Ask the Vet!

I would like to start out by saying sometimes 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, Retama Equine Hospital

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:
At The Horse Gazette and HorseGazette.com our 'Ask the Vet' 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.

Fall Reminders
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX
Added 12/3/03

Just a few comments and reminders for this time of year. West Nile is still around and causing problems! Make sure your horses are current on this vaccination as well as all others.

Before we know it breeding season will be upon us. Mares should be put under lights by December 1. This is a good time to have any open mares checked out before breeding season gets here. Uterine cultures, biopsies, cytologies etc.
As the weather continues to change, monitor your horse’s water consumption. This is the time of year that we see lots of colic due to changes in the weather.

Don’t forget about their teeth either. Now is an opportune time to have your horse’s teeth checked.

Respiratory, respiratory, respiratory!!!! I say that because of the huge increase in respiratory cases we have seen in the past few years. This has also been a very bad year for Strangles!! We recommend that horses have a Flu/Rhino vaccination at least two times a year and possibly more depending on the horse’s exposure risk. Make sure your horses are current on their Strangles vaccinations also. If you suspect your horse is having respiratory problems, get an endoscopic exam done immediately.

The shockwave therapy has continued to be highly effective in many different applications. As time goes on I think this is going to be another tool that will be extremely beneficial in many areas of lameness.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners will host its annual meeting in late November. There is also a meeting on shockwave therapy that will coincide with the AAEP meeting. As usual the latest treatments and research will be discussed at this meeting. New products and equipment are also showcased here. I will give everyone an update in the January issue when I return from the meeting.

I also wanted to mention our open house in January. We haven’t had one in a few years and I am looking forward to seeing people in a social setting instead of a sick or lame horse situation. There are lots of people out there that I still haven’t met and I personally would like to invite everyone to come out, ask questions, and look around. Retama Equine Hospital continually tries to strive to provide the best all around care in the area and I look forward to seeing everyone and will have an open ear to any and all suggestions on how to serve everyone better. I also think the videos of some of the surgeries will also be an eye opening experience for those who have not seen these procedures in person!

How to stop bugs from biting.
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX
Added 11/2/03

Is there anything I can give my horse to stop bugs from biting him? - Mike, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Dear Mike,
Most fly sprays will work well against most types of biting bugs. Without knowing more about your situation it is difficult to answer this question. What type of bugs? Is the horse stalled or in the pasture? Is the horse allergic to bug bites? If the horse is in a stall and they are flying bugs, then a fly spray or fly spray system might help. Also, a fan with help prevent flying bugs from landing on your horse. If they are crawling bugs then some type of bug repellent around the outside of the of the stall might help. – Dr. Mike Martin
 

Squamous Cell Carcinoma
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX
Added 11/2/03

22-year-old Thoroughbred gelding…squamous cell carcinoma on left side of prepuce up near body wall... continuous swelling ever since biopsy 4wks ago antibiotics 14 days…options given were surgery or euthanasia (due to location-full anesthesia most likely only way-risk level high due to age and previous reaction coming out of anesth) lesion is oval 3+” with additional lump in sheath developed in last 2 wks. Lesion has increased 50% in 4 wks while waiting for swelling to abate. What is the success rate of surgical removal...chances or odds of re-growth, recovery time frame, extent of post-op care, and will the trauma be justified vs. success rate and pain of post-op? – Carol, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Dear Carol,
The questions that you are asking here are the same questions that you should have asked your veterinarian! Was there no dialogue between you and your veterinarian? Squamous cell can be a very aggressive tumor and also can reoccur especially if the whole tumor is not removed. Some surgeries can be done in a sedated standing horse. There are also several different options for treating the horse. Cryotherapy, radiation therapy, surgical removal, are all options depending on the individual horse. The success rate of the different procedures varies from horse to horse. Again your local veterinarian should be able to give you some guidance. Most veterinary hospitals also have Oncologists (Doctors who specialize in cancer), so possibly having your veterinarian refer your to a specialist might be the best way to have your questions answered. A thorough evaluation of your horse, the tumor, and your horse’s health status all need to be considered when dealing with a situation like this.  – Dr. Mike Martin

Cutting New Teeth or Bored?
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX
Added 7/1/03

I have a 5 year old gelding that when I ask him to trot he tries to take the shank of the bit and bite it. Could he be cutting new teeth or is he just bored? I switched from a snaffle bit to a short shank short port curb bit. He still tries to grab it but not as successful. When does his wolf teeth come in and where are they located? He only grabs the bit on the right side. What is your advice? - Debbie submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Horses teeth need to be floated on an annual basis. How long has it been since you have had your horses mouth examined by your veterinarian? The only way to tell if a horse is having mouth problems is to have someone who is experienced in dentistry examine the mouth. There are several things that could be going on. Most horses have all their permanent teeth in by age four. Wolf teeth can erupt as early as 5-6 months. They are also called the first premolar and are located in front of the larger cheek teeth. These are usually removed when horses are 1-2 years old but they still might be present in this horse. Retained caps (baby teeth), sharp points, hooks, and cracked teeth are just a few of the problems that might be going on in your horse’s mouth. The other possibility is that the mouth is fine and it is more of a habit or behavioral problem. My advice would be to start with a good oral examination by someone who is competent in equine dentistry. – Dr. Mike

Mare Losing Hair
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX
Added 7/1/03

We have a 9-year-old Quarter Horse mare who is losing her hair. She was a show horse and broodmare when I got her. She gets supplements, nutrients, hay and grazing. She gets fresh water 3x’s a day. There doesn’t appear to be any changes in her actions/movements. She doesn’t appear sleepy or disoriented; her body functions (elimination) show no changes in amount or appearance. Her hair comes out in big clumps or when I go out to her in the morn, it looks like she has lost more hair. Her eyes look clear and breathing is normal. I have only had her 2 years but never noticed this before. Her stall is kept clean and ventilated and she has full access to fenced in acreage that she shares with my Arabian gelding and they get along with each other very well. Can you offer me any advice or info as to any other symptoms that is causing this? Thank you for your time in reading this. – submitted by Don in Sullivan, PA via www.horsegazette.com

What area of the body is your horse losing hair from? Is it the mane and tail or specific spots on the body? Just like you and I horses will lose and replace hair especially in the mane and tail area. If the hair loss is from specific spots on the body it could be a fungal infection or some sort of hypersensitivity or allergic reaction. With the horse being otherwise normal I would not be overly concerned about it. The other possibility is that the companion horse might be chewing on the mane and tail. The best thing to do would be to have your horse examined by your local veterinarian. Horses should have an annual physical exam along with their annual vaccinations. Since you are located in Pennsylvania, I’m sure there are some skin conditions that are common in your area and your local veterinarian would be the best person to give you a definitive diagnosis. Skin biopsies and possibly allergy testing are some other diagnostic avenues that might be explored in this horse. – Dr. Mike

Mare gave birth to twins
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX
Added 6/1/03

Our Mare gave birth to twins unaided on the 29th April 2003 - we missed the event, having watched her so carefully for the previous 2 weeks - she was one week overdue, having had her scanned, we did not anticipate twins. (She has 2 other foals that are 3 years old and 2 years old.). When we did find that she had given birth sometime between 12 pm and 2am in the field (where she had her previous foals) we found one foal still in the placenta – dead - fully grown - and the other beside her - very weak and unable to stand. The Vet was contacted but could not come as he was dealing with some other emergency - we were told to keep her warm and get her to her feet to suck. WE eventually did this by 4 am. Since then it has been up and down - we thought she was going to die as she could not keep sucking (on day 1 once she was assisted to stand she could run after the mare) but this made her tired and unable to suck.(the vet called and gave her an anti tetanus and antibiotic shot) We moved her into a stable and have bottle fed and helped her stand to suck, but she was very uncomfortable and kept rolling on her back. Then on day 2, she suddenly started to stand on her own and suck for ages but seemed to be straining to pass dung - although the muconium had happened. All this to suddenly go down hill again with joint ill from a naval infection - her back leg was very swollen - we again milked the mare and tried to feed her by bottle as well as assist her drink from the mare. The vet came again and gave her 3 injections (not sure this time what they were - but within a couple of hours she was bouncing around the stable and sucking from the mare on her own - Now the question - she has developed very bad scour- I have rang the vet so many times - I feel bad about ringing again - should I ask the vet to give her something to stop the scour - or - do you think that this was the intent of the injections? and it will go away on it’s own? We really hope this little foal survives we’ve watched her on a 24 hour basis since she was born. – Caroline, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

It sounds to me that your foal needs to have an extensive work up done. Three injections will not cure joint ill. Instead of continually asking your vet questions take it to a equine hospital and let it have a full evaluation done with blood work. Joint or navel ill can be a deadly illness if not treated aggressively – Dr. Martin

Lameness
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX
Added 6/1/03

Last year I bought a 10-year-old Quarter Horse that was used for roping. I just want to use him for light trail riding, maybe some dressage (basically, just a pleasure horse). After about 6 months, he came up lame, right shoulder.
My vet says it is always the right shoulder in roping horses, to give him glucosamine and he will be fine. I did not have the horse looked at. He has been on glucosamine and MSM for about a month, and turned out to pasture barefoot, but I still have not seen much change. I intended to just keep on doing this and giving it time. Is there something more I should do? – Cynthia, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Your horse needs to have a lameness exam performed on it, including nerve blocks and x-rays to determine the location of the lameness. It is not always the shoulder in any horse of any kind. There are several treatment options available, depending on what the problem is with the horse. – Dr. Martin

Pimple...haematoma?
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX
Added 6/1/03

My horse has a small wound on front of his left forearm.  It sticks out about 1/2 inch and is about 1/4 inch in diameter. It almost looks like a pimple that is infected.  My husband thinks it looks like a haematoma? Any Ideas? – Penny Ann

If it is an open wound that is not healing or has pus coming from it then it should be examined by a veterinarian. It could be a puncture wound, or a foreign object. There are many different possibilities but to be on the safe side, let your vet examine it.  Also, is the horse current on it’s Tetanus vaccination. Sometimes small cuts or punctures can turn into major problems! – Dr. Martin

Can Horses Have Cold Sores?
By Dr. Luis G. Arguelles, Alamo Area Veterinary Clinic
Added 1/1/03

Our Arabian mare has a sore on her lower lip, it seems to be one similar to a cold sore in humans, we have trouble keeping medication in this location (it is where the upper and lower lips meet), is there a good stay on medication that can be applied, and is this sore on her mouth anything to worry about, she is very healthy and eats and drinks regularly, without problem, and does not show any resistance to the bits. We have also noticed she has been chewing on the stall panels could this have caused the sore, and how do we prevent her from chewing on the stall panels. Thanks - James (submitted via www.horsegazette.com)

We see many “sore” type lesions on the faces, muzzles and in the mouths of horses.  Usually injuries or abrasions inside the mouth heal quickly due to the vast blood supply there.  It can be something quite simple as a sore from an abrasion all the way to the start of a localized cancer.  I would carefully check the rest of the mouth and tongue to insure this is the only lesion.  To be on the safe side, I would have a veterinarian look at the lesion to rule out any condition that might be more serious, especially if you think the sore has increased in size. 

Just this week I had a horse in for a routine visit and noticed a sore on the inside of the horse’s nostril.  After cleaning all the dirt away, the owner commented that just last week the sore was much smaller.  The lesion resembles a squamous cell carcinoma (malignant skin tumor) and we are monitoring it for size.  A biopsy will confirm the nature of the tissue.
 If your horse is chewing the stall panels quite often this could be the cause. You can place a grazing muzzle on him or a chew guard chemical on the panels.  Anything that will stop the chewing should allow the sore to heal quickly provided this is the cause.  Topical antiseptics such as ”neosporin” cannot hurt.     Good Luck – Dr. Louie

Regressing Injections
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX
Added 1/1/03

My 12-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse mare is being treated for a sarcoid on her face using Regressing injections. She had three treatments spaced about 3 weeks apart, at our state veterinary hospital. The first treatment did not bother her at all. The second treatment she had flu-like symptoms for 2 days with a temperature up to 102.5 degrees. The third treatment she felt bad for 3 days with a temperature up to 103.5 degrees and went off-feed, so the vet gave me Banamine paste to keep her comfortable. After every treatment, the area around the sarcoid swells up, and then gradually subsides. That last treatment was 3 weeks ago, and the area around the sarcoid is still very swollen (either that or the sarcoid has grown a lot!).

One week ago, my mare had swelling in her left front foreleg, on the inside of the leg, from the knee down. I treated it with ice packs and it went away, but the next couple of days she developed swellings in her hind legs and in her udder area. I called the vet at the state vet hospital, who did not think this swelling was related to the Regressin treatments. I called my regular vet, and she said that a lot of horses had been stocking up this week, due to the drastic change in our weather (from 4 months of drought to a week of downpour). The regular vet told me to give her one dose of Banamine paste, cold-water hose the swollen areas daily, and lunge the horse 2x/day. That was on Friday. I have not been able to exercise her 2x/day, but the mare is outside 24/7, with room to walk and run around. Now it is Sunday and the swellings on her udder are getting bigger and firmer (at first they were like loose watery pockets under the skin). They are sensitive to pressure now, too. And more swellings are appearing on her belly. My mare does not have fever and seems to feel fine. My question is, if my mare’s immune system is up regulated due to the Regressin, would this make her more likely to develop swellings as a result of some kind of allergic reaction (perhaps to changes in the grass when the rains started?). She has never stocked up before. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks! Lisanne, submitted via www.horsegazette.com.

My suggestion would be to let your regular vet or the state vet examine the horse. Horses don’t usually stock up due to only a change in the weather. I would also doubt that the Regressin treatments have anything to do with the udder edema etc. Has any bloodwork been done on the horse? How much Regressin was used? Is the tumor bigger or is it a reaction to the Regessin? If you are concerned it would be best to have one of the primary vets that are working on your horse to re-evaluate it. Good Luck – Dr. Martin

Cystocele or Rectocele?
By Dr. Luis G. Arguelles, Alamo Area Veterinary Clinic

Can horses have cystocele or rectocele? – Thanks, Jody Elliott, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

First let me briefly define what a rectocele and cystocele are. In humans, a condition can occur where the musculature between the rectum and vagina weakens. This leaves a situation where, with enough pressure put on the rectum, a portion of the rectum can prolapse into the vagina (a rectocele). A cystocele is a similar occurrence involving the urinary bladder. Another similar condition in humans and some domestic animals is a prolapsed urinary bladder. This can occur when the nerve supply to the bladder is lost, it loses its muscular tone and is prolapsed out the urethra and into the vagina. As you might have gathered, both the conditions involve the female of a species.

In my experience, both the conditions are quite rare in the horse. A much more common occurrence in the mare is a third degree recto-vaginal tear. This condition occurs during foaling. As the foal is passing through the birth canal, a foot sometimes becomes malpositioned and pointed dorsally (to the top) of the birth canal instead of horizontally to the vaginal canal. A strong abdominal contraction can unassumingly push the foot through the vagina and rectal wall. As the mare continues to deliver the foal through the birth canal, all the tissue between the rectum and vagina (called perineum) is destroyed. The common term for this is "gilflirted".

Owners will usually recognize the problem from the unusual sounds the mare makes as she walks or exerts abdominal pressure. Air movement in and out of the injured area sometimes causes allot of noise. Upon first examination of the mare I will usually find feces in the vagina and excessive swelling to the tissues surrounding the perineum. Essentially there is only one hole instead of two when looking at the back end of the mare. Usually these tears cause no other medical problem to the mare other than subsequent infertility. Management of these injuries involves daily removal of vaginal feces, antibiotics for 4 to 5 days and application of antiseptics to the torn tissue for 5 to 10 days. If the owner wants to the breed the mare in subsequent years, a reconstruction surgery is needed. Some mares are not repaired and are even sold this way to unassuming people.

I usually wait 45 to 60 days from the initial injury to do the repair. This consists standing sedation, an epidural and reconstruction of the tissue between the rectum and vagina.

Breeding Donkeys
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX

I have several donkeys. A 7 yr black with a yearling and one a month old both of them are females. Another is 3yrs that has been with my jack for 2 years. He has been with the black since the baby was born. We seen him mount and she would stand still for a minute but there was no action from him and she would move on out and kick at him. We don’t know if he’s bashful and did it at night or not. Pepper is now 4 1/2 weeks old (June 6) and there is no sign of her mom going into heat. Maybelle the 3 yr old has never shown signs of being in heat but we’ve had her and the others since June of 2001. My questions: Are there any visible signs of being in heat that we could recognize? We’ve seen jack “airing” himself and you’d think he’d be capable. He’s so gentle I wouldn’t get rid of him if he wasn’t, but I’d like some babies. A friend said to add corn oil to there feed to help them shed. They’ve been wormed and have salts and pasture to eat. Anything else they need on a regular basis? Thanks for your help. - Barbara, submitted via www.horsegazette.com.

The classic sign of heat is “winking”, squatting and urinating. A mare will usually raise her tail, wink, squat and urinate when the male is near. Not all females will exhibit these signs. Especially younger mares. Has the male sired any foals himself? Is he the sire to the other foals there? With the whole family there, he and she might be a little shy. You might try to tease her away from the others if this is possible. The other scenario is that he is breeding her at night and she could already be pregnant. – Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital

Four day old foal has signs of scours.
By Dr. Luis G. Arguelles, Alamo Area Veterinary Clinic

We have a new born foal that is four days old. The foal is showing some signs of light scours. Normally we give them a little Kaopectat by mouth. What is your recommendation in terms of an oral medication? – Marie, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Our practice handles a large amount of foal neonate problems, and number one on that list is foal diarrhea.  I’ll mention the main causative agents first and discuss how to deal with them later.  The two most common causes of foal diarrhea are both infectious in nature.  E. Coli and rotavirus infections of the intestine lead to most of the diarrhea problems I face in day-to-day practice but there are many other causes.

It is important to know when a foal diarrhea is becoming serious enough for veterinary intervention.  In general, the younger the foal, the more susceptible to dehydration that foal is.  Prevention of diarrhea can begin even before birth of a foal. There are vaccinations that can be given to mares for both the mentioned diarrhea causing organisms.  Vaccination of mares prior to foaling for this reason is usually only employed in situations where diarrhea outbreaks have occurred in the past (Ex. stud farms etc.) or where problems are expected.  Routine preventive measures involve giving the newborn foal a probiotic paste within 12 hours of age.  This is done to inoculate the newborns intestine with healthy micro flora and help prevent an overgrowth of unhealthy organisms such as the ones mentioned above.  We also suggest an E. coli antiserum be given orally within 24 hours of age.  The antiserum helps put the intestines in a protective mode against an invading E. coli organism.  Insuring that the foal suckles an adequate amount of colostrum is the single most important preventive measure an owner can take.  Ask your veterinarian about colostrum testing foals at 12 hours old to insure adequate protection levels.

Very young foals tend to dehydrate quickly.  Every year we see a few foals presented with bloody diarrhea at day one of birth.  In those situations, the foals treated more quickly do the best.  The more normal presentation is a three to four day old foal with diarrhea that arrives in a weakened condition.  Knowing what to look for is very important.  If a foal has diarrhea but is strong, vigorous, playful and suckling, then he is probably okay.  Taking a rectal temperature is a good place to begin (normal range 99.5-102.0, the higher end is normal for a hot afternoon).  When you see a droopy foal and a mare with a tight udder full of milk the trouble is starting.  These foals are usually running a fever (103-105) even in the morning hours.  Any of these signs deserve at least a call to your veterinarian for advice.  Another danger sign is when a young foal (less than 7 days old) begins drinking excessive water.  In these cases the foal is usually has an elevated temperature and prefers drinking the cool water as opposed to the warm mare’s milk.  Again the full udder, usually spraying milk, is easy to recognize.  Water can make a diarrhea worse!!!  The mare’s milk is isotonic (like saline or Gatorade) which is absorbed by the foal’s delicate intestine.  Water has little to no salt therefore can pull salt and fluid from the foal’s intestine making the dehydration more severe.

Most of you probably are familiar with “foal heat scours”.  This loosened stool involves the period of the mare’s first heat cycle after foaling (days 7-11); It is normal to see the foal scour during this period.  Healthy foals never miss a beat and continue playing and suckling normally during these scours.          

Treatment of foal diarrhea varies from case to case but in general we start intravenous fluids to correct dehydration and injectable antibiotics to protect from further infection.  Anti-inflammatories for fever reduction are used carefully in foals along with activated charcoal and kaolin/pectin to protect the intestine. - Dr. Luis G. Arguelles, Alamo Area Veterinary Clinic, Castroville, Texas

Allergic Reaction?
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX

I have a 7-year-old Appaloosa Gelding that a month and a half ago came in to the barn and did not want to eat. We questioned him colicing and had the vet out. He oiled him and gave him some Banamine and he felt he would be fine by the morning. He was running a low fever at that time. During the night he ended up shaking in his entire body and had not urinated or passed any manure so we had the vet out again. At this time he was running a temp over 103 degrees and again was treated for colic. Our vet did a belly tap but nothing came out. He ended up running some blood work and felt he had an infection and he was dehydrated and needed to get fluids into him. We took him to a clinic where he was put on IV and was treated aggressively. After 12 days he was sent home with what they thought was the flu. He is not consuming water like he use to and different nights he will not have drank any water. We had the vet out to do Spring shots and he had an allergic reaction where his head swelled up and he broke out in lumps all through his body. They now feel he is allergic to needles. Any place where he had a shot or even where they did the belly tap he had huge lumps. They put him on Dexamethasone and it made the lumps go down in size. After two days of not having the steroid the lumps went back tot eh their original size. He’s had a CBC which came back normal and we tested for Lyme disease that was negative and ran a Fibrinogen that was normal. They want to eventually test him for allergies. The only thing that has changed in his diet was I started feeding him Farrier Formula last fall but you would think if that was the problem it would of showed up sooner than the end of March. Prior to getting sick he was on 15 tablets of Isoxuprien which I was told should not have caused a problem. Any clue why he isn’t drinking or the fact that he has these lumps that won’t go away? If he had a tumor would this be a sign? I appreciate any help you can give. Thanks, Tami, submitted via www.horsegazette.com

Without reviewing all that has been done to this point it is hard to make an assumption as to what might be going on. Have any of the lumps been biopsied. Has he had his stomach scoped for ulcers? What does your veterinarian think and suggest? It seems like it might be time to send him to a referral hospital. – Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital

Swollen Ankle
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX

One of my mares has had a swollen ankle for the past few weeks and I cannot figure out how to get the swelling to go down. She seems to walk on it fine but it still swelled up pretty badly. I have tried 3 different treatments to try to make the swelling go down but they have not worked. – Melissa

Has a veterinarian seen your horse? Radiographs and a possible sonogram are needed to rule out any musculoskeletal problems. What treatments have been done? – Dr. Martin We have a rejected foal. She is four days old and her spirits and her demeanor seem to be dragging. We had the vet out and he gave her an IV for hydration and she had a slight fever. She lays around has lost her desire to suckle can’t let her be with her mom because she kicks badly at her. We have been putting her on her mom every 2 hours for the past 4 days but we need to keep mother in very small stall to keep her from kicking but allowing the foal to nurse. We are trying to use formula supplements to keep her nutrition up but aren’t sure what else to do. What type and how much formula should we use? Any and all suggestions will be very much appreciated. Thank you for your time and help in this matter. - Dave Has an IGG test been done on the foal? Has any other bloodwork been done on the foal? There are several different types of milk replacers and supplements available. They all come with recommendations on how much to feed and how often. Discuss this with your veterinarian. – Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital

Dear Becky,
It is impossible to say if the change in diet had anything to do with the colic. Was a necropsy done on the horse? In an older horse there are a number of things that could cause your horse to colic. Unfortunately there are plenty of skinny horses and horses that are not well cared for. But just because they are skinny does not necessarily increase there risk for colic. It is true that a change of environment and change in feed can increase the risk of colic. Without further information it is impossible to make any assumptions on why the horse became ill. There are many horses that we see in our hospital for colic that have also never had an episode before. I am sorry to hear about your horse. Colic is a very frustrating illness for horse owners and veterinarians alike. - Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital

License to Administer Vaccinations
By Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, TX

I live in the state of North Carolina and would like to know if it is required to hold some sort of license to administer vaccinations to horse? Am I able to go to different sites and purchase the vaccinations and administer them myself or am I required to hold a license to do so? - Submitted by Lori via www.horsegazette.com

I am not an attorney and you need to check with the State Veterinary Association in North Carolina to find out their particular rules and regulations. The problems I see, and this might be different in North Carolina is that you are supposed to be under the direct supervision of a veterinarian if you are administering vaccines or shots to horses that belong to someone else. As I said earlier I am not an attorney but if you are charging for the vaccines I believe that could fall under the area of practicing medicine without a license. The other problem I see is if the horse had a reaction to the vaccine are you trained or do you have the knowledge and medicines available to treat the horse if it does have an anaphylactic reaction. In my opinion you are setting yourself up for a possible lawsuit if something did happen to something you vaccinated. That does not mean that many people are not capable of giving their own vaccines, but if you start charging people a fee and vaccinating other peoples horses you are opening a big can of worms with several legal ramifications. - Dr. Mike Martin, Retama Equine Hospital, Selma, Texas

Bot Flies & Best Wormer
By Dr. Luis G. Arguelles, Alamo Area Veterinary Clinic

I have a couple of questions. First of all I have a big problem with bot flies. What’s the best way that I can keep them away from my horses? Someone told me to put white vinegar to keep the eggs off once a week. Is that safe? Also I was wandering how often should I worm my horses and what’s the best kind of wormer to use? Thanks a lot! - Missy, submitted via www.horsegazette.com.

The bot fly is the Gasterophilus species of fly that lays its eggs on the leg and neck hair of a horse. The egg laying process can be an annoyance to the horse and in many cases the horse will run to evade the flies. This egg stage is then stimulated by the horse licking its legs. From this point the larvae emerge from the eggs and are now around the mouth. Larvae make it into the mouth and reside in the tongue for a while before being swallowed into the stomach. The stomach is where the larvae choose to attach and cause minor problems for the horse. After a developmental period of about 8 months, the larvae pass out in the feces and pupate in the soil where the adult fly again emerges 3-5 weeks later. Clinical problems from bot larvae are quite rare. There can be large numbers of larvae attached to the lining of the stomach without causing any problem. Bot flies larvae, however, have been implicated in causing stomach irritation and some researchers believe they can initiate ulcers. We always hear about home remedies to ward off bot flies. I tell my clients not to worry about the eggs, you’ll never keep them all off and you’ll never remove all of them. A good deworming program is the best way to avoid clinical problems due to bot fly larvae. We suggest using an ivermectin product (Eqvalan), or the moxidectin product Quest) dewormers in rotation with various other dewormers available. The bot fly usually disappears after a good freeze thus deworming after the freeze takes care of the problem until the next fly season. Deworming every 60-90 days depending on your situation is a good rule of thumb. You must keep in mind that not all dewormers are effective against bot larvae. The two products mentioned above will get the job done. Effective deworming is best done by washing all hay and feed from a horse’s mouth with water and placing the dewormer as far back in the side of the mouth as possible. After dispensing the dewormer I move the empty tube around in the mouth to stimulate chewing and dissolving of the paste. This keeps it from falling out in a clump on the ground. In short, bot fly larvae are rarely the cause of a clinical illness in horses and a good deworming program achieves proper control. Consult with your veterinarian for the best deworming program for your horse. - Dr. Luis G. Arguelles, Alamo Area Veterinary Clinic, Castroville, Texas

Now is the time to discuss newborn foals and some of the problems surrounding equine neonates in the first few hours of life.  This time of year we get a lot of calls concerning the proper care of newborn foals.  My “foal checks” usually occur at least eight hours after the foal has been suckling unless problems arise before then.  I’ll explain this later in the article.

In the normal sequence of events, within one hour after the foal is born it should stand then within another hour suckling should begin.  My foal exam consists of checking lungs, eyes, navel, gums, and temperature for normal parameters.  After assessment of the foals health I resume with the following treatments.  I start with a tetanus antitoxin, E coli antiserum to prevent scours, navel wash with dilute chlorhexidine and a rectal enema to avoid meconium (first feces) impactions.  Lastly I harvest a plasma sample to check for adequate colostrum absorption.  Adequate colostrum consumption and absorption is essential to prevent life threatening infections that can occur in the absence of the proteins we are measuring with this test.  We must allow at least eight hours from the time the foal starts to suckle to test time because the proteins we are measuring are absorbed from the small intestine into the bloodstream.  The latest test allows us to measure colostrum absorption levels on the farm call foal-side.  If levels are below the desired amount, replacement colostrum (real or synthetic) can be administered and a follow-up test done eight hours later.

There are some things to look for in the first few hours post-foaling.  As mentioned before, attempts by the foal to stand should be made within the first hour.  Suckling should start within two hours after birth.  Foals that are born listless and unaware of their surroundings may be classified as “dummy foals”.  Dummy foals result from low oxygen levels causing brain damage.  During a difficult birth the foal may spend too much time in the birth canal unable to breathe and if the placental cord has broken no oxygen is reaching the brain.  These foals are weak, depressed and even if they stand, show no attempts to suckle.  Placing your index finger in their mouth elicits no suckle response.  Veterinary assistance is required and in many cases is unrewarding.

Rejection of the foal by mares can be a major problem unless properly addressed.  Maiden mares will sometimes reject newborns and getting the foal to suckle can be a major problem.  Avoiding a stressful situation for the mare during foaling may help prevent rejection.  The worst mares may actually injure the newborn while kicking at it.  Proper sedation and restraint, in the form of a lip twitch, are sometimes needed to get the mare to allow the foal to suckle.  For the worst mares, owners should carefully try to milk the colostrum and feed it to the foal in eight ounce increments every one and a half hours for the first 24 hours.  Keep in mind you may have a bottle-fed foal on your hands if you cannot get the mare to accept the foal.  Replacement or synthetic colostrum should be available through your veterinarian.

A mention of proper placental detachment should be made here.  A post-foaling mare should usually release an intact placenta within one hour after foaling.  Retained placentas can be a serious problem if not addressed quickly (whithing three to four hours post-foaling).  Pulling on the placenta can cause serious damage, therefore manual extraction of a placenta should be left to an experienced individual or a veterinarian.