Veterinary medicine: Strangles outbreak kills 4000 donkeys in Niger.

Veterinary medicine: Strangles outbreak kills 4000 donkeys in Niger.An outbreak of strangles has claimed the lives of more than 4000 donkeys in the west African country of Niger since early December. Officials say that more than 8000 donkeys were affected by the contagious bacterial infection, which is also known as equine distemper, and more than half succumbed since the infection appeared in the first 10 days of December in the north of the country in Agadez, Niger’s gateway to the Sahara. Official statistics show Niger has a population of more than 1.5 million donkeys. The Ingall area was the worst affected, and the government’s minister for pastoral issues, Mohamed Boucha, visited Agadez this week to assess the impact of the outbreak.Veterinary officials said the strangles risk was heightened as the treatment of a sick animal can take several weeks, and the infection can be transferred between equines and through the pasture itself. Herders in the area have been invited to have their donkeys immunised for free by government veterinary services.

THE RISK OF SNAKE BITE IN FARM ANIMALS.

Areas where cattle graze usually harbor venomous snakes which means the chance for snakebite is ever-present. The after-effects in a snake-bitten cow, horse or dog knows can be fatal unless urgent steps are taken to prevent the effect of the toxic venom . Rattlesnake venom contains two types of toxins—myotoxins and hemotoxins—according to Ginger Elliott, a veterinarian from Guthrie, Texas, who has seen many snake-bitten animals. The myotoxins create rapid swelling, pain and bleeding at the bite site and muscle necrosis, while the hemotoxins damage blood vessels, destroying red blood cells and hindering blood clotting. The damage is often relative to the size of the animal. Small rodents are immobilized by the toxins and die quickly, enabling the snake to eat them. The toxins (and amounts of each) can differ in various bites, and have different effects on the body. “Some rattlesnake venom contains more muscle toxins. Sometimes we see more swelling and lymph issues and more spread of the toxin systemically. Our western diamondbacks have venom containing mostly myotoxins,” explains Elliott. “As a general rule, the prairie rattler has more hemotoxins and we see some swelling but perhaps less tissue destruction. When toxins enter the bloodstream and lymph tissues, they can spread systemically. But many types of venom have several toxic components and consequently there are some unusual cases,” she says. The higher up the leg, such as near armpit or groin, the worse it might be, says Jacques Fuselier, a veterinarian with the Whittington Veterinary Clinic, Abbeville, La. “The toxins can get into the bloodstream quicker. We worry about that with some bites, because there’s more risk for anaphylactic shock. The toxins may rupture red blood cells, which could lead to organ failure, starting with the kidneys,” he says. Try to keep the toxin isolated and minimize its spread this can be achieved if you can get the animal into a pen where it won’t be moving around. Decreasing activity can slow down spread of the toxin, just from decrease in blood flow. A big dose of rattlesnake venom presents risk of it getting systemic and causing organ failure after it gets into the bloodstream. Every animal responds differently to the toxins. The toxin is a foreign protein, so some individuals will have an allergic-type reaction. In some animals, the toxins spread rapidly within the body, and in others they won’t. It’s not common to have two cases that are identical. The toxins don’t have as much negative long-term effects on large animals like adult cattle but could have more serious consequences for a small animal or young calf, according to Rob Callan, head of livestock veterinary services at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University. The toxins can sometimes be more problem for horses, affecting the heart. Toxins may cause irregular rhythm, or damage the heart which can be fatal although this has not been reported in cattle. Tissue damage at the bite site may be severe enough to result in necrotic areas that slough away. “I don’t know why some bites have a tremendous amount of necrosis and others do not,” says Glennon Mays, a veterinarian with Texas A&M University. “I’ve read that all snakebites do not necessarily inject venom. In some cases maybe the snake is striking defensively, saying ‘leave me alone,’ and saving venom for killing prey,” he says. There is also the possibility that some bites might contain less venom if the snake had recently bitten and killed prey, temporarily depleting its venom supply. Then there’s the possibility that it’s not snakebite at all. Mays says that often a suspected snakebite turns out to be something else. Swelling on a lower leg, for instance, is more often due to foot rot or another infection rather than snakebite. Animal owners over the years have asked me to look at lumps on jaws, faces, necks and other body parts, swollen legs and feet, believing their animal has suffered snakebite. Snakebite wounds have a fairly typical appearance and often some bleeding. Signs vary, depending on the length of time transpired since the bite occurred, the environmental temperature, the amount [dose] of venom and other factors that might affect the appearance of the affected area,” he says. “Often a swelling that the owner is worried about turns out to be an abscess or seroma [collection of fluid] or reaction of body tissue, rather than snakebite. This is why it’s important to have a proper diagnosis and involve your veterinarian. “Most bites [in cattle] are on the lower legs, unless it’s a curious individual that approaches the snake to smell it. Contributed by Beef magazine.

Count Equine Parasites with a Cell Phone.

Equine veterinarians have lauded the benefits of fecal egg counts (or FECs) for designing targeted equine deworming programs. While these tests are already fairly simple; collect sample, submit to lab, and await results (which typically arrive in a few days to weeks, depending on the laboratory)—researchers have developed an even easier way: Collect the sample and let your veterinarian’s cell phone do the counting. At the 2015 American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Convention, held Dec. 5-9 in Las Vegas, Paul Slusarewicz, PhD, shared how he and colleagues determined this was possible and what steps went into developing the final product. Slusarewicz is an adjunct associate professor at the University of Kentucky’s (UK) Gluck Equine Research Center and the chief scientific officer and co-founder of MEP Equine Solutions, both in Lexington. The first step, he said, was to identify a universal egg marker (UEM), which is present on all parasite eggs that would allow software to detect the eggs amidst the rest of the debris in a sample. Slusarewicz determined that a carbohydrate called chitin—which is also present in shellfish, insects, and fungi, he said—could potentially serve as that UEM, but no one had suggested this could be a universal component of parasite eggs. To test chitin’s usefulness, the team attached fluorescein dye (the fluorescent green substance your veterinarian uses to check for abrasions in your horse’s eye) to a naturally occurring protein that can bind tightly to chitin. They then stained the eggs and viewed the fecal sample under a fluorescence microscope, using different optical filters to block out the background debris and see if the eggs stood out. The eggs appeared fluorescent, indicating that, indeed, chitin can be used as a UEM. The team had to consider cost of device if they really want it to be universal, so they opted for a cheaper alternative. They selected an iPhone with an added macro lens (designed for use in taking pictures of subjects up close) and found that it successfully captured usable images from a properly prepared sample. After confirming that their counting method was feasible, it was time to see how well the software worked. Slusarewicz and colleagues collected eight fecal samples, counted them manually using the traditional McMaster method, and then ran a count using their iPhone and software system. He said the two correlated rather well, but the iPhone method needed some streamlining. So the team designed and built an imaging unit that includes the macro lens and optical filters needed to obtain the image. They’ve tested the software and imaging unit on three phones with cameras of different megapixels, Slusarewicz said, and even the lowest-resolution device gave very good results. They also determined that the software can distinguish between different types of parasite eggs, “because horses have more than just strongyles,” Slusarewicz said, referring to ascarids, the other clinically important internal parasite of horses. He showed that the app could accurately count both strongyle and ascarid eggs in a sample containing both. McMaster tests, on the other hand, are used most commonly identify large and small strongyles. The team is carrying out full validation studies and finalizing the system—dubbed Parasight—before it becomes available for purchase. The Parasight System will not require specialized training and is anticipated to be available to veterinarians in the second half of 2016. Parasight System,” Slusarewicz said, “veterinarians will now have a portable, simple, rapid, and convenient test to replace the fecal egg count which can be conducted on-site. This will allow vets to once again take the lead in responsible parasite control strategies. Putting an end to the practice of prophylactic rotational deworming will not only reduce the amount of drugs given unnecessarily to horses, but also the alarming trend of increasing parasite resistance to all current classes of deworming medicines.” Read more at www.thehorse.com

HOLLY THE HORSE BEATS LAMINITIS WITH 3D PRINTING .

Holly, a ten-year-old mare in Australia, suffered from laminitis, a crippling disease that is common among horses, ponies, and donkeys. Laminitis affects the hooves of these animals and Holly had been suffering from it for three years. The disease causes pain and inflammation between the hoof and bone (an attachment similar to that of our finger and nail) and if unattended, could have left Holly unable to walk. Her vet and farrier, Luke Wells-Smith from the Equine Podiatry and Lameness Centre, had heard of the work CSIRO (Australia’s national science agency) had done with a racehorse, aptly named “Titanium Prints”, using 3D printed titanium horse-shoes. CSIRO hadn’t previously used 3D printing to rehabilitate lame horses, but, with Holly, they had their first opportunity. Collaborating with horse podiatrists, they 3D scanned and designed a shoe that was a perfect fit for Holly’s hoof and 3D printed it in titanium. The custom shoe, a first of its kind ‘horse-thotic’ that can be made on-demand in less than a day, would equally redistribute the weight and stress on the hoof, encourage it to heal and give Holly a chance to recover. Story from 3dprintingindustry.com

EQUINE OBESITY.

Horses are inheritably couch potatoes ,and an overeating, slothful horse leads to an obese horse. However, horse owners often don't see the dangers of an obese horse unlike in man. Caretakers may see no harm in giving their horses rich foods, but obesity in horses is just as unhealthy as obesity in humans and can lead to fatal diseases. Philip Johnson, professor of veterinary medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri-Columbia ,says Some of the very same problems humans encounter with obesity may also occur in horses.There is a striking parallelism between humans and horses when it comes to obesity. Obesity in horses not only causes weight gain but also endocrine problems, including insulin resistance. The equine obesity risks have been less studied, but researchers believe horses have similar risks as humans, such as heart disease and diabetes. Obesity in horses also can cause laminitis, a painful condition that often affects the front hooves. The weight of the bone is suspended in the hoof with connecting tissue forming a structure similar to a swing on a swing set. The extra weight in obese horses forces the connective tissue to tear and the bone breaks through the nail-like texture of the hooves. Veterinarians have yet to find an effective treatment for the condition. In the worst cases of laminitis, veterinarians are forced to euthanize the horse. Horses that develop insulin resistance are at an increased risk for laminitis. Horse owners often want their horses to look well fed.while some horse owners may view a healthy weight on their horse as too thin and try to feed them more. Its a know fact that not only do owners often over feed their horses, but what is fed to horses is genetically altered grass meant for food animals. The genetically designed grass fed to horses was designed to fatten food animals quicker.The genetics of horses, like many species, allows for the extra storing of fat in preparation for winter, when there is typically less food available. In nature, horses would eat less in the winter and lose the weight by spring. Under human care, horses are fed generously year round and never lose the extra weight. Horses need to be exercised daily in meaningful ways and owners should push their horses for a more strenuous exercise. It's not enough to ride your horse twice a week for 20 minutes. A well formulated diet coupled with exercise is key to a healthy horse.

HEALING HORSES WITH A LIFT.

A New device gives healing horses a lift,researchers and engineers in Saskatchewan hope that a robotic lift system will help to improve the odds for horses recovering from limb fractures and other traumatic injuries. The researchers teamed up with Saskatoon's RMD Engineering to design and build the lift. It is designed to help rehabilitate horses suffering from injuries and other musculo-skeletal problems by providing mobility, weight distribution and support. Research team members include engineering experts, an equine biomechanics specialist and a veterinary radiologist. Hundreds of horses are fatally injured and euthanized every year in North America due to racetrack injuries, a large majority of which are fractures. The horses used for pleasure riding can also break a leg. After a horse undergoes surgery to fix a broken leg, it's normally confined to a stall and given pain medication. However, due to a horse's heavy weight and its strong flight response, recovery is often with complications and secondary issues such as supporting-limb laminitis. The famous racehorse, Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner shattered his right hind fetlock while racing in the Preakness Stakes in 2006. Surgeons successfully repaired his leg, but eight months later, Barbaro was euthanized after developing laminitis in his other feet. Veterinarians regularly use slings to help support injured horses, but current designs significantly limit the animals' normal activity and support all of their weight on the thorax and abdomen. This leads to further problems because of compression on the lungs and development of pressure sores. Dr. Julia Montgomery, a large animal internal medicine specialist at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S),said the new lift system allows clinicians to dynamically reduce and redistribute the weight the horse is carrying. This allows the animal to be mobile with its weight partially or fully supported. Montgomery noted that the horse is allowed to move around so there is no issues with muscle wasting, adding that this function will also allow for more controlled rehabilitation of horses.Leg fractures are one of the most common injuries that will benefit from this new technology, but the lift can also be used with equine patients suffering from other musculoskeletal and neurological problems Montgomery and her team have been conducting initial trials with the lift on three healthy horses to see how they tolerate hanging out for extended periods of time in the sling and prototype system. Next, they will use it with horses with limb fractures that would otherwise be euthanized. These trials will help them find out how the lift affects horse behavior and physiological parameters such as muscle enzymes and blood flow. Materials from University of Saskatchewan

MOTION SENSORS DETECTS LAMENESS IN HORSES.

A research carried out in the university of Missouri-Columbia has come up with a motion sensor called a lameness locator that effectively detects lameness faster than the subjective eye-test. The study published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, Keegan and co-author Meghan McCracken, an equine surgery resident at MU, put special adjustable shoes on horses that temporarily induced symptoms of lameness. The horses were then monitored by the Lameness Locator as well as by a number of veterinarians using any lameness testing methods they wished. If no lameness was detected by either the veterinarians or the Lameness Locator, the special shoes were adjusted slightly to increase the symptoms of lameness. This process was repeated until both the Lameness Locator and the participating veterinarians properly identified in which leg of the horse the lameness was occurring. Keegan and McCracken found that the Lameness Locator was able to correctly identify lameness earlier than veterinarians using subjective eye test methods more than 58 percent of the time and more than 67 percent of the time when the lameness occurred in the hind legs of the horse. Keegan attributes this to the sensors' high sensitivity levels. There are two reasons why the Lameness Locator is better than the naked eye, It samples motion at a higher frequency beyond the capability of the human eye and it removes the bias that frequently accompanies human subjective evaluation. The most common ailment to affect a horse is lameness , equine lameness may begin subtly and can range from a simple mild problem affecting a single limb to a more complicated one affecting multiple limbs, veterinarians and horse owners know that early detection is the key to successful outcomes.If veterinarians can detect lameness earlier, before it gets too bad, it makes treatment much easier. Lameness often goes undetected or undiagnosed entirely, which can cause owners to retire horses earlier than needed, simply because they cannot figure out why the horses are unhealthy. The Lameness Locator, which is now in commercial use, places small sensors on the horse's head, right front limb and croup, near the tail. The sensors monitor and record the horse's torso movement while the horse is trotting. The recorded information is then transferred to a computer or mobile device and compared against databases recorded from the movement of healthy horses and other lame horses. The computer is then able to diagnose whether or not the horse is lame. diagnostic kits # sensor # equine health # computer

FOODS DANGEROUS TO PETS.

CAPSULE ENDOSCOPY AS A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL IN HORSES.

A new technique has been developed to ease diagnosis issues in horses,the procedure uses a camera pill to aid visualization of the gut. The research was carried out by veterinary researcher Dr. Julia Montgomery in the U of S Western College of Veterinary Medicine. Montgomery worked with equine surgeon Dr. Joe Bracamonte and Khan Wahid, a specialist in health informatics and imaging in the College of Engineering. The team used an endoscopy capsule about the size and shape of a vitamin pill with a camera to have a look inside a horse. The capsule pill endoscopy offers a powerful new tool to diagnose diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and cancer, or to check surgical sites. Researchers could use it to see how well drugs to stimulate bowel action are working, or to answer basic questions such as determining what normal small intestine function looks like. The advantage of this method of diagnosis is that the inside of the horse can be viewed and a better understanding gained as to the normal operations of the intestine,with little or no stress to the animal. The other forms of diagnosis prior to this are endoscopy,exploratory surgery, or laparascopy. The "camera pills" have been in use for human medicine for some time, but have just been used in equine health. The team used in the horse by administering the capsule through a stomach tube directly to the horse's stomach. The journey down the track was noted for the next eight hours, as the capsule and its camera made its way through the horse's small intestine, offering a continuous picture of what was going on. This will really ease diagnosis issues and speed up treatment in horses,thus ensuring equine health is maintained when eventually available.The team plans to run more tests in the next few months on different horses to gather more data so as to provide capsule pill specific to the horses. diagnosis# diagnostic kits# equine health # data #

RABIES IN CATTLE.

This is usually diagnosed in dogs and sometimes cats in this part of the world, with particular reference to dogs running wild and biting people.The virus can affect other animals such as horses,foxes,skunks,bats and cattle,but the usual suspect is the dog. A bite from an infected wild animal, such as a fox or raccoon, is a common method of infection in cattle. In Europe, rabies in dogs is a growing concern,in Africa the threats come from Jackals and in Northern Europe, Wolves are a prime vector of the virus. The skunk is the most likely carrier that spreads the disease to domestic animals such as dogs, cats, horses and cattle and those species then will show the clinical signs of rabies. The rabies virus is spread through the saliva of a positive animal, and when bitten by a positive animal is the primary way the virus is spread. However, other methods of spreading the disease are saliva from a positive animal getting into an open wound, or saliva from a positive animal getting into a mucus membrane – the eyes, gums or lips – of another animal or human.The time between infection and the onset of clinical signs varies. It can range from as early as a few weeks to as late as a few months after infection. Infected animals will start to carry the virus in their saliva before they start to show clinical signs, and this is why the rabies virus is different than most other viruses, because it does not enter the bloodstream but rather, the rabies virus travels through the nerves from the point of infection. If an animal is bitten on its back leg, the rabies virus will travel through the nerves of the back leg to the spinal cord, and then from the spinal cord, it will go to the brain and When this happens the clinical signs become obvious. An animal that is bitten on the nose, as it is believed most cattle are, will start showing clinical signs earlier than an animal bitten on the back leg. This is because the virus has less distance to travel to the brain and this accounts for the time variation between being infected and showing clinical signs.Once an animal shows clinical signs, typically within four to five days that animal will get progressively worse and die. There are effective rabies vaccinations available for humans, dogs, cats, horses and cattle. Veterinarians recommends that producers who show cattle consider vaccinating those cattle for rabies. If those show animals contract rabies, there is more of a chance of exposure to humans.While it isn’t always practical to vaccinate the whole cow herd, vaccination in prevalent areas are encouraged.

Field castration in horses.

Routine equine surgical procedures don’t mean complications can develop. Castration, It’s one of the most common elective surgical procedures performed in the field, but sometimes things go wrong. Veterinarians must be prepared well in advance to manage any postoperative problems, which for gelding can range from mild swelling to devastating intestinal prolapse. Previous studies the researchers reported a complication rate of about 10%, Of those, the vast majority were considered mild, about 20% were considered moderate, and just 3% were considered severe. But severe can mean death in some cases, so knowing how to respond is crucial. Preventing complications is preferable to having to manage them, hence the following tips on castrating was given at the 2015 American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Convention, held Dec. 5-9 in Las Vegas by P.O. Eric Mueller, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, professor and director of equine programs at the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine, in Athens, reviewed how practitioners can prevent and manage castration complications in the field.(Read more ; horse.com) 1) First, be familiar with the pertinent reproductive anatomy and how to perform the procedure properly. 2) Get an extensive history on the patient, including any previous surgeries or congenital inguinal hernias especially those the foal was born with in which intestines have burst through the inguinal canal, a natural opening in the body wall of the horse’s groin area, and into the scrotum or tissue around the sheath. 3)Conduct a physical exam prior to surgery, including a thorough evaluation of the horse’s testes and inguinal areas. “The absence of one or both descended testes, a history of congenital inguinal hernia, or abnormal swelling or enlargement of the inguinal ring (there’s one at each end of the inguinal canal) should alert the practitioner to an increased risk of postoperative complications, at which time they should strongly consider referral to a surgery facility,”. 4) Apply the emasculators (a castration tool that cuts through the spermatic cord, crushing the vessels providing blood to the testicles) properly, checking for hemorrhage before releasing the cord after emasculation. 5) Ensure the patient is up-to-date on tetanus vaccination. Following surgery, keep the horse on stall rest for 24 hours to allow for close observation. Horses should have short periods of forced exercise (lunging or trotting, for example) for four to five days to help reduce edema (swelling). Don’t just turn them out in the pasture, as it won’t necessarily ensure the horse will move enough to keep the swelling down.

Synthetic biology approach for a new antidote to coral snake venom.

Coral snake venom carries significant neurotoxicity and human injuries can be severe or even lethal. Despite this, antivenom treatments are scarce due to challenges collecting adequate amounts of venom needed to produce anti-elapidic serum. Currently, coral snake antivenom is produced by immunizing horses with the venom and collecting the anti-elapidic serum produced. Despite its high toxicity, venom yield from coral snakes is very low, and the snakes are difficult to keep in captivity. Since 2003, the only FDA-approved coral snake antivenom has been discontinued, leading to patients being hospitalized for treatment while the effects of the venom wear off. A new approach is therefore urgently needed to produce antivenom more efficiently and cheaply. The researchers identified 5 toxins within the snake venom and used a technique called SPOT-synthesis to identify the sections of the toxin (epitopes) that are recognized by coral snake antivenom antibodies. They then designed two DNA strings that coded for these epitopes and used them to genetically immunize different groups of mice. The serum collected from the animals, which contained antibodies to the five toxins, was then tested for antivenom capabilities -- by mixing with coral snake venom before being administered to healthy mice -- and was found to neutralize venom by 40%. To improve on this result, the researchers used recombinant DNA techniques to generate purified recombinant proteins from the designed multiepitope DNA strings, and gave the mice a series of protein booster shots to increase their immune response. This approach resulted in a final serum with 60% neutralization against coral snake venom. The use of synthetic DNA bypasses the need to capture and keep snakes, a difficult and expensive process. Story culled from science daily.

RABIES IN HORSES.

Equine rabies is a feared and fatal disease, but there are ways horse owners can reduce the risk of their animals becoming infected.Rabies is fatal to all mammals. Rabies--caused by a lyssa virus that affects mammals' nervous system and salivary glands. It has six genotypes, all of which have different host ranges and pathogenicities. Rabies is everywhere,but more prevalent in underdeveloped countries than others.There are some countries reported free of the virus include Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, Scandinavia, and Switzerland. ROUTES OF INFECTION IN HORSES. 1)Horses contract rabies from other infected animals. The horse will contract the rabies virus, when bitten by another rabid animal or have a wound contaminated with saliva or blood from an infected animal. 2) Wildlife exposure and interaction. The sylvatic cycle of the rabies virus is maintained by the wildlife community,thus when there is an interaction especially through fights,bites or consumption of infected carcass,the virus spreads. The animals that usually harbour the virus are skunks,foxes,bats,wild dogs and livestock. SIGNS OF RABIES.The signs at onset are nonspecific and include ;depression,inappetence, and Ataxia.The signs become more pronounced as the infection progresses and these are 1) hypersensitivity tu sound and touch. 2) pruritis 3) increased libido 4)twitching. Rabies is rapidly progressive and uniformly fatal with death from cardio-respiratory failure or misadventure within 10 days .People exposed to blood or saliva from a rabid horse has a risk of contracting and therefore dying of rabies,although the chances of infection from a horse to a human are small ;all prevention protocols should be observed. BIOSECURITY IN CASES OF RABIES.1) If any animal is suspected,there must be isolation of subject and restriction of handlers to the box. 2)The use of gloves,face mask and protective clothing. Vaccination is still the best means of protection.Vaccinate all horses.

RABIES THREAT IN HORSES.

Real-Life Examples of a Real-Life Threat Although rabies is a rare disease in domestic animals, due to its uniformly fatal nature, encounters remain as vivid memories. These are two real-life examples from my own experiences. Case 1: Human Exposure We had a "down horse" emergency case due to arrive at the John Thomas Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital at Auburn University. Prior to arrival, the owners told us that the previous day, the horse was at a 4-H show being ridden by a young girl, and he seemed a little off: slightly colicky in the morning and then lame in the afternoon. The following morning the horse was ataxic (incoordinated) and their regular veterinarian recommended referral to Auburn. The owners set out on the four-hour drive to our hospital, but two hours prior to arrival the horse went down in the trailer. The owner called us to say that the horses' condition had deteriorated and he was now biting viciously at his extended foreleg; he also notified us that he did not think the horse was worth saving and that he was going to return home to humanely shoot the horse and bury it on the farm. Rabies is a risk with any horse that has progressively neurologic signs, and though rare, this case was concerning. We strongly recommended continuing to the university, but the owner was concerned about expensive care with a poor prognosis. My fears turned to the daughter. Even if the horse was ultimately euthanized, there was a risk the daughter could have been exposed if the animal tested positive for rabies. A drop of saliva while bridling the horse could easily inoculate a small cut on a finger. To my relief the owner agreed to continue to Auburn to have the horse euthanized and a post-mortem performed. On arrival the horse was still down on the trailer, tongue lolling and biting at anything that moved. We were able to heavily sedate the horse and carefully access a rear leg vein to humanely put him to sleep. All our veterinarians and technicians are vaccinated for rabies, but it was still quite frightening and risky, so we minimized the number of people involved. We performed a post-mortem exam immediately, which confirmed our biggest fear: The horse was positive for rabies. We notified the state health department, and they were able to ensure all individuals that had contact with the horse--people in the horse's barn and at the show, the referring veterinarian, and the owner and his daughter--received post-exposure hyperimmune plasma and a long series of vaccines against rabies. Case 2: Rabies vaccines: Important for horses, dogs, and even the barn cat A friend of mine has several horses and visits her farm daily with her daughter and grandson. One evening while pulling a few flakes of hay from the hayshed, the daughter felt something brush against her face and then over her arm. A flashlight revealed a small bat that was awkwardly fluttering over the hay bales. My friend chased off the barn cat who was very interested in this new, wildly moving "cat toy" and managed to kill the ailing bat with a single whack of a nearby shovel. The daughter then noticed a small scratch across her arm. They washed the wound carefully and wrapped the deceased bat in several plastic bags. Meanwhile the old one-eyed barn cat was outside happily enjoying his evening game with the grandson. My friend called me for advice. As a veterinarian I am not allowed to give medical advice, but I ensured that they had washed the scratch with water and disinfectant and suggested they pack some ice packs around the bat's packaged remains and head to the emergency room. Luckily they still had the dead bat available for rabies testing and it was delivered to the Alabama State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory first thing the next morning, where testing confirmed the bat was positive for rabies. The daughter was given rabies hyperimmune plasma and post-exposure vaccines. She told me that over the next two weeks, every time she received one of the vaccines the scratch on her arm would redden and hurt for several hours. She was convinced the bat had inoculated her with the rabies virus. The county rabies veterinary officer was notified of the positive rabies test, and we recommended that all the horses and the barn cat be revaccinated immediately and carefully observed for any possible signs of disease. Fortunately, the cat had not come in contact with the bat; an exposed cat with overdue vaccines, such as this one, would have to be euthanized or quarantined for many months. Initially my friend was reluctant to spend the money to vaccinate the old barn cat. He had lived happily on the farm for many years and, although she never really owned him, he certainly thought he owned the farm. I walked her through the facts: Rabies is endemic in America, and obviously there were rabid bats on the farm. The individual most likely to contact a sickly bat would be the old barn cat, and the cat was always around the valuable horses and was the 4-year-old grandson's playmate. The old barn cat certainly needed to be vaccinated, even as a means of protecting others potentially more valuable than he. Are all your horses, dogs and barn cats up-to-date on rabies vaccines? story source (The horse.com)

RATS AND LEPTOSPIROSIS.

Leptospirosis a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. In humans, it can cause a wide range of symptoms, some of which may be similar to other diseases and some infected persons, however, may have mild to severe symptoms. Leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis,liver failure, respiratory distress, and even death. The risk of infection with Leptospirosis is high with people close to animals such as dogs, cattle, horses, and pigs. These animals get infected when they are exposed to urine of infected rats, or have contact with contaminated drinking water or swimming/paddling through water inhabited by rats or contaminated by rat’s urine. When these animals are infected, they may show no signs of the disease. Infected animals may continue to excrete the bacteria into the environment continuously or every once in a while for a few months up to several years. Humans can become infected through; 1) Contact with urine (or other body fluids, except saliva) from infected animals. 2) Contact with water, soil, or food contaminated with the urine of infected animals. 3) The bacteria can enter the body through skin or mucous membranes of eyes, nose and mouth, especially if the skin is broken from a cut or scratch. 4) Drinking contaminated water can also cause infection. Outbreaks of Leptospirosis are caused by exposure to contaminated water, such as floodwaters and person to person transmission is rare. Leptospirosis occurs worldwide, but is most common in temperate or tropical climates. It is an occupational hazard for many people who work outdoors or with animals, such as: Farmers, Mine workers, Sewer workers, Slaughterhouse workers,(abattoir),Veterinarians and animal handlers, Fish farmers, and Dairy farmers. The time between a person's exposure to a contaminated source and becoming sick is 2 days to 4 weeks. Illness usually begins abruptly with fever and other symptoms. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS; In humans, Leptospirosis can cause mild or severe signs this include; 1) High fever 2) Headache 3) Chills 4) Muscle aches. The Severe signs include; 1) Vomiting 2) Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes) 3) Red eyes 4) Abdominal pain 5) Diarrhea and 6)Rash.

EQUINE HEALTH.

. Horses are adorable aside from been energetic, each with his /her own behavior. The changes in horse's behavior which we term unusual is a pointer that something is wrong. The following signs indicate good health in horses; 1)pricked ears.2) good appetite 3)alert eyes 4)regular passing of droppings and urine 5)clean and shiny coat 6) evenly distributed weight on all four feet. The vital signs for a resting healthy horse are Temperature;.......................36.5-38°c. Respiration...................8-12 breaths/min. Pulse.......................30-40 beats/min. When any of these signs are altered ,its a pointer that the horse is unhealthy.

Researchers seek cure for deadly laminitis hoof disease in horses.

team of ponies has been helping Australian researchers search for the cause and cure for the costly, common and incurable equine disease, laminitis.The disease is the second-biggest killer of horses, a painful and potentially deadly hoof condition that affects thousands of horses a year.The groundbreaking research triggered a joint multi-million-dollar project by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the University of Queensland, Melbourne University and Charles Sturt University in New South Wales.The science has returned positive results and researchers said a preventative treatment could be within reach. The cause of the disease was hotly debated,until 5 years ago when high insulin levels are to blame. Professor Sillence has headed the team that has proved that in most cases, high insulin levels are to blame.He said in horses prone to laminitis, or founder as it is more commonly known, sweet feed was shown to trigger toxic levels of the hormone.The most common form of laminitis that affects ponies and horses that are on rich pasture, is certainly down to excess levels of insulin in the blood - it's like human diabetes," he said. Professor Sillence said genetic predisposition, over-feeding and a lack of exercise also played a part. "The difference is the horses' pancreas never fails and pumps out massive amounts of insulin until it causes this devastating result, which is when the hooves start to come apart from the legs," he said. Case study; Horse owner Errol Maudsley said he always suspected his daughter's pony, Coco, might have been prone to founder because of his round stature.He said they had always managed him accordingly."We lock him up and restrict how much he eats, but after all the rain he caught us out and he actually foundered - it's just access to so much feed," he said. In Coco's case, it was caught early and treated, but Mr Maudsley said management would be ongoing."Forever - now that we know he's prone - we'll have to watch him all the time," he said. read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-14/researchers-hope-to-find-cure-to-laminitis-disease-in-horses/6471000

HENDRA VIRUS, HORSES AND HORSE OWNERS.

The Hendra virus is a virus that mainly infects fruit bats also called flying foxes which can be passed on to horses, people and other animals. The virus is a deadly zoonoses. Hendra virus is very fragile. It is easily killed by heat, soap or detergents and by desiccation (drying out). It may survive in the environment from several hours to several days depending on environmental conditions. Survival is longer in cool moist conditions where the pH is close to neutral. Horses can shed Hendra virus before they show any sign of illness. All horse handlers should protect themselves by routinely using good hygiene practices whenever handling horses.Always cover any cuts exposed skin before handling your horse. Always wash your hands with soap and water, particularly after handling your horse's mouth or nose. Do not smoke, eat or touch your eyes, nose or mouth until you have washed your hands, every time you put a bridle on or take it off you are likely to contact the horse's saliva. The Hendra virus should be suspected whenever a horse's health deteriorates rapidly. The symptoms in horses include a sudden fever with a respiratory or neurological illness and rapid death, laboured breathing ,frothy and/or blood stained nasal discharge ,a temperature above 40 degreesC. The neurological changes are tilting of the head, loss of vision, abnormal muscle twitching, weakness and loss of balance. Some horses show colic symptoms. What to do when horses have been confirmed to have the virus; 1)quarantine. 2) protective clothing .Everyone handling a sick horse must wear full protective clothing. Protective clothing must be fitted correctly. Put on protective clothing before approaching the horse.After handling the horse, remove and dispose of protective clothing carefully into waste bags, making sure there is no contact with your face, particularly your eyes, mouth and nose.Carefully remove any clothing contaminated with the horse's body fluids. Wash your hands thoroughly after removing the protective clothing and horse owners should always have a protective clothing for safety. Vaccination of horses is very important.

Viruses that spread from animals to humans are on the rise.

Viruses that develop in animals and can spread to humans are on the rise around the world and scientists say more research is needed to prevent them from evolving. Viruses that pose a risk to both human and animal health are known as zoonotic diseases.The more severe examples include ebola in west Africa, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in the Arabian Peninsula, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Asia, and even Hendra in Australia. The University's Dr Siobhan Mor has just completed a study into how much scientists know about such animal diseases before they develop.She said half of the data that exists focuses on known zoonotic diseases, and there is a lack of information on animal viruses that have the potential to develop into human ones."We identified 10 diseases that occur at the livestock-wildlife interface, majority of which also affect humans, and found that the majority of the research has been occurring on these [10] particular diseases since the 1960s," Dr Mor said."There has been a lot of research on these particular diseases, with far less on other diseases occurring."Dr Mor said the findings are concerning, given animal diseases could pose a greater risk to human health as livestock production systems become more intensive."We are seeing more diseases occurring now in people as a result of those livestock systems and the way we are producing human food," she said.We are seeing more diseases occurring now in people as a result of those livestock systems and the way we are producing human food. Dr Siobhan Mor, University of Sydney, "We are raising animals in close proximity to wildlife because we have cleared land in order to make way for our agricultural production." Dr Mor said sometimes new diseases are detected in humans first, which are later found to have initially developed in animals, such as HIV."Historically, we know that HIV comes from animals, but what the research shows is there are increasingly new diseases being found in humans and we later determine have been occurring in animals as well."Dr Mor said Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, is a more modern example of an animal disease that has become more problematic for humans in recent decades."I think everyone's eyes are on viruses known as coronaviruses," she said. Zoonotic diseases have become more publicised recently with the west African ebola outbreak, which has so far killed more than 10,000 people.Fruit bats are thought to be the natural hosts of the ebola virus, as is also the case with the deadly Hendra virus in Australia. Hendra has infected seven Australians and killed four, as well as countless horses, since it was first recorded in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra in 1994. Dr Mor said human Hendra cases demonstrated a need to understand more about bats, which are linked to a number of zoonotic diseases."Bats are really interesting and we now know they harbour many germs which can make people very sick," Read more here; http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-21/researchers-say-more-information-is-needed-zoonotic-diseases/6635738

VACCINATION OF HORSES AGAINST THE HENDRA VIRUS.

The disease is carried by bats and can be fatal for horses and humans.Hunter Valley vets are reporting a drop off in the number of people getting their horses vaccinated for Hendra virus.Ian Gollan recommends getting horses vaccinated, even though there have been no cases of the deadly disease locally.Read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-01/vets-urge-horse-owners-to-remain-vigilant-over-hendra-vaccinati/6988886