The Lead Line
Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic, Ltd.
January 2017
New Insights in Parasite Control
C
ontrolling internal parasites is essential to keeping your horse healthy and
performing at his best. High levels of parasitism may cause weight loss, a
poor hair coat, and a depressed attitude. It may also cause more severe problems
such as intermittent or persistent diarrhea, colic, and even death. Internal parasites are controlled by using anthelmintics (dewormers) and instituting management techniques to reduce the horse’s exposure.
Historically, deworming programs have centered on rotating types of anthelmintics and administering them every other month, year around. Unfortunately, this
indiscriminant use of anthelmintics is causing increasing parasitic resistance to
our current dewormers. With no new equine anthelmintics currently in production, horse owners face the threat that there will not be an effective dewormer in
the future. This has led veterinarians to recommend deworming protocols based
on each horse’s susceptibility to parasitic infection coupled with the known anthelmintic resistance found in the herd.
Every horse has some level of internal parasitism. By using fecal egg counts,
efforts should be centered on identifying which horse is able, through his or her
immune system, to clear most of the parasites and which horse struggles with the
challenge. Each horse should be dewormed depending on his/her personal classification. In addition to this, identifying which dewormer is effective (or not)
plays an important role in the deworming program. Ideally, initial fecal egg
counts should be done in mid-summer to early autumn in Wisconsin when internal parasite eggs are most likely to be shed. The effectiveness of the dewormer
is determined by a second fecal egg count done 2 weeks after deworming the
horse.
Strategic deworming alone will not diminish the advancement of parasite resistance. Horse owners must institute and abide by management practices that
will limit their horse’s expose to internal parasites. Keep stalls, lots, and pastures
clean of manure by picking them daily. Manure disposal can be challenging for
many farms. Spread ONLY composted manure as the heat produced by composting destroys the parasite eggs and larvae. Isolate new horses from the herd until
their parasite load is determined and they have been appropriately dewormed.
Pasture horses of similar categories together. If possible, rotate pastures annually
with other categories of horses or other species.
Would you like more information? You can learn more about our deworming
recommendations by speaking with your veterinarian, visiting our website or
contacting the clinic for a free brochure.
Deworming horses according to their internal parasite load as
well as instituting pasture and manure management practices
are all integral to a good parasite program.
Healthy Savings on Preventive Care
We are currently enrolling horses in our 2017 Equine Wellness Program. For the past 11 years clients have enjoyed not
only receiving a discount on their horse’s preventive care, but
also the protection from any price increases due to inflation
throughout the year.
Enrolled horses not only receive recommended vaccinations,
Coggins test, dental examination and dental float, but also
extensive biannual medical exams in conjunction with nutrition counseling. These exams allow for early identification
and intervention of potential health risks while allowing the
veterinarians to get to know the particular horse’s normal vital
signs and temperament. Clients especially appreciate the additional service discounts on lameness exams, x-rays, ultrasounds, and blood work for horses enrolled in the program.
At $415.00, the 2017 Equine Wellness Program is an exceptional value. And since we feel so strongly about the benefits
of our Equine Wellness Program this year we’re offering a
payment plan option to make it more affordable. Call our
office or visit our website for more information and to enroll
your horse.
Leading your horse to a healthy future.
Swollen Leg?
What You Can Do to Prevent Further Injury and Speed Recovery
W
e’ve all been there, you bring your horse in from the field and
one of his legs is swollen. You trot him and he’s not really
lame, and maybe the swelling is not all that warm or painful to the
touch. So you watch it to see if it will go away. Maybe the swelling
decreases but then comes back after turnout again, or after a ride.
What could that swelling mean?
Musculoskeletal injuries in horses fall into four broad categories:
joint injuries, tendon or ligament injuries, bone injuries, or muscle
injuries. Identifying the type, severity, and location of injury is crucial in developing a plan to bring your horse from painful and injured to healthy and sound. One tricky problem is that sometimes
injuries do not cause severe lameness until the injury has become
more severe over time. Quick and early diagnosing of the injury
reduces your horse’s pain faster and puts him on the road to recovery sooner, saving you time and money.
Knowing what to treat and how to treat it is the cornerstone of successful rehabilitation, reducing pain and lameness earlier and putting
you back in the saddle as soon as possible. But what happens in
those early days when you don’t know what exactly is going on?
What can you safely do to help prevent further injury before the
injury can be diagnosed?
Any acute injury (this works for humans too!) can be improved
using the following acronym: RICE, short for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.
 Rest: While the wor d “stall rest” makes every horse person
cringe, it is really important to prevent further injury, meaning the horse should not be worked nor turned out in a field
where he can trot or canter. Usually that means a stall-sized
pen (12’ x 12’) or a stall. See below for strategies to keep
your stall-bound horse sane. Avoid exercising a horse with a
swelling, even if the horse is not lame. Any soft tissue injury
(tendon or ligament) is compromised if there is a strain or a
tear and has less load-bearing capacity, meaning the injury is
more likely to worsen with exercise. Even if your horse
seems sound, without knowing why there is swelling, the
safest option is to rest your horse.
 Ice: Cold ther apy has some of the best r esear ch behind it
and has a wide range of beneficial effects such as decreasing
inflammation and pain as well as slowing tissue metabolism
which likely limits tissue damage. It is most effective in the
first 48 hours and should be applied for 20-30 minutes 2-4
times daily up to 14 days after injury. While cold hosing
reduces skin temperature, most injuries lie beneath the skin
and ice water is the only way to effectively cool the deep
tissues. For example, ice water will bring the temperature of
deep tissue down to 68 degrees F (a therapeutically beneficial
range) within 20 minutes. Unfortunately conventional cold/
ice packs often do not cause enough cooling to affect the
deep tissues and are therefore not recommended.
 Compression: A pr oper ly applied bandage with sufficient
padding and even pressure can help reduce swelling and prevent further swelling. As those who have had the unfortunate
experience with cellulitis in lower limbs, once the skin
stretches from chronic swelling, it is nearly impossible to
prevent swelling in that limb.
 Elevation: This mostly applies to human situations, as
most horses are not very good at elevating their injured limb
above their heart.
All of these methods are safe to do before your veterinarian arrives
to obtain a specific diagnosis and will help to prevent further injury.
The specific diagnosis of the injury will dictate how much time it
will take your horse to recover but without an appropriate diagnosis
and treatment, the risk for reinjury is very high. In addition, complex
or multiple limb injuries may have occurred, and without a full understanding of all of the injuries plaguing the horse, the recovery
will not be optimal.
Leading your horse to a healthy future.
Early diagnosis and proper treatment for the swelling in and
above this right fetlock will aid in a quick recovery.
Treatment of various injuries will often include all of the above recommendations plus controlled rehabilitation. At times these additional
methods will also be indicated to help tissues heal:
 Bone or bone-ligament (i.e. collateral ligaments) injuries:
 Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy
 Tildren or Osphos
 Tendon and ligament injuries
 PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma)
 Stem Cells (Bone Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells)
 Joint injuries
 Steroids
 Hyaluronic Acid
 IRAP (Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein)
Finally, some of you may be wondering how to keep those stall bound
horses sane. There are several time-tested options that have worked for
many horses on extended stall rest. The most effective in my hands
seems to be a stall-sized pen (made with round pen panels or temporary
fencing within a larger paddock), keeping the horse within eyesight of
other horses at all time, and keeping the horse on a consistent schedule
of feeding, grooming, and hand walking. Some horses prefer having a
mirror hung in their stall, and others enjoy toys to help prevent boredom.
After several weeks, some horses need additional help to keep them sane
in the form of medications and if your horse falls into this category, I
recommend discussing options with your veterinarian.
Written by Ayla T. Guild, VMD
Associate Veterinarian at the Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic
References:
Contino, E. 2016. Rehabilitation for Soft Tissue Injuries. AAEP Focus
on Soft Tissue Lameness in the Performance Horse Proceedings, 91-95.
Davidson, E. 2016. Controlled Exercise in Equine Rehabilitation. Vet
Clin Equine (32), 159-65.
Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic Collaborates with
Beloit College & Local Horse Owners
Newly Identified Dental Condition in
Middle-Aged Horses
V
eterinarians have recently identified a dental condition principally seen in older horses. Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis (EOTRH) is a painful condition principally seen in horses over the age of 15. EOTRH is characterized by
the horse’s body resorbing the bone and tissue surrounding the incisor and canine roots. Tooth resorption in itself is a very painful and
progressive condition and can cause gums to recede allowing feed to
pack between the teeth ultimately causing inflammation and infection.
Beloit College students Zach Paquin and Cheyenne Moffatt participated in
the research collaboration with Dr. Katie Johnson (center).
O
ver the past year, Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic and the Beloit College
Department of Biology have been working together with horse owners in the area to investigate the connections between equine obesity, equine metabolic syndrome, and laminitis. This collaboration will provide
important new information about the management and care for horses that
may be at risk for these diseases. It also provides important internship
opportunities for Beloit College students that are on track for careers in
medicine.
The research project was designed and conducted by Dr. Ayla Guild,
VMD, of EVC and Dr. Katie Johnson, Ph.D., of Beloit College, with
amazing support from the EVC staff and Beloit College students. Drs.
Guild and Johnson made repeated farm visits throughout southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois to collect data about how equine obesity, metabolism, and laminitis change throughout the year and if there are differences
in how specific breeds may or may not become more susceptible to these
conditions. Data collected included body measurements to determine
weight, lameness exams, and blood samples to measure nutrient and hormone levels. Dr. Guild emphasizes the importance of this work, as
“Understanding breed-specific risk factors for equine metabolic syndrome
and laminitis will help us make huge strides toward treating and ultimately
preventing these diseases in the future.”
Once completed, owners of all of the horses that participated in the study
will receive specific information regarding their horse(s). When all of the
data has been analyzed, this research will be published in a national journal, informing veterinarians around the world about how to better prevent
and treat laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome. Although very exciting, Dr. Johnson cautions that the release of the findings to the public may
take several years. “Rigorous research must be assessed by other expert
researchers. This takes a lot of time, but it means that findings will be
thoroughly evaluated, and we can determine what is best for the horses.”
Owners may initially notice an excessive build-up of tarter on their
horse’s incisors with a reluctance to grasp a carrot or hard treat with
the incisors. Horses with EOTRH may also shake their head, show
reluctance to the bit, hypersalivate, have poor appetite, and lose
weight. Additionally, the horse may be resistant to having his mouth
handled or teeth examined.
Diagnosis of EOTRH is made through an oral examination and dental radiographs to determine the extent of the resorption of the tooth
root. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for EOTRH. Extracting the affected tooth or teeth is the only treatment. The horse is
usually placed on a round of antibiotics and NSAIDS post-extraction
and generally does quite well once healed and the pain of the condition is relieved. Early diagnosis and treatment of EOTRH will make
your horse more healthy and comfortable. Our veterinarians would
be happy to answer any EOTRH questions you have.
Normal Roots
Resorbed Roots
The value of dental radiographs is evident in the above comparison of normal vs. resorbed incisor tooth roots.
Beloit College students participated in the research as part of summer research opportunities offered through the Department of Biology. Students
helped collect data at the farms, analyzed the samples in the laboratory,
and assisted with the analysis of the results. Cheyenne Moffatt, a senior
biology major, notes, “I never could have imagined working this closely
with animals. My experience in the lab has been vastly expanded by the
opportunity to be out in the field. I also am very grateful to have the opportunity to make an impact on the health of many horses in the future!”
We would like to thank all of the clients and owners that volunteered their
horses for this important research, and the EVC staff for all of their help.
Notice the food impaction and the inflamed and receding
gums of this horse with EOTRH.
Written by Katie Johnson, PhD
Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic, 205 E O’Connor Drive, Elkhorn, WI
53121 • 262-723-264 4 • www.elkhornvet.com
Please join us!
Wednesday, March 8  6:30 - 8 pm (Doors open at 6 pm)
Sperino’s Monte Carlo Room, Elkhorn
This year’s topics include:
Rx: Pinpoint the Problem
Rehabbing the Right Way
The Skinny on Equine Skin Conditions
“2017 Hot Topics”
Desserts & beverages will be served.
RSVP: 262-723-2644 x 2 • [email protected]
Have you recently moved your horse?
Warming Water Increases Consumption
We recommend you enter the name of the stable, the
stable’s address (and have an idea of its location on a
map!), and the stable owner’s name and telephone
number in your phone. It’s also a good idea to let the
clinic know where your horse resides so it can be
noted in the medical record. This will help speed
assistance in the event of an emergency.
Studies have shown that horses prefer warm water
and will drink 40% more when offered water heated
to 66°F. Using heated water buckets and tank heaters
will encourage your horse to drink and help avoid an
impaction colic this winter. For safety’s sake, make
sure all electric cords are out of your horse’s reach!
Leading your horse to a healthy future.
Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic Ltd.
205 E. O’Connor Drive
Elkhorn, WI 53121
Contact Us
262-723-2644
[email protected]
www.elkhornvet.com
205 O’Connor Drive
Elkhorn, WI 53121