Many diagnostic, surgical, and manipulative procedures in horses require an anesthetic to aid the comfort of the horse and improve safety for both the horse and the people handling them. Often there is a tendency to focus on the medical procedure or operation itself with a lesser regard for the anesthesia. However, it is essential
Anesthetics and horses
General anesthesia is more risky for horses, so the benefits and alternative options must be carefully considered
Feeding round hay bales to horses has risks
Concentration of nutrients and overfeeding are among the potential problems
Convenience and dollar savings are often cited as two major advantages when feeding round baled hay, especially when feeding groups of horses. At first glance these advantages may seem obvious, but for actual economic benefit certain conditions need to be met and the inherent health risks to the horses being fed round bales need to
Dealing with the eight top equine emergencies
When to call the vet and what to do until he or she arrives
Most horse owners will at some time encounter an emergency. Recognizing a true veterinary emergency and knowing appropriate first aid care until the veterinarian arrives can substantially improve the equine patient’s outcome. Colic is the most common cause for emergency calls. Colic is a broad term which describes abdominal pain or “pain in the belly.”
More horse owners seeking alternative therapies
Veterinary and alternative therapies can be part of an integrated treatment plan
Seeking solutions to help horses heal and feel better outside of traditional and conventional veterinary medicine is becoming increasingly commonplace. Horse owners are not necessarily rejecting conventional medicine, rather they simply feel that alternative modalities offer complementary approaches. For example in addition to using anti-inflammatory drugs to ease muscle pain, they may also use chiropractic,
The most common cause of lameness in horses
There are many things horse owners and riders can do to prevent the onset of arthritis
Recent estimates show that approximately 60 per cent of lameness problems in horses are related to arthritis. As a result the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis in horses has become a multibillion-dollar industry. Since arthritis is rarely curable and at best manageable, it is worthwhile to consider the contributing factors that place horses at risk
Targeted deworming can help maintain herd health
Treating horses that are ‘heavy shedders’ can reduce total parasitic infestations on the farm by up to 80 per cent
Most horse owners are keenly aware of the importance deworming plays in the health of their horses. Veterinarians, pharmaceutical companies and extension programs have done an exceptional job at promoting frequent scheduled dewormings. Yet recent science about the biology of equine parasites has found that using more deworming compound does not necessarily result in a
Obesity a serious health issue for horses
But the treatment is the same as for humans — diet modification, calorie restriction and exercise
It is not healthy for horses to be overweight. It may be one of the most serious health conditions a horse can have. Unfortunately many animal owners deem a degree of obesity as normal, acceptable and even desirable. As a result, obesity is commonly disregarded. Nonetheless, as a horse moves from overweight to fat to
Probiotics, prebiotics and horses
When supplements or products containing live micro-organisms are fed to horses the products are called probiotics, and Latin names like Lactobacillus, Acidophillus, Entercoccus, Bifidobacterium, and Saccaromyces will appear on the product’s ingredients label. While prebiotics have a similar intention to probiotics they do not contain the actual micro-organisms, rather substances which have been extracted from
Roundworm is one of pasture’s mainstays
Measures taken to lessen the burden of equine Ascarids, also known as roundworms, are wrought with pitfalls due to the tenacious nature of the roundworm, its increasing resistance to chemical dewormers, and the naive population of horses it targets. Roundworms are typically a problem in young horses, especially foals, weanlings and yearlings, where it can
Rope burns can be serious and difficult to treat
Ropes in their various guises are common in the horse world. Although they may differ in length, size and makeup, they all serve to connect people to horses or horses to stationary objects. As a result of this and due to their unforgiving nature, a good working knowledge of ropes is imperative to the safety
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