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Deworming Strategy

Deworming horses

Parasites are a common problem in horses. They can cause serious health conditions. Deworming is a good preventative measure for horses. It can help control these parasites and improve their health. 

There are many different deworming strategies available. One common way is deworming by fecal egg count (FEC). You might have already tried using it. But what are the factors that we need to know and consider in deworming by FEC?

Facts about fecal egg count (FEC)

  1. The effect of deworming by FEC is primarily to minimize environmental contamination, not to optimally protect the individual.
  2. FECs have limited capacity to detect parasites.
    •  they only reflect adults that are actively laying eggs at the time of the test
    • egg-laying activity may vary seasonally
    • tapes often missed because eggs are laid in packets/segments, not evenly mixed in the manure
    • can’t detect tissue forms or immature stages in the lumen but these can be the most harmful for the host
    • bots missed
    • pinworms missed (lay their eggs on the perianal skin)
    • Strongyloides in adults not detected
  3. FECs have technical limitations.
    • Samples sent through the mail are useless. 
    • Samples not collected as soon as they are passed then kept cold are likely inaccurate.
  4. There is growing evidence that the practice of only deworming by FEC is leading to reemergence of Strongylus vulgaris – “bloodworms.” These are the large Strongyles which do significant damage to the intestine and arterial system when they are migrating. 

Deworming Resistance

Resistance can develop when the parasites that are treated with deworming agents become resistant to the drugs.

According to parasitologists the major way resistance develops is underdosing. What doesn’t kill them makes them stronger. Frequent exposure can cause a dewormer to go from a 20% failure rate to 80% or higher. 

It’s also true they can’t be fully resistant to a drug they have never been exposed to.

Deworming Products

It’s wise not to attempt to deworm your horse with drugs that are known to have widespread resistance. This includes as follows:

  • Ivermectin
  • Moxidectin
  • Pyrantel
  • Fenbendazole
  • Albendazole

Deworming Schedule

How often does a horse need to be dewormed? The best way is to speak to your vet about developing a program that is optimal for your individual horse.

 

Deworming is an important part of horse care. A strategic deworming plan can help to protect your horse from parasites and keep them healthy. There are many different deworming products on the market, so be sure to talk to your veterinarian about which one is best for your horse.

Recommended Product:

https://myhorsesupplies.com.au/product/diamond-x-vpc-gut-health-prebiotic/

 

Reference: 

https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2022/07/05/deworming-strategy/

Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay

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Ban on Removing Whiskers

Ban on Removing Horse Whiskers

Equestrian Australia has banned the trimming of sensory hairs effective from 1st July 2022. 

The FEI banned the trimming of whiskers as of 1st July 2021. Following the FEI ruling, the Equestrian Australia board voted to implement the same ban for all National EA events and disciplines.

Reasons for Ban 

  • Equestrian Australia advises that sensory hairs located around the mouth, nose and eyes are an important sensory organ for the horse and should not be removed for cosmetic purposes.  
  • Removing whiskers reduces the horse’s sensory ability. It can disrupt a horse’s natural behavior and communication.
  • The FEI has warned that the practice of removing whiskers can cause horses to develop skin lesions and other health problems.

Exemption to the rule:  Sensory hairs that have been removed by a veterinarian to prevent pain or discomfort for the horse.

What are horse whiskers?

Whiskers/sensory hairs are a coarse hair-like structure. Found around the horse’s eyes and muzzle. They are long, stiff hairs that protrude from the face of a horse.

Why is it different from regular hair?

These amazing sensory hairs have their own nerve and blood supply. Their follicles are deeper and larger than other hair follicles. And with a richer blood supply and a connection to far more nerves than regular hairs.

Functions of horse whiskers

The whiskers on a horse play an important role in their sensory awareness system. Whiskers are incredibly sensitive to touch, even if it’s something as subtle as air movements. 

  • It helps horses navigate their surroundings. 
  • The length of the whiskers determines the safe distance from unfamiliar objects, compensating for the blind spots a horse has in front of its face and underneath its nose. 
  • They also enable the horse to understand unfamiliar characteristics of food or detect small inedible objects. 
  • The whiskers, present on both upper and lower eyelids, provide an automatic blink response when they encounter something like a fly or contact with an object which helps protect the eye itself.
  • Due to the whiskers having a good nerve supply, one study has even suggested that horses may be capable of picking up vibrational energy through their whiskers, which might help them detect sound frequencies. Or feel the energy in an electric fence without touching it.

Impact of the Ban 

You will not be permitted to compete in EA events if your horse’s whiskers have been clipped or shaved (unless for veterinary reasons).

Conclusion

While the whiskers may seem like insignificant hairs, whiskers are important for horses’ safety and should not be removed without good reason.

For more info, visit Equestrian Australia website or click the link below.

https://www.equestriaorg.au/content/sensory-hairs

Image by rihaij from Pixabay

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Laminitis for Horses from too High Grain Diet

Laminitis from too high grain

As we all know diet and exercise plays a vital part to be healthy, not only for humans but for horses as well. And you would agree that sometimes balancing diet and exercise is easier said than done. Laminitis for horses can occur when overfeeding grains during low activity times.

This balancing is especially important in cold weather. Horses tend to stay at their stable, get less work or be sedentary while eating more. 

According to Dr. Kellon, horses normally have to spend calories in winter. It helps to maintain their normal body temperature. And hay is the first good choice to feed because it is fermented in the hind gut which generates heat. But since hay is also low in calories, dense sources like grains may be a good addition if they are using too much energy.

Grains are an easily available source of calories. There are people that tend to feed their horse grains for a variety of other reasons. Including admirable ones, such as trying to make the horse happy.  But the fact is the more you push grain into your horse, the more likely the horse is to develop a problem. Why?

Here’s the reasons grain can be a problem:

  1. Overfeeding them with grains may result in overweight horses. Especially horses with less regular work or exercise to burn calories. Overweight horses have a higher percentage of insulin problems. And insulin problems may cause laminitis.
  2. Grains naturally contain higher levels of sugar and starch.
  3. High-grain diets have been also associated with all sorts of other problems, even behavioural problems. 

Follow the recommended feeding rates to control the intake of sugar and starch. Taking into consideration their level of activity. Make sure also that you keep your grain secure with latches on doors and secure tops on storage bins. This helps to prevent accidental access and overeating. These cautions will help to prevent laminitis development and other problems.

Helpful tip: Allow your horse to lose weight or maintain a body score of around 2.5/5 during winter. That allows their systems enough capacity to cope with seasonal fluctuations in grass sugar levels in spring. And prevent them from laminitis development as well.

Hay and Grains sometimes won’t work so well for horses with metabolic problems. A fat supplement can be helpful since all the horse needs is extra calories and fat supplies. That is 5 times the calories of average grass hay and triple that of plain oats.

Product Recommendation:

Australian Equine Gold – My Horse Supplies is made from 100% Camelina oil. And contains a great balance of omegas 3, 6 and 9 providing a rich source of beneficial fatty acid. https://myhorsesupplies.com.au/product/australian-equine-gold/

Image by Ebowalker from Pixabay

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Laminitis risk in horses increases as it turns cold

laminitis in horses in cold weather
We humans struggle with cold weather and so too can our horses if they are at high risk of developing laminitis. The cold can lower the blood supply to the hoof which may compromise hoof health. Add to this frost which causes the grass to stop growing and to concentrate its sugars close to the roots. When the horses eat the short grass the intake of high sugar and starch content skyrockets. This combination adds a significant risk factor of the horse developing laminitis.
 
Laminitis is an inflammation of lamellae inside the hoof that may cause your horse to be in pain or discomfort if not addressed immediately. Horses may move around less due to the cold weather anyway so the onset of laminitis is not easy to notice. There may be changes in how they move, or in the health of the hooves. Being observant of these changes can be critical to early diagnosis of a bout of laminitis. 
 
If you notice your horse reluctant to move then this could be a strong warning sign of laminitis.
Other indicators could be:
  • shortening stride,
  • unwilling to lift its hoof,
  • showing lameness,
  • having hot hooves,
  • unbalanced standing,
  • display growth rings in the hooves,
  • increased digital pulse pressure,
  • or separation of the hoof wall from the hoof.
Immediate action is needed as laminitis is a serious condition. It is always best to consult your vet to discuss management and treatment strategies.
 
Your horse doesn’t need to suffer from laminitis. You can help them to avoid that. And I’m sure that’s what you wanted for them. So, what are the steps to take to avoid this problem?

Steps to avoid laminitis

  • Proper dietary management – this is especially important because overweight horses are prone to laminitis. Maintain your horse with a body score of around 3/5 to allow them their systems enough capacity to cope with seasonal fluctuations in grass sugar levels.
  • Grazing management – control the intake of sugar and starch as this is the common risk factor of laminitis. Where possible opt for grasses that are naturally low in sugar. Otherwise limit grazing time from late night to early morning, and provide low sugar grass hay, or soaked hay.
  • Enough exercise – providing a track system for your horses to encourage movement is one of the best natural exercise prompters.
  • Provide them practical care routines – let nature help with a system reset over winter by leaving rugs off and allowing them to reduce weight levels. 
  • Be vigilant with hoof care – shedule regular visits with the farrier or trimmer. 3-4 week intervals work best for most of the year.
  • Provide the right supplements – Copper and zinc are vitally important minerals for hoof strength. Combining these with magnesium and biotin helps support the metabolism.

HoofXtra contains these essential ingredients along with selenium, pyridoxine and folic acid to provide optimum support for laminitic prone or insulin resistant (IR) horses.  https://myhorsesupplies.com.au/product/laminitis-rescue-mix-carol-layton/ 

Note: Horses vary from one another and what works for one horse may not work for another. If you’re considering what to supplement your horse with, we recommend speaking to either your vet or an equine nutritionist to ensure you’re feeding the best option for your horse. 

Consult your vet regularly – they are more equipped with regards to horse health problems and can easily identify signs of problem

Image by jplenio from Pixabay

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Drought Conditions Warning

Timely warning seen on facebook this morning regarding safety of horses (and stock in general) during drought conditions.

It’s really easy for them to go into boggy dams and waterways in search of moisture and the little bit of green feed that may be surviving closest to the last water sources and get stuck. Not all survive!

Drought Conditions
Safety Around Water is needed in Drought Conditions

Some of the muddy holes are especially sticky, particularly if you are on black soil. The bottom of most dams will be clay to seal the water in, and this gets extremely sticky for all animals.

SAFETY NOTE

Fence your animals out of the area and provide water in tubs. If they are already weaker from a lower food intake, then it doesn’t take much to get stuck.

If you have a horse that gets stuck like these ones, call your local SES, Emergency Services, or RSPCA for help to get them out.

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Eating Dirt and Sand

Horses naturally eat quite a bit of soil. Under normal circumstances there is sufficient fibre moving through their gut to move the sand and dirt through their gut and out in their manure… so normally it won’t accumulate too much. During drought however, due to grazing very close to virtually bare ground the amount of soil they eat increases, while often the amount of fibre they have to eat is reduced. So drought is a double whammy… more sand and dirt in their gut and less fibre to carry it through. This situation often results in accumulation of sand and dirt, which can cause irritation of the gastrointestinal tract and result in colic or diarrhoea.

A simple home test for the level of sand is the glove test. Using big clear gloves (vet rectal exam gloves are good), put several lumps of manure in the glove with plenty of water. Massage the glove until the manure is all broken up, then hang the glove to allow it to settle. Check the fingers of the glove to see how much sand falls to the bottom. If you don’t have gloves, you can do the same with a clear plastic bag, tipping it so one corner is at the bottom when leaving it to settle.
If there’s less than 1 teaspoon in total then generally there’s no need for concern. If more than that, do another test in a couple of days to confirm the results, then check with your vet if you need to take additional action.

The best way to clear sand and dirt from a horse’s gut is to feed lots and lots of hay. During a drought this isn’t always possible as hay supplies get shorter and shorter. An alternative and also quite effective way of clearing it is to feed psyllium husk. Psyllium husk is a fibre that absorbs water in the gut and turns into a really sticky goo that will stick to the sand and dirt and move it out of the gut.
Epsom salts will increase the cleaning action by attracting even more water to the intestines as it passes through.

We found an interesting research paper here showing significant sand and dirt accumulation being successfully shifted in 4 days using a combination of psyllium husk and Epsom salts. The action of the 2 together appeared to be significantly better than either by themselves. Care needs to be taken though to limit the use of Epsom salts to short periods as it can have an irritant effect on the gut with prolonged use.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090023318302648?via%3Dihub&fbclid=IwAR1nkpdKa7Klyfw1OG81oj3Ai0V-yKp5EKvgdA9vfuFWsyTifuLmNVjjwnc

The study was primarily testing with nasogastric tubing however does state that previous studies have shown there didn’t appear to be a significant difference in effect between tubing or feeding. Recommended feeding rate from our vet is 50 grams per 100 kg of bodyweight of psyllium husk and 10g per 100kg of Epsom salts per day, for maximum 5 days at a time.

Feed it in a single meal, for 5 days in a row, mixed with something your horse loves the taste of. Make the feed very slightly damp then put in the psyllium and Epsom salts and mix it around. Don’t make it too wet as many horses don’t like the taste and/or texture of wet psyllium. If your horse was showing signs of sand or dirt accumulation (mild colic or diarrhoea), give the horse a break for 5 days and then repeat the 5 day treatment.

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Healing Ointment for a Hoof Wound

Frantic Call for Help

We got a call for help following a paddock incident that resulted in this wound.

There had been wet weather and the only thing that could be guessed is that the horse had been galloping and hit something hidden in the mud that has sliced off the back quarter of the hoof.

This was on the third day, after the vet had been and cut off the excess, and left it bandaged.

The wound was dirty, unhealthy tissue was forming, and the black areas indicate dead tissue which was at risk of becoming infected.

We supplied a tub of Golden Honey Healing Ointment, with instructions for use.  By the next bandage change at 6 days, there was already a significant improvement.

The wound bed was clean, all the dead and dying tissue was cleaned out, and good healthy tissue was starting to grow in the bottom of the hole.

The lovely pink colour indicates good blood flow with healthy hoof tissue regrowing.

Even better news this horse was able to successfully compete 6 weeks later in the next dressage competition heats he was entered for.

Due to the strong tissue integrity of the new growth that refilled the hole he finished his tests sound.

Watch the video below to see the progress of the wound during the healing process.

 

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Colloidal Silver Eye Wash

When you spot the swollen eye on your horse, and your heart sinks as you wonder what they have done, this is an effective and gentle way to clean and soothe the eye as you assess what needs to be done next.

This is the simplest method we’ve found to bathe the eye.

A step ladder can be useful during this process for taller horses, or ones that like to have their heads up in the air. A helper to hold the horses head can also be useful.

Wash hands well to disinfect, then do a final rinse with a little Colloidal Silver before touching the eye.

Dribble a little silver into the cup of the hand that best fits to the eye to be flushed and gently touch under and around the eye to make the surface wet. This may need to be repeated several times until the horse realises that it’s not going to hurt.

Then leave the hand in place cupped around the eye and start to fill the cup of the hand as full as possible to provide a “bath” of liquid that covers the eye socket. Hold for as long as possible, then let drain away. Refill the cupped hand and drain several times.

During this time, the horse will blink a number of times, allowing the Colloidal Silver to coat the eye, and flush out any debris that may be causing irritation. The eye socket will also have been soaked nicely with the silver which will begin to reduce the inflammation.

It’s recommended to put a dark mesh fly veil on once the flush is complete to keep out as much dust as possible. It’s also possible that the swollen eye will be sensitive to the sunlight, so the dark mesh will help give relief from this.

Note: If there is clear damage to the eye, then it’s important to call your vet immediately.

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How to Make a Saline Solution

Normal saline is a sterile mixture of salt and water. It is called normal because its salt concentration is similar to tears, blood, and other body fluids (0.9% saline). It is also called isotonic solution. Normal saline is soothing and unlike straight water, will not burn or sting when applied.

How to make normal saline solution at home 

Saline solution is easy to make at home. You will need:

  • 1 clean glass bottle or jar with lid
  • table salt
  • pot with lid
  1. Put two cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt into the pot. Put the lid on.
  2. Boil for 15 minutes with the lid on (set a timer).
  3. Set the pan aside until cooled to a room temperature.
  4. Carefully pour the salt and water (normal saline) from the pan into the jar or bottle and put the lid on.

Normal saline solution: A few important points

  • It is very important to use only fresh normal saline. Bacteria can grow in saline and cause infections
  • Use a clean glass jar or bottle is that has been recently washed in a dishwasher with very hot soapy water
  • Do not drink solution
  • Throw away the solution if it grows cloudy or looks dirty
  • Keep the saline in a bottle or a glass for a maximum of 24 hours. Throw away any unused solution, wash the container, and make a new solution.

 

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Hoof Balance

A good step to begin with when doing hoof trimming is identifying hoof balance. What is a balanced hoof? A balanced hoof is a ‘natural hoof’ or a hoof that is trimmed to replicate the form of a natural hoof. What is a natural hoof? This is the hoof that you usually see on wild horses. These horses tend to have balanced hooves as they have a free roaming life style.

A balanced hoof has a hoof wall that supports not only the foot but also the entire body of the horse. The only part of the hoof that touches the ground is the ‘hoof wall’. In a balanced hoof, the frog area has the passive contact with the floor and the sole does not touch the floor.

 Hoof Balance

A good point to ponder is from Jaime Jackson sharing “A balanced hoof is one whose size, shape, and proportion correspond precisely to its own unique, natural conformation.”

A Balanced Hoof:

  • With its relationship with the coffin bone, a balanced hoof can provide balance to your horse’s skeleton system.
  • It provides traction during the pull of the front hoof and push of the hind hoof.
  • It services as a shock absorber by expanding and contracting.
  • Pumps blood out of the foot when expanding and contracting.
  • Promotes proper stride break over.

What to Look For?

Look at the hoof wall from its side view (see figure 2), and see if the angle of growth of the front hairline is similar with the angle of growth with the tip of the toe. Think of the angle of growth as a line and no matter what the line’s angle is, it should be a straight line. If there are changes in that straight line or a different angle is created then it is an indication that something not right is taking place.

Potential Indicators of Hoof Imbalance

1. Bruise or soreness around the toe wall – Any soreness or redness around the toe should tell you that something is wrong. There are other factors that can cause this problem, but for now consider hoof imbalance as the main factor. This is often just a minor issue that can be cured using regular hoof care and hoof balance methods so do not go into major methods right away such as shoes or invasive trimming methods.

4. Unnatural Hoof Wall Wear Patterns – Generally, a naturally balanced hoof will possess 3 or 4 points of positive contact with the floor. Two of these points in contact are located at the heal buttresses and the rest of the points in contact will be at or close to the toe. These points of contact are the most active when it comes to growth. As these points get the most floor contact, they wear faster yet grows faster compared to areas that only have passive ground contact.

3. Growth Lines’ Deviation – The Hoof Wall’s Growth Lines Need to Be Perpendicular to the Floor.  Any deviation of the growth lines is an indication of hoof imbalance or abnormal growth. The deviation can be a result from improper trimming or shoeing methods and unnatural wearing conditions.

2. Elevated Heel – The horse’s heel is directly proportional with the angle of growth. Heels that are too high, incorrectly trimmed or on the shod horse will have a negative effect on the natural angle of growth of hooves. The heels need to be maintained short so the frog will have passive contact with the ground.

Frogs that are uneven and narrow tend to become rubbery and damp near the sole which is why frogs need to be kept flat and wide. The frog should only passively touch the ground and not have the full pressure against it. The frog is a sensitive area and it helps your horse know where on the ground its hooves are with just a minor contact. Properly trimming the heels will allow the frog to wear naturally and maintain the right sensitivity.

A good way to evaluate the horse’s balance is to observe how it moves on its own or without a rider. It is hard to clearly see the imbalance if someone is riding the horse especially if that someone is a novice and is the main cause of the struggle. A horse with a naturally balanced hoof will move naturally, freely and swiftly.