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Horse HealthVirus Affecting Horses Found at N.C. StableVirus is contagious between horses, but does not affect humans
“We have been fortunate that we’ve not seen this particular form of this common virus in North Carolina to date, even though it has been increasing in frequency throughout the country for almost a decade now,” said State Veterinarian David Marshall. “We are working with the College of Veterinary Medicine and with the stable to implement biosecurity measures and minimize the risk of further spread.” EHV-1 is highly contagious among horses, but poses no threat to humans. It most often causes respiratory infections in young horses, but different strains can also pose neurologic problems, which the affected N.C. horse exhibited. The virus also can cause abortion in pregnant horses or neonatal death. Vaccines are available that protect horses from most forms of EHV-1, but not from the strains that cause neurologic problems. Owner of HERDA-Affected Show Prospect Horse Finds New Purpose
Almost two years after discovering her western pleasure show prospect has the devastating genetic defect HERDA, owner finds a new purpose. There was so much to look forward to for Robin Davison. She had just purchased a wonderful western pleasure show prospect in November of 2009 and was going to chase her dream of showing at the National Western Stock Show. Unfortunately a few months after a local trainer started the filly under saddle, she developed saddle sores that never healed. In May 2010, A DNA test at the University of California, Davis confirmed that “Penelope” (registered name Quality Sensation) is affected with HERDA, or Hereditary Equine Regional Dermal Asthenia. Her riding days were over and Robin’s dream was shattered. After many months of research and digesting this horrible reality, Robin decided to find as many things to do with Penelope as her condition would permit. They have attended local clinics, participating from the ground, and showed at some local shows in showmanship. Penelope was even a 4-h project horse, placing reserve grand champion in showmanship at the local county fair. Along the way, Robin found herself educating fellow horse owners about Penelope’s condition which resulted in a website, http://herdahorse.com/. Their story was covered in the December issue of EQUUS and due to such positive reader response a shorter version of this story is on their website. Check out this great information that we all need to be aware of. This disease is on the rise. http://www.equisearch.com/horses_care/case-report-hereditary-equine-regional Why Sugar Causes Deafness, by Geoff Tucker, DVM
Sugar is served as cubes, apples, carrots, candy, all grain, and most hay and pasture. These are all sugar. Sugar needs insulin to be absorbed into the cells or it is lost. The two largest organs to use sugar are the brain followed by the skin, including the hooves. Excess sugar is placed in holding cells including fat cells. This reserve is normal and necessary. Observations of feral horses show that horses fatten up before winter. Cattle that remains thin from summer draught stricken pastures die in the winter. In the wild, the sugar intake ebbs and flows, but in domesticated horses, the sugar intake becomes constant. While the mechanism is still being accurately determined, it now is evident that chronic excess sugar intake can cause Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS). Signs include a cresty neck and fat deposits at the shoulders and tail head. Most significant is a rise in blood insulin levels and a strong predisposition for laminitis. You Can Stop Equine Bleeding; Healthy Blood Pressure Is the Key
Mesa, AZ (Oct. 25, 2011) – Bleeding in horses (Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage, EIPH) is now widely accepted as being associated with extra high blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation when the horse is under exertion[1]. Bleeding, and its consequences, not only affects performance negatively, it is a risk to the horse’s health and general well-being and should not be ignored. In addition, researchers at Michigan State University believe that every time a horse exercises, not just during a race, the pressure goes up in its lungs enough to stretch veins, causing the veins to remodel. Severe remodeling leads to rerouting of blood to nearby areas thus raising the pressure there. Rood & Riddle to Hold Sport Horse Educational Symposium during 2011 Alltech National Horse Show
The symposium will highlight a range of veterinary topics impacting sport horses of all disciplines and levels. Talks will include “How Dentistry Affects Performance” by Brad Tanner, DVM; “Neck and Back Dysfunction” by Alex Emerson, DVM; “Hind Limb Pain and the Use of Stem Cells” by Scott Hopper, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS and partner at Rood & Riddle; “Shoeing for Performance” by Vern Dryden, DVM, CJF and “Nutritional Supplements for Sport Horses” by Steve Elliott, Global Product Director at Alltech. The symposium will be moderated by Chris Newton, DVM, partner at Rood & Riddle. Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital is the official veterinarian, farrier and pharmacy of the Alltech National Horse Show, which is making its first appearance in Lexington, Kentucky this year. The 128-year-old show features a number of prestigious hunter and jumper classes, including the Double H Farm $75,000 International Grand Prix on the evening of the symposium. What You Must Know about Equine Posture, by Karen Gellman, DVM, PhD
Gravity. It’s not just a good idea… it’s the law! This goes for horses and dogs as well as people. Pretty much all activity on earth is influenced by gravity, and the forces generated by gravity are the primary source of most athletic injury. However, most injuries aren’t caused by running or jumping, as you would think. They actually originate with how the person or animal uses their body while standing. In horses, this is especially critical, because they spend 20-22 hours a day standing: standing and eating, standing and sleeping or just plain standing. What goes into posture? Tip of the Week – Colic or Diarrhea
Horses may have colic without diarrhea, diarrhea without colic, and colic with diarrhea, depending on the cause. Colic is defined as acute abdominal pain. Colic does not indicate the cause, location, or source of the abdominal pain. Diarrhea is defined as passage of fecal material that has increased water content. There are many types and causes of colic such as: ulcers, dysbiosis (imbalance of good and bad bacteria and yeast), leaky gut syndrome, gas distension, obstruction/impaction, intestinal twists, hernias, foreign bodies, parasites, toxins, medications, infections (bacterial, fungal, and viral), spasms, and more. There are also many possible causes of diarrhea such as: ulcers/dysbiosis/leaky gut syndrome, parasites, toxins, infections (bacterial, fungal, and viral), medications (NSAIDs/antibiotics), cancer, and more. Tip of the Week – How to Make a Horse Sweat
Initially when you talk about how to make a horse sweat it sounds much like leading a horse to water. So I’ll make it clear: this simple protocol may or may not work for your horse but it has proven to work for many others. In the least, I hope it will provide direction in case you find your horse slipping into symptoms of anhidrosis. This tip is not completely about anhidrosis because that is a tip in its own right. However, if your horse exhibits continued instances of non-sweating a diagnosis of anhidrosis may be around the corner. As with any abnormal body response early detection and treatment is key. Anhidrosis is also known as the “non-sweating disease.” In the early stages you may see horses panting heavily, even beyond cessation of work. Visually there will be very little, patchy or no sweat as well as an elevated pulse and increased body temperature. If you witness these symptoms immediate veterinarian care is recommended. Sweating is how the body cools itself. Thus the initial protocol is to provide means of cooling the horse with a cool mist of water or sponging, fans, shade and exposure to a breeze/wind. For preventative care balanced minerals, vitamins and electrolytes need to be incorporated into the diet. Tip of the Week – Platelet Rich Plasma = PRP
PRP stands for Platelet Rich Plasma, or blood plasma with concentrated platelet content. Platelets are derived from stem cells in the patient’s bone marrow. As platelets come into contact with the damaged collagen and endothelial cells, a fibrin clot forms and growth factors are recruited and released. Two growth factors are of particular interest in dealing with orthopedic injuries. Platelets release transforming growth factor beta and platelet derived growth factor upon activation at an injured site. These growth factors and others act synergistically to enhance access of healthy inflammatory cells to the area of tissue injury, formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), formation of new connective tissue (fibroplasia) and regeneration of injured tissues. Injection of PRP is a recommended treatment option for both sub-acute and chronic tendon and ligament injuries. Certain arthroscopic procedures are also incorporating the use of PRP in equine surgery. Tip of the Week – Horses May Benefit from Adult Derived Stem Cells
Equine tendon, ligament, and joint injuries are some of the most frequently seen problems in clinical veterinary practice. These lead to joint instability, degenerative joint disease, and reduced performance. Osteoarthritis is one of the main causes of lameness in horses and involves the deterioration of joint cartilage leading to pain and inflammation. Conventional therapies involve intra-articular medications such as hyaluronic acid and/or steroids, rest, shockwave therapy, Polysulfated glycosaminoglycans, hyaluronic acid, IRAP and PRP. Adult derived stem cells are a relatively new means of treating acute and chronic tendon injuries, suspensory and collateral ligament injuries and osteoarthritis in horses. Adult derived stem cells are concentrated and autologous to the patients in which they are used. Research is ongoing pertaining to how stem cells offer regeneration of injured tissues. The process begins either by the collection and storage of umbilical cord blood in a foal or by harvesting 50 grams of adipose tissue (fat) or 20-40 cc of bone marrow from the sternum or hip under standing sedation in adults. These samples are in turn sent overnight to commercial laboratories where they are processed for pleuripotent stem cells. These initial cells are then cultured in a lab and expanded to produce 5 to 30 million cells for injection back into the patient depending on the injury being treated and patient’s age and relative health. Stem cells are injected back into an injured joint or ligament or tendon with ultrasound guidance when needed or after arthroscopy if appropriate. Additional stem cells can be cryo-preserved dependent on the initial cell yield and used for subsequent regenerative therapy treatments. Get more info at www.alpinehospital.com. This tip was brought to you by Chuck Maker, DVM (www.alpinehospital.com) and KAM Animal Services, home of KAM’s “Equine Learning Circle” FREE webinars, which take place monthly. These webinars are an expansion of KAM’s weekly tips. Go to www.kamanimalservices.com to sign up for the next webinar. The FREE webinars will conclude with a question and answer session, so be ready with your questions. |
RALEIGH – The neurologic form of equine herpesvirus, EHV-1, has been confirmed in a North Carolina horse. The horse, from a Rockingham County stable, was taken to the College of Veterinary Medicine at N.C. State University upon becoming ill, and directly quarantined to the equine isolation unit of the hospital.
It is almost impossible to imagine that these large muscular creatures we call horses get most of their energy from sugar. In my neck of the woods, I have not seen protein shakes for horses nor chicken tenders, though one of my clients does feed his horse chicken nuggets on occasion.
Most evidence indicates EIPH in horses is caused by extra high blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation during exercise causing capillaries to rupture, vein remodeling and further damage when blood leaks into healthy lung tissue. Now there’s an effective, natural treatment that can restore healthy blood pressure and prevent bleeding completely: an electrolyte-balancing patch marketed under the trade name “Equiwinner”.
Lexington, KY – October 21, 2011 – Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital will hold an educational symposium for horsemen on sport horse health entitled “Achieving Peak Performance – A Whole Horse Approach” on Thursday, November 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. The seminar will be held in the North Exhibit Hall of the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park, and will be free to ticket holders for Alltech National Horse Show events on that evening.
