Newsletter; Fall 2005

originally published Oct,2005

SEVS News

 Dr.Jeske Noordergraaf

Welcome to the fall newsletter from Sunrise Equine Veterinary Services.  Our building plans are moving along after many meetings with the county and we hope to have the pole barn up before winter hits. Currently we are seeing horses at the office for Coggins tests, health certificates and vaccinations.  Once the building is up, we will be able to offer many more  services as we will have stalls for sedated horses to wake up in before having to go back home.

We have the same helpful people in the office this winter - Sue, Tina, and Julie.  Dr. Dave Schwinghamer, Dr. Emily Decker and I continue to alternate emergency call. If you have an emergency, don’t forget to call the office to get the correct pager number to call.  We are using the winter to take Continuing Education classes and some time off.  Dr. Dave Schwinghamer and his wife Theresa are expecting their first child in mid - December and Dr. Emily Decker is planning her wedding for next summer.

Thank you for your continued support  and for recommending us to your horse friends.  We look forward to seeing you this fall to help you get your horses ready for winter. If there are additional services we could provide for you, please let us know and remember, you can always request your favorite veterinarian.

Traveling???

Two old and normally rare diseases have sprung up across the country this summer: Anthrax and Vesicular Stomatitis. 

In North Dakota, 63 farms have been infected and over 200 animals have died due to Anthrax. Anthrax is a rapidly fatal bacterial disease and is spread through wounds, biting flies, or by ingestion.  The bacteria are normally found in the soil and can infect all species, including humans.  A wet spring could have caused the dormant anthrax to wash up into grazing areas. If you are traveling to the eastern third of North Dakota this fall, a vaccination is available but must be given at least 4 weeks prior to be effective.  The injection is known to cause light to moderate swelling within several days.  It is not advised to use feed grown in or allow your horses to graze in affected areas.

Farther west, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Montana and  Utah have all seen cases of Vesicular Stomatitis (VS). VS can affect horses, cattle and swine and is similar to hoof and mouth disease.  Affected animals develop painful blisters on lips, tongues and coronary bands. The blisters leave raw tissue and  horses generally refuse to eat or drink resulting in weight loss. The virus is easily spread by direct contact or insects.  No vaccine exists for the disease and several states now require proof (a health certificate with distinct wording from your veterinarian) that horses entering and leaving the state have not been exposed to the disease. 

West Nile Virus & Potomac Horse Fever Update

Mosquito numbers often soar in late summer as larvae hatch from warm water pools.  There have been 8 confirmed cases of West Nile Virus in Minnesota horses this year.  Prevention is the key to reduce the risk of the disease.  Eliminate standing water, keep horses indoors at dusk and dawn and give a late summer booster vaccination.

Potomac Horse Fever is also frequent in late summer.  We are aware of approximately 2 dozen cases so far this year.  Horses become infected by drinking  water or ingesting feed that has been contaminated by the insects from the aquatic environment. Keeping your stock tanks clean and feed containers covered can help eliminate contamination.  Try to keep horses away from swampy areas, rivers and ponds.

No Hoof, No Horse

We have all heard the saying, “no hoof, no horse”, but do we really know what it means?  The horse’s hoof is a complex structure that has many functions:  it provides stability and traction, and acts as a shock absorber when the horse moves through its gaits.  It is important to recognize the differences between healthy hooves and hooves that need some help.

First, make sure you become familiar with the parts of the hoof.  Good hoof conformation is as important in a horse as are  straight legs.  The hoof should be well balanced and the toe and heel should be of the correct length.  The angle of the hoof should match the angle of the pastern.  The hoof should be large and not have any cracks or bruises.  The frog should be large with good width at the heel, and the hoof wall should be void of rings and have a healthy appearance.  Keep in mind that there is a difference in the shape and hoof angle between forefeet and hindfeet.  The forefeet are usually larger, rounder, wider at the heels, have flatter soles and a lower hoof angle of 45°- 47°.  Hindfeet are commonly one shoe size smaller than the forefeet, are more pointed at the toe, have a more concave sole and a higher hoof angle of 50°- 55°. 

Second, there are several questions you can ask yourself regarding your horse’s lifestyle that affect the health of your horse’s feet. 

• Does my horse have access to good forage and fresh water?  Nutrition is an essential part of assessing the strength and health of the hoof.  Perhaps you need to add a biotin-based nutritional supplement to your feeding program.

• Are my pastures and paddocks continually wet or dry?  Environmental conditions play a part in hoof health also.  Very dry conditions can lead to cracking and splitting, and very wet conditions can lead to thrush. 

• Do I have my horse’s hooves trimmed on a regular basis (every 6-8 weeks), and do I ask the farrier why he or she trims the way they do? 

• Do I take regular care of my horse’s hooves between farrier visits?  It is a good practice to clean the hooves out at least 3-4 times a week and examine them for any abnormalities, sensitivities or lameness. 

• Hoof problems can range from traumatic injuries such as punctures, lacerations and bruises to chronic problems like thrush, abscesses, white line disease and laminitis.  If you suspect your horse has any of these issues, contact us immediately.  We are able to take x-rays that can identify the source of hoof problems.  Radiographs allow abnormalities to be visualized—everything from seeing where a nail or other foreign body may have penetrated the hoof to thin soles, bone fractures, navicular disease, and coffin bone rotation caused by laminitis. 

• It is a good idea to have your farrier and your veterinarian work together to determine the best approach if there is ever a need for doing any corrective trimming or shoeing work.  Different trims or shoes can relieve stress on certain parts of the hoof to reduce or eliminate pain from an injury or disease. 

Hoof care is critical to your horse’s well-being and to your enjoyment of him or her.  As horse owners, it is our responsibility to be as informed as we can be when making decisions regarding their health –all the way down to their hooves!!

Horse Owners Education Program

The University of Minnesota is offering a horse owner education program in Cambridge on Saturday, February 25th, 2006 from 10am to 3pm.  The topics are specific to the needs of our area.  Dr Jeske Noordergraaf will be speaking about Pre-purchase examinations at 10am and 2pm.

Pre-registration is required for the program and registration is limited.  To register for  the program or for a brochure, contact Kristi Martini at 763-767-3837 or via e-mail:  marti987@umn.edu

Vaccination Recommendations

Suggested Deworming Schedule For Adult Horses

April - Ivermectin/ Praziquantel  (Equimax)

June - Ivermectin (Equell)

August - Strongid

October -  - Ivermectin/ Praziquantel   (Equimax)

December - Ivermectin (Equell)

February - Strongid

We recommend deworming foals every month for the first year of life.  We carry all these dewormers at our office along with Strongid C2X, the daily dewormer, which is available in the 10# bucket and the economical 50# bag.

Have us check a fecal sample to see how effective your deworming program is.

 Bot Flies

Many people call us with questions about those annoying little yellow eggs that have been deposited on their horse, wondering where they came from and how  to rid their horses of them.

The eggs are laid by the Bot fly, a non-biting fly that somewhat resembles a bumblebee.  They lay those sticky yellow eggs on your horse, mainly around the neck, head, mouth, shoulders and forelegs. The eggs hatch 5 days later, are ingested by the horse, and then migrate into the stomach where they live for the next  9 months causing ulcers. The larva then detach themselves, pass into the feces, and are deposited back into the soil or manure for another 2-4 weeks,  emerging again as a new generation of Bot fly.

The flies themselves are killed by the first hard frost in autumn, but ingested larva and the yellow eggs laid on your horse are not.  You need to kill internal larva by paste deworming with an Ivermectin product after the first frost. Paste deworming does not remove the eggs.  Bot eggs need to be physically removed by you with sandpaper or a commercially sold “Bot block”.  It requires some time and effort to remove them, but it is well worth eliminating the threat to your horses health.