Pacific Crest Sporthorse Hot Topics
Could your horse have Ulcers?
Could your horse have ulcers? Estimates say between 60-90% of adult horses do have gastric ulcers, with performance horses being at higher risk. In fact, a recent study showed that horses could develop ulcers simply from being hauled to a new location for a period of several days. Ulcers can cause a wide variety of signs, ranging from colic symptoms, weight loss and a general decline in overall condition to a sore back, girthiness or simply poor performance.
As a horse owner, you may be wondering whether you should administer anti-ulcer medications to your horse…and if you do what should they be? Studies clearly show that GastroGard omeprazole paste is the most effective medication for treating gastric ulcers—but it is expensive. Many other medications are marketed that may cost less—but are also less effective. In fact, some don’t work at all. Clearly, if your horse does have gastric ulcers you want to treat him right. Given this, it just makes sense to accurately diagnose your horse’s condition.
An accurate diagnosis for stomach ulcers is easy to make. By passing a long fiber optic instrument called an endoscope through your horse’s nose and into his stomach we can directly visualize the stomach lining and see ulcers if they are present. The procedure is quick and easy. It only requires that your horse be fasted overnight and administered a light dose of sedation. With the results of this examination we can answer your questions and help you formulate an effective treatment and management plan to keep your horse performing at his best.
EHV-1 Outbreak
We have had many calls with questions regarding the recent EHV-1 outbreak and ar...e doing our very best to keep you all updated with the latest news. Information and statistics about this outbreak started coming in on Monday and have been changing daily. It has been confirmed that we are dealing with the neuropathic form of EHV-1 (popularly known as "rhino.") There have been several confirmed cases among the Western states that are all linked to a cutting show in Ogden, Utah on April 29-May 8. At the current time, Oregon and Washington State veterinarians are not discouraging travel within our states. There is no vaccination labeled to protect against the neuropathic form of this disease and if you have had possible exposure, vaccination would not be recommended. The best protection you can provide for your horse is to practice good basic biosecurity.
Click This Link For Basic Bio Security PDF
Click Link below to get accurate, current updates from the State Veterinarian's office:
http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/AHID/equine_herpes_virus.shtml
"The Most Up-To-Date Equine Medical Reference Available"
This guide for horse owners, veterinarians, and students of veterinary medicine covers every critical aspect of equine health management.
Written by our own Dr. Crabbe
- Step-by-step instructions for basic first aid techniques and preventative health care
- Exquisite, detailed color illistrations of the anatomy of the horse and hundreds of color photographs
- Thorough information on major equine diseases and health issues, including causes, symptoms, diagnostic tests, and treatment options addressed in an easy-to-read format
- Troubleshooting features such as When Things Go Wrong, When to Call the Vet, and Home Treatment Guides
- Special sections on performance horses, geriatrics, broodmares, foals and advice for the new horse owner
- A Guide to Drugs and Medications that includes dosage guidlines and toxicity warning
"Managing Your Horse’s Soft Tissue Injury"
There are certain sentences that every horse owner hates to hear from her veterinarian. These sentences include, “your horse has a suspensory injury,” or “your horse has a tendon injury.” It may be small consolation to know that we dislike delivering that news just as much as you dislike hearing it.
Soft tissue injuries are disheartening because they take a long time to heal, and proper healing requires careful rehabilitation. To understand why they require this painstaking rehabilitation, it’s helpful to understand the 4 phases of soft tissue healing outlined below.
Phase 1 (Weeks 0-4): Inflammation. While inflammation has a purpose (see Phase 2 below), it can also further damage the tendon/ligament if it goes un-checked. For that reason, we must control inflammation during this time, through non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (bute, banamine, equioxx, topical surpass), cold hosing, wrapping, and rest.
Phase 2 (Weeks 0-4): Blood vessel and scaffolding formation. This phase overlaps with Phase 1. The inflammatory cells produce chemicals that lead to blood vessel formation, as well as producing factors that lead to the development of a scaffolding across the torn fibers. This scaffolding will eventually support the main component of all soft tissue structures, collagen.
Phase 3 (Weeks 4-16): Preliminary collagen deposition. Type III collagen fibrils are laid down in the injured area. This type of collagen is haphazardly arranged and therefore quite weak.
Phase 4 (Weeks 16-32): Final healing. Type III collagen is replaced with Type I collagen. A healthy or healed soft tissue structure is composed of Type 1 collagen, which is neatly arranged in organized bundles that are the main component of all soft tissue structures. This linear organization is what gives tendons and ligaments their strength.
Careful controlled exercise is essential for the rehabilitation process in order to gradually encourage collagen fibers to re-organize from the haphazard jumble of Type III collagen to the linear bundles of Type I collagen. It’s important to know that 4% of all normal soft tissue structures consist of elastin, a stretchy substance. Once lost, elastin cannot be replaced, which explains why previously injured structures have a tendency to be re-injured. This lack of elastin makes it even more important to get good Type I collagen healing in our soft tissue injuries so that the healed tissue is as strong as possible.
You may have noticed that the healing process is not complete until 32 weeks, or eight months. That means most soft tissue structures require a full eight months of rehabilitation before your horse will be back in full work. And in order to control your horse’s exercise for eight months, he must be confined and only exercising under supervision. Sadly, this means stall or small paddock rest with no turnout until your horse has been cleared to canter, usually around month 6. This control of your horse’s movement is absolutely critical for successful rehabilitation, and research suggests that the single most important treatment for getting your horse back on track is a careful rehabilitation program.
Described below is a rehab protocol designed by Dr. Carol Gillis, a pioneering veterinarian in the realm of soft tissue injury who developed many of the ultrasound techniques we utilize today. She emphasizes carefully controlled rehab protocols that are adjusted according to regular re-checks and re-ultrasounds. Using these rehab programs, she has found that, depending on the location of their injuries, 80-90% of horses return to their intended use and have the same 13% risk for soft tissue injury upon return to work that they had before being injured.
Week 0-2: Initial ultrasound diagnosis, if possible. Decrease inflammation with Surpass (a topical anti-inflammatory) and cold hosing. In some cases, your veterinarian will also prescribe a systemic anti-inflammatory such as phenylbutazone, flunixin meglumine (Banamine) or firocoxib (Equioxx) Start Adequan, which helps maintain both joint health and soft tissue structures; a recommended protocol is an injection every 4 days for 4 treatments, then once weekly for as long as possible. If the horse is reasonably sound, begin hand-walking immediately, 15 minutes twice daily. If lameness is severe, a period of total rest may be necessary.
Week 2-4: Hand walk 20 minutes, twice daily.
Week 4-6: Hand walk 25 minutes, twice daily.
Week 6-8: Hand walk 30 minutes, twice daily.
Re-check and re-ultrasound at 8 weeks to clear for walking under saddle
Week 8-10: Walk under saddle 25 minutes, once daily. Walk briskly. Alternate pace and frame. Hand walk for a second 15 minute daily exercise session if possible.
Week 10-12: Walk under saddle 30 minutes, once daily. Hand walk for a second 15 minute daily exercise session if possible.
Week 12-14: Walk under saddle 35 minutes, once daily. Start including some leg yielding. Hand walk for a second 15 minute daily exercise session if possible.
Week 14-16: Walk under saddle, 40 minutes, once daily. Alter pace and collection and include leg yielding. Hand walk for a second 15 minute daily exercise session if possible.
Re-check and re-ultrasound at 16 weeks to clear for trotting under saddle.
Week 16-18: Walk warm up for 20 minutes, trot 5 minutes, walk cool-down 5-10 minutes (1 trot set).
Week 18-20: Walk warm-up 20 minutes, trot 5 minutes, walk 5 minutes, trot 5 minutes, walk cool-down 5-10 minutes (2 trot sets).
Week 20-22: Walk warm-up 20 minutes, 3 trot sets, walk cool-down 5-10 minutes.
Week 22-24: Walk warm-up 20 minutes, 4 trot sets, walk cool-down 5-10 minutes.
Re-check and re-ultrasound at 24 weeks to clear for canter.
Week 24-26: Walk warm-up 20 minutes, 3 five minute trot sets, 1 five minute canter set, walk cool-down for 5-10 minutes. After 1 week of canter work, the horse can resume full turn-out.
Week 26-28: Walk warm-up 20 minutes, 2-3 five minute trot sets, 2 five minute canter sets, walk cool-down for 5-10 minutes.
Week 28-30: Walk warm-up 20 minutes, 2-3 five minute trot sets, 3 five minute canter sets, walk cool-down for 5-10 minutes.
Week 30-32: Walk warm-up 20 minutes, 2-3 five minute trot sets, 4 five minute canter sets, walk cool-down for 5-10 minutes.
Re-check and re-ultrasound at 32 weeks to clear for back to full training, including jumping. After this check-up, work can be increased by about 5% per week until the desired intensity level is reached.
"Items in the News"
Do non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) cause stomach ulcers? Learn the truth
We've all been there. "Champ" has an injured leg, and you've been instructed to give him bute for the next several days. You want to do what's right for his leg, but you're concerned—he's a sensitive horse, and you've heard that bute can cause stomach ulcers. Is this true? Should he get anti-ulcer medications too?
L.C. Fennell and R.P. Franklin have addressed this very issue in an article in the December 2009 Equine Veterinary Journal, titled "Evidence-based Clinical Question: Do nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs administered at therapeutic dosages induce gastric ulcers in horses?" This article reviews the frequency and appearance of stomach ulcers in horses, and whether NSAIDS like bute and Banamine put your horse at risk.
Fennell and Franklin review multiple studies that evaluate NSAID use and stomach ulceration in performance horses. All of these studies had the same conclusion: there was no connection between NSAID use and stomach ulcers when appropriate therapeutic dosages were used. Therefore, there is no reason to give your horse anti-ulcer medications when he's being dosed appropriately with an NSAID.
What can we take from this article? Go ahead and follow our instructions regarding Champ's bute. Be vigilant in following directions—ask if you have any questions! While NSAIDs are unlikely to cause stomach ulcers at therapeutic dosages, they are harmful if your horse is over-dosed. Lastly, save your money and don't give anti-ulcer medications when they're not needed. If you think your horse may have ulcers, discuss endoscopy with your veterinarian.
