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NEWS January 2013

Contact us:

CALDEW

VETERINARY HOSPITAL Carlisle House, Townhead Road, Dalston, Carlisle CA5 7JF Tel: 01228 710208 vets@paragonvet.com

TOWNHEAD VETERINARY CENTRE Newbiggin, Stainton, Penrith, CA11 0HT Tel: 01768 483789 townhead@paragonvet.com

LONDON ROAD SURGERY 87 London Road Carlisle CA1 2LG Tel: 01228 591005

Liver Fluke - Are horses at risk?

by

Sam Harding Liver Fluke (Fasciola Hepatica) is a parasite that causes damage to the liver with the majority of outbreaks in sheep and cattle seen in early/mid winter. Th e life cycle of fl uke is complicated involving a mud snail. Temperature and moisture levels in the current and previous year have a major impact on fl uke populations. Th e wet summer of 2012 - throughout the whole of the UK - has seen

fl uke diagnosed in areas where it had never been seen before. Horses and donkeys co-grazing with infected cattle or sheep on wet pasture could be at risk. Diagnosis is diffi cult, as no single reliable test exists for horses. Finding fl uke eggs in faecal samples is diagnostic but a negative result is unreliable as liver damage can occur before adults reach maturity. Blood samples show infl ammatory response of the liver, but other causes of liver disease such as viruses, fungal toxins and ragwort poisoning will have similar profi les. Th e antibody blood test for farm animals has not been validated for horses. A single (off -license) drug treatment can be given to the suspicious cases, but discussion with your vet fi rst is appropriate.

PARAGON EQUINE TALK We are hosting another of our very popular equine talks

on Friday 1st February at Newbiggin Village Hall, starting at 7pm.

Th e guest speaker for 2013 is Debbie Archer, Senior Lecturer in Equine Soft Tissue Surgery at the University of Liverpool. She will give a presentation about Equine Colic on behalf of BEVA.

Paragon Senior Equine Vet Paul May will present an ‘Update on Grass Sickness’

Th e evening is free and refreshments will be provided. A raffl e will be held in aid of the BEVA trust.

Please let us know if you are coming along for catering numbers.

Tel 017684 83789

www.paragonvet.com

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LICE AND MITES

By Lucy Shaw RVN

Lice and mites are small insects that live by drinking the horse’s blood.• Horses can be affected by both biting and sucking lice.• Lice can make your horse very itchy, making them scratch a lot, causing bald patches, rubbing their mane out, or making the skin sore.• Lice are visible if you look closely where the hair meets the skin. You can also see lice eggs, small white dots that

stick to each hair. They are a bit like nits. • Lice usually affect the areas around the mane, forelock, neck and the base of the tail.• Horses are commonly affected by lice during winter or early spring, but can get them all year round.• Horses can catch lice from each other, rugs and grooming equipment. • You can buy lice repellent powders, but if your horse already has lice you will need a vet to check them,

and then give you a treatment.

MITES • Mites tend to affect legs with plenty of feather. • They can cause great irritation and if your horse is stamping his feet, chewing his legs or rubbing his

legs against stable doors etc it’s often a telltale sign of mites. • The clinical signs of itchy legs in a horse with feathers is usually enough to make a diagnosis, but

brushings of the hair can be taken for examination under the microscope.• Badly affected horses often have thickened skin and scabs, particularly around the pasterns. Some

develop bleeding sores and secondary bacterial infection which can cause lameness and swollen legs. • Some mites can cause itchiness and skin lesions elsewhere on the body such as the face and neck. • Lesions elsewhere on the body may be subjected to a skin scrape to obtain samples for examination

under the microscope. • Both Lice and mites are treatable. If you think your horse might have lice or mites contact the practice

for further advice.

NURSE CLINIC

Just a reminder that cases of Equine Influenza have been confirmed in Durham, Northumberland and the Borders.We advise your horses are regularly vaccinated once, in some cases twice a year, against Equine Flu.If your horse is showing signs of flu, call your Vet as soon as possible. If they suspect flu, they will take a swab from inside your horse’s nose and send it to the Animal Health Trust (AHT) where it will be tested for flu free of charge (excluding postage).

Vets have been asked to remain vigilant after a case of Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) was confirmed in Gloucestershire. EVA is transmitted through mating, semen, or contact with an aborted foetus. Coughing and snorting can also spread the disease, but it can’t spread to humans.No treatment is available. Clinical signs include: abortions, fever, depression, lethargy, stiffness, conjunctivitis and swelling of the lower leg.Anyone suspecting the disease must immediately notify the duty vet at their local AHVLA office.For more information visit: www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/a-z/equine-viral-arteritis

Equine News Update .....