nile Virus (WNV) to the above vaccine.

EEE, WEE and WNV are all diseases that are transmitted by mosquitoes.These diseases most commonly cause a condition known as encephalitis, which is swelling and inflammation in the brain and spinal cord.Infection with these diseases can be life threatening and leave some horses with permanent nerve damage.

Flu and Rhino are diseases that we consider respiratory diseases most commonly.Like the flu and cold in humans, our equine companions can catch these viruses from other infected horses, sick or not.Also like humans, our horses can exhibit similar respiratory symptoms when affected by these viruses.Runny noses, coughing and fever are commonly seen when horses are sick from Flu or Rhino.

Horses as a species are also one of the most susceptible animals to Tetanus.Tetanus happens when the bacteria Clostridium tetani infects a closed wound.The disease can be fatal if not caught VERY early and is easily preventable with yearly booster vaccination.

Along with vaccines, there are a few other “house keeping” things to consider with your horses.Spring is a good time to remember to de-worm your horses.In the spring, we usually use a combination de-wormer.Combination de-wormers are an Ivermectin product, combined with another class of de-wormer called Praziquantel to provide coverage against any possible tapeworms.Having a routine dental examination to assess whether or not your horse is due for a dental float is also a good idea.

Spring is also a great time to clean up your pens (hopefully before mud season is here!) and consider how to best manage your horses to minimize exposure to insects.A good fly control program can improve the quality of your horses’ day to day life, as well as decreasing exposure to bacterial and viral diseases.Also making sure that there is no unnecessary standing water around to minimize the exposure to mosquitoes (for horses AND humans) can really decrease exposure of everyone to West Nile Virus.

By getting all of the preventative care and house-keeping tasks completed this Spring, you can focus on spending time with your horse, in the saddle or otherwise, and enjoy all of the nice weather that a Colorad

Helping your horse through an Ice Age

Cold Horse
Question: What can I do to keep my horse healthy and safe through severe cold temperatures?

Answer: With winter in full swing, and high temps expected below zero, there are a few things you can do to try to ensure that your horse comes through a cold snap without issue.

Blankets can help, allowing them to burn less calories to stay warm. There are a couple important points when using blankets 1) Make sure that the horse is dry before the blanket goes on, 2) Make sure it is a proper fit for that horse and that the straps are adjusted correctly 3) Frequent observation of the horse, to assure that the blanket is still properly positioned. With these points in mind, a blanket can be very useful to help in these situations.

Water becomes very important in cold temperatures, as it is well documented the horses can drink up to 25% less water during these times. If you are using water heaters, make sure that they are functioning correctly, and if not using heaters, be sure to be breaking ice on a very regular basis. To increase your horse’s water intake, you can use electrolyte supplementation. One dose of electrolytes (either powder in their feed, or oral paste) given once a day, can significantly drive thirst, and help prevent issues relating to reduced water intake.

Feed is an important source of heat for our equine friends. The digestion process of horses is a heat releasing reaction. The longer that it takes for a particular feed to be digested, the longer it generates heat and body warmth. Roughage (i.e. Hay) produces heat for a longer period of time than grains or concentrated/ processed feeds.

Shelter from the elements, especially the wind, is very important in keeping horses warm. For pastured horses, wind breaks or trees provide ample “shelter.” Those horses lucky enough to have a closed barn face another potential health hazard. When horses are kept in closed quarters with minimal ventilation for days at a time, there can be a significant built up of ammonia. With this in mind, and ventilation limited, keeping stalls clean and well bedded helps to minimize this buildup.

Taking these few tips might help your horse through cold times, and prevent a visit from your friends here at Mobile Vet! Be safe and careful in the cold!

The Scoop On Fecal Egg Counts

QUESTION: 

I have read a lot on Fecal Egg Counts over the past few months.  Could you discuss the appropriate use of counts here in Colorado?

 

ANSWER:

In the last Ask a Vet, we discussed rotational deworming and its application here in Colorado.  Fecal Egg Counts (FEC’s) are a tool that we use to help us direct rotational deworming.  A FEC is a test the counts the actual number of parasite eggs within the horses’ manure.  This is done by submitting a small sample of manure to your veterinarian.  Your veterinarian then runs a floatation test on the sample and counts the number of parasite eggs that are present in that sample, reported as eggs per gram of feces.  The ideal time to run the test is about 3 months after the last dose of dewormer was given, which allows an appropriate timeframe for parasite eggs to reappear.  This gives you the baseline amount of parasites that your horse has present without interference from any deworming drugs.

 

At this point, each horse within a herd can be ranked in regards to the amount of parasite eggs that they are shedding.  This ranking is dependent upon each horse’s individual natural immunity to internal parasites.  The extended timeframe since the last deworming gives us insight into the immune system of the horse and its ability to naturally fight off parasites, rather than the efficacy of the last dewormer used. 

 

We will generalize and place each horse into a broad category of parasite shedding.  If, a horse is found to be a “low” shedder, then it is possible that the horse can be dewormed less frequently (once every 6 months).  These horses have a higher natural immunity to parasites, and are less likely to accumulate a large number of parasites within their system.  Many horses fall in the “moderate” shedder category.  Normal deworming for these horses would be considered quarterly rotational deworming (previously discussed here), where the horse is dewormed about every 3 months.  The “high” shedders are the problem horses.  These are often older or immune compromised horses, which are unable to fight of parasites.  These horses should be dewormed more frequently (up to 5 or 6 times a year). 

 

The second part of the Fecal Egg Count is the egg reduction test.  After the “baseline” is established, a second test sample is taken 10 to 14 days after deworming.  This sample allows us to determine if there is a drug resistance problem within your herd.  If the dewormer that you gave is effective, then a horse should have a significant (>90%) reduction in the number of eggs seen within the manure.  If there is less than 90% reduction in the number of eggs, then the dewormer that you used lacks efficacy or you have resistant parasites to that dewormer present in your horse.  In combination with appropriate rotational deworming, Fecal Egg Counts can help guide parasite control for your horse, and potentially save you some money on deworming products.  More importantly, FEC testing can help you to more closely monitor you horses’ health, and potentially help save you money in the long run.

Rotational Deworming… What’s the Right Choice?

QUESTION: 

Can you please discuss “appropriate” rotational deworming?

Due to the influx of deworming questions, we will tackle them in 2- 3 parts over the next few months.

 

ANSWER:   

Standing in the feed store, there are dozens of packages of dewormers, and the age old question of, “which one do I use now?” goes through every horse owners mind.  The answer to this question is not always a simple one.  To appropriately deworm your horse through the year, a rotational deworming program is essential. 

            Here in Colorado, we usually recommend quarterly rotational deworming.  Some herds may require more frequent or less frequent deworming, depending on fecal egg counts. (To be discussed here at a later date). 

Rotational deworming is exactly what it sounds like, rotating through different chemical classes of drugs throughout a year’s timeframe.  Though the name brand might be different, the active ingredient is the important part to rotate.  The idea behind rotating the chemical classes is to reduce the chance of a parasite developing resistance to a type of drug (much like antibiotic resistance).

            To begin rotational deworming this fall on an adult horse our recommendation is using an avermectin product.  There are dozens of avermectin products on each shelf, with various name brands (to name a few – Equell, Equimectrin, Ivercare, Rotectin, Zimectrin, and Horse Health Ivermectin and Quest Gel).  Avermectins have a very broad base of activity, but there are a few types of worms that are not killed.

            In the winter quarter, we usually recommend, for an adult horse a benzimidazole product.  When you’re at the counter, the easy way to remember is that you are looking for an active ingredient that ends with “azole.”  A few name brands in this class are Safe-Guard, Panacur, and Anthelcide EQ. 

            In the spring quarter (usually about the time you see us for spring shots), we rotate back to an avermectin product, but usually include praziquantel.  The praziquantel is effective against tapeworms.  The name brands in this class are Equimax, Zimectrin Gold, and Quest Plus.

            To come full circle and cover a full year, in the summer MVS likes to use a pyrantel salt based dewormer.  Some name brands in that class are Strongid Paste, Rotectin P, Pyrantel Pamoate paste and Liqui- Care P.

As another alternative to quarterly deworming, there is the option of daily deworming (feeding a small amount of dewormer every day).  Using one of these products, you still need to “rotate” and 2 times a year give a paste dewormer.  Our recommendations for these horses on daily dewormers are to use an avermectin once a year, and then a benzimidazole about 6 months later. 

            With appropriate rotation of deworming products, your horse should maintain a minimal parasite load. 

            Look for the next post regarding Fecal Egg Counts to round out your deworming knowledge.

 

 

In Summary:

MVS Rotational Deworming Recommendations (Quarterly Deworming Schedule):

 

–         Fall:  Avermectin (Ivermectin or Moxidectin)

–         Winter:  Benzimidazoles (Fenbendazole or Oxibendazole)

–         Sping: Praziquantel w/ Avermectin

–         Summer:  Pyrantel Pamoate

 

Horse Rabies In Colorado

rabies_shotQUESTION:
I have heard on the news over the last week or so about a couple of cases of Rabies in horses here in Colorado. Should we be vaccinating the horses for Rabies?

ANSWER:
The short answer is yes, here at MVS, we are currently recommending rabies vaccines for all of our equine patients.
There are many different “variants” of rabies, but here in Colorado we are concerned about only two. Bat rabies is carried in insectivorous bats (they eat only insects) here in Colorado and there is a low incidence of exposure and therefore transmission of the disease. Skunk (or terrestrial) rabies is carried by skunks and has a higher chance of exposing domestic pets and horses. Here in Colorado we have always had an incidence of bat rabies (though never reported in horses before 2009). Since 2008 there have been an increasing number of cases of skunk rabies reported. This has also led to a small increase in the number of domestic animals that have been exposed and tested positive for rabies, including a small number of horses. Since 2009, El Paso, Adams, and Douglas counties have each reported a case of rabies in a horse.

For a small cost each year, a horse can be protected from this 100% fatal disease. The vaccine is effective at protecting the horses, and is also quite safe. For a disease like rabies, where there are very serious public health ramifications to you and your family, the rabies vaccine is a great idea. Although the risk of exposure is still small, a properly vaccinated horse is the only horse that will survive infection with rabies.

As a note, we spoke with the state veterinarian today, and they confirmed that a horse has to be vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian to be considered protected from the disease. Therefore, in the event of a suspected rabies exposure, if your horse was not vaccinated by a veterinarian, they will be considered unvaccinated by the State of Colorado!