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Category: EQUINE

Equine News Archive :
Our services range from routine through to preventative healthcare. Oakhill host a range of events within the equine sector to increase your knowledge and to also offer you a wide range of free services.

Filly runs into arena wall

*Warning – contains graphic images of injury*

A few weeks ago, Equine Vet, Hattie Barnes was called out to a 3 month old filly that had unfortunately run into an arena wall.

As you can see from the photograph, the wound was very large but thankfully superficial.
Hattie sutured the wounded and placed a drain to help remove fluid from the large dead space between skin and bone.

Wound after filly ran into wall

Wound prior to treatment

Sutured wound with drain

Wound after stitches removed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thankfully recovery was quick and the patient is back to normal foal life now!

Equine Summer Social

Thursday 13th September 2018

7.00pm start
at Oakhill Veterinary Centre, Langley Lane, Goosnargh, PR3 2JQ

To book your place contact 01772 861300 or equine@oakhill-vets.com

Join the Oakhill Equine Team for an evening of fun, hospitality and education.

  • ‘Pre-Purchase Examination’ talk and demonstration
  • Tour of the Oakhill Equine Clinic, including our MRI system and surgical facilities
  • Dental demonstrations
  • Fun & Games

BBQ & DRINKS
FREE EVENT
To book your place contact 01772 861300 or equine@oakhill-vets.com

Tapeworm testing

The EquiSal Tapeworm Test works like a blood test but, instead, uses saliva that you collect yourself. The test is scientifically proven to diagnose tapeworm burdens with high accuracy – it tells you if your horse has a burden and whether you need to worm or not.

To test for tapeworm, all you need to do is collect saliva from your horse using a specially designed swab and return to the practice.

Tapeworm testing now forms part of our Annual Worming Programme, reducing the need for wormers, the use of which contributes to wormer resistance.

www.oakhill-vets.com/annual-worming-programme/

Eye problems in horses

We are seeing an exceptionally large increase in the number of horses with eye problems. These problems are including eye ulcers, uveitis, trauma to the eye and conjunctivitis.

 

Causes

  • Some of these problems are related to flies, causing infection.
  • The bright sunlight that we are currently getting is causing the sensitive areas of the eye to become inflamed and painful in some horses
  • In many areas there is now little grass on some fields due to the lack of rain and therefore some horses are rooting in hedges, where they wouldn’t normally be and scratching their corneas

What to look for:

  • Discharge from eyes (can be watery or cheese like)
  • Red eyes or conjunctiva
  • Closed or partially closed eyes
  • Excessive blinking with the affected eye
  • Sensitive to bright light
  • Swollen eye lids
Uveitis

Photo of a horse with uveitis – Note the pupil which is shut due to the inflammation in the eye

Horse Eye Ulcer

Photo of a horse with an eye ulcer. The green area is where the ulcer has been stained by a vet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to help your horse

  • Turning your horse out in a full fly mask with UV protection is the best way to avoid eye problems.
  • Where possible, avoid turning your horse out in the bright sunlight, unless it has a mask on.
  • Avoid riding at the brightest, hottest part of the day
  • Observe your horse’s eyes daily

** IT IS VITAL THAT IF YOU NOTICE ANY OF THE ABOVE SIGNS, THAT YOU CALL A VET WITHIN 24-48 HOURS. EYE PROBLEMS CAN DETERIORATE RAPIDLY AND CAN LEAD TO YOUR HORSE REQUIRING AN EYE TO BE REMOVED IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES. HOWEVER, MOST EYES ARE SUCCESSFULLY TREATED IF PROMPT VETERINARY ATTENTION IS SOUGHT. **

Heat Stroke in Horses

Hot temperatures and high humidity can lead to heat stroke in horses.

Heat stroke is a condition that occurs when a horse is unable to lose body heat and its body temperature increases rapidly, which can lead to the respiratory, vascular, nervous and muscular systems to stop working as normal. Therefore, heat stroke must be treated promptly and properly.

Symptoms

Heat stroke may start as dehydration or heat exhaustion, with heat stroke rapidly following:

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  • Restlessness/Lethargy
  • Rapid pulse and breathing which may progress to a weak pulse
  • Heavy breathing
  • Increased sweating
  • Excessive salivation
  • Redness of the tongue and oral area
  • High body temperature
  • Erratic heart beat
  • Muscle spasms
  • Stumbling gait
  • Collapse

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Prevention

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  • Taking caution not to expose the horse to hot and humid conditions.
  • Ride in the morning or late evening, avoiding the hottest time of the day.
  • Provide plenty of water.
  • Provide shade/shelter.
  • Avoid travelling the horse in the heat, unless there is adequate ventilation.
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Causes

Exposure to a very hot or humid environment, combined with inadequate ventilation, can lead to heat stroke. Other common causes include:

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  • High level of physical stress
  • Excessive exercising
  • Increased weight (obesity)
  • Respiratory diseases

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Treatment

Time is of the essence when it comes to treating heat exhaustion.

If you suspect your horse is suffering from heat stroke, you must cool it down and ring your vet immediately who will advise you on what to do until they arrive.

Cold water should be applied to the skin, usually poured over the horse’s body. Also, fanning the horse and guiding it to a shady area will assist in cooling the animal.

Heat stroke indicates a severe loss of electrolytes, so intravenous electrolyte administration is often recommended as part of the treatment process for heat exhaustion.

 

£10 OFF EQUITOP MYOPLAST OFFER IS BACK

During June 2018, you can claim £10 OFF a 1.5kg tub of Equitop Myoplast.

Simply click here to download your voucher and present it at the Oakhill practice when purchasing a 1 x 1.5kg tub of Equitop Myoplast between 1st – 30th June 2018.

Equitop Myoplast® is a unique and natural supplement for horses, packed with 18 key amino acids including 9 essential amino acids. The blend of amino acids in Equitop Myoplast provides the building blocks for efficient lean muscle growth without horses becoming ‘fizzy’ or bulking up on fats and oils.

Terms and conditions on voucher

Overweight Horses

This year, given our mild, wet summer & autumn months, many of ‘good doers’ are coming into winter overweight.

It is of paramount importance that these horses/ponies do not come out of Winter carrying even more weight! We want these horses to have achieved a ‘normal body condition score’ prior to turn out on Spring grass. Overweight equids should ideally be fed good quality hay as this is less calorific than haylage.

We should aim to feed 1.5% of body weight in kilograms of hay, weighed dry, per day. Hay can be soaked for ideally 8-12 hours before feeding to reduce the non-structural carbohydrate load. If feeding soaked hay, a low-calorie vitamin/mineral balancer should also be fed. Remember any dietary changes should be made gradually over a 2-week period to try prevent gastrointestinal upset. Furthermore, overweight horses/ponies should not be over-rugged. Unclipped, overweight horses/ ponies not in work, do not need rugging!

On the flip side of the coin some horses, especially our older patients, can struggle to maintain condition in winter. These patients should have regular dental checks performed as well as being subscribed to a veterinary devised worming programme.

Furthermore, such patients benefit from an increased plane of nutrition as well as adequate rugging. Blood tests including ‘Cushing’s’ bloods should also be considered in such patients.

If you’re worried about your horse’s weight, please contact us.

Overweight horses : Health concerns

Horses come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes, and like humans they can gain weight, which can lead to other health issue.

Obesity in the horse world is as common a problem as it is in the human one, with the weight gains occurring when a horse’s nutritional intake exceeds his physical output. Basically, if your horse is eating more than he’s burning off, he’ll get fat.

All horses, whether ridden or not, stabled or living out, will need to have their diet, health and exercise managed in accordance with their type and workload to ensure they maintain a healthy weight.

Overweight horses are prone to developing various health problems including chronic laminitis, oxidative stress and a less than perfect interaction between insulin and blood glucose. While obesity itself may not directly cause these problems, it certainly has some relationship to the metabolic processes that keep body tissues and systems healthy.

Furthermore, the excess weight a horse carries leads to heat stress, strain on joints and connective tissues and reduced levels of performance.

It’s a good idea to check your horse’s weight regularly either using weigh tape, or if you’re on our Equine Care Plan Premium, you’ll have access to our weight bridge to accurately measure your horse’s weight.

If you’re concerned about your horse’s weight or unsure of what weight they should be, please contact us and one of our vets will be able to assist and advise you.