Spring 2010 Newsletter

SEVS News

                                          Dr. Jeske Noordergraaf

Welcome to the spring newsletter from Sunrise Equine Veterinary Services.  As we work on this newsletter, it is still snowing and blowing but spring has to come soon.  We will once again be holding 2 Coggins and vaccination clinics for those who want to bring their horses to the clinic.

 Both Dr Kirsten Frederickson and I spent time this winter at continuing education seminars.  I attended the North American Vet Conference and attended seminars on neurologic diseases, wound care and donkeys.  One interesting fact I learned was that a henny beats up the jack before he can breed her even when she is in heat.  There are also more donkeys than any other equine in the world.  Dr Kirsten attended Western States conference and learned about laminitis, ophthalmology, and neurology .  We are both eager to put our new knowledge to use.

 We were fortunate enough to have Dr Hoyt Cheramie from Merial here in February to discuss parasite resistance and new deworming strategies.  Our goal is to find the horses that are more susceptible to parasites and have higher fecal egg counts so that just these horses can be dewormed frequently and strategically and our other horses can be dewormed only once or twice per year. At our Coggins and vaccination clinic we will also be offering fecals at a reduced rate.

 In February we also put on a clinic for farriers.  We used our x-ray machine to radiograph  horses feet before and after trimming so we could all really see where the coffin bone was and how much sole and toe the horse had.  There was excellent communication between the farriers and vets and we are planning on holding this event again next year.

 Plan early for your spring appointment.  At the spring appointment we recommend: appropriate vaccinations, Coggins, dental exam/work, sheath cleaning, fecals, along with a wellness exam to make sure that your horse is doing well.  Just as we go to our doctor for a yearly physical, so should your horse.  We can also do all this work here in our barn.  Share the appointment with your neighbor and split the farm call.  We will be putting the Coggins on-line again.

 I hope to see you out on the trails this summer.  Thank you for recommending us to your friends and neighbors.

 Items of Interest

Tips for a GREAT appointment:

Please have your horses caught

Be ready with a list of needs and questions for the Doctor

Have the horses’ information available for EIA/Coggins test and destination information for health certificates

Plan ahead for dental work and x-rays as we need a power outlet within reach.  Remember we have a barn that is ideal and always available for these and any other appointment!

Looking for that special gift for the horse owner in your life?  We offer gift certificates for purchase in any amount all year long!  Just give our office a call or, better yet, stop in and visit!  We look forward to hearing from you! 

Owner’s Corner

Here are a couple of websites that you, as a horse owner, may find useful:

www.sunriseequine.com

www.americashealthyhorse.com

www.aaep.org

www.kppusa.com (nutrition information)

Insulin Resistance

Jeske Noordergraaf, VMD

Insulin resistance has been our winter disease this year.  We have diagnosed this condition in over 20 horses, most of whom have had laminitis as a result of it. 

Insulin resistance is a fairly new condition seen in young adult horses, ponies and donkeys.  Presenting signs include abnormal fat deposits such as a cresty neck or lumpy fat patches which persist even if the horse loses weight.  The sheath may look swollen but just have fat stored in it.  My favorite place to look for abnormal fat deposits is above the eyes.  The indentation above the eyes ends up bulging out as it is filled with periorbital fat.  Other signs include laminitis, increased thirst and drinking, muscle wasting and low energy levels. 

Why is this horse insulin resistant and why does insulin become elevated?  We feed hay, grain and treats to our horse which causes the glucose level in the blood to increase.  The body then releases insulin which allows this glucose into the cells keeping the blood glucose level with the normal range.  When feeds are fed that have a high glycemic index or sugar level (such as corn and molasses) with lots of carbohydrates, this causes a rapid increase in blood glucose.  High levels of insulin must then be quickly released.  Unfortunately the cells become resistant to that insulin over time so yet more is released.  Researchers have found that just having an elevated insulin level can cause laminitis in ponies.  The level peaks after grain is fed and slowly decreases.

The insulin resistant horse is carbohydrate intolerant and the degree of insulin resistance can be assessed and measured as part of the diagnosis and recovery process.  We diagnose this by doing blood work on the horse.  Ideally the horse should not be stressed when we draw the blood and should not have had a grain meal within 6 hours.  We measure both insulin and glucose and calculate the ratio.  Then once the diet changes have been made, we recheck that the values have improved just as is done for our own medical issues. 

Can you prevent this condition?  Yes you can by keeping your horse’s weight appropriate and by exercising your horse.  Exercise seems to make the cells less resistant to insulin so it is a good thing as long as your horse is sound.  People with diabetes are supposed to exercise for at least 20 minutes 3 times a week for the same reason.  The exercise performs 2 functions - it burns calories and reduces insulin.  Best of all it is free. Lunging works great if you don’t have time to go for a ride.

You can also prevent this condition by feeding less or using a feed with a low glycemic index.  When feeds or hay are fed that have a lower glycemic index (such as beet pulp without molasses or grass hay), the glucose increases less.    Does your horse really need grain?  Many horses who aren’t being worked hard will do great on a vitamin/mineral supplement along with hay or pasture. 

Then there are horses which we consider easy keepers.  These horses seem to gain weight when they just look at feed or eat five blades of grass.  Some of these horses may have a genetic predisposition to developing this disease.  We should consider these horses intolerant of certain diets and use management to avoid the triggers that can get the horse into trouble. 

How can you tell that your horse is at risk.  One clue is fat storage in odd places as mentioned previously. Often we see these horses when they have developed laminitis and drastic changes need to be made to their diet.  If you are concerned that your horse is at risk, discuss  this at your appointment or have us draw blood to measure the insulin and glucose.  The University of Minnesota is doing a study on the genetics of this disease and they need 4000 horses.  To help find the genetic link, please visit: www.cvm.edu/equinegenetics/home.html.

2010 Vaccination Recommendations

Strategic Deworming

We used to want horses to be parasite free.  In order to prevent resistant worms, the new goal is  to maintain a low level of parasites.

Recommendation:

  Fecal: to know your horse’s parasite load.

  If low and the horse is healthy, 2 fecals per year and deworm in the fall.

  If fecals are high, deworm in spring and run another fecal 2-3 weeks after deworming to check effectiveness of dewormer.

  There are a few horses who will need to be dewormed every 8 weeks but this is the minority.

 Fall- all horses should be dewormed with an ivermectin/praziquantal product after the first hard frost to kill bots and tapeworms along with other worms.

  We will be happy to discuss your horse’s specific needs.

New Services!!

We are now offering basic vaccinations for dogs and cats at your farm in conjunction with your equine appointment. 

Dogs                    Cats

DHLP                   PCRP

Lyme                    Rabies

Rabies

Heartworm Testing

Please mention dog and cat work additions when making your appointment for your horses so we can schedule properly and have all we need along with us.

EIA Clinics

When:  Saturday, April 10, 2010

               Saturday, April 17, 2010

Where: Sunrise Equine Veterinary Services

               39318 Poor Farm Rd, North Branch

Time:   1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

 Have your horses Coggins tested at a reduced rate.

Vaccinations also available at a reduced rate.

Fecal testing available @ clinic for $7.00!

 (normal price is $17)

(Bring one small, fresh apple from each horse in a baggie!)

Directions: From North Branch - 7 miles East on Hwy 95 to Poor Farm Road (1/2 mile East of Cty Rd 9).  Turn left (North) on Poor Farm Road.  Sunrise Equine is the 3rd place on the left and is the staging area for the incoming trailers.

In order to speed up our process and get you through the line faster, please bring the horses’ last EIA Certificate!  Digital pictures do not need to be retaken!