Animal Health

Equine Flu
Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) and the Coughing Horse
Equine Sports Massage
Finding a Pulse
First Aid Kit
Horse Age
Mud Fever
Salmonella in Horses
Strangles
Temperature
Treating TMJ dysfunction with Craniosacral Therapy
Unwinding Trauma and Archaic Wounds

Biosecurity New Zealand Website:

This website provides information about infectious diseases such as equine flu, importing horses or semen from overseas, reports on epidemics and pandemics etc. It also has copies of the Code of Recommendations and Minimum Standards for Welfare of Horses.

Strangles

(Streptococcus equi infection)

There has been recent outbreak of the highly contageous disease strangles in the Cambridge area and earlier this season (2009) in Hawkes Bay Area, possibly spread from the Blenheim area. Strangles is extremely painful and potentially deadly disease.

If you are to be travelling to competitions or equestrian properties, you may be at risk, especially if horses are being kept in adjacent yards. The disease may be spread via equestrian events and race meets, breeding stock travelling between studfarms and horse transporters. Properties where horses regularly arrive and leave for breaking in, schooling etc may also be sites for the infection to develop. During show season there will be many horses travelling all over the countryside so the potential for strangles to spread is quite high.

It is up to you to weigh up the risks and decide whether or not to compete your horse- missing one or two shows until it is known how widespread strangles is may be a better option than competing and having your horse out for the whole season.

*Strangles is most common in horses 6 yrs and under but older horses can also be affected*

*Vaccination helps but is not 100% safeguard against this disease*

Stangles Precautions:
As this is the second year in a row strangles has shown up please take all precautions to ensure your horse does not become infected, nor infect others.

All horses competing at events or travelling to other properties and returning will need to have their temperature and recorded each morning for 14 days afterwards and may need to be kept apart from others (although complete isolation may not be possible). Even if he seems healthy - it is a good benchmark by which to measure any changes.
Take your horse's temperature every morning Do not take your horse to a show if he shows ANY of the above symptoms
Don't allow your horse to share bits, feed buckets, water buckets or yards with other horses
Don't allow your horse to sniff noses with other horses
Don't allow your horse to graze where others have been grazing
Disinfect transporters after use, especially surfaces where the horses noses and mouths have been in contact
Keep spray disinfectant bottles at the yards & washbay for spraying the rails before and after use

Call the Vet immediately if you suspect strangles!

Signs of Strangles
The symptoms of strangles can take 8 -21 days to show up, so horses infected at one show may then travel on to other venues without showing any signs.

Initial symptoms may include:
       Dullness
       Lethargy
       Loss of appetite and a
       Rise in temperature to between 39.5 and 41 degrees Celsius

Secondary symptoms are:
      Nasal discharge, thin and watery at first, but soon turns thick and yellowish.
      A cough.
      Reluctance to eat as swallowing is painful.
      Head and neck held stiffly outstretched.
      Hot & swollen (abcessed) lymph glands under the jaw- these may rupture and
            burst after 7 - 14 days, discharging pus. These abcessed glands should be
            encouraged to burst by applying warm fomentations.

Horses with strangles should be isolated for six to eight weeks. Carriers or chronic shedders can occur following recovery in a small percentage of horses with S. equi; these are an important source of infection for susceptible horses. Talk to your vet about the pros and cons of vaccinating against this disease.

Equine Sports Massage

Equine sports massage is a great therapy in its own right, however when used in conjuction with cranio-sacral therapy you really are giving your horse a complete body treatment.

Sports massage concentrates solely on the muscles of your horse, releasing spasms and knots, and working to ensure the connective tissue is long and supple rather than short and restricted where it would be more likely to cause strain and injury.

A massage session takes approximately 1 hour and should cover the whole body because although a problem may initially appear to be in one area, it may actually be a secondary issue caused by your horse compensating for a problem in another area. If only this secondary area was treated and the primary cause was never found, the issue will never fully resolve and will always re-occur.

Massage can greatly assist the reduction of swelling and inflammation alleviating pain and providing comfort to muscle injuries. It stimulates circulation of the lymphatic system which speeds up the removal of toxins and waste. It eases away tension, stress, aches and pains and releases endorphins, the body's natural pain killers.

With regular treatments massage can greatly improve stamina and disposition, increase your horses range of motion and enhance their performance and gait quality as well as reducing the risk of further muscular injuries.

Donna Batt - Evenflow_equinetherapy@yahoo.co.nz

09 2336787 / 021 056 4273

Salmonella in Horses

Horses contract the salmonella bacteria by consuming faeces from another infected animal. In a feed storage area, the faeces may have been deposited in the grain sacks or feed bins by rats and mice or birds. Out in the field horses are likely to have contracted the disease by consuming pasture or water soiled by other infected horses, birds, possums, ferrets, cattle, goats etc. The bacteria is not only confined to contaminated pasture and water. Unwashed feed bins left in the paddock are a prime target for birds to leave droppings. Horses can lick surfaces such as wooden railings under a birds roosting tree.

The salmonella bacteria is very common and has been found to live up to six years in dried faeces. There is no vaccination for salmonella so good stable hygiene and paddock management is very important in avoiding outbreaks of the disease.

If not treated early, salmonella can kill even strong and healthy horses. But mild cases caught early can be sucessfully treated with immediate vet assistance. Symptoms include diarrhea, raised temperature, loss of appetite, colic and depression. However, often an infected horse will not develop symptoms but can still pass on the infection.

The animal should be isolated and ideally should be housed on a solid surface that is easily disinfected, such as concrete or rubber matting. In New Zealand many horses are not used to stabling and, as it is important that the horse is not stressed, it may be better to find an alternative area outdoors. Rest and a stress free environment are vital. Do not travel the horse and have plenty of water and a mineral block available. In severe cases the vet will use an IV to replace fluids and to administer medicine. An outbreak lasts around 7-10 days.

An animal that has become infected will shed the bacteria for months afterwards. So keep the horse in isolation, ideally stabled for better hygiene control, until faeces tests shows you that the animal is no longer shedding. Strict hygiene methods including strenuous disinfecting of all surfaces the horse contacts using rubber gloves, separate and regularly disinfested feed/water tubs, separate stable cleaning implements, and other will need to be observed. At pasture, remove all horse droppings, and most importantly, make sure you have washed yourself thoroughly in disinfectant afterwards, as salmonella can also be contracted by humans! Virkon s is recognised as being a good disinfectant to use.

Horse Temperature

The best method of taking a horse's temperature is rectally. Ideally use a plastic, digital thermometer. Make sure the thermometer is lubricated, using KY Jelly or petroleum jelly, before inserting it in the horse's rectum. Keep hold of the thermometer so it is not drawn into the rectum or tie a string securely around it and tie it to your horses tail.

Normal Adult Horse Temperature Range
37° C to 38°C in the morning
37.5°C to 39°C in the afternoon or in warmer weather
38° to 40°C after hard exercise

Over these temperatures call a vet immediately.

Because warm weather, hard exercise, stress, or excitement cause a horse's temperature will rise slightly, it is a good idead to take your horse's temperature at different times and in different situations, at times when your horse's health seems fine. This will give you an idea of your horse's normal temperature so you can more easily spot an abnormal reading.

Bacterial infections (internal or external) usually raise the temperature. Viral infections may cause slightly low temperature readings to begin with then become very high later on. Some infections will cause a biphasic fever. i.e. the horse may have a normal temperature in the morning, but later that day it will have a high temperature. If you think your horse may be unwell, it is a good idea to take your horse's temperature twice a day to identify patterns.

How Old is Your Horse?

an Age old Poem...

To tell the age of any horse,
Inspect the lower jaw of course;
The six front teeth the tale will tell,
And every doubt and fear dispel...

Two middle teeth you will behold,
Before the colt is two weeks old;
Before eight weeks there two more will come,
Eight months corner teeth cut the gum..

The outside grooves will disappear,
From the middle two in just one year.
In two years gone from the second pair;
In three years corner teeth are bare...

At two the middle teeth they drop,
At three also the second lot;
At four years the corner teeth will go,
At five his bridle teeth he shoes.

The deep black spots will pass from view,
At six years from the middle teeth, two ;
The second pair at the seventh year,
At eight no spots on bottom teeth no fear...

From the middle teeth in the upper jaw,
At nine the black spots are gone for shure ;
The second pair at ten are spotless bright ,
Eleven finds the corner teeth no spot just white.

As time goes on the stockman knows,
The oval teeth three sided grow.
They grow longer and project before,
Until twenty years when we know not more...

.................anonymous.

Equine Herpes Virus (EHV)
and the Coughing Horse

EHV disease is widespread in New Zealand and is a common cause of respiratory conditions, coughs and abortions in horses. 5 of the 8 strains of Herpes virus effect horses. It is very important to note that early recognition of infections will greatly improve the chance of a quick recovery. It is tranfered via nasal discharge or through the air via sneezing or coughing. The virus will incubate for between 5 to 7 days after initial infection and the symptoms become apparent. These may be Fever, nasal discharge (watery, or thick and pussy), Discharge from the eyes, coughing and loss of appetite. The infection may remain only the respiratory tract or may spread throughout the body. Secondary bacterial infections often occur with this virus and a vet should be consulted and the horse placed on anti-biotics.

EHV can be infamously difficult to eradicate. The infection can remain dormant in horses, and the majority horses in NZ are carriers of EHV4. When the horse is exposed to stress the disease will resurface. The dormant virus is able to move from cell to cell within the body avoiding recognition by the body's immune system. Because of this, a horse may coninually become reinfected even though there has been no contact with other horses.

A guide to Beating the Virus:-

1. Remove/avoid stress
Allow the horse to have total rest. This will normally be about two weeks, but if secondary bacterial infections have set in then up to a month may be necessary. Don't do any long distance travel.

2. Watch for and treat secondary infections. Call the vet if these are suspected.
Potassium Iodide and Ammonium Chloride based products will ease the symptoms.

3. Help the horse's natural immune system with products such as It'z Magic and Eqstim.

4. Isolate the horse and wash all water and feed buckets and equipment that come in contact with the horse. Use virus killing disinfectant such as Halamid.

More about how Potassium Iodide works and the benefits of Menthol can be found at the Vapco site

http://www.vapco.com/downloads/WindyOne_flyer.pdf

Equine Flu

Equine Flu is a flu strain that attacks horses. It is present in Europe, Asia and North America. The symptoms are usually quite severe with nasal discharge, a dry raking cough and high temperatures. Horses suffer loss of appetite for several days and the general symptoms can persist for 2-3 weeks. Very young or older horses can be particularly hard hit by this virus and it may also lead to secondary bacterial infections such as pneumonia.

The virus is passed through nasal discharge and by airborne droplets. It is frequently spread through contaminated tack, rugs and grooming material. Vaccination does not necessarily prevent infection but reduces the severity and duration. Usually symtoms will develop within 5 days of contact with contaminated material. Horses need to be vaccinated 2-3 times a year.

Infected horses should be rested and veterinary advice should be sought.

Mud Fever

Mud Fever, also known as greasy heel or dermatophilosis, is a skin infection caused principally by the bacterium Dermatophilous congolensis. Mud fever is essentially a form of dermatitis which maily affects the skin on the heel, fetlock and pastern. It is recognised by painful inflammation of the skin, swelling, cracks in the skin, formation of scabs and loss of hair.

Any horses can be affected, but particularly those with long hair around the fetlock. Hind legs are more prone to mud fever than front. Prolonged paddocking in a muddy wet environment and bad pasture management are causitive factors in contracting mud fever.

It is essential to get your horse into a clean, dry environment (out of mud and rain) as much as possible. In severe or persistant cases the horse may need to be stabled. Clip away excess hair around the infection. Remove any loose scabs gently with a medicated equine shampoo and allow the area to dry completely. Before turning your horse back out into his paddock apply an antibacterial product (as recommended by your vet or local horse shop). In severe cases consult your vet.

Ensure your horse has a full and balanced diet to encourage good skin health.

First Aid Kit

Essential Items:
Scissors
Waxed gauze
Cotton balls
Cotton gamgee
Crepe Bandage and clips to secure it.
Self Adhesive Bandage
Elasticated Bandage
Animal Lintex and a tray to soak it in
Freeze Pack, Cold Pack or cooling clay
Antiseptic powder
Medicated shampoo
Antiseptic lotion (e.g 10% iodine solution)
Antisceptic cream or oil that promotes healing and hair growth.
e.g. emu oil creams or healing oil from the vet clinic. Some manuka honey has good antisceptic and healing properties.
Thermometer (ideally a plastic digital one)

**Apply pressure to stop bleeding from an open wound.
Where pressure is not effective (e.g. cuts to the sole of a hoof) apply a cold pack or stand the foot in a bucket of ice water.

Finding a Pulse

The horse's pulse is either taken where the submaxillary artery passes under the jaw on either side, or at the radial artery, inside the foreleg, on a level with the elbow. The normal horse pulse is 36 to 40 beats a minute.

Equine Craniosacral Therapy

Originally derived from osteopathy, craniosacral work is a gentle, non-invasive treatment detecting the minute movement present in living tissue and bone structure. This movement is referred to as the 'cranial wave / rhythm' and can be palpated anywhere in the body. Craniosacral therapy focuses on creating balance throughout the skeletal and muscular system with specific attention on the cranial bones, spine and sacrum.

A trained practitioner uses skilled hands and very light pressure to initially perceive the cranial rhythm, and then to apply specific techniques which release restrictions within the fascia and muscular skeletal system. Specific attention is paid to the bones of the cranium, the sacrum and also the spinal cord.

There are no bone manipulations or high velocity, short-amplitude thrusts like those applied in chiropractic work.

Fully trained therapists, although able to work anywhere on the body, have specifically trained in TMJ dysfunction, unwinding trauma, sinuses and sutures, and post treatment of dental work.

Unwinding Trauma and Archaic Wounds

'Unwinding' is a technique in equine craniosacral work that assists the body in releasing any restrictions from past traumas or injuries. Trauma is any event that has caused harm or injury to the body, be it physically, emotionally or mentally. Trauma is stored in the body in all different tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs) and even bone. Trauma can literally make the body stop in time and the cranial rhythm then becomes restricted or dissipated. Until this trauma is released from the body it is stored in cellular memory and negatively affects how the body functions.

Getting cast in the stable, having surgery, resisting the speculum during dental work/ investigations, getting kicked by another horse, going through fences, slipping over, hitting a cross country jump, banging their head on the top of the float, pulling back whilst tied up, being twitched, human abuse - physically or mentally etc... are all examples of traumas your horse may have experienced and archaic wounds they may be carrying.

Treating TMJ dysfunction with Craniosacral Therapy

TMJ is an abbreviation for 'temporo-mandibular joint' (an area in the skull where the mandible contacts and articulates with the temporal bone). When these bones are misaligned and not articulating properly, and/or the surrounding tissue of the TMJ is stressed, the TMJ mechanism will be out of balance and cannot function optimally. This condition is known as TMD (temporo-mandibular dysfunction).

The mandible is one of the largest pattern setters in the body, meaning that when the mandible becomes compromised in its function or range of motion it will inhibit and compromise not only the horses ability to chew and digest food, but also the movement and biomechanics of the whole body.

Proper function of the TMJ is vital to a horse's health.

All horses are exposed to a variety of contributing factors that affect the proper movement of the jaw - wearing bits, nosebands, eating from hayracks, bracing against the gag during dental work, or indeed a lack of proper dental work, lack of sufficient grazing, and of course any head injury.

Signs of TMD can be uneven wear of teeth, misalignment of the upper and lower incisors, headshaking, headaches, cribbing, improper gaits, ear sensitivity, head tossing, difficulty taking the bit, leaning on the bit, difficulty flexing at the poll, head shyness etc..

Craniosacral therapists specifically trained in this area are concerned with how TMD affects the whole body. They use specific techniques to release restrictions and allow balance and harmony to return to the skull, TMJ and ultimately the whole body.

Whilst domesticated horses undoubtedly need regular dental care by skilled professionals, it is important to limit the long term ramifications of such treatment to the TMJ by giving the horse lots of breaks whilst using the gag and following up with craniosacral treatment.

For the health of the TMJ, dental work should always be performed in conjunction with soft tissue work.

Benefits of equine craniosacral therapy

Post dental care
Headshaking
TMD (Temporo-mandibular dysfunction)
Behaviour problems
Lameness
Airway problems (roaring)
Blocked tear ducts
Spinal injuries
Cribbing
Hind end injuries and hunter's bump
Birth trauma
Facial nerve paralysis
Castration
Poor posture
Pregnant mares
Sinus issues

More information on craniosacral therapy, sinuses, sutures and dentistry will be available in a future issue.

Article written by Donna Batt, Evenflow Equine Therapy.

Tel - 09 2336787 / 021 056 4273 Email - evenflow_equinetherapy@yahoo.co.nz