It’s not easy for Olympians to get to Tokyo with all the pandemic-related health concerns. But equestrians faced greater challenges, including having to have horses flown into Tokyo from pre-export quarantine in Europe as there were no horse flights out of North America that satisfied the U.S. equestrian horse welfare requirements. Schedules and other information about the … [Read more...]
Vets DO IT on the phone – Chatfields chat with Aaron Smiley, DVM
Dr. Jen the vet and Dr. Jason Chatfield are joined by Dr. Aaron Smiley to find out what is and isn't legitimate telemedicine. Smiley is one of the founders of the Veterinary Virtual Care Association and a champion of monetizing virtual care interactions. Telemedicine is not new. . . 140 years and going strong. What’s new is the expansion in technologies.” – Aaron Smiley, … [Read more...]
Chatfields seek People’s Choice Podcast Award nominations
Opinion, Complimentary Twin veterinarians Jen and Jason Chatfield hosted the top veterinary podcast in 2020. It was the first-ever veterinary podcast to be a finalist for the People’s Choice Podcast Awards (Science and Medicine). In 2021, the veterinarians launched a new podcast, Chats with the Chatfields. They are seeking nomination support for the 2021 People's Choice … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – July 15, 2021
Last week’s most read post Society ignores low-probability events that have far-reaching consequences, Source: Animal Health Digest, July 7, 2021. Link. Become the boss of your emotions Source: Healthline, April 28, 2020. Link. The ability to experience and express emotions is more important than you might realize. The felt response to a given situation, … [Read more...]
How to recognize signs of heat stroke in horses
When outside temperature + relative humidity = <130, most horses can keep their body cool, with the exception of very fat or very muscular horses. When outside temperature + relative humidity = >150 or above, it's hard for a horse to keep cool because their ability to sweat is compromised — especially if the humidity contributes over half of the 150. Source: AAEP, … [Read more...]
The hurrier we go . . .
Sponsored Content Humans tend to become lazy, especially with repetitive tasks. We dislike wasting time on things that are unnecessary or monotonous. Add busy schedules operating at full capacity and even the most structured protocols lapse. The hurrier we go . . . the behinder we get!” – Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland The news of the emerging Delta coronavirus … [Read more...]
Study reveals ag-related injuries more numerous than previously known
Fatality reporting has traditionally ranked farming as the eighth or ninth most dangerous job. New research looking at people treated in emergency departments for nonfatal, agricultural-related injuries suggests that the agriculture industry is even more dangerous than previously believed. Nearly a third of those injured were youths and vehicles were the primary source of … [Read more...]
Senior horses need to play too
Regardless of a horse’s age, physical and mental status stimulation through horseplay provides benefits to health and longevity, writes Jason Fowler. This activity promotes well-being via the regular production of dopamine. Source: Equine Wellness, November 2019. Link. When it comes to horseplay, the main goal is dopamine production for a horse’s mental and physical … [Read more...]
Rabies; imported dog last week, now a bat in a zoo
A rabid bat was found alive at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. It is the second rabid bat found in San Diego County so far this year. Last week we shared a report on an imported dog infected with rabies. There are still a few states that do not require an owner to vaccinate their pet for rabies. These states may delegate the decision to the local governments. In addition, … [Read more...]
Salmonellosis in horses (includes podcast)
In summer, it is typical to see increased prevalence of Salmonella sp. in horses, says Brandy Burgess, DVM, MSc, PhD, DACVIM (LAIM), DACVPM. Scientists think it is related to a sort of stress, such as heat stress. It is found everywhere. Different strains wax and wane in different areas at different times of the year. A large proportion of horses shed the bug … [Read more...]
Regenerative medicine for the equine athlete
Helping equine athletes reach their full potential and maintain optimal health is the goal of sport horse medicine, writes Tori Bilas. Horses can reap the benefits of self-derived biologic treatments well before a serious injury occurs that could derail training or require a lengthy recovery. Regenerative medicine is used to treat or prevent joint disease and soft tissue … [Read more...]
Keep horses cool this summer
Heat is just as hard on horses as it is any animal. Did you realize a horse can lose up to 15 liters of fluid an hour on hot and humid days? Sandra TenBroeck, University of Florida State Extension horse specialist, compiled a list of tips that are helpful to new and experienced riders. Source: University of Florida State Extension, June 18, 2021. Link. In cool to moderate … [Read more...]
Colorado Supreme Court rejects animal cruelty initiative
It is not over yet, but the Colorado Supreme Court on Monday rejected a ballot initiative that would have extended the state’s animal cruelty laws to cover livestock and poultry. The current law has an exception for animals raised on farms and ranches, as long as their owners follow accepted animal husbandry practices. The proposal would have added cows, pigs, chicken and … [Read more...]
Debunking 7 equine deworming myths
The general rationale has been that all parasites are terrible and horse owners must do everything that they can to ensure horses are completely parasite-free at all times, writes David Ramey, DVM. Even with anthelmintics, ‘parasite-free’ is for all practical matters an oxymoron. The most important thing for you to do is to test your horses and monitor them. Horse owners need … [Read more...]
Vetting a boarding stable
Horse owners should complete their homework when looking for boarding facilities. If a stable does not have a boarding contract, writes Natalie Voss, it is a red flag. She adds boarding farm rules and a liability waiver to the list of first considerations. Source: Acreage Life, July 2021. Link. !! Voss adds these questions to help horse owners do their research before … [Read more...]
Travel checklists for horse caretakers
Horse owners traveling will appreciate these lists to ensure horse health. Hannah Arington provides a checklist for traveling with horse(s) and one for a horse sitter. Consider sharing the article on social media, in newsletters, with local equine hobbyists and with 4-H and youth development groups. Doing it now will help prepare recipients for upcoming county and state … [Read more...]
Disease Du Jour: Tips about senior horse management
Complimentary Content sponsored by Merck Animal Health The two most common things we deal with in our old horse population is lamenesses and endocrine dysfunction, says Dianne McFarlane, DVM, PhD, MS, Dip ACVIM, referencing research results. The endocrine dysfunction is mostly about Equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), as well as insulin … [Read more...]
Female veterinarians say gender disparity remains an uphill battle
Meg Mueller, DVM, says one of the biggest challenges females face in large animal practices is the issue of working with strong and powerful patients who are much of the time in non-clinical, less than ideal settings. Clients’ perceptions that they can't handle the job doesn’t help Source: Wisconsin State Farmer, June 2, 2021. Link. This article is part of a series entitled … [Read more...]
The next pandemic is already happening. Targeted disease surveillance can help prevent it.
The next pandemic threat is likely already making its way through the population right now writes Maureen Miller, PhD. Her research as an infectious disease epidemiologist has found that there is a simple strategy to mitigate emerging outbreaks: proactive, real-time surveillance in settings where animal-to-human disease spillover is most likely to occur. Miller discusses the … [Read more...]
What happens when a horse undergoes general anesthesia?
Luisito Pablo, MS, DVM, Dipl. ACVAA describes steps the veterinary anesthesia team takes when caring for horses before, during, and after surgery. Source: The Horse, May 28, 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Sedating and anesthetizing a 900 to 2200 pound animal is both science and art. We found this article to be informative and worthy of sharing with horse owners to orient them to … [Read more...]
Equine Disease Communication Center review of diseases
Complimentary Sponsored Content The Equine Disease Communication Center is an industry-driven initiative that works to protect horses and the horse industry from the threat of infectious diseases in North America. EDCC is designed to seek and report real-time information about diseases, similar to how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerts the human population … [Read more...]
10 common health mistakes horse caretakers make
Farm calls are excellent opportunities to observe not only horses, but things in their environment that can impact overall health, shares Laurie Gallatin, DVM. Sometimes our horse husbandry is based on “how we always did it,” or the advice of well-meaning friends, trainers, or even Dr. Google, she says. She shares 10 common mistakes caretakers make. Here’s a sample: Not … [Read more...]
Customer service is not customer experience
Customer service is only one aspect of the entire customer experience. Customer service needs to be put into context — which means putting customer experience first. Most customer service starts when a customer calls with a problem. By contrast, customer experience starts with hope — with the reason the customer chooses you in the first place.” Source: Strategy + Business, … [Read more...]
Conversations about horse deworming
Complimentary Sponsored Content Kent Morgan, DVM, addresses deworming in adult horses including timing with grazing periods, geographic differences and the importance of annual fecal egg counts for every horse to optimize parasite control. Source: LinkedIn, May 11, 2021. Link. You Tube video. Link. The Zoetis dewormer information is fully aligned with the AAEP Parasite … [Read more...]
Could artificial insemination become illegal?
Artificial breeding might become illegal should a ballot initiative in Colorado be enacted by the state’s citizens says Corey Geiger. He reviews the legislation that would call an animal, “any living, nonhuman creature.” The revised definition would then state, “. . . not limited to, a dog, a cat, a horse, livestock . . ,” says Geiger. Source: Hoard’s Dairyman, May 10, 2021. … [Read more...]
Medina Spirit’s treatment with canine antifungal could be behind doping findings
Opinion We’re sharing articles about the Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. The horse allegedly tested positive for 21 picograms of betamethasone according to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Medina Spirit’s dermatitis was treated with Merck OTOMAX® OTIC OINTMENT, consistent with a veterinarian's recommendation to apply this ointment daily to give the horse relief, … [Read more...]
It’s Lyme Disease Awareness Month
May is a time to spread information about how to prevent Lyme and tick-borne diseases. The folks at LymeDisease.org created a list of things you, your family and friends can do to help spread awareness. Source: lymedisease.org. Link. … [Read more...]
Equine nutrition 101
Without the proper nutrients, horses are also likely to experience depleted energy, behavioral problems, a weakened immune system – and the list goes on. Laura Boynton dug into the vital nutrients horses need to thrive. Source: Equine Wellness, April 23, 2021. Link. “Common errors include feeding the wrong type of feed for the type of horse,” says Kathleen Crandell, PhD. … [Read more...]
Flavored water may help horses drink more
Concerns that hospitalized horses that did not consume enough water and could develop colic led to testing different water flavors often used in veterinary settings. The winner of the taste test was sweet-feed flavored water, which the test group horses significantly preferred over plain water. If you're going to try flavoring a horse's water to try to get them to drink … [Read more...]
Help horses handle vaccination well
Most vaccine labels read, “For the vaccination of healthy horses . . .” Not all horses that seem well are healthy enough to mount immune responses. Stress, chronic lameness, age and poor nutrition can impact immunity. Madalyn Ward, DVM, shares steps horse owners can take to help their horse experience the best response to vaccinations with the fewest negative … [Read more...]