Newsletter – February 2002

We are coming to the end of an era – Maureen who has worked for John for over 13 years is retiring at the end of the month and is moving back to Cumbria. We shall all miss her dreadfully. In 1990 when John decided to give up general practice and concentrate on equine matters she came with us to Spring Paddocks as our only member of staff – this has now increased by 5 lay staff and 2 vets. She has worked tirelessly for the good of the practice and for many is the voice on the end of the phone. She will be very hard to replace but hopefully we shall not lose touch as she has become a good friend to us all, as well as match maker, fashion advisor, and agony aunt!!

Other lay staff changes:
Charlotte Moore arrived in October to take over in Reception from Joules who has gone to work for the BSJA. Charlotte is now a valued member of the team. She is a qualified BHS AI, owns and competes on her own horse and has a degree in Equine Studies.

Worming Programme

Many of you will have seen a new wormer advertised – EQUIMAX – it is the first wormer to kill all the major parasites, including tapeworm, in a single dose. It is an apple flavoured paste containing Ivermectin (the same drug that is in Eqvalan & Furexel) which is still a very effective wormer, with no known resistance in this area and praziquantel, which is effective against tapeworms, the presence of which can cause colic. It is recommended that EQUIMAX be given in a single dose twice a year in APRIL & OCTOBER, followed by 8-10 weeks later by a routine horse wormer. It has demonstrated high safety margins in all horses including breeding mares, stallions and foals. It is not however recommended for foals under 2 weeks of age.

If anyone has any queries please do not hesitate to telephone the surgery or collect our latest worming programme which incorporates this new product.

There is also a new test available which requires a blood sample to assess the presence of tapeworm. This can be carried out at any time, so how about asking for it at the time of routine vaccination.

Laminitis Laminitis has been a problem throughout the winter. It does not seem to be confined to small fat ponies but increasingly larger horses seem to be succumbing to it. We have found that using FOUNDERGUARD as a supplement in susceptible horses and ponies very beneficial. It is a product imported from Australia under licence and contains a special formulation of the antibiotic viginiamycin, which will help prevent an attack of the carbohydrate overload type of laminitis. If you feel your horse/pony would benefit, especially with the chance of spring grass appearing, please contact the surgery as we have to apply for a special VMD licence to obtain it on your behalf. Older horses and ponies that show chronic lameness, or have had a dose of laminitis and seem to have got over it but are still showing signs of intermittent lameness may have a condition known as Cushings syndrome. There are various tests that can be carried out, and these are becoming more specific and informative. Treatment is available, with varying success, but may well be worth a try if there is a chance of remission. Shockwave Therapy We have had considerable success, using this state of the art machine, in treating various orthopaedic conditions, tendon and ligament injuries, and splints. More indications are being discovered all the time at research centers including a treatment for bone spavins and navicular disease where chronic cases have gone into remission after treatment. Its is also being used increasingly for back problems such as kissing spines and may be an answer to some behaviour problems which appear to involve back pain.

Strangles Strangles has caused many problems this winter. Remember it is a highly contagious respiratory infection and everyone must still be vigilant as the shows and competitions start up again. Strangles is caused by a bacteria known as Streptococcus equi. The incubation period is usually about 1 week and the first signs are depression, fever and anorexia, followed by a nasal discharge and swollen lymph nodes which later develop into abscesses. The normal course of the disease is 10-14 days during which rupture and drainage of the matured abscesses occurs. Resolution usually takes 3-6 weeks but may be longer in sever cases or those with complications. Unfortunately antibiotics can sometimes be counterproductive. Suspect cases need to be isolated immediately and a vet consulted for advice on treatment and to confirm the diagnosis. A factsheet is available from the surgery should you require any further information. Mobile telephones All of the vets carry mobile phones and you are of course welcome to try them but please remember that these can be an unreliable method of communication. If the Veterinary Surgeon is off duty or away these are likely to be switched off. It is therefore important that all calls and queries are directed through the office so that continuity can be maintained and calls booked in at a sensible time. All the client information, case histories, lab results etc, are kept at the clinic, so it is often better for a message to be left with the office staff and for the Veterinary Surgeon concerned to phone the client back with all the information required to hand.

Infertility

Are you thinking of breeding from your mare this season? Remember this can be an expensive business and sometimes can result in the mare not being foal at the end of it.

In order to have a successful outcome it is advisable to have the mare examined by one of our Veterinary Surgeons to assess breeding potential. This may include a rectal examination, ultrasound scanning, clitoral and cervical swabs and an endometrial biopsy. None of these procedures are particularly invasive, including the biopsy, but can give a great deal of information to the vet.

This is especially important if your mare failed to conceive last year. This may have been for a variety of reasons, both external and internal, but it is important to investigate the reasons and examine the mare sooner rather than later. If she has uterine problems, these can then be pinpointed and she can be treated and allowed to recover before breeding commences.

Remember to find out which swabs/tests the stud you have chosen requires, so that these can be done in good time – some can be done quite quickly, others can only be done when the mare is in season, and others take over a week to get a result. The stud season is short so time is of the essence.
For those wanting specific information on breeding there is a revised “Breeding Newsletter” available from the surgery.

Artificial Insemination

Remember we are a registered AI center for both chilled and frozen semen.

Artificial Insemination is becoming increasingly popular as more and more sporthorse stallions are being used for breeding. Frozen semen can be stored, or chilled/fresh semen collected and transported that day, from top showjumpers and dressage horses, enabling them to carry on competing at a high level whilst passing on their superior genes to the next generation!

To obtain satisfactory results from AI with frozen semen, mares need to be admitted to our clinic for one week so that they can be scanned on a regular basis and inseminated at the optimum time. While we can help, it obviously remains your responsibility to choose a suitable stallion, order the semen and arrange transport etc.

Newborn foals

It is advisable to have your mare checked post foaling, firstly to make sure that the placenta has been delivered intact and secondly to check that there are no tears or problems which may induce infertility.

The foal must also be examined to check that meconium is being passed, that it is suckling properly etc. If you are worried that your foal may not have suckled adequately in those crucial first few hours of life or that your mare’s colostrums is of poor quality, we can run a very quick and simple test on a blood sample to check if the foal has had adequate colostrums (which contains antibodies vital to resist infection).

Finding this out early and taking the appropriate measures can be paramount in preventing your foal from developing septic joints and other serious infectious diseases.

Remember that a Pre-foaling Tetanus Booster given to your mare during the last month of pregnancy, which passes immunity on to your foal for the first few weeks of life.

Passports The rural affairs minister, Mr. Alun Michael, announced that, by law, all horses and ponies should have passports by December 31st 2003. Owners and keepers of horses and ponies which are not currently registered will be required to register these animals with one of the appropriate approved equine organisations. New extended passports will be issued which will require all veterinary medicines administered to be recorded.

Micro-chipping Weatherbys who hold one of the largest registers of horses require that all thoroughbred foals be implanted with a microchip. The microchip constitutes a permanent tamperproof form of identification – although easily implanted they are extremely difficult to remove, and they facilitate long term traceability of these horses. We feel that in time, especially with the requirement for every equine to hold a passport and be identified, identichips will, more than likely, become compulsory for all horses. For this reason we are currently investigating a cheaper source of microchips which will enable us to pass on discounts to clients. We would probably have to purchase these chips in bulk and would therefore give greater discounts to yards/individuals who presented a larger numbers of equines to be microchipped on the same day. So discuss tris opportunity with others in your yard and telephone for a quote.

Vaccinations

We shall continue to remind clients of due vaccinations wherever possible, but remember it remains your responsibility if these are missed so please check your records regularly. If your vaccination has not been entered/invoiced on our computer it will not generate a reminder.
Some of you may have read about a new Flu/EHV1,4 combined vaccination called Resequin, this is now readily available. As far as we can ascertain, it is going to be primarily useful for youngsters going into training especially as 2-3 year olds where boosting of immunity from EHV1,4 needs to be at its greatest. This vaccine needs to be given every 6 months, but as the current research for immunity against flu no longer requires vaccination every 6 months we feel that this is overdoing it for the normal riding/sporthorse. It is also not suitable for pregnant mares that need a different regime of vaccination.

Why should I vaccinate my horse against EHV1,4?

1. EHV1,4 virus is very debilitating and can cause extensive times of lay off during the competing season
2. Can cause abortion
3. Can cause paralysis/death in extreme cases

There is a single dose of EHV1,4 vaccine available which after the initial 2 doses needs boosting every 6 months and has shown to be very effective in yards where there have been recurrent problems with viral disease. It is also suitable for pregnant mares when it is given at the 5th, 7th and 9th months of pregnancy.

For further information please contact the surgery.

A plea to horse owners visiting the clinic!!

If you have an appointment booked for one horse and want to bring a second, that is fine, but please let us know as soon as possible so that we can allow adequate time and not inconvenience those with later appointments by keeping them waiting.

Please let us know as soon as possible (even if you are on the way and delayed in traffic) if you are going to be late for an appointment or need to cancel. On a busy day it is not only frustrating for the vets to be hanging around waiting, but it also means that they are then late for calls/appointments for the rest of the day.

Repeat Prescriptions

Please be aware that regulations place strict legal restrictions on the supply of POMs (prescription only medicines) which include painkillers and antibiotics. POM medicines may only be prescribed by Veterinary Surgeons to animals under their care. This means that the Veterinary Surgeons must have seen and diagnosed the horse’s problem before any such medication may be dispensed and that they must be in regular touch with that horse. “Regular”, according to the inspectorate, means that we should have seen and reassessed that horse within at least the last 6 months for chronic cases, and immediately beforehand for a new case. As the lay staff are not allowed, by law, to dispense these medicines without a vet’s permission, please bear with them and understand the reasons why you may have to wait while permission is sought, or you are reminded that an appointment needs to be made before further medication can be dispensed.

Insurance

Horse and pony ownership is a costly business and carries with it a weight of responsibility, whether your involvement is purely pleasure, is competitive or commercial. Insurance is a service. It exists to help protect you the owner against unpredictable costs. Every insurance company works in a slightly different way and it is up to you to read the small print and discover what cover they are offering. It is often not the initial visit that is expensive but the follow-up investigation and treatment that can be a drawn out process and run into considerable expense. The better companies may charge a marginally higher premium but will repay that investment should you ever need to make a claim. By dealing with one of the top flight companies and by insuring that you have taken out veterinary fee cover, for preferably at least £5,000, you should have done all that you can to protect your investment and, more importantly, your horse.

But please note:

1. It is your responsibility to pay our account not the Insurance Company’s. Our contract is with you and it is your responsibility to provide us with the necessary forms to fill in, for you to claim the money back from the insurance company. We will of course help in any way by cooperating with the insurance company and providing them with the information they require to settle the claim.
2. Most insurance companies demand that you pay an excess, which varies from company to company. Remember that it is your responsibility to pay this amount, together with any other exempt amounts such as hospitalisation fees etc.
3. If you want to claim physio/corrective farriery fees, make sure that the Veterinary Surgeon has included these recommendations in his case notes so that the insurance company is aware that they are appertaining to the current condition.