VETERINARIANS AND THE HENDRA VIRUS IN HORSES.

Horse owners concerned about the Hendra vaccine ,Unvaccinated horses die through lack of treatment. Veterinarians are skeptical about call out now,and they have made it clear that if horses are not vaccinated,they will not be handled. Currently, most vets refuse to treat sick or injured horses if the animal has not been vaccinated against the deadly virus, for reasons of legality and personal safety.However, in some extreme cases, horses have died while vets await blood test results to clear the animal of Hendra."I am working off of what horse owners are saying to me, and they are not happy with a few things that have reared their ugly head in recent times," Mr Pearce said."I've always thought to myself that [the vets] have a fair argument, but why can't vets use personal protective equipment (PPE) when they go to treat these horses?"If a vet is prepared to put on the gear, treat a horse, then they are doing the right thing."Those arguments don't stand up as far as I'm concerned because they have the protective equipment there for them to use, which would significantly reduce any risk they have."Mr Pearce speculated the reason vets refused to treat unvaccinated sick horses was not just about safety concerns, but he would not specify what other reasons there may be."I don't believe this argument is about PPE. There has to be something else that puts these vets in a situation where they say they won't treat horses unless they have been vaccinated," Vets are very cautious when handling sick horses especially if they have not taken the hendra vaccine, because some vets have died from exposure during treatment and also because of prosecution. A balance must be maintained among all parties to prevent further death. Read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-18/hendra-policy-opponents-gain-new-voice/6950790

HENDRA VIRUS IN HORSES.

Horses that came into contact with urine from black flying foxes were most likely to catch the virus, It has long been known that bats are the natural hosts of the Hendra virus and could pass it to horses, but exactly how that happens has been difficult to prove. Dr Hume Field is a science and policy advisor with US conservation group EcoHealth Alliance, and the former principal scientist with the Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases. He said a recent study of 3,000 bats from Charters Towers in north Queensland, to Sydney in New South Wales, indicated urine was the most likely link."The study took samples from urine, faeces, saliva, and nasal discharge and the clear evidence was that urine, by far, was the most common source in which the virus was found," Dr Field said."Faeces was further down the line and saliva and nasal discharge were very infrequent."But despite urine being the most likely source of contamination, Dr Field said more information was needed to establish how horses come into contact with it. if you had a horse that was resting or grazing under a tree where flying foxes were feeding, and flying foxes urinate a lot when foraging in trees, there is the potential for that horse stranding underneath to get directly contaminated."It can happen through the nose, the mucus membranes of the eyes or as well horses can ingest some urine on grass."Dr Hume said researchers had also identified which species of flying fox were more likely to pass on the disease, and said horse owners in areas where black flying foxes were common should be most wary. Dr Hume said the study explored three species; red flying foxes, black flying foxes, and grey-headed flying foxes.He said various information over the years made scientists think that not all flying foxes were the same when it came to the Hendra virus risk they posed.But this study into 3,000 animals across three species offered a better understanding, he said."It was abundantly clear that all of the positive detections of Hendra viruses came from black flying foxes and none came from little red flying foxes and none came from grey-headed flying foxes," he said."We know there are antibodies in all of those species, so they all get infected at some stage." The Department of Agriculture said vaccination was the best defence, and everyone should make their own choice. vaccination may be enforced in some cases to prevent death in horses. read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-27/hendra-urine-queensland/6650128

HONEY A TOOL TO CURB ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE.

Honey is very useful in wound healing aside other benefits, but the wound healing properties are now extended to include the prevention of antibiotic resistance. Swedish researchers have successfully cured treatment-resistant wounds in horses, using a mixture of various lactic acid bacteria found in bees' honey stomachs and honey itself. The successful trial could help the medical community overcome the growing problem of global antibiotic resistance.Honey inhibits the formation of bio films, or communities of slimy disease-causing bacteria .Honey weakens bacterial virulence, rendering the bacteria more susceptible to conventional antibiotics. Honey is effective because it is filled with healthful poly phenols, or antioxidants.Honey has antibacterial, anti fungal and antiviral properties ,thats why its used in wound treatment and it has found tremendous use in cases of burns. watch video here;http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/832495e7f0e5390d05caf25e59f87643.htm

CHRONICLES OF A VET.!!!

Every case is unique and the pet owners as well,so understanding your clients is the major step to success of the case. A client brought in a male dog today with the following signs; 1) swollen eye. 2) redness 3) watery discharges . The owner explained that the dog's eye was normal a day before,but early this morning these signs where obvious. When questioning the client further, he remembered the dog had killed a skunk overnight.This gave the clue to cause since all other questions had negative answers, the skunk must have sprayed some of the irritating fluid into the eye setting up an inflammatory reaction. Skunks common around most homes and they are not really aggressive ,they only spray their fluids to deter predators.The fluids are produced in the tail,have horrible smell that travels as far as 3 meters. The eye was examined and swabbed with normal saline , eye ointment with antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties was applied. The dog was placed on systemic antibiotics for 3 days and vitamin C. Pet owners need to ensure their home is pet-safe.!!!.

EQUINE GRASS SICKNESS.

Equine grass sickness is fatal condition in horses on pasture, the condition results in colic and prognosis is guarded.The condition affects all age groups,can occur at any time but very common in wet conditions/seasons. The cause of the condition has been pinned as Clostridium botulinum,this bacteria lives in moist soil and when it spreads on grass its eaten by the horse,resulting in severe poisoning. The bacteria toxins affect the horses's intestinal tract which affects the nerves causing a dysfunction resulting in severe colic. The onset of the equine grass sickness could be per acute, acute and chronic.In per acute cases the horses are found dead.The prognosis in the chronic and acute cases are guarded. The acute case, the onset is sudden, with severe abdominal discomfort, high pulse rate and restlessness. The treatment is colic surgery.While the chronic case ,the horse slowly develops a persistent low grade colic with rapid weight loss.The upper eye lid is droopy and there is sticky nasal discharge, and fecal balls are hard and small.The treatment is pain relief and supportive therapy. Equine grass sickness can be prevented with pasture identification; if an area has record of such sickness avoid letting horses in area.Where there has been recent work lately, that involves soil works or turning should be avoided.Areas where dead animals are commonly found in pasture should be avoided.Horses that do not depend solely on grasses for nutrition hardly come down with grass sickness,thus feeding hay at pasture and bringing horses in to stable at night may help reduce its occurrence.

WOUND RECONSTRUCTION IN HORSES.

These grafts involve relocating the skin from a donor site to cover a wound and restore function and cosmetics in your veterinary equine patients.In horses, skin grafts are most often used for limb wounds where primary closure is not possible or second intention healing is delayed or not occurring. Grafts may also be considered for large wounds of the trunk, as grafting will decrease healing time. This article concentrates on free skin grafts, with an emphasis on punch grafts. With free skin grafts, the donor skin is severed from its blood supply and relocated to a wound. Free skin grafts are categorized by thickness and type. Full-thickness grafts include epidermis and the entire dermis. Split-thickness grafts include epidermis and a portion of dermis. Full- and split-thickness grafts can be either sheet grafts or island grafts. Sheet grafts are applied to the surface of a wound, and island grafts are embedded in the wound (Figure 1). Island graft techniques include punch, pinch, tunnel and modified meek grafts. The advantage of island grafts is that the failure or loss of one graft does not affect other grafts in the wound. read more here;http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/wound-reconstruction-free-skin-grafts-horses

WOUND RECONSTRUCTION IN HORSES.

These grafts involve relocating the skin from a donor site to cover a wound and restore function and cosmetics in your veterinary equine patients.In horses, skin grafts are most often used for limb wounds where primary closure is not possible or second intention healing is delayed or not occurring. Grafts may also be considered for large wounds of the trunk, as grafting will decrease healing time. This article concentrates on free skin grafts, with an emphasis on punch grafts. With free skin grafts, the donor skin is severed from its blood supply and relocated to a wound. Free skin grafts are categorized by thickness and type. Full-thickness grafts include epidermis and the entire dermis. Split-thickness grafts include epidermis and a portion of dermis. Full- and split-thickness grafts can be either sheet grafts or island grafts. Sheet grafts are applied to the surface of a wound, and island grafts are embedded in the wound (Figure 1). Island graft techniques include punch, pinch, tunnel and modified meek grafts. The advantage of island grafts is that the failure or loss of one graft does not affect other grafts in the wound. read more here;http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/wound-reconstruction-free-skin-grafts-horses

WOUND RECONSTRUCTION IN HORSES.

These grafts involve relocating the skin from a donor site to cover a wound and restore function and cosmetics in your veterinary equine patients.In horses, skin grafts are most often used for limb wounds where primary closure is not possible or second intention healing is delayed or not occurring. Grafts may also be considered for large wounds of the trunk, as grafting will decrease healing time. This article concentrates on free skin grafts, with an emphasis on punch grafts. With free skin grafts, the donor skin is severed from its blood supply and relocated to a wound. Free skin grafts are categorized by thickness and type. Full-thickness grafts include epidermis and the entire dermis. Split-thickness grafts include epidermis and a portion of dermis. Full- and split-thickness grafts can be either sheet grafts or island grafts. Sheet grafts are applied to the surface of a wound, and island grafts are embedded in the wound (Figure 1). Island graft techniques include punch, pinch, tunnel and modified meek grafts. The advantage of island grafts is that the failure or loss of one graft does not affect other grafts in the wound. read more here;http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/wound-reconstruction-free-skin-grafts-horses

WOUND RECONSTRUCTION IN HORSES.

These grafts involve relocating the skin from a donor site to cover a wound and restore function and cosmetics in your veterinary equine patients.In horses, skin grafts are most often used for limb wounds where primary closure is not possible or second intention healing is delayed or not occurring. Grafts may also be considered for large wounds of the trunk, as grafting will decrease healing time. This article concentrates on free skin grafts, with an emphasis on punch grafts. With free skin grafts, the donor skin is severed from its blood supply and relocated to a wound. Free skin grafts are categorized by thickness and type. Full-thickness grafts include epidermis and the entire dermis. Split-thickness grafts include epidermis and a portion of dermis. Full- and split-thickness grafts can be either sheet grafts or island grafts. Sheet grafts are applied to the surface of a wound, and island grafts are embedded in the wound (Figure 1). Island graft techniques include punch, pinch, tunnel and modified meek grafts. The advantage of island grafts is that the failure or loss of one graft does not affect other grafts in the wound. read more here;http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/wound-reconstruction-free-skin-grafts-horses

ABDOMINOCENTESIS IN THE HORSE.

Fluid analysis can provide important insights into how to manage colic and other troubling equine cases.Acute abdomen (colic), fever and weight loss are just a few of the reasons you might need to collect abdominal fluid in an adult horse. In many cases of acute abdomen, rapid and uncontaminated sampling of abdominal fluid can help you make important medical or surgical decisions. With advances in biochemical testing and wide availability of equipment at reasonable cost, abdominal fluid analysis can be used to determine the difference between compromised bowel and septic or aseptic peritonitis, as well as whether surgical intervention is indicated. Interpretation of fluid analysis also gives you an indication of whether treatment or surgery will end with a successful outcome. Several methods have been described for fluid collection, the considerations include; An abdominocentesis should be performed in a standing sedated horse that is appropriately restrained and preferably in stocks, if available. The location for fluid collection, unless indicated otherwise by ultrasound guidance, is the most dependent part of the abdomen just to the right of the ventral midline—this helps avoid penetration of the ventral curvature of the spleen. read more here;http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/how-perform-abdominocentesis-standing-adult-horse

LIMB LACERATION IN HORSES.

. Handling hemorrhaging is basically,the same in every animal, the key being to stop the bleeding and prevent animal from going into shock.A wound is basically a break in the continuity of the tissues of the body,which could be internal or external. wounds could be deep or superficial and they could also involve vessels, this will be evidenced by spurting of blood in contrast to oozing of blood from break in integument. Wounds no matter the structures involved, are emergency situations and should be given immediate attention. The first step is to stop the bleeding by applying pressure on site,using a clean gauze or cloth ,absorbing the blood and allowing it to clot.When blood soaks the cloth do not remove just continue to add more absorbent cloth and continue adding pressure. Its important not to remove clots when formed,do not disturb the clotting process. Elevation is another means to stop bleeding, ensure the limb level is above the level of the heart, a combination of elevation and applying direct pressure will stop bleeding effectively. Ensure you seek veterinary assistance immediately . Read more here;http://www.thehorse.com/articles/36755/how-to-manage-limb-lacerations-in-horses?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=lameness&utm_campaign=11-25-2015

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS AND OSTEOARTHRITIS IN HORSES.

Many owners provide their horses with omega-3 fatty acid supplements purported to support skin, coat, and hoof health; maximize joint health; manage behavior and cognitive issues; and even function as a natural insect repellent. A recent revealed the following; Supplementation with the omega-3 product increased EPA and DHA levels in blood and synovial fluid,the recombinant equine interleukin-1β injection successfully induced an inflammatory response (synovitis) in the carpus. Although more research is needed, this study supports the hypothesis that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation could modify the equine joint’s response to inflammation and might serve as an important chondro protective (protecting the cartilage) agent. read more at study here;http://www.thehorse.com/articles/36673/omega-3-fatty-acids-could-benefit-horses-with-osteoarthritis?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=older-horse-care&utm_campaign=11-27-2015

MEGA-ESOPHAGUS.

This refers to a condition where peristalsis is altered because of an enlarged esophagus.The esophagus is the passage of food from mouth to stomach,thus when its enlarged the food passage is stalled leaving food in the throat for a prolonged time,the food is usually regurgitated or inhaled in lungs resulting in aspiration pneumonia The food often times decays in the throat resulting in foci of infection. The condition is common in horses,cats,dogs and humans,and it could be inherited as in the Friesian horse. The common signs associated with mega-esophagus are 1) inappetence 2) frequent episodes of regurgitation 3) severe weight loss. There are certain breeds predisposed to mega-esophagus, these include 1) great Dane,2) German shepherd 3)golden retriever 4)corgis,5) Siamese cat 6)Persian cat 7)Boston terrier 8)rottweiler 9)french bulldog e.t.c. The prognosis of the condition is guarded and the remedy is feeding the subject in a raised position; where the neck is stretched vertically to receive food and create an easy passage to the stomach. Dogs are usually fed in special chairs,to ensure they have required calories and prevent food stasis. photo credit; The telegraph.

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN HORSES.

The use of antimicrobial s in food animals have been linked to the emergence of antibiotic resistance in man and animals as well.The emergence of the super bugs has been the light on the way food animals are raised and managed,with people clamoring for antibiotic-free livestock production.Antibiotics in livestock should be used as treatment protocol and not as growth promoters in animals,because these residues do more harm to man that consume these animals.These antibiotic residues have been linked to several ailments plaguing man today. The antibiotic resistance war has enveloped the companion animals as well as other pets, a lot of pet lover/owners and handlers abuse the use of antibiotics as well resulting in resistance which affects their owners as well.The E.coli infection affecting man and animals are borne from gross misuse of antibiotics ; a recent study shows the resistance in horses; new review in the Equine Veterinary Journal reveals that antimicrobial resistance is prevalent in bacteria from horses, particularly E. coli. Also, while methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) can be common in hospitalized horses, it is less frequently present in the general equine population. The emergence of multidrug resistance in many other bacterial species, however, represents a huge challenge for society. Read more here http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151120182819.htm

HORSY INNOVATION.

An accident while trotting down the street on a horse, brought on a mission to develop an innovated light safety system. The system showcases LED lights, on both the front and tail units to warn, oncoming motorists that there is a rider on the road.Read more; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3327748/That-really-tail-light-Firm-unveils-clips-light-horses-improve-rider-safety.html

Horse sickness shares signs of Alzheimer's.

Horses with a rare nerve condition have similar signs of disease as people with conditions such as Alzheimer's, a new study has found. The findings shed new light on the causes of the rare but predominately fatal horse condition and could help to develop new tools for diagnosing the illness. Scientists say that horses affected by the disease -- called equine grass sickness -- could also hold clues to human conditions.Grass sickness attacks nerve cells in horses but the causes of the disease are unknown. It causes gastric upset and muscle tremor and can kill within days. If diagnosed quickly, animals can sometimes be nursed back to health.They found that the horse tissue contained proteins that are commonly seen in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease -- such as the build-up of amyloid protein.This knowledge could help to develop tests for detecting the condition in horses, which can be tricky to diagnose. read more here;http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151005121140.htm

FEEDING ORPHANED FOALS.

Orphaned foals are a breeding reality that all caretakers should consider and learn how to manage.The mare milk (colostrum) is what a foal needs, there are 2 options that we can consider.The owner can get from a colostrum bank or a milk replacement can be purchased or formulated. The colostrum usually is 1 to 1.5 liters total--divided into multiple 8 to 12 ounce feedings is needed to achieve an (acceptable antibody level), but colostral quality greatly affects this, and adequate (antibody levels) can be achieved with less. When colostrum is not immediately available, the foal can be fed with milk or milk replacer within two hours of birth. The foal is fed about 15% of the body weight on the first day, and increasing that amount to 18-22% over the next weeks. Foals should not consume more than 25% of their body weight daily. Read more here;http://www.thehorse.com/articles/29123/how-to-feed-an-orphan-foal

COLIC SURGERY.

Colic surgeries are common procedures in equine veterinary medicine, but do you know what to expect after your horse recovers from anesthesia? Equally as important as knowing whether you should send a horse to surgery is understanding what to prepare for once he’s back in his own stall.Learn all you need to know here;http://www.thehorse.com/articles/36718/what-to-expect-after-colic-surgery?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=nutrition&utm_campaign=11-16-2015

COLIC AT A GLANCE.

Colic refers to disturbances in the gastrointestinal track,it could be a mild discomfort to extreme abdominal pain.A mild case can resolve on its own,severe cases require surgery and extreme cases results in death. The common cases are usually associated with 1) changes in exercise routine. 2) changes in stabling routine 3) changes in feed,feeding portions and feeding times. 4)worm load and 5) teeth problems. The common symptoms are 1)restlessness .(frequent getting up and down) 2)flank watching(turning to look at abdomen frequently). 3)Frequent unsuccessful attempts to urinate. 4)fever. 5)high pulse rate. 6)pawing.(scrapping the ground). Colic cannot be prevented in all cases but certain procedures can be implemented to prevent occurrence; 1)Feeding protocol, give a little portion of feed at meal times,do not overfeed and dont allow access to excess water after exercise.When feed is to be changed,introduce new feed gradually and give cool fresh water. 2) Health protocol regular vet checks.2)follow a routine worming program. 3)clean paddock regularly to remove feces,this will reduce contamination of pasture with fecal eggs. 3)keep teeth rasped. Horses are use to routine so do not change routine suddenly. The changes to exercise routine should be gradual and also reduce stress on the horses.

VITAMINS FOR ANIMAL HEALTH

Vitamins are handy and vital for your animal health.When animals are exposed to stressors such as fatigue, diseases,vaccination,environmental changes,dehydration e.t.c. Give this vitamin supplement to restore health. Vitamins very beneficial to regulate metabolic reactions, keep it in your box.