Why is my horse always colder than others?
By Daniel H. Grove, DVM
Horses are extremely good at dealing with a drop in temperature. I have driven through snow-filled states in temperatures in the teens and watched horses happily walking through the snow without a care in the world, no shivering or any other sign of a low body temperature. I have been in Southern California when it was 50° F out and I have full-grown adult mares coming into the barn to be palpated—and they were shivering like no tomorrow. What is the difference? Mostly, human management! Yes, there are certain circumstances where an individual may not be capable of proper thermoregulation without human interference, but by and large, with a little help, they can usually do it very well on their own.
What makes for a helpful client? Ask a vet…
In this month’s article, we are going to take a little turn. I have been asked for a Top 10 list of traits in a perfect client. Some may find they feel they are lacking in some areas. This list is not to make anyone feel bad, it is more about enlightening you as to what helps make an equine veterinarian’s job easier in my opinion. The list is in no particular order. Let’s get to it!
When to start dentistry?
By Daniel H. Grove, DVM
In the past, we have discussed the importance of dentistry or floating of teeth. I am often asked, “When should a horse receive its first float?” I think is a great starting point is around the age of one year. I understand people want to stave off putting out money when they can, but hopefully we can show you why it is important to get it done early.
In my practice, I get to do many young horses’ teeth. They are usually 14-20 months old and are going to start getting a bit put in their mouths. All of the horses in these pictures are from the same farm. They have not ever had any bit or other device in their mouths, and they are all 14-16 months old.
Your horse’s eye health
The eyes are extremely important to our equine companions. If we lose one or both eyes, it can be career-ending for our animals. Signs of eye discomfort are blepharospasm (squinting), tearing of the eye, rubbing of the eyes, and changes in the normal appearance of the eyes. This month I will discuss some of the more common eye ailments I see and some tips on what can be done. Before we proceed, I feel I should mention that most eye problems should be seen sooner rather than later. Waiting can be devastating on some of these problems.
Eyelid Lacerations
Eyelid lacerations are extremely common. One Friday evening, I had three emergency pages back-to-back, all eyelid lacerations. If treated promptly, most can be sutured. If no tissue is lost, often times full function returns and there is little to no cosmetic defect. I usually give some sedation, locally anesthetize the skin and repair the laceration. A tetanus vaccine update and some antibiotics are often the only other medications needed.
Uveitis
The uvea is the back part of the eye itself. Some breeds are more prone to the condition, but it is thought that an infectious agent causes the disease, although it cannot always be proven. This area in the eye gets very inflammed and can fill with pus. These conditions are very painful and can cause significant blepharospasm (squinting) and tearing of the eye. The eyes can get a bulging appearance to them and they can appear yellowed. These are many ways these are treated, but anti-inflammatories are very important to reduce the swelling and discomfort.
Summer Sores
By Daniel H. Grove, DVM
Summer sores are a big problem for horses in climates that are warm and moist. We discussed them a few years ago, but I think it is time to revisit them. I am seeing them very frequently, and so are many other practitioners. Let’s delve into what they are, some treatment strategies and prevention.
Habronema and Draschia are the names of the nasty little parasites that causes this sometimes-challenging-to-deal-with disease. They are two of the stomach worms of horses. and in their normal life cycle, do not seem to cause much harm. When the parasite gets deposited in an area of the skin or other external area, they can wreak havoc. They cause a non-healing wound that often times increases in size. It can be bordered by a layer of scar tissue that makes it challenging to get drugs to the source of the problem to kill them off. Often times, small granules are associated with the lesions. If in doubt, a simple biopsy of the lesion can often diagnose the problem. This can be an important part of the diagnosis, as some lesion can mirror other problems.
Identifying your horse
From ‘hot branding’ to DNA analysis, various forms of ID have come a long way
By Daniel H. Grove / Horsetrader columnist
We all love our horses. We invest time and money into their care and upkeep. I think it is natural for us to want to protect the emotional and financial investment we have in our horses. This month I am going to discuss the various forms of identifying our horses.
Registration Paperwork — Each breed registry has its own method for identifying the animal for which they produce papers for. Pictures, written descriptions, and drawings are found on these different documents. They usually also include the parentage of the registered horse.
Precautions after a wet winter
By Daniel H. Grove, DVM
This year has been an extra wet one for most of our country. Some of us have needed it badly and others, not so much. This month I think it is prudent that we discuss some conditions that may become more prevalent this year due to the extra moisture in our environments. If we take some extra steps in care and observation, pests can be minimized, diseases can be prevented, and extra veterinary bills can be avoided.
Flies
Flies are a huge nuisance to our livestock. They also can transmit some diseases. With all the added moisture to our environment, we are likely to see an increase in flies. Last year I wrote an article on methods of fly control. I discussed some good control measures including fly sprays, fly bait, feed through fly control and fly predators. If you are not already including these in your husbandry, it may be a good time to evaluate your situation and see if additional measures are warranted. One horse with a bad case of summer sores will definitely make you think twice about neglecting to control flies.
Preparing for breeding success
By Daniel H. Grove, DVM
Well, it is March and breeding season is here. I thought it might be a great time to talk about equine reproduction and some of the options available to horse owners in our area. Things to consider in preparation of getting your mare in foal are the mare preparation, how you will receive your semen, and who is going to be inseminating the mare.
New horse owner guide
By Daniel H. Grove, DVM
With all of the changes in the last year due to COVID-19, people’s lives have shifted. One benefit I see is that people have been forced into outdoor activities. This has led to an increase in horseback riding lessons and horse ownership. For all of those new horse owners out there, I thought a little insight into the costs of ownership and some items you should have on hand as a new horse owner.
The expensive part of owning a horse starts after the purchase. While there is often time a significant upfront investment into owning a horse, it really is, usually, just a drop in the bucket. Let us look at a list of things you should budget for in your monthly expenses with horse ownership.
1) Board. Food and board are a constant recurring expense. Expect to pay between $250 to over $500 per month
2) Training. If you are new to the hobby, you are going to need help learning the ropes. Expect to pay from $200 per month for a few lessons each week to well over $1000 per month for full training.
3) Farrier. You thought your kids’ shoes were expensive! (I know my mother was always complaining when my shoe size changed frequently) Horses are significantly more. Expect to pay $75-$500 every 6-8 weeks, depending upon your horse’s needs.
4) Veterinarian. I am going to lump deworming, vaccines, dentistry and all other types of veterinary care into this category. Expect to pay at a minimum $500 per year. This does not include any emergencies. To put a high number on the other end would be just a wild guess. It is highly dependent upon any conditions that require long term medication or surgeries. The good news is that insurance is available to help with those unexpected expenses.
Well, there is a sampling of the ongoing expenses you can expect with horse ownership. From a veterinarian’s point of view, here is a list of things you should have on hand
1) Halter and lead rope. Some might think this is obvious, but I have been on appointments where the owner did not have one and expected me to be able to deal with their horse that was not used to one.
2) Thermometer. A 10-second thermometer works great. Yes, it does need to be taken rectally.
3) Brushes, hoof pick, and other grooming items. You need to be able to help keep their coat and feet clean!
4) Fly spray. Whenever livestock is around, these pests follow!
5) A Fly mask. See number 4!
6) Fly sheet, blanket, cooler. These items might be optional, depending upon your locale
7) Your veterinarian’s phone number handy. You need to have this in case of an emergency. There is nothing more stressful than trying to find help when you really need it. Develop a relationship with your veterinarian prior to needing them for an emergency. There are many practices that do not even see emergencies for patients that they have not done routine work for in the past.
Well, hopefully I have given you some foresight into some of the expenses of owning a horse and some things to have on hand. These lists are very basic and definitely not all inclusive. Each horse home will have different requirements and levels of care they are able and/or willing to give to their horses. If you are going to jump into horse ownership, make sure you have at least open eye open prior to doing so.
It is a ton of fun, but you are dealing with a life and that is going to require some care. Good luck!
–Dan
Why we need to vaccinate
By Daniel H. Grove, DVM
2020 has been a challenging year for our country. Front and center on the news most days is the COVID-19 virus and what is going on with it. It looks like we will have a vaccine very soon for it, but there are other outbreaks you may not be hearing about. Currently in California, I know of two different ones affecting our horses.
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