“Please remember, there is a significant lapse between when these questions are sent in and when the answers appear.  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 or her examine your horse.  This is advice only and not meant to be a substitute for proper and prompt local veterinary care.

 

Welcome Dr. David M. Scwinghamer, DVM of Retama Equine Hospital who will also be answering “Ask the Vet” questions.

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Foal Loss

We have lost three foals this season with no conceivable reason.  Three different mare, two different stallions, two different farms.  All had the same symptoms, very weak, particularly in the front legs, unable to stand and odd profuse growth of hair in the frogs of the hoof.  They eat well if bottle fed but do not gain strength.  Please help. – Kathi Rohde

 

Dear Kathi,

You do not state where you are from and this could be helpful knowledge also. My biggest concern with what you are describing would probably be Equine Herpes Virus also known as Rhinopneumonitis. Were the mares vaccinated on the 5th, 7th and 9th month of pregnancy with a Rhino vaccine?  Was a necropsy done on any of the foals? Rhino can cause mares to have weak foals that live for varying amounts of time. There are many causes of abortion that could be investigated. EVA, Rhino, MRLS, other viral and bacterial infections can cause abortion and/or weak foals. I would do a complete reproductive exam on all three mares including uterine culture and biopsy. I would also make sure the mares are current on all vaccines before and during pregnancy. If any do abort or have weak foals I would do a full necropsy on fetus and placenta to try to determine a cause. - Good luck, Dr. Martin

 

Too Old to Breed?

Dear Dr. Mike

I have a 20-year-old mare that is good health and has three foals.  The last foal was seven years ago.  I would like to breed her is she told to breed. – Cheryl Darden 

 

Dear Cheryl,

This mare would definitely fit into the category of advanced maternal age. Having said this there are many mares her age and older that do conceive and have healthy babies. I would do a complete reproductive exam on her before breeding her. If she is in good health and her reproductive tract seems healthy I would have no reservations about breeding her. Keep in mind that she is 20 years old. Some of these mares will get in foal immediately and some will not conceive even if they look healthy! Good Luck - Dr. Martin

 

 

Stool Consistency

Dear Doctor,

I have an 8-year-old. Off the track Thoroughbred I bought just after he turned 5.  Two months after I bought him he had a displaced colon, which resulted in impaction colic and had to have surgery. Since then his stool has been of cow patty consistency or looser.  When my vet did a fecal sample she said she couldn't find anything wrong with it, no parasites, nothing.  I keep him on a regular worming schedule; he gets fed pelleted grain, no sugars, a mixture of timothy and alfalfa hay and electrolytes.  He drinks plenty of water also.  But sometimes I notice he gets really gassy and has hyper motility sounds in his gut but has not coliced since.  However I am concerned about his stool consistency.  What do you think the problem may be? - Christa

 

Dear Christa,

It would be a good idea to first talk to the surgeon who performed the surgery as a colon resection and anastomosis may have been performed.  If this is the case the colon would not be able to absorb as much water leading to loose stools.  If the surgery was not complicated, further diagnostic tests such as intestinal absorption tests, rectal examination, ultrasound of the abdomen, bloodwork, and abdominocentesis may be indicated.  These tests will provide information regarding intestinal function, structural anatomy, liver, kidney, and muscle enzyme function, red and white blood cell function, and abdominal fluid analysis.  These tests will help rule out internal diseases that may provide a diagnosis for your horse.  Best of luck, Dr. Betsy Mikkelsen.

 

Swollen Knee

Dear Doctor,

I have a 6-year-old paint mare and one morning we noticed her left front knee was swollen. We see no signs of injury and she doesn’t limp and runs okay.  Should I be seeking our vet?  It is costly since we do live so many miles away from a vet we get charged greatly just to come out this way on top of other charges. – Susan (dated 8/31/07)

 

Dear Susan,

Since swelling in the knee is not normal and if it has not resolved over time, I would advise you to talk with your local veterinarian as a lameness exam with radiographs and an ultrasound may be indicated.  Your veterinarian will be able to locate where the swelling is coming from and will be able to provide a prognosis for your horse's future use.  Good luck.  Dr. Betsy Mikkelsen.

 

Healing Supplement for a Hair-line Fracture

Dear Doctor,

I was taking my 14-year-old barrel horse to a barrel race when another horse double barreled him in his right elbow.  We went straight to the local vet, and he determined through x-rays that there was a hair-line fracture, but it did not go all the way into the joint.  I was advised to put him in the stall for at least 6 months and then have it x-rayed again around 3 months.  He also said not to let him walk around in the stall, but I really cannot stop him from moving all together.  He does move around some, and every step he makes seems very strong and as though it is healing very well.  The question I have for you though is do you know of any supplements I could give him to help with the healing process and just his overall health?  I also wanted to ask if after he will ever be close to where he was before the fracture?  I have never really heard of a barrel horse getting a fracture, and then being close to how they were before it ever happened. Thank you very much for your time. – Jenna Burpo

 

  Dear Jenna,

You fail to mention how long ago the injury occurred. Has the horse had follow- up radiographs since the original ones? Has the horse ever been lame? If the horse is on a good balanced diet he should not need any supplements. If you are concerned I would probably add a good calcium/ phosphorus supplement. We use one called Osteoform but there are several products out there that are available. I cannot sit hear and say that the supplement will make the horse heal better or faster but it might! If it has been long enough, the fracture could have possibly already healed. Depending on the nature of the fracture and the specific location in the elbow it is possible that it could heal well enough to continue on as an athlete. Good Luck, Dr. Martin

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7-Year-Old with Arthritis?

 

Dear Doctor,

My horse Doogy is a 7-year-old English Thoroughbred gelding and he has inflamed hocks. The vet has looked at him and took x-rays and he diagnosed him with arthritis. I was wondering if the hock swelling could be something else other than arthritis because he went down hill so fast. Only two weeks ago I was jumping and showing at 2'9 3', and then all the sudden he was dead lame, I can turn him out and walk him. His hocks will be back to normal (without swelling) before I turn him out; however, when he is done running and bucking he will be lame again and his hocks swollen. What could it possibly be and how can I help him. He is high-strung and needs to run, and I can only take him out now if he is aced. – Erin

  

Dear Erin,

                   It is hard to say what might be going on in the hocks. Arthritis usually does not cause exterior swelling. Is the swelling generalized or confine to the joint itself? The fact that is seems to be both hocks also bothers me. I would have your vet re-examine the horse  and see whether further diagnostics might not be warranted. This could include sonograms, joint fluid analysis etc. – Dr. Martin

 

Swollen Tendon

 

Dear Doctor,

I have an 8-year-old mare off the track that I have worked with for about a year. We have jumped for a long time but just recently started jumping higher. She was fine at first but after a couple days the tendon on the back of her left front leg was swollen and puffy feeling. She isn't limping, and shows no lameness, and doesn't appear to be in any pain. I have been exercising lightly but have stopped jumping, and everything is normal except for the puffy swelling that won't go sway. I have been putting a poultice on her leg, wrapping it up, and also hosing it down. This does help a bit. If she is not lame is the swelling something I should worry about? What do you suggest I do and what exactly could be the problem? – Heather

  

Dear Heather,

I would definitely be worried. Your horse needs to have a sonogram of the tendons to see if she has bowed. A bow is tearing of the fibers in one or more of the flexor tendons. Continued exercise could cause more damage. Horses with this condition are often not lame. But the injury can be increased if exercise is continued. I would certainly want that ruled out before I continued on with the mare. – Dr. Martin

 

Brown Ointment or Spray for Quick Healing

 

Dear Doctor,

Our 20-month-old filly sliced her upper leg on barbed wire.  My trainer said she heard of a brown ointment or spray that will help with quick healing and the reduction of scaring.  Have you heard of this and if so what is it called?  Thank you, B.R.

 

Dear B.R.

I have no idea what ointment you might be talking about. There are several different ointments and sprays sold through vets and over the counter that you might be referring to. Granulex is a brown colored spray that helps wounds granulate in. It does not come in an ointment so I am not sure if this is what you are referring to. – Dr. Martin

                                                                                              

 Bilateral Osteochondrosis of Stifle

Hi there, I have a 23-year-old TB, gelding with Osteochondrosis of the stifle bilaterally. As a young horse he was raced and  for many years was a hunter jumper for a junior rider. As far as we can tell from his limited Hx, he has only developed this problem in the last few years. He has radical deformities of which present as firm structures on examination and occasional fluid increase and swelling. Hx states he has had annual Hyaluronic Acid injections and although stiff does not appear lame. Despite his age he is quite fit and energetic. Recently, he has had incidents of falling to his knees while under saddle (only ridden for light trail riding at this point) and the question of whether this indicates an advancement of the disease or whether he should be ridden at all has been raised. He is an extremely fit and active horse and enjoys the trails which constitutes the extent of his time under saddle, but we of course do not want to exacerbate the condition or cause him injury. Have you heard of other horses with the disorder who do not demonstrate lameness, having trouble under saddle? We don't want to completely retire him if he's just a klutz, but don't want to risk further injury if this is a natural progression of the disease process. Can you guide me to any relevant info or do you have an opinion you would share with us? We appreciate, in anticipation, your response. Sincerely, Lynn Keogh, Black Creek, BC Canada

 

 

 

Dear Lynn,

OCD is a developmental disease that is present at birth.  I  am not sure if this is a complication of the OCD or just arthritis that has developed over the years. Radiographs should be able to give you more information about what might be going on in the stifles. Sonographic examination  and possibly joint fluid analysis could also provide more information. If the horse is falling I would have my reservations about putting a rider on the horse. I do think further diagnostics are indicated to determine whether the horse could be kept in a low level program. It is possible that it is time to retire the horse.  – Dr. Martin

 

Dwarf Foal,

I have a miniature mare that delivered a dwarf foal and I don't want to breed her any more as this is a genetic trait.  I want to keep my mare as she is my son's show mare.  We only have 3 acres and it is not possible to keep her away from the stallion for long periods of time. I am looking for possible ways to sterilize her.  I wonder if the "shot" they use to temporarily sterilize wild horses to control herd numbers would work for domestic horses? I realize it only lasts a year or two, but I've still wondered about it. Also I have heard of this " zona vaccines and GnRH vaccines.  Also about this procedure insert a STERILE SURGICAL marble in a mare to act like an IUD.  I need to gather all information so I can present it to my vet to see what we can do. Thanks for all your help. Carlene

 

Dear Carlene,

There are several different ways to keep horses from cycling. Regumate is the only approved drug for horses. It is used for heat suppression and it has it's drawbacks. I am not sure what they use on wild horses but I am sure it is some sort of Progesterone based product. With these products it is hard to say when the effects will start wearing off so there are drawbacks to that method also. Marbles can be used but also can come out. The only true method would be to have the mares ovaries removed. This will guarantee she will not conceive but it is a fairly invasive procedure. I would discuss all these options with your vet and see whether any of them will work for your program. – Dr. Martin

 

 

Dear Doctor,

I have a 5 yr old mare (foxtrotter) she was a rescue horse for us 4 years ago. Since we have taken over care of her she is doing very good with the exception of her having a very sensitive digestive system.  She seems to colic very easily...but now she has been doing something new...she is laying in her stall 85% of the time...and she will eat while laying down...she is not laying completely down...she keeps her head up...I don't know if it's something I need to worry about. I get her up and make her move daily, she gets put on the hot walker and gets to run in the arena...she is at a boarded facility and they are wonderful to watch her. She doesn't have any hot spots on any part of her body, legs, neck, etc.  She has good bowel sounds and is digesting food well. We have added rolled oats and wheat bran to her daily diet since in the past few days to make sure she is getting the bulk that she needs, hoping that this will help her to not be so sensitive to colicing...please tell me what you think.  Thanks Much, Kelbi Howard....SLC

 

Dear Kelbi,

I would be concerned about her laying down all the time and think a complete physical exam is warranted by your veterinarian.  It should include blood work to evaluate her liver and kidney function as well as her bone marrow production of white and red blood cells.  A rectal exam, abdominal sonogram and gastric endoscopy to check for ulcers may also yield some useful information.  A lameness exam may also provide some insight as to why she is laying down.  Best of luck.  Dr. Betsy Mikkelsen.

 

Dear Doctor,

My gelding urinates a lot; he even dribbles while he is being brushed. I had a vet come out and did a urinalysis? And blood work, which showed a small amount of blood in his urine. Can stones cause this?  Are there different ways to treat this or do the stones have to be surgical removed? – Jack

 

Dear Jack,

Yes, stones can cause urine dribbling with blood in the urine as can other urinary system problems, such as infection, cancer, and various other kidney diseases.  Diagnostics to evaluate the urinary system, which may be helpful include ultrasound and endoscopy.  There are various treatments for stones depending on their location.  Kidney stones may be broken up with shock wave therapy but may need surgical removal.  Bladder stones may pass with catheterization of the urethra.  A biopsy may be warranted to rule out cancer and other diseases and a urine culture will rule out infection.  If stones are present decreasing legume hay is helpful to decrease calcium intake.  Talk with your veterinarian regarding further diagnostics.  Good luck with your gelding.  Dr. Betsy Mikkelsen. 

 

Dear Doctor,

I have an Arabian, about 21 months old, He has a cut or gash on his front left leg. Someone told me to use bleach on it, as this will help the healing process, but I have my doubts. Have you ever heard of this, and if so, is it safe for the horse. Please email me with any information that would be helpful. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Rebelokie

 

Dear Rebelokie,

Do not use bleach on open wounds.  There are many FDA approved topical ointments that will provide better treatment for your horse.   I am glad you had doubts about the bleach as it is not safe for open wounds on any species.  Dr. Betsy Mikkelsen.

 

Dear Doctor,

Yesterday I found a swelling/lump about golf ball size on the right side of my 22-year-old TB gelding's throatlatch area.  The left side seems normal. He is in good flesh, skinny and shedding out well.  He is in light work (low level dressage.)  He shows no sign of illness or distress, and no sign of pain when I explore the lump.  It is internal, not on the skin. He’s a happy horse should I be worried?  The vet is coming next month for annual shots.  Should I wait and have her check it in a few weeks? Thank you. – Diane

 

Dear Diane,

Often these lumps are thyroid in nature where the thyroid gland is underproductive, a disease known as hypothyroidism (or goiter).  Talk with your vet about performing a thyroid profile to find out if your gelding’s levels are abnormal.  Hypothyroidism is easily managed with a once daily oral treatment of the hormone.  If the test is negative, ultrasound, radiographs, fine needle aspirates or a biopsy may be warranted.  The sooner the problem is addressed, the happier and healthier your horse will be.  Good luck.  Dr. Betsy Mikkelsen.

 

 

Dear Doctor,

I have been giving my horse, 8-year-old thoroughbred, 1 lb. of soaked (from 2-12 hours) beet pulp once a day in the last few months to try to put weight on him.  He has had a light bout of colic twice so far and most recently had a severe impaction that almost killed him.  I keep reading how safe it is, but the beet pulp is the only thing that has changed in his diet. Are there just some horses that cannot tolerate beet pulp?  It has definitely worked in adding weight, but I don't want to be causing the problem in the process........ – Jocelyn

 

Dear Jocelyn,

Beet pulp fed in large quantities without proper water intake can be deleterious to your horse’s health.  Adding electrolytes to his daily ration can help increase water intake and may help prevent colic.  Talk to your vet about different ways you can add fat to his diet such as corn oil so that the amount of beet pulp can be decreased as it sounds like it may be causing him to colic.  A sudden change in hay or grain may also initiate more severe colic.  Gradually introducing new feed over a four week period decreases the chances of shocking the GI tract.  Dr. Betsy Mikkelsen.

 

Dear Doctor,

My horse travels to shows often and I know of the risk of gastric ulcers. I occasionally give him a dose of UlcerGard before a show, but it is expensive to keep always giving. So I decided to purchase the Abosrbine Pro CMC gastric relief supplement and was wondering if this was a good, effective product to give my horse. Should my horse receive this daily or only before events? Or is this not a very good product and I should just stick to the UlcerGard?  Thank you, TB Telly

 

Dear TB Telly,

Absorbine Pro CMC is an antacid that will coat the stomach and decrease the acidity but the effects only last a few hours.  If your horse is showing signs of colic, I recommend you have his stomach scoped by your veterinarian to check for gastric ulcers.  Daily supplements added to the feed are alternatives to liquid antacids and can be given twice daily.  Talk to your vet about which product is best for your management style.  It would not be a bad idea to continue using the Ulcergard while at horse shows because this product prevents acid secretion into the stomach and the effects are much longer lasting.  Good luck.  Dr. Betsy Mikkelsen.  

 

 

 

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Hello,

I am hoping you can assist me with my question about Strangles. I recently had a 4 year old have an outbreak. Our vet came out last Sunday and lanced it, on Monday; he drew blood on 4 other horses in the barn (ages, 12, 6 and 17). Aside from the obvious postitive, the other 4 came back "Mildly Postitive." My question is, is there a chance that those other 4 horses (whom have not had contact with the other horse) come back mildly positive due to the immunity built up in their system over the years? They are all show horses, some have been vaccinated over the years, some not, so I am curious to know if their positively is a result of prior strangles encounters. Thanks in advance, Jenny

 

Dear Jenny,

Unfortunately, the answer to your question is not straightforward.  Yes, it is possible that your horses have built up immunity over the years, however, according to the most recent literature, both natural infections and vaccine immunity cause serum titers to be increased for up to six months.  Additionally, blood samples can only diagnose recent but not current Strep. equi infections but results will vary depending on the horse.  A mildly positive result could mean the infection is in the early stages, they have been vaccinated or getting over an infection within the last six months.  Infected horses can spread disease up to six weeks or more after clinical signs have resolved, and carriers can harbor the bacteria in their gutteral pouches but appear asymptomatic for months to years.  These carriers can spread the disease unknowingly via water buckets, tack, feeding equipment, clothes, shoes, etc, thus it is very important to isolate infected and previously infected horses for a long time.  I would recommend you isolate all positive and mildly positive horses and talk with your veterinarian about the best approach for your situation.  Best of luck, Jenny.  Betsy Mikkelsen, DVM.

 

Dear Dr. Mikkelsen,

Have you ever come across a horse that cocks his front ankle? Right front ankle is not showing any signs of heat or soreness. No lameness, but will drift to right when coming off a fence. Am concerned for family that owns him, as they don't have a lot of money to fork out for x-rays and a work-up of the foot and leg. I'm concerned for the horse as I suspect something is going on and don't want to see the tendons shorting and eventually leading to more serious problems. Can this be attributed to incorrect trimming? Yes, he does have short stubby pasterns. Thank you. Francine Gillam

 

Dear Francine,

It is possible that this horse's soreness is attributed to incorrect trimming and possible that his soreness is related to his conformation.  However, without actually watching the horse move, applying hoof testers, performing flexion tests and nerve blocks, it is very difficult to make a diagnosis.  This sounds like it is a chronic problem, and I would recommend that it be seen by a veterinarian.  Since he does ambulate it is less likely that a fracture exists.  It could be a soft tissue problem in which case stall rest and a few days of bute could help but it would be best for the horse to have an expeienced veterinarian at least look at him to determine treatment options and a rehabilitation program.  Sincerely, Betsy Mikkelsen, DVM.

 

 Dear Dr. Mikkelsen,

Is it ok to feed horses just a flake of alfalfa am/pm with all the coastal they can eat? Thanks, Debbie

 

Dear Debbie,

Equine diets need to be considered on a case by case basis and will vary depending on the horse's use.  Race horses, for example, require a higher energy diet in the form of carbohydrates.  Pasture horses can survive on alfalfa and hay alone, however, it may not be a well-balanced diet.  Because soil throughout the United States contains variable minerals, the nutritional value of hay varies.  A well-balanced diet needs to incorporate the proper amount of fat, fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals in order to provide proper nutrition, and again, these ratios will vary depending on the horse's lifestyle.  Feeding hay and sweet feed alone may not be enough to ensure your horse receives everything he needs.  Incorporating a complete pelleted feed with hay is ideal, and if your horse has additional needs such as maintaining joint health, you may consider adding a joint supplement to the diet.  Talk with your veterinarian about a diet that will best suit your horse's needs.  Betsy Mikkelsen, DVM.   

 

Dear Dr. Mikkelsen,

My horse has a weird problem mostly on his neck and chest, where he itches his hair off and has bare patches of skin. A vet has seen him and diagnosed it as lice, but we treated him for lice several times, and it didn't work. Then he said it was rain rot, and we've been using anti-fungal cream on it and that isn't working either. It goes away when we put him in a huge green pasture across the road in the summertime, but in the winter he's in a small pasture being exercised at least every other day. Could it be stress? I would send you a picture but my computer won't do it. It basically looks like huge gray patches on his neck. Any advice is great, thank you very much. - DSLEquus

 

Dear DSLEquus,

Stress is not likely to cause the hair loss you describe.  Rain rot is caused by a bacteria called, Actinomycete, which could explain why the anti-fungal treatment is not working.  Ideally systemic and topical therapies are ideal, but you could try topical chlorohexidine solution to start.  Talk with your veterinarian about performing cytologies, skin scrapings, biopsies, and possibly allergy tests to determine if the cause is fungal, bacterial, parasitic, allergic or a combination. If possible, keep a calendar and record the months and time of day your horse is most affected.  For example, if this is strictly a seasonal problem noticed in the winter, what time of day is he the most itchy?  Does it correspond to feeding or another routine part of his day?  Does it come on suddenly when you change pastures?  Does it occur after a few days of rain?  Have you addressed the possibility of your tack or brushes harboring the problem?  What type of detergent do you use to clean them and does he respond to a different brand?  The answers to these questions will help your veterinarian determine which approaches to take diagnositically.  Best of luck, Betsy Mikkelsen, DVM.

 

Dear Dr. Mikkelsen,

Hey. I have a 4-year-old Belgian and he is scratching his neck on everything. He has been de-wormed recently. He has spots of hair rubbed off the sides of his neck about the size of a softball and right down to the skin almost making him bleed. Just wondering if it is dry skin or what? And what can I do for him to make him stop scratching? Thank you, Nicole Ripley

 

Dear Nicole,

It is unlikely that dry skin is causing your horse to itch to the point of hair loss.  Does he scratch all year round or is it seasonal?  Does it occur in the morning, evening, or after he eats?  What type of pasture does he live in and does the itching subside if you put him in a stall?  If he lives in a stall,what type shavings do you use and does he respond to a change in type?  Do you routinely use fly spray?  It would be a good idea to keep a diary of his itching noting the time of year, time of day, and how the itching corresponds to his routine and the weather.  Talk to your veterinarian about performing some dianostic tests such as cytologies, skin scrapings, biopsies, and possibly allergy testing.  This will enable your vet to determine if the cause is parasitic, fungal, bacterial, allergic or a combination in nature and then your vet should be able to prescribe adequate relief for your horse.    Good luck, Betsy Mikkelsen, DVM.