Autumn Equine Newsletter

Remember, Autumn is the time of year to treat your horse for tapeworms. Only certain wormers are able to treat tapeworms, some of these are:
- Equest Pramox
- Pyratape P
- Strongid (double dose)

Summer Talk, A Great Success

We would like to thank all of you who attended the talk held at the Hatherton Hotel in August. Demand for tickets greatly exceeded our expectations and we apologise for those who were unable to get tickets in time. Ken Anderson (senior partner) kick started the evening with an enter-taining talk on first aid. He was followed by Laurie of Fort Dodge Animal Health who gave an in depth re-port on West Nile Virus and parasite control. The final talk was given by Danny Chambers (assistant veterinary surgeon) on colic. His use of computer graphics proved to be a great hit with many of you.
We are aware that there were a few issues with the catering and timings on the night, your suggestions have been taken into ac-count and we hope to im-prove the situation next time.
Please check the website regularly for details of the next evening talk.

Wormer Prices:

- EQUEST PRAMOX. Complete protection against all common worms including tapeworms. £16.22
- PYRATAPE P. Active against common roundworms and tapeworms. £10.24
- STRONGID. Treats common round-worms and tape-worms at double dose. £14.19
- Call for further advice. Prices include V.A.T

Beware the Dangers of Autumn Colic

Autumn is nearly upon us and with it a new set of chal-lenges in horse care, from the risk of laminitis with a late surge in grass growth to the danger of colic.
Colic in horses is defined generally as abdominal pain but the term can also cover a range of conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract.

There are a variety of different causes of colic, some of which can prove fatal – in fact sadly, among domesticated horses, colic is the leading cause of premature death. The condition affects approximately 10 per cent of the horse population on an annual basis, so it is important to make yourself aware of what to look out for and how to manage it.

The most common forms of colic are spasmodic in nature which creates increased contractions in the horse's gastrointestinal tract. This is often related to stress, ex-citement or excessive intake of fermentable food such as spring grass. Pelvic flexure impaction is caused by an impaction of food material and if left untreated, severe impaction colic can be fatal. The most common cause is when the horse is on box rest and/or consumes large volumes of straw or is unable to chew properly.
Small intestinal impaction is also caused by an obstruction sometimes from parasitic infection such as tapeworm. After a long summer of grazing and exposure to potential parasites, now is the time to take action and worm your horses. Whilst owners should ensure they are familiar with the signs of colic, the old wives tale that ‘prevention is better than cure’ can certainly be applied to the condition.

A few simple steps can help avoid a case of colic and save a visit from one of the practice team.
- Ensure all hard feed is secure and cannot be
accessed by greedy mouths – a sudden excess of carbohy-drates can result in colic.
- Feed the appropriate amount at the same time every day. A disrupted feeding routine can be enough to bring on a bout of colic in some horses.
- Worm horses regularly. A good parasite control program can help prevent colic caused by parasites.

If you suspect colic in your horse, walk it around as this can often help resolve gassy, spasmodic or mildly impacted colic. Try to stop your horse rolling but if you cannot, put it in a place where it is least likely to injure itself. If the horse refuses to get up, is colicking violently, is sweating profusely, shows no signs of improvement within twenty to thirty minutes, or you have any other reason to believe the colic is serious, call us straight away.
If you are confused about implementing a strategic worm-ing programme, please contact the practice and we can arrange a straightforward system for you to follow.

Scrub Up & Dust Down

Before we fly head-long into the winter months, it’s worth taking stock of stable management so that horses glowing with good summer health, maintain the benefits as the days grow shorter.

With horses coming in for the winter, take time to prepare stables by giving them a good scrub down and remember to look up, and clear all cobwebs from the eaves as these can harbour dust. Stables should be cleaned with a product that is active against a broad range of germs from bacteria, yeasts and fungi to viruses and pro-tozoa’s.
The problem of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) also known as RAO (recurrent airway ob-struction) induced by fungal particles in hay and bed-ding can be a risk for stabled horses. Help avoid this by purchasing good quality hay and bedding – whether straw or shavings.

It goes without saying that good yard hygiene should extend to the feed room. Give bins and buckets a good clean, and keep them clean. Never give feed that is mouldy, past the best before date or hasn't been stored correctly. If there is any old feed left in feed bins, dispose of it safely and well away from your horses.

It is essential that horses are routinely vaccinated against tetanus, equine influenza and in some cases equine herpes virus. This is especially true when horses are stabled and in closer confines where infec-tion can spread rapidly. Another ever present risk is tetanus, which is caused by bacteria entering the system through often unnoticed deep cuts and punc-ture wounds – a risk at this time of year for horses that are out competing, hunter trialing or hunting. Sadly tetanus can prove fatal and therefore vaccina-tion is essential.

West Nile Virus - What you need to know

West Nile Virus is a viral infection of birds, horses & humans, spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes that can cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis ( inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord). Antibodies against the virus have recently been detected in British birds, suggesting past or present infection.

WNV is a flavivirus, one of a member of a group of Arthropd-Borne viruses (arboviruses)

Spread of the Disease

WNV can be transmitted to humans and animals via the bite of an infected mosquito. A mosquito becomes infected by biting infected birds carrying the virus. The infection is a zoonosis i.e. a disease which can be transmitted between animals and humans. Migrating birds are the most likely mechanism of the infection being introduced into the UK. Humans, horses and other animals are dead end hosts i.e. there is no spread from them to other people or humans

Animal Effects

Horses seem most susceptible but most cases are sub-clinical with the horse showing no obvious signs of disease. The ratio of clinical to sub-clinical cases is estimated at 1 in 2.5 to 5. The incubation period is 5 to 15 days and mortality rate is approximately 35% (of those animals with clini-cal disease). Clinical symptoms tend to be a fever and neurological signs.

Prevention

1. Reduce the number of mosquitoes and prevent contact with them.
2. Vaccinate
- A primary course is needed which is two vaccines 3-5 weeks apart, thereafter yearly boosters are required.
- Foals need to be at least 6 months old before vaccination.
- The vaccine can be used during pregnancy and lactation.