There is a significant
lapse in the time between when these questions are sent
in and when the answers appear in the Gazette newspaper and online. If
you feel your horse needs to be seen by a veterinarian do not wait for
a response. Call a reputable equine veterinarian in your area and let
him/her examine the horse! Dr. Mike Martin and Dr.
Betsy Mikkelsen,Retama
Equine Hospital
IMPORTANT
DISCLAIMER:
At The Horse Gazette and HorseGazette.com our 'Ask the Vets' page is
not intended to replace diagnosis or treatment of your horse by your
own veterinarian or other professional; The Horse Gazette or
HorseGazette.com does not assume any legal responsibilty.
Chronic Weight Loss, Swelling & Abscesses
My13-year-old mare aborted a foal that was due in April. Acted colicky,
gave banamine and penicillin, now hind legs are swollen with abscesses
and can hardly walk. Still eating but getting very thin, been three
weeks – Mary Anne, submitted via horsegazette.com
Mary Anne,
You should contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Chronic
weight loss, abscesses and lameness are all valid reasons for a
veterinary examination and consultation. – Dr. Bill Symm
Bottom of the heard – getting beat up
My 3 1/2 year old gelding is at the bottom of the pecking order in a
herd of about 20 and is getting many bites from the other horses that
is tearing his skin. I am worried. Since I can't stop the others from
biting, how should I treat these injuries? Thank you – Arlene,
submitted via HorseGazette.com
Dear Arlene,
Aside from separating him from the herd until he is
old enough and big enough to fit in without getting hurt, any full
thickness wounds or wounds all the way through the skin should be
assessed by your local veterinarian. Superficial abrasions, which will
often look like big scratches or scrapes, will usually heal with little
to no scarring without treatment. Basic first-aid with any wound is the
most important part of addressing any injury. First try to fully assess
the severity of the injury and if you are not sure of the importance of
the location or extent, call a veterinarian. If you can safely clip the
hair around the wound it will help keep it more clean. Cleaning wounds
with water or dilute antiseptic, like betadine, is almost always a good
idea. If the wound can be bandaged, covering the wound with a clean
bandage can help speed the healing process. Topical application of an
antibiotic ointment can also help speed wound healing. There are many
different ointments, salves and powders available, it is best to talk
to your veterinarian about the pros and cons of the ones that are
available through their supplier and get recommendations about when to
use them. – Dr. Bill Symm
Non-Weight Bearing Lameness
My horse is packing his left hind leg. I thought that maybe he
was tying up but now I don't know what to think. I didn't ride
him today but he got shoed. He is stepping a little short and
when he steps he picks it up a little higher and then before the foot
hits the ground it is like he is trying to step on the heel more than
the toe, he sticks the toe out. Any ideas? – Katie, submitted via
HorseGazette.com
Dear Katie,
A non-weight bearing lameness is a serious matter and often requires
veterinary attention. There could be a simple explanation for the
lameness that might respond completely to treatment, but the list of
causes includes potentially very serious problems. A short list of
causes would be; foot abscess, fracture, joint infection and cellulitis
(or inflammation/infection in the tissues). All of these are often
accompanied by swelling. Your veterinarian will likely be able to
examine your horse and determine whether or not he has a foot abscess
that needs to be treated or if other diagnostics like radiographs,
nerve blocks, blood work or joint fluid analyses need to be done. – Dr.
Symm
Cryptorchid Surgery?
I have a yearling stud colt. I'm concerned that he has not dropped his
tentacles yet. Is this normal or can it happen at a later age. I heard
that it is a very expensive surgery. Thank you. – Bev Bierwerth,
submitted via HorseGazette.com
Dear Bev,
Testicles will generally descend from the abdomen into the scrotum by
this age, but in some individuals they will either be retained in the
abdomen or can make it only part of the way from the abdomen into the
scrotum. Veterinarians generally refer to a horse that has a testicle
or testicles, which do not descend into the scrotum, as a cryptorchid.
However, there are many other colloquial names that people use. The
problem can affect one or both testicles. You should have your
veterinarian examine your horse to determine the appropriate course of
action for you and your horse. It significantly simplifies the
situation if you know a complete accurate history of the horse. In
other words, your veterinarian will want to know if anyone has ever
castrated or attempted to castrate this horse. If a complete history is
not known, your veterinarian may have to do other diagnostics to
determine if your horse has retained testicles. Fees associated with
this procedure vary and you should contact your veterinarian for an
accurate cost estimate. – Dr. Symm
Bottle-Feeding Filly
We are bottle-feeding a 5-day old filly and she routinely has milk
coming out of her nose. How do we prevent this? – Sarah, submitted via
HorseGazette.com
Dear Sarah,
You should consult with your veterinarian about this issue, as
bottle-feeding can be more difficult than one might think. There could
also be a medical problem resulting in the milk coming out of your
foal’s nose, such as a cleft palate. Forcing a foal to nurse from a
bottle can result in aspiration pneumonia. Also, many foals will rather
quickly figure out how to drink milk out of a bucket and eat solids and
your veterinarian will be able to help you determine an appropriate
diet for your foal. – Dr. Symm
Eye Discharge
My horse has discharge under her right eye. In some spots it's dry and
closer to the corner of the inside it's wet. Other than a salt solution
what can I do? Should I just wait it out and see, she's only 1 yr and
11mths. The colour of it is a yellow-green. – Kourtney, submitted via
HorseGazette.com
Dear Kourtney,
You should have a veterinarian examine your horse’s eye, as eye
problems can often get more serious with time when not treated and can
lead to blindness and/or serious visual deficits. It might not be a
serious problem, but if a horse has any kind of ocular discharge or
exhibits any pain (squinting, blinking excessively or shyness) I
recommend an exam of the eye. – Dr. Symm
Do you have a question for Dr. Mike of Retama Equine Hospital? Fill
out the form below and ask a Vet! You can also visit Retama Equine Hospital online!
Should you wish to contact Dr. Mike you may write or
call: Dr.
Michael F. Martin - Retama Equine Hospital 17555 Old Evans Road - Selma, Texas 78154
210-651-6375
IMPORTANT: Before typing your
question
- read below. There is a significant
lapse in the time
between when these questions are sent in and when the answers appear in
the
Gazette.
If you feel your horse needs to be seen by a veterinarian do not wait
for
a response.
Call a reputable equine veterinarian in your area and let him/her
examine
the horse!
