News / Updates
New approach to worm control.
We have noted increasing numbers of reports in the veterinary press demonstrating that resistance is starting to develop to our currently used anthelmintics at an alarming rate. Furthermore there are no new 'wonder wormers' over the horizon. The concept of strategic dosing to control worms (ie. worming all the horses in a given yard at the same time, regardless of their individual worm burdens, at fixed intervals and rotating regularly between active ingredients) is very difficult to defend anymore. Research indicates most of our clients are wasting their money by treating horses that are 'not particularly wormy' or because they are using products that no longer work effectively.
As a rule of thumb approximately 80% of the pasture infection with worm eggs comes from 20% of the horses in any given yard. These individuals must be identified and treated to minimise pasture contamination. This can easily be achieved by fecal worm egg counts. Worms have a life cycle, (ie. they must spend part of their life on the pasture). This is to enable to eggs to hatch and for the larvae to moult into the infective and highly resistant 'third stage larvae'. Under ideal conditions this takes a period of three to four days. This means that if you pick up the droppings at least TWICE weekly (ideally daily!) we can effectively break this cycle. Please note this only prevents reinfection of the grassland, any existing contamination will have to be worked through the system.
Current recommendations
Keep all horses in small groups and pick up the droppings at least TWICE weekly.
Get a fecal worm egg count from all new horses as part of the isolation process, treat any horse with a count greater than 150, (retest 10-14 days later to ensure that it has worked).
Take fecal worm egg counts from all horses in the yard four times a year, (eg. March, June, September, and December).
Treat any horse with an egg count greater than 150 with an effective wormer and retest later (as above).
Accurately calculate your horse's weight before treatment and make sure that he doesn't spit it out subsequently. Under dosing is a major contributor to the development of resistance.
Many people advise blood testing in the early Autumn for tapeworms.
We currently recommend treating ALL horses in early Winter for Bots and for encysted small strongyle larvae.
If you would like to discuss this new approach or a fact sheet please do not hesitate to contact our ever helpful receptionists at the clinic. We are happy to test whole yards at our clinic and to subsequently provide a written report identifying any horses that need to be wormed
Surviving the recession.
With all the current doom and gloom (and especially now with Christmas getting ever closer!), there seems to be no end to the bills rolling in. As responsible horse owners there are many ways in which you can try to save money. As hay is currently so expensive, maybe a group of you could 'club together' and buy big bale silage (/hayledge), alternatively you can try feeding Redigrass /grass cubes. Never feed hayledge that has gone mouldy (or smells 'wrong'). Feed merchants will often replace mouldy hayledge for you. Similarly a group of you might be able to bulk buy bedding. Rubber mats, (whilst initially they can cost a lot of money), will over time offer a significant savings with the reduced ongoing cost of bedding.
Regarding veterinary costs, we currently offer a 5% early settlement discount on routine treatments (providing they are paid in full on the day). With a bit of organisation, grouping several owners together on the same call, will reduce the visit charges for everybody. Similarly combining your vaccinations with other routine work (e.g. tooth raspings, dectomax injections, /lameness follow ups etc), can reduce your overall costs. It has never been more true that 'a stitch in time saves nine' so speak to our vets on routine visits about any worries you might have (e.g. coughs etc) regarding your horse. This is especially true if your horse needs to be sedated for routine dentistry, (with a bit of organisation could he be clipped at this time?).
We would never advise owners to try to save money by stopping routine vaccinations. Tetanus is caused by a puncture wound (e.g. a blackthorn). You might never know that he has even such a wound. Treatment of infected horses is very distressing, expensive and often unrewarding. Once influenza vaccinations lapse, you will not be able to compete /go on many long distance rides etc. The cost of restarting a new course of vaccinations also make this a very false economy. Similarly when times are hard, we believe that keeping up your insurance cover is even more sensible.
(Sponsorship -update).
We are very pleased to announce the continued success of our sponsored young dressage rider Harriette Williams, who competed at her first international competition at the Addington CDI recently, she scored 65% in the team event and nearly 64% in the individual competition, coming fifth.
We have known Harriette and her family as clients of the practice for a long time and are impressed with the commitment she has shown to her training and involvement in competition. She has a great talent and a real will to succeed. At the Acorns Equine Clinic we're passionate about horses and equally passionate about nurturing young talent. Sponsoring Harriette and her ponies Tom and Fijal Figaro brings these passions together very well. The whole practice is behind her and we would like to wish her all the best of luck in the future.
Ragwort Warning;
This year's wet summer has resulted epidemic levels of ragwort. This fact when combined with the probable shortage of good quality hay has led many Vets to worry about a possible upsurge in ragwort poisoning this year. It is calculated that about 5,000 horses and ponies die in the UK each year from ragwort poisoning. Normally this weed is unpalatable to horses (and donkeys) due to its bitter taste, however when it is dried (e.g. in hay) it becomes much more palatable and poisoning can follow. Signs of poisoning include loss of condition, poor appetite and aimless uncoordinated movement. Please be especially careful when you buy your hay this winter, remember in most instances in life, 'you tend to get what you pay for'.
Laminitis
The laminitis season is upon us again, (classically this occurs in BOTH the spring and the autumn months). We have noted an upsurge in laminitis cases recently. It has been calculated that nationally over 7% of horses in the UK are affected by laminitis, (although in the more susceptible native ponies it has been calculated to be over 13%). You should keep an especially close eye on all 'good doers' (especially ponies and cobs) and if they are gaining weight, limit their access to grass. You can easily check whether they are gaining weight by measuring them around the girth area (or by noting if you have to let the girth out when you saddle him up!).
Most cases of laminitis occur in horses and ponies turned out on grass paddocks. It is believed that the sugar content (e.g. fructans) of the grass is responsible for this. These sugars are fermented in the hind gut and can lead to the production of the endotoxins which cause the laminitis. The fructan content of grass is highest during periods of low temperatures and high light intensity, (i.e. Spring and Autumn). Restricting grazing in susceptible animals can be helpful. However it has been calculated that ponies in particular can eat a huge amount of grass in a very short time. One study found that they could eat 40% of their daily dry matter intake in as little as three hours! (so simply reducing the time they spend in their usual paddock is not really an option). Penning in them with an electric fence is a better option. In this respect muzzles might be helpful as it has been found that muzzled ponies tended to eat more of the leaf (which is lower in fructan) that the stems of grasses. Whilst it cannot be totally relied upon, the fructan content in grass tends to increase during the morning, reaching a peak during the evening and drops down during the night. So turning out to grass either during the night or early morning tends to be safer. Given than 'stemmy' paddocks, that have gone to seed tend to have generally higher fructan contents, try avoiding them or topping them regularly. In an ideal world paddocks rich in Timothy and Cocksfoot grasses are safest. Whilst we would generally question the need for 'good doers' to be fed cereals /hard feed, oats and cooked (micronised) grains are safest. Try to reduce the total starch content of the diet by feeding more digestible fibre and using oil as an alternative energy source if possible.
The early signs of laminitis include, heat in the feet, (especially around the coronet area), increased pulses to the affected feet, reluctance to stride out, progressing to reluctance to move and lying down a lot. Laminitis most often affects the front feet, but can affect any or all of his feet. If you suspect that your horse has developed laminitis please contact your Vet immediately.
We have noted an increased incidence of Cushing's disease recently especially in laminitis cases that are unresponsive to treatment. The classic signs of Cushing's disease include failure to shed a winter coat, fat pads above the eyes, drinking and urinating a lot etc. Some horses and ponies show few of the classic signs, but test positive for Cushing's disease. These horses (especially where they have an unresponsive laminitis) very often improve when treated with appropriate medication.
Equine Insurance
Due to the high cost of veterinary treatment we recommend that prudent and responsible owners should insure their horses with a reputable company. We are happy to recommend Pet Plan Equine (and advise on their policies) to all of our clients. Additionally we can offer discount vouchers to any of our clients who take out a new policy with Pet Plan. If you would like to discuss this offer please feel free to contact us at the clinic.
FEI changes the rules on flu vaccinations.
At the general assembly of the FEI in 2004, they approved an change in their rules regarding influenza vaccinations. They now require that all horses competing in FEI competitions receive booster vaccinations at six monthly intervals. The actual wording of the rule change is as follows. 'The FEI requirement for equine influenza vaccination will be for booster vaccinations at 6 -month intervals as from 1 January 2005'. In practice our understanding of this rule change is as follows, horses that have had a primary course of vaccinations with annual boosters now just have to receive their boosters at six monthly intervals, they do NOT have to restart their primary courses again. There will also be a three week window at the end of the six month period to facilitate competition horses. Although the wording states that it refers to 'FEI competitions' we are currently unsure as to what happens to horses competing in say showing classes at FEI shows (e.g. Wembley). Accordingly we have to advise that you should check with your relevant breed or competition organisations to see if their rules have changed in any way as a result of this. WE WOULD STRESS THAT IT IS THE INDIVIDUAL OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THEIR HORSES ARE VACCINATED PROPERLY ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF THEIR CHOSEN DISCIPLINE.