News / Updates
Star Vet?
We are proud to announce that Conor Fenelon mrvcs has been nominated for a prize in the annual Pet Plan sponsored 'Star in the Practice' competition for veterinary staff who go over and above the call of duty in providing veterinary care to their clients. This is the second time that Conor has been nominated for this prestigious prize and we would especially like to thank all our clients who took the time to nominate him for this award.
Sponsorship
To coincide with the opening of our new branch practice at the Hastingwood House dressage centre, we are very pleased to announce that we have sponsored the very promising young dressage rider Harriette Williams.
Eleven year old Harriette Williams, who lives near Old Harlow, is a member of the British Young Rider Dressage Scheme (BRYDS) for the Eastern Region and is competing regularly in competitions right across the country. Her father is the well known and respected local farrier, Mick Williams and her mother Caroline is a keen rider, (so that you could almost say that Harriette was born to compete at a high level). She started riding when she was four years old and her ambition is to represent her country as a professional rider, (Conor is currently checking to see if she is eligible to compete for Ireland!). She has been in training with Jill Day and taking part in affiliated dressage competitions for under a year. During the summer she represented England as a representative of the Eastern Region at a competition in Scotland. She came seventh in her individual event and her team was placed third overall.
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 pony Magnum 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.
Welcome to our spring 2008 newsletter, hopefully everybody has still managed to keep their own personal new years resolutions (so far!). Spring is a good time to review your horse’s health and hopefully to make some new years resolutions for your horses as well.
Firstly it is a good time to check that your horse’s vaccinations are all in date. If not now is a good time to restart them. It can be very disappointing to discover just before a big show that they have lapsed and that you do not have enough time to restart them. Secondly should you consider vaccinating against the Equine Herpes virus? This is a very common virus and whilst some horses can become very ill, mostly they are just off colour or lethargic. There is no cure for viral infections, (the only treatment being rest and time off work). This results in a loss of fitness which by taking time to recover can severely affect your competition plans for 2008. Fortunately you can vaccinate against this virus (and the vaccine can be combined with your booster Flu /tetanus vaccinations).
Has your horse (like the rest of us) put on a little weight over the Christmas period? Remember with the spring grass we will soon be into the high risk time for laminitis. Alternatively is he looking a little thin? Now is a good time to check to see if your horses teeth need rasping. Sharp enamel points can affect not just his ability to eat properly but can also affect his ability to accept /’go on the bit’ . At our clinic we recommend an annual ‘MOT’ each year usually when your horses vaccinations are due. This includes a clinical examination, (heart, lungs and eyes, flexion tests etc), a dental check, (rasping his teeth if needed), a routine worm egg count together with a routine blood sample. This reassures you that he remains healthy and safe to ride. If any abnormalities are found, hopefully by finding them early, they will prove much easier and cheaper to treat. I would also recommend that you check that his saddle still fits him. Like all of us he may have changed his shape over the recent months. The filling in saddles may need to be reflocked periodically. You would never leave an expensive suit in the wardrobe and just assume that it will fit you like a glove a year or so later!
Finally you should review your worming strategy for 2008. We would always advise that you pick up the droppings from the paddocks at least twice a week. When this is done, theoretically he will just need worming for Bots in December and Tapeworms in the Spring and Autumn. You should never totally rely on this however and it is always recommended that you get periodic fecal worm egg counts. I have included a copy of our current advice regarding strategic worming intervals with this newsletter. Remember it is important to change the active ingredient (and not just the trade name of the wormer) each year. You can also save significant amounts of money by going for the cheaper generic alternatives compared to the ‘named brands’ (e.g Noromectin is nearly half the price of Eqvalan and has exactly the same active ingredient). You can also save money by buying wormers /joint supplements etc on the internet. However you must remember that counterfeiting drugs (for both humans and animals) is currently a very big business. We recommend that you always buy products from reputable sources. Remember if it looks too cheap there is usually a reason.
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.