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Newsletter; Summer 2005 originally published July 2005 |
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SEVS News Dr.Jeske Noordergraaf Welcome to the summer newsletter from Sunrise Equine Veterinary Services. I am excited to introduce our new associate to you. Dr. Emily Decker is a Cornell graduate but understands Midwest weather. She is spending June riding along with Dr. David Schwinghamer and myself and will transition out on her own in July. Now that we are back to three veterinarians, it will be easier for you to schedule a convenient appointment. This strange spring/summer weather is causing us to see diseases at unusual times. There have already been 2 cases of West Nile diagnosed this spring in horses. We are recommending a mid summer booster for West Nile again this year. We are also seeing Anaplasmosis which we typically see in the fall. See the article on page 3 for more information about this disease. We appreciate your business and referrals. As the practice grows, we aim to keep the same personal touch. As always, you can request which Doctor sees your horses, but we feel that you will enjoy having Dr. Emily Decker at your farm. For those of you that are curious about what Dr. Bob Perce is up to, we heard from him in April. The breeding farm he is working for in New Mexico had already had 300 mares foal out. Wow!! Meet Emily Decker, DVM
Hello! I grew up on a small dairy farm in Barron County, WI. During that time, I owned and showed several Arabians and Quarter Horses in 4-H and local competitions. I completed my undergraduate studies in physics and chemistry at Hamline University in St. Paul and then went off to vet school at Cornell University in New York. I recently graduated from vet school in May and have moved to Wyoming, MN with my fiancé John and our two beagles, Hunter and Lucy. I am very excited to join Sunrise Equine and look forward to meeting everyone! Buying a Horse Dr.Jeske Noordergraaf Horses seldom come with money-back guarantees and that is why it is so important to investigate before you buy. We are often asked to do a post-purchase exam, a physical exam on a horse that a person has already purchased and may even have grown attached to. If there is a problem, it may be too late to return the horse. Also, if you bring home a horse that is sick, your other horses may end up sick also. Take your time buying the right horse for you and consider having a pre-purchase exam done. I have three rules that I recommend for people buying a horse and these are based on my experience as a veterinarian.
The purpose of a pre-purchase exam is to determine if the horse you are considering will meet your needs. The veterinarian’s job is not to pass or fail an animal. It is to provide you with information regarding any existing medical problem and explain the possibility for future problems, especially in light of the horse’s intended use. The pre-purchase exam usually includes the following:
Radiographs are an optional part of a pre-purchase exam. The purpose of radiographs is to determine if there is arthritis or any bone or joint problems. If you are buying a horse to use for breeding, a thorough reproductive exam should be done to help determine fertility. No horse is perfect in every respect. Some medical conditions and conformation faults are manageable or may never seriously affect the horse’s performance. Also, determine if the horse is ready to be used for the purpose you have in mind or needs further training. Buying a young horse is great if you can invest the time and money in training but if you want to hit the trails this year, buy a horse that has been out there already. I once had a client who purchased 2 yearling Arab colts for his little girls ages 3 and 5. These horses had never been handled and were wild. When I asked him why he hadn’t gotten an older trained horse he said these were less expensive. That was true of course but by the time they grew up and were trained he would have invested more money. The daughters were scared of these wild youngsters, luckily, and lost interest and so the horses were sold. An older, quiet horse would have cost more but would have been safer and more fun for all involved. Be cautious if you are buying a thin horse. Thin horses are often very quiet because they only have enough energy for survival. Once these horses gain weight, their attitude may change as now they have energy to misbehave. Ask the person you are buying the horse from why there is a weight problem and if the horse has recently been ill. We are often offered free horses. There is a reason that the horse is free. In general, horses are an investment and have value. If the owner will, in addition, deliver the horse for free be aware that there is a problem. Not all free horses are bad, however. I was given a warmblood who could no longer perform at a high level because of problems with arthritis. But he could still be used for light riding and was a dream to handle. My house was his retirement home and he was wonderful here. Buying a horse can be fun but take the time to buy the right horse for you even if this isn’t the horse you have dreamed about owning since you were a child. Not everyone can own The Black Stallion or National Velvet. Equine Anaplasmosis Recently we have seen several cases of Equine Anaplasmosis, formerly called Equine Ehrlichiosis. Typically this is a disease we see in the fall rather than in the spring. The recent prolonged wet weather has increased the number of early season incidences. Horses usually start to show symptoms anytime from eighteen to twenty five days after infestation. The most common signs may include fever, depression, going off feed, leg swelling, reluctance to move, and having a yellow color to their gums. This is a treatable disease and responds well to multiple doses of intravenous antibiotics. The causative agent of this disease is a Ricksettial organism called Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Ricksettial agents are a form of specialized bacteria. They are found in the white blood cells of the body (neutrophils & eosinophils), and cause a decrease not only in the number of white blood cells, but also in the number of platelets and red blood cells, leading to anemia. This bacterium is transmitted to our horses by the western black legged tick. This tick is in the same family as the famous deer tick which transmits Lyme’s disease. It can take as little as one day or as long as nine days for the tick to transmit the organism. There is currently not a vaccine available for the prevention of this disease, so precaution is your best bet. Use insecticides that repel ticks, and check your horses thoroughly for signs of tick infestation. If your horse is exhibiting any of the previously mentioned symptoms, please call to schedule an exam. 2005 Vaccination Recommendations
Suggested Deworming Schedule For Adult Horses April - Ivermectin/ Praziquantel (Equimax) June - Ivermectin (Equell) August - Strongid October - - Ivermectin/ Praziquantel (Equimax) December - Ivermectin (Equell) February - Strongid For deworming programs for foals, yearlings, and pregnant mares please call the office. There are some variations. We carry all these dewormers at our office along with Strongid C2X, the daily dewormer. Horse Emergency!!! Panic stricken, you run to the phone and can’t remember who to call in the middle of the night. Keep our office number posted near your phones! We can provide you with a magnet if you need one. The pager number of the Doctor “on call” changes nightly so you will need to call the office number first for the pager number. It is repeated 3 times during the evening message. As silly as it sounds, write down the address and directions to your own farm and keep them near our number. Many times it’s a caretaker, friend or child making the call and they will need this info to direct the doctor. Let us know in advance if you have given others the authorization to make healthcare decisions in your absence. Be ready when the doctor arrives. Have a halter & lead on the horse and a bucket of water ready. It is also helpful to have a power cord available. Time spent chasing after these items after the Doctor arrives slows down the urgent care needed by your horse.
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