Equine Preventative Medicine Checklist

Along with spring comes vaccinations and preventative care appointments for our equine friends. We all understand the importance of preventative medicine, but it’s easy to miss things, so we’ve prepared a list of what you should be doing with your horse to make sure they’re healthy and prepared for summer riding season.

Vaccinations

We will start with the easiest – vaccinations. Vaccine protocol for the spring varies depending on your geography and your individual horse’s exposure potential and travel schedule. Always consult with your veterinarian if you are going to travel somewhere new with your horse. Here on the Front Range, we typically recommend a 5 way (eastern and western equine encephalitis, tetanus, rhinopneumonitis, and influenza) and a West Nile booster as the basic starting place for spring vaccinations. For a more in depth discussion of the vaccinations we recommended in Colorado and why, see the blog titled Why are the Vaccines we give in Spring So Important Here in Colorado?

Deworming

Deworming used to be easy – give your horse a deworming paste at set intervals and you’re done. But research has shown that deworming is certainly not as straightforward as we once thought it was. There are several options and differing approaches to deworming, and whether you opt to use a classical “rotational” deworming, or a more targeted “Fecal Egg count” approach, spring is a time to think about how to protect your horse from internal parasites. There are pros and cons to different deworming approaches, and we have complete articles on both of these regimes listed below.

Rotational Deworming – What’s the Right Choice?

The Scoop on Fecal Egg Counts

Dentistry

teeth

Although there is nothing tying teeth floating to vaccination, deworming or seasonality, most people (veterinarians included) like the convenience of combining all of the preventative medicine into a single visit. Spring is a critical time to have your horses’ teeth checked comprehensively. Tooth and other mouth issues can have a dramatic impact on your horses’ comfort, performance, and even lameness issues. Dental issues and questions like “Does my horse need a float?” are immense subjects and are covered in detail in previous issues of the blog.

Why is Regular Dentistry so Critical to your Horses’ Health?

How Do I know My Horse Needs a Float?

Why Do I Need to Float my Horses’ Teeth?

Physical Examination

A good general physical exam is a good idea for all horses this time of year so that we (both owner and veterinarian) are assured that there is no need for an alteration to the diet or that some insidious disease process is slowly creeping in unnoticed. It’s also very helpful to have a baseline of your horses’ health so when changes happen they can be noticed, and dealt with, quickly. Summer is riding and show season, and a physical examination will ensure your horse is at the top of their game, making your time together enjoyable for you both. An important aspect of the physical exam that often gets ignored is a very brief (just a few minutes) lameness exam. Whether you have noticed that your horse is tripping a bit more, or he just hasn’t been evaluated, a check of his legs could be invaluable in finding a mild issue before it is a major one. If this is something you are interested in, be sure to let the office know when you schedule your appointment that you would like the veterinarian to spend a bit of time with a lameness evaluation, so that a scheduling issue doesn’t arise.

Spring Preventative Medicine Checklist

Below is a quick reference for when your vet arrives for spring tune ups for the horses. I have had clients use this little outline as a basis for questions they have for the vet when he or she arrives. We all fall victim to “I forgot to ask while you were here” questions! Happy trails and enjoy the beautiful Colorado spring!!

Quick Checklist for Spring:

  • vaccines – 5-way and West Nile Booster
  • deworming or FEC – which is better for your horse?
  • Dental – Does your horse need a teeth float?
  • General Physical including weight evaluation, diet discussion, old age changes (ie cushings), and lameness evaluation

The Problem with “Lay Dentists”

You want the best for your horse, and your horse deserves it. Advances in equine preventative care and sports medicine enable our horses to live longer and healthier lives than ever before. In addition to semi-annual wellness exams, vaccinations, and good hoof care, your horse may receive veterinary chiropractic care, veterinary acupuncture, and massage therapy, all to ensure your horse is as healthy and happy as can be.

Good dental care is a critical piece of this “whole horse” approach, vital for your horse’s health and longevity. Unfortunately, more horse owners are encountering equine tooth floating services provided by what are often referred to as “lay dentists”.  Horses – especially our athletes – benefit from the collaborative efforts of professionals, such as veterinarians and farriers. So you may ask, why not between veterinarians and “lay dentists”?

While these individuals promote themselves as equine dentists, the term ‘dentist’ is inaccurate. These individuals may have had some prior experience “floating teeth.” However, they do not have a medical education in the mechanics, physiology, or pharmacology involved. They are not permitted to diagnose or treat disease, as this is the practice of medicine. Additionally, there is no governing body to certify the education or training that these individuals have (or have not) received. Therefore, if an adverse event occurs, the horse owner is left with little recourse. In the state of Colorado, the practice of dentistry may be delegated to veterinary personnel but only under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

Equine dentistry is so much more than just floating sharp edges from cheek teeth. A comprehensive understanding of anatomy as well as the ability to perform a complete and thorough oral examination is essential.

There are five requirements to perform a complete oral examination.

  1. Sedation: Even if it is light sedation, your horse/donkey/mule must be sedated (and still!) to facilitate a complete examination of the oral cavity. Ensuring your horse’s cooperation and comfort allows the veterinarian to provide dental care more efficiently, while minimizing the amount of time your horse spends with his mouth open.
  2. Dental speculum:  This device keeps the horse’s mouth open, allowing the veterinarian to examine all the teeth. Without a speculum, the cheek teeth at the back of mouth cannot be evaluated.
  3. Light: Examination, floating, and dental procedures require light- just as your own dentist needs light to see what he/she is doing!
  4. Mirror: A mirror is needed to assess all surfaces of the teeth and gums.
  5. Dental probe and/ or a dental explorer: Like us, horses can suffer from periodontal disease, cavities, fractured teeth, and other conditions where a probe and explorer to assess depth and severity are needed to formulate a treatment plan.

Equine dentistry has evolved so much. Even in the field, complex procedures involving extractions, radiographs, or even restorations are possible. A non-veterinary “float” is a disservice to your horse- at best, incomplete, and at worst, potentially harmful.

If having a non-dentist work on your own teeth is unimaginable, why should the case be any different for your horse?