equine newsletter · off your boots, jumpers and coats and start to prepare for the colder months....

Autumn 2019

www.galedinvet.com/equine 01361 883742 Galedin Veterinary-Equine, Cheeklaw Veterinary Centre, Station Road, Duns, TD11 3HS

“

”

Equine Newsletter

01361 [email protected]

Galedin Veterinary - Equine Cheeklaw Veterinary CentreStation RoadDunsBerwickshireTD11 3HS

Hello and welcome to the Autumn edition of our newsletter. We hope you have all had a wonderful Summer enjoying your horses.

Autumn is on its way, and there has definitely been a change in weather over the last few weeks. So now would be a good time to dust off your boots, jumpers and coats and start to prepare for the colder months.

In this issue we give you tips on keeping your horse fit and healthy throughout the Autumn months. From nutrition to worming, clipping to exercising, we have got it covered.

Autumn brings darker evenings as the nights draw in which can decrease visibility on the roads. In this issue, we offer some advise for horse riders and motorists to keep you safe on the roads.

We are heading into the firework season and this can be a very worrying time for horse owners. Planning and preparation is key in keeping your horse safe and calm. We have put together some tips to help keep your horse safe.

As we go into the Autumn months we also need to be aware of our horses grazing next to sycamore trees. Find out the facts about Atypical Myopathy - from how vets diagnose this potentially fatal disease, to treatment and helpful hints in preventing this terrible disease.

Out & about this Summer

Did you see any of our team at The Royal Highland Show, held back in June?

Some of you may have spotted Yvette and Gavin competing their horse Axel in the Novice Open Hunter Class. Ryan and Tess where also their competing with their donkey Tina, who came third in the Mares class.

Scottish Fire & Rescue

We were recently called out to a horse that had managed to get itself stuck in a small stream. The owner did exactly the right thing in keeping their horse calm, whilst arranging help with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and a local farmer.

With the help of some rescue slings, we were able to anaesthetise the horse, gently sliding it out of the river, followed by a successful recovery in a local field.

We’re pleased to say that both horse and owner recovered well and are doing fine.

We want to thank the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for their efforts and hard work, you are all heroes!


GALEDIN EQUINE

Equine Educational Evening

We are looking forward to hosting an Equine Educational Evening on ‘The Coughing Horse’, which is being held on Wednesday 18th September 2019 at Cross Keys Hotel , Kelso (Dickson Room), from 7pm - 8.30pm. To book your FREE place, or for more information, please call our reception team on 01361 883742, or contact via email at [email protected]. Places are limited! Refreshments will be provided. The evening is kindly sponsored by Boehringer-Ingelheim.

This FREE 60 minute presentation focuses on respiratory disease in horses.

Come along to find out about:• What is normal for a healthy horse• Recognise abnormal clinical signs – how

healthy indicators can change when a horse has respiratory disease and what this might mean.

• Why horses cough – every cough means something

• How to treat and prevent respiratory disease

‘The Coughing Horse’

Be Safe & SeenHorse riding is becoming an ever-increasing leisure sport, with more and more horse riders hacking on the roads. Most do not choose to ride on the road, but for many this is unavoidable.

Sadly, there is an increasing number of incidents between horses and vehicles. As we are all aware, horses can be unpredictable and so it is vital that all riders and vehicles know how to remain safe around horses, on the roads. All road users have a legal duty of care for other road users – see the Highway Code:

www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-about-animals-horse-riders

www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/other-road-users

Advice for horse riders

• Wear Hi-Viz clothing for you and your horse no matter what time of day, or what time of year• Wear approved protective headgear• Always make sure you are alert• Use the correct hand signals• Smile and say thank you - a nod or a hand signal • Be confident to give your horse confidence• Always ride single file, never ride two abreast

Advice for drivers

• Be alert, horses can be unpredictable • Please slow down when approaching, passing and drive slowly away• Whilst overtaking, give the horse plenty of room• Do not sound your horn or rev your engine• Be patient and only pass when it is safe to do so

At the end of the talk you will have the opportunity to ask questions.


GALEDIN EQUINE

• Find out the details of local displays & alert the organisers that you have horses nearby

• If possible stable your horse or if they are more settled in a paddock leave them out

• If your horse needs to stay out, scatter hay around the field to keep them occupied

• Check the fencing in your field is secure and there are no protruding nails

• Add bright coloured tape or old CD’s to your fencing, this will make your horse aware of the fence

• A treat ball may help to keep your horse occupied

• A plastic mirror on the wall in the stable can make the horse calmer, thinking it has company

• Music is also a good option to reduce the sound of fireworks

• Check your horse throughout the evening

• Any concerns, please speak to your vet for advice in keeping your horse calm

• After the fireworks check the field for used fireworks as they could cause injury

We are coming up to firework season so here are a few tips to reduce your horse’s anxiety:

FIREWORK SEASON


GALEDIN EQUINE

Preparing your horse for Autumn

Autumn is the season of beautiful colours but with it comes cooler temperatures and darker nights. Here are our top tips on keeping your horse fit and healthy through the Autumn months.

Autumn nutrition Frequently, as we enter the Autumnal months, we can become a little complacent with regards to grazing due to the disappearance of Spring/Summer grass. However, Autumn remains an ‘at-risk’ time of year for ultimately the year-round problem of laminitis. Last year, we saw a particularly high incidence of laminitis during the Autumn & Winter months. Therefore, ongoing vigilance with regards to weight & diet is required.

For overweight horses/ponies, grazing should be restricted and the recommendation is to limit time at grass, to graze on a bare paddock & to utilise a grazing muzzle. Whilst stabled, these horses & ponies may be offered soaked hay. Hay should ideally be soaked for 8-12 hours prior to feeding; however, in warm weather when soaking for this duration of time, hay can become rancid so soaking for a shorter duration of time is recommended. Hay should be double netted to slow ingestion time. If possible, nets should be suspended from the roof in the middle of the stable, again to slow ingestion speed.

If restricting the quantity of hay fed for weight loss purposes, feeding 1.5% of the horse/pony’s body weight, in kilos of hay weighed dry, per day, is recommended as a starting point. For a 500kg horse, this would equate to 7.5kg/day. If the horse/pony has access to grass, a smaller hay requirement will apply and the quantity required will ultimately depend on the duration of time at grass, quality of grazing etc.

Hay should be fed little and often to ensure that the horse or pony is not going for prolonged periods of time without access to fibre. If feeding hard feeds, low starch/sugar feeds should be utilised such as a low-calorie balancer and light chaff.

If making changes to your horse or pony’s diet, please do so gradually over a period of a couple of weeks to allow the gut microbes to adapt to the new diet and in turn, reduce gastrointestinal upsets including episodes of colic. Exercise is as important as diet for weight loss so should not be forgotten.

StablingIf your horse has been out 24/7 all Summer, make sure the transition to stabling is gradual so they can adjust to the change in routine. Start with short periods of stabling, gradually increasing the time spent in the stable, over a period of weeks. A useful tip: If you find your horse is not drinking much water from its stable, try using the water supply from the field your horse has been drinking from all Summer.


GALEDIN EQUINE

Rug washingNow is the time to get out your winter rugs and accessories for a clean and to check for any repairs they may need.

ExercisingWhen exercising your horse during the colder months, warm your horse up and cool him down properly. Long hours in the stable may make your horse stiff and the colder weather means muscles take longer to get going properly.

Dental check upHave your horse’s teeth checked to ensure they are healthy and that there are no underlying issues that may prevent them from chewing properly. As you know hay is a little tougher to chew than grass.

Clipping The colder months are approaching us which means horses will start growing their woolly coats. Most people who exercise their horses over the winter months tend to have their horses clipped to minimise sweating and ensure they dry quicker. Prior to clipping, make sure you have your clippers serviced to make sure they are in good working order. As we all know horses can be unpredictable and can easily kick whilst being clipped. Many horses therefore require sedation for clipping. This can be administered through an oral syringe (Sedalin or Domosdean Gel) which can be given by the owner, or alternatively sedation can be given by the vet via intravenous injection.

Autumn wormingTargeted worming involves dosing horses only as and when necessary, depending on results of faecal worm egg counts. However, some parasites such as encysted small redworm and tapeworm need to be treated during the autumn and winter months.

Equine tapeworms which are wide and flat white worms, are between 1-1.5 inches long, and can affect horses of all ages. Some affected horses may not show any clinical signs, while others, especially those with significant burdens, can develop ill-thrift, enteritis & colic.

At this time, we have two diagnostic tests available for tapeworm. The more established test is a blood test, which can be facilitated by your veterinary surgeon. The more recently developed test is a saliva test (EquiSal Tapeworm Saliva Test), which can be performed by yourself. A tape wormer should be administered if results indicate tape worming is required.

Ultimately, we should all practice responsible worming, in order to prevent the development of resistance to the wormers available to us. Therefore, diagnostic testing should be performed to determine if administration of a wormer is required or not, prior to administration.

If choosing not to perform diagnostic testing for tapeworm, then a ‘tape wormer’ should be administered once yearly. Praziquantel (at a single dose) or pyrantel (at a double dose) are the tape wormers available to us at this time. Most wormers for tapeworm are combination products and also provide cover for roundworm +/- small encysted redworm. Equitape, a tapeworm specific wormer containing praziquantel only, has recently been withdrawn from the market. However, we are now able to obtain an alternate praziquantel-only product. For further information, please call us.

Another worm you will need to attack at this time of year is encysted small redworm. The larvae tend to ‘hibernate’ in the gut wall of the horse, over-wintering on as small cysts which then emerge in spring time. Treating in the Autumn will significantly reduce the number of larvae forming cysts and hence decrease potential disease and also reduce the shedding of eggs onto your pastures next spring.

Symptoms of redworm infection are weight loss, diarrhoea and colic. All horses older than six months old should be given a wormer which will treat encysted small redworm for autumn/winter time.

www.galedinvet.com/equine 01361 883742 Galedin Veterinary-Equine, Cheeklaw Veterinary Centre, Station Road, Duns, TD11 3HS www.galedinvet.com/equine 01361 883742 Galedin Veterinary-Equine, Cheeklaw Veterinary Centre, Station Road, Duns, TD11 3HS www.galedinvet.com/equine 01361 883742 Galedin Veterinary-Equine, Cheeklaw Veterinary Centre, Station Road, Duns, TD11 3HS


GALEDIN EQUINE

Atypical MyopathyDuring the Autumn months, vets see a significant rise in Atypical Myopathy.

Affecting horses in the UK and Northern Europe, this potentially fatal disease results in muscle damage and particularly affects the muscles that enable the horse to stand, the muscles that allow breathing and the heart muscle. Affected horses show signs of weakness, trembling and pain, and may become recumbent (lying down). Even with intensive veterinary treatment, severely affected horses often die. However, with prompt treatment cases can recover very quickly.

Confirming the disease is essentialVets may suspect a diagnosis of atypical myopathy on the basis of their clinical examination and the horse’s recent grazing history. The presence of muscle damage can be confirmed by measuring levels of enzymes, such as creatine kinase (CK), in the blood that are released from damaged muscle cells. Very early sampling might not show the extent of the damage as it takes a number of hours for levels to peak.

One of the most reliable signs is the presence of red or brown urine. There are very few diseases that will cause this to occur and if a horse has signs of atypical myopathy, and has been grazing near Sycamore trees, then the presence of red/brown urine is as good as proof that the horse has the disease.

What can be done to treat atypical myopathy? It is a common misconception that the disease always results in death. However, the chances of survival are 50:50 at best so it is vitally important that treatment is thorough and starts immediately. Horses often get worse for 24-48 hours before they start to improve so even if the signs are mild, transport to a hospital should be considered, whilst it is still possible. In order to protect the kidneys from damage large quantities of fluids have to be given and for this to be achieved effectively hospitalisation is required.

The dark colour is caused by the presence of muscle pigment (myoglobin) which is released from damaged muscle cells into the blood and is then removed by the kidneys.

Fluids are also important because horses with atypical myopathy tend to become very dehydrated. Effective fluid therapy requires 24/7 nursing care. Atypical myopathy cases often become exceedingly painful and within a hospital it is possible to give infusions of powerful painkillers and anaesthetic drugs which cannot reasonably be administered anywhere else.

Supplementary vitamins and minerals have been shown in one study to be helpful in the treatment of atypical myopathy. In particular carnitine, vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 might support the function of muscle cells. Vitamins C and E might be useful as anti-oxidants. Reported mortality rates of clinical cases have ranged from 40% to 100% and vary from year to year. Most affected horses that are alive 5 days after the start of clinical signs are likely to recover. Initially recovery is slow, but most affected horses that recover go on to make a complete recovery and return to work with no long-term effects of the disease.

How can I prevent Atypical Myopathy in my horses?Currently, sycamore seeds and to a lesser extent leaves, are the only known source of the toxin that causes the disease; however it remains possible that the toxin may be found elsewhere. To our knowledge, every UK case has been linked with the European Sycamore. There is often concern over other members of the Acer family. Although thorough investigations of all tree species have not been performed, it appears as though some other North American and Japanese Acers (or Maples) that are grown as garden trees and shrubs can produce the toxin; however Acer Campestre or the “Field Maple” which is common in hedgerows does not appear to produce the toxin.

When a case is seen or suspected, then field mates should be removed from the pasture and blood tested to see whether they too have muscle damage and could be developing the disease. Provision of antioxidants, B vitamins and amino acid supplements may be worthwhile in these cases. Unfortunately outbreaks of disease are common.

Fluids are important for horse’s with

Atypical Myopathy



GALEDIN

The European sycamore tree has been identified as the most likely source ofhypoglycin A

• Muscle soreness • Stiffness • Muscle tremors • Weakness • Lethargy • Fast or laboured breathing • Reluctance to work • Red or brown urine • Choke • Whinnying • Head tossing or low head

carriage• Fast or irregular heart beat • Sudden death

Signs of Atypical Myopathy

• Checking fields carefully for sycamore leaves and seeds

• Fencing off areas where sycamore seeds and leaves have fallen

• Hoover-up/pick up sycamore seeds off the pasture

• Turning horses out horses for shorter periods

• Provide extra forage (hay or haylage) especially where pasture is poor or grazing is tight

• Reducing stocking density so there is plenty of good grazing for every horse

How to prevent your horse from getting Atypical Myopathy

It is a common misconception that the disease always results in death!

“

”

GALEDINGALEDIN EQUINE


GALEDIN EQUINE

What is the problem here?Nail in the heel of the foot- solar penetration!What structure do the arrows highlight? Deep digital flexor tendon

Because the nail did not go into the deep digital flexor tendon or any other synovial structures (joints or bursae) surgery was not required in this case.

Poulticing and antimicrobial treatment was all that was required.

Staff Spotlight - Elise RobertsWhen did you qualify?

I qualified from vet

school in June 2019.

Any other

qualifications?

Bachelor of animal

science from

the University of

Nottingham.

When did you qualify?Equine orthopaedics and surgery. I also have a particular interest in equine sports and racing medicine since spending my summers on busy racing yards in North Yorkshire.

Best aspect of working at Galedin?

A very supportive team

that work together so

well.

Career highlight?Receiving positive

feedback from clients is always really appreciated.

Hobbies?Trampolining, horse riding and cycling.

3 most favourite

things?

My family, my friends

and exploring/travelling

to new places.

Favourite food?

Macaroni cheese!


equine newsletter · off your boots, jumpers and coats and start to prepare for the colder months....

Documents