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PetPlan Veterinary Awards 2020

The PetPlan Veterinary Awards 2020 are now open!

2020 marks an amazing 21 years of these awards celebrating excellence within the veterinary industry.

The Petplan Veterinary Awards recognise the fantastic work that goes on in veterinary practices across the UK. Petplan has worked closely with the veterinary profession for over 40 years and hosts these independent industry awards to recognise the hard work and dedication of veterinary staff caring for our pets.

If you think that the Oakhill Veterinary Centre practice or someone in our practice team deserves to win, click here to complete the nomination form.

Thank you!

Atypical Myopathy

Atypical Myopathy is a very serious and often fatal disease that horses can get when out at pasture from consuming sycamore seeds.

What is Atypical Myopathy?

An acute, severe rhabdomyolysis (a severe form of azoturia / tying up) that occurs independently of exercise. The disease causes extreme muscle cramping and often irreparable muscle damage.

Muscle enzymes that are released when the muscles are damaged, cause multiple organ failure.


What is the cause?

A toxin called Hypoglycin-A found in sycamore seeds. Ingestion of these seeds at pasture causes Atypical Myopathy. Outbreaks may occur with multiple horses affected in one geographical area within a few weeks of each other.


What are the clinical signs?

The onset of Atypical Myopathy is acute. Early presentation of the disease may be confused with colic or laminitis. Horses may be found dead, but more frequently they start by showing signs of weakness, stiffness, falling over, lying down more than usual, sweating, apparent sedation or depression, fine muscle tremors, dark brown urine that can look like blood and respiratory distress.

Progression to recumbency is often rapid and once at this stage, the prognosis is hopeless. Mortality is seen in 70% – 90% of cases within 3-5 days.


Who is at risk?

The condition predominantly affects young animals, but all horses are at risk. No sex or breed predisposition has been described, but to date, no cases of the disease have been reported in donkeys. Underweight body condition is associated with increased risk.

Overgrazed pastures and poor quality grazing gives a greater risk of disease.


What can I do to prevent Atypical Myopathy?

Clear fields and water troughs of sycamore seeds, leaves and saplings. If this is not possible, do not allow horses to graze affected paddocks or fence off affected areas. Do not over graze paddocks and avoid overgrowth of weeds on pasture. Provide hay if the fields are low on grass and where possible consider stabling horses over night.


What to do if you think your horse may have Atypical Myopathy

Ring your vet immediately. Try and move the horse to a stable with deep bedding in case they want to lie down. If you notice your horse urinating try and catch a urine sample with a clean jar or mug so that we can test it.

Can we fight resistance?

Can we fight resistance? Responsible equine worming.

The approach to worming of the general horse population has changed significantly over the years. Unfortunately there are no new worming products in the pipeline and resistance to the current wormers is becoming more and more of an issue. 

Testing to identify those horses (approximately 30%) that carry a worm burden significant enough to warrant worming is taking over from the ‘blind worming’ approach that we have previously taken. 

In this ‘test before you treat’ approach, the positive tested horses then need to be wormed with the correct product, dependent upon the time of year. Ensuring you are administering the correct dose for the horse’s weight is really important as well because underdosing contributes to resistance.

The basic life cycle of an equine roundworm is shown in the picture below. 

roundworm cycle

Stage 1:  Eggs shed onto pasture develop, under the right conditions, into larvae. 

Stage 2:  Larvae are then eaten by the horse on grass where they enter the large intestine. These larvae mature to produce eggs. 

Stage 3: Eggs are passed out in faeces, back to Stage 1.

Our new Equine Worm Control Plan is now available! 
This year’s Oakhill Worm Control Plan is a bit different from previous years to avoid over-worming. It consists of an Equest wormer, 3 faecal egg counts spread over the year and a tapeworm saliva test kit. 

If any of the tests come back positive, the appropriate wormer will be sent out for no extra charge, including the tapeworm-only praziquantel wormer that is no longer available from shops/online. 

Click here for further information about the Oakhill Worm Control Plan.

 

Poisonous Ragwort

Did you know that Ragwort is poisonous to horses, ponies and donkeys?!

If eaten, the toxins in ragwort can accumulate over time and have the potential to cause irreversible liver damage. Your horse may get just as ill from eating a small amount of ragwort over a long period as it would eating a large quantity in one go.

Signs may include:

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  • Lethargy and depression
  • Change in behaviour or appetite
  • Loose droppings
  • Photosensitivity with sunburn developing easily
  • A yellow appearance to gums/around the eyes
  • Significant weight loss

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However, there are often no signs until it is too late.

 

For more information on the best way to remove ragwort, please follow the link….

http://www.bhs.org.uk/our-work/welfare/our-campaigns/ragwort-toolkit/toolkit-dealing-with-ragwort-england/ragwort-removal-at-plant-stage

Image source: www.bhs.org.uk

If you’re concerned that your horse has eaten Ragwort, please contact us.

Stumpy’s corneal ulcers

Stumpy presented to equine vet Jess when his owner noticed a very swollen and closed left eye (blepharopasm) with some discharge (epiphora) after coming in from the field.

corneal ulcers

On further examination he had damaged the top surface of his eye (cornea) and several areas could be seen after applying some fluorescein dye. This is a very clever dye that will show up as green when it sticks to areas of the cornea that are damaged or ulcerated (see top left image).

Stumpy started different types of eye drops to help promote healing of these lesions and some very strong anti-inflammatories and pain relief to make him feel comfortable and reduce the inflammation in the area. We also decided to put a fly mask on stumpy during turnout to prevent him making it any worse!

However after several weeks Stumpy’s corneal ulcers were not healing as quickly as they should and had developed into a chronic condition. New cells in the top layers were not adhering to lower layers and a very irregular surface was developing (see top right Image). This required a procedure called corneal debridement with a motorised diamond burr to remove any unhealthy tissue from the corneal surface and speed the healing process.

Video shows Corneal Debridement procedure:

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The image on the bottom left shows a much clearer and brighter eye with unhealthy cells removed. The last image shows a completely healed cornea with no ulceration and a shiny smooth regular surface. Result!

Stumpy and his lovely owner have done so well over the last few months as he hasn’t been the easiest to treat with eye drops. We are all so pleased that he is back to normal and enjoying his retirement.

RCVS Accredited


RCVS accredited – What does that mean?

What is the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ Practice Standards Scheme?


The Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) is a voluntary accreditation scheme for veterinary practices. It was set up by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) in 2005 to promote and maintain high standards in veterinary care. The Scheme does this by setting standards and inspecting the practices that choose to take part.

RCVS Accredited Practice LogoAll RCVS-accredited practices have to meet Core standards, including hygiene, health and safety, clinical governance and the facilities provided. On top of this ‘Core’ accreditation, General Practices can gain species – or discipline-specific accreditations, for example, small animals, farm animals, equine patients.

Oakhill Veterinary Centre is RCVS accredited for all 3 divisions (small animal, farm animal and equine).

 

To maintain the accreditation, practices are inspected by RCVS Assessors every four years and there are random spot checks.

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It can be hard for owners to know what happens behind the scenes at the vets so the scheme can reassure people about hygiene and facilities available at an individual practice.

If you have any questions about the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme you can visit their website: https://animalowners.rcvs.org.uk/accredited-practices/about-the-practice-standards-scheme/

Osteoarthritis in the adult horse

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common causes of lameness in the adult horse. It is primarily a disease of the articular cartilage, a thin layer of protective material covering the surface of bones within joints, with progressive deterioration which can result in pain and inflammation.

Whilst OA can be a significant source of pain, especially when the horse is being worked, this can often be controlled and horses are often able to continue being ridden and even competing if well controlled.

There are many factors which may influence the development of OA in a horse- most commonly it is thought of as a wear and tear condition of older horses following years of hard work, but it can also develop suddenly in younger horses as a result of developmental joint disease (DJD), trauma or injury. Other compounding factors include conformation, weight and genetics.

The diagnosis of OA is often made following a multimodal approach by your vet. This normally starts with a clinical examination, in which the vet will palpate and manipulate the limbs with the horse stood still, and then watch it move in a straight line and on a hard and soft lunge circle. Flexion tests are then often performed to increase the pressure on the joints and surrounding soft tissue structures. The next stage is usually nerve-blocking with local anaesthetic; this allows the area of pain to be identified by removing the sensation to different regions of the limb. A positive nerve block will often result in abolition of the lameness when the dynamic tests are repeated and an improvement in the horse’s way of going. The local anaesthetic can either be placed under the skin next to a nerve (perineural) or into a joint (intra-articular).

Following this, imaging of the joints is normally required with radiography (x-ray) the main technique used. This allows assessment of the bones of the joint including their density, shape and the space around them.

Radiographic changes frequently observed with OA may include new bone formation or bone loss, reduction of joint space and irregular margins. Other imaging modalities include ultrasonography, nuclear scintigraphy and even magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), however these are more often used in unusual or complex cases of lameness originating from more than one source or in a horse not amenable or with inconclusive nerve blocking.

Osteoarthritis radiograph

Once OA of a joint has been diagnosed the treatment is usually conservative. Each case will be considered as an individual, with the aforementioned compounding factors and the horse’s workload and work history playing an important part in the management plan. Initial treatment may involve a combination of physical and drug-based approaches.

Early diagnosis can be very beneficial to long-term management by implementing changes which may slow the progression of disease, alleviate pain and maintain the horses’ way of going. Concurrent work with your physiotherapist and farrier may also help by providing additional musculoskeletal support. Gentle ongoing low-grade movement is usually beneficial with inactivity causing further stiffening so daily exercise or turn out is important.

Pharmacologically, the mainstay treatment is oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs such as phenylbutazone (bute) or suxibuzone (danilon). Whilst they will not modify the course of the disease, they will provide pain relief and reduce inflammation which in turn will allow the horse to keep moving. Long term these may have side effects including kidney and gastro-intestinal issues and such use should therefore be monitored and is often cautioned against. Alternative pharmacological intervention includes direct corticosteroid medication into the joint. This provides a targeted anti-inflammatory effect and will also have the potential to modify the disease process. However used incorrectly or over frequently, joint medication may have deleterious effects on the joint cartilage as well, and also carry the potential increased risk of laminitis and joint infection in the acute short-term.

Other treatment options include the use of bisphosphates, hyaluronic acid, and joint supplements (neutraceuticals). There is limited scientific evidence to support the use of neutraceuticals in horses, although recent studies have highlighted boswellia and green-lipped muscles as potentially important ingredients. A last-resort treatment suitable to some joints is surgical or chemical fusion (arthrodesis). This reduces the potential for movement in a low-motion joint and can be very effective at alleviating pain, although is an irreversible change and may not be suitable for many cases.

A further area of increasing interest is the use of biological therapies; i.e. re-introducing cells or proteins extracted from a horse, back into the damaged area or joint. Currently these include PRP and IRAP, and are designed to increase the health of the joint fluid and stimulate cellular repair. A new approach that is increasingly used is a polyacrylamide hydrogel with can be injected into some joints to increase cushioning and thus alleviate pain.

It is important to weigh up the safety, proven efficacy and cost of any of these treatments, and what may be of most benefit to your horse. There are no medical treatments that can reverse the cartilage damage associated with OA. The best approach is to find a balance of management for the individual which will suit you both as a team.

If you’d like to discuss with a member of the Oakhill Equine Vet Team, please contact us.

Equine Castration Clinics

Equine Castration Clinics

Monday 29th April 2019 & Thursday 23rd May 2019

at the Oakhill Equine Clinic, Langley Lane, Goosnargh, Lancashire, PR3 2JQ

Only £130 + VAT

Price includes: Procedure under general anaesthesia, sedative, pain relief and antibiotics.

If horse is not vaccinated, an additional cost will be added for tetanus anti-serum.

Call 01772 861300 to book.

Terms and Conditions

Horse must be under 3 years old.
Offer only applicable on dates shown and to be carried out at Oakhill Veterinary Centre, Langley Lane, Goosnargh, PR3 2JQ.

Price is per horse. Payment must be made on collection of your horse. Passport needs to be presented and the horse to be certified as ‘not for human consumption’ to enable the relevant drugs to be administered during procedure.

The procedure cost does not include the cost of treatment as a result of any post-operative complications which may arise.

If one or both testicles are not descended a different type of surgery will be required – this will need to be arranged separately and additional cost will be charged.

Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) confirmed in South of England

A notifiable disease called Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) has been confirmed in the South of England, in Dorset, this month.

EVA is a viral disease in stallions and mares which have been mated or inseminated in the past 14 days. It is a highly contagious venereal disease that causes abortion and severe respiratory disease.

Horses can present with flu-like signs and fever but also swelling of the limbs and inflammation around the eyes. In breeding stock it can cause abortion, especially in the second half of pregnancy, and weakness in foals. Whilst it is usually spread by stallions with infected semen, it can also be transferred via respiratory secretions of infected horses.

Good biosecurity is essential in preventing the spread of disease and owners of mares and stallions are advised to have them tested before they use them for breeding.

If you have any questions, our Equine Vets are happy to help and can be contacted at the practice

Further information is available on the BEVA website:
https://www.beva.org.uk/News-Archive/entryid/1118

Image source: MSD Animal Health

Laminitis

As the days get longer and the sun is out, horses will be enjoying the perks of being turned out more. This could be a potential danger for horses at risk of laminitis or overweight.

Recent research has shown that laminitis is as common in horses in the UK as colic. In contradiction to what was previously thought, there is no safe-season for laminitis, and it is presented and diagnosed all year around¹.

It is important that owners remain proactive about the prevention of laminitis in every season of the year. The earlier an episode is recognised significantly increases the best chance of recovery. This includes looking out for the perhaps more subtle signs, including changes in behaviour, reluctance to pick up feet, a shortened/stiffened gait and being careful on hard stony grounds.

Laminitis

Picture 1. Hoof wall with laminae dissected.

The horse’s foot is built from a sensitive (soft tissue inside) and a non-sensitive part (hoof wall). The sensitive parts are called the laminae, which connect the hoof wall to the pedal bone inside (Picture 1).

In a horse with laminitis these laminae get inflamed, causing them to loosen the connection. Because of this the pedal bone will rotate towards the sole of the foot. The inflammation and rotation of the pedal bone are very painful for the horse. The rotation of the pedal bone can only be confirmed by taking a xray (Picture 2).

Laminitis Xray

Picture 2.

  1. Pedal bone  2. Short pastern bone. 3. Navicular bone.  4. Laminae

Left xray shows normal anatomy with the pedal bone parallel to the hoof wall, right xray shows a rotated pedal bone, where the tip of the pedal bone has penetrated the sole.

Restricted grazing in horses at risk of being overweight and laminitis is indicated, ideally horses at risk should not be turned out on grass at all.

Strip grazing, limiting the hours of turn out on grass and turning out with a muzzle are advised, but some horses will adapt to this.

If you think your horse is overweight, please don’t hesitate to book yourself onto one of our weight clinics!

¹Pollard et al. (2018) Incidence and clinical signs of owner-reported equine laminitis in a cohort of horses and ponies in Great Britain