Stabled Horses and Colic.

I guess this month has turned into Horse Health Awareness Month because of all the posts I've been doing on Horse health in equine courses. This article is about Colic and how it make it "more avoidable". Maybe this study on stabled horses developing Colic could help your horse in or out of horse therapy. 

"Every horse owner wants to avoid the dreaded "C" word, and although it sometimes is unavoidable, there are some steps owners can take to prevent colic. Housing horses in pastures rather than stalls, for example, could reduce the likelihood of a horse developing colic. According to the results of a recent study performed by a group of British researchers, there is a decrease in stall-kept horses intestinal motility (or movement of digesta) as compared to pasture-kept horses, which could help explain the higher risk of colic seen with stabled animals.

The research team, led by Sarah Freeman, BVetMed, PhD, CertVA, Cert VR, CertES, Dipl. ECVS, MRCVS, associate professor of Veterinary Surgery at the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, in Leicestershire, used ultrasonography to assess the frequency of large intestinal contractions (and thus, the amount of intestinal motility) in two groups of eight horses (no recent history of gastrointestinal disease) used for equitation training at the Defence Animal Centre in Melton Mowbray, UK.

The first group was stabled throughout the study period, which was comprised of two monitoring phases. They were fed hay and concentrate twice daily and had constant access to fresh water. Horses in this group were exercised lightly for 60-90 minutes daily. These horses remained in the same routine throughout both monitoring phases.

The second group was kept on pasture 24 hours a day with constant access to fresh water for the first part of the monitoring phase. They received no formal exercise or supplemental concentrates while at pasture. For the second monitoring phase, horses in this group were transferred to the stabled regime, identical to the first group. They were given a two-week acclimatization period between being turned out and stall kept.

Researchers used ultrasonography to examine two horses from each study group twice daily for two consecutive days during each monitoring period to evaluate the frequency of contractions within several parts of the large intestine.

Study results showed a measurable difference in large intestinal motility between the two groups of horses.

"The frequency of contractions of all intestinal regions collectively was significantly lower when horses were stabled compared to the pasture regime, but this effect was greatest in a region of the colon where impactions commonly occur," Freeman said in the study.

The team noted that there are several factors that differ between stable and pasture management, including feed type, feeding intervals, and activity levels.

"Any, or a combination, of these could contribute to the lower intestinal motility of stabled horses, and this will require further study," Freeman relayed. "But now that we know that stabled horses have reduced motility, we can look at measures to try and improve this and reduce their risk of colic."

The study, "Investigation of the effect of pasture and stable management on large intestinal motility in the horse, measured using transcutaneous ultrasonography," was published in August's issue of the Equine Veterinary Journal and can be viewed online."

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Reminder to Vaccinate Horses

I thought it would be good to repost this article for people within the horse therapy community. It's good to remember, for those in and out of equine courses, to keep your horses updated on all their shots, especially when entering fall/winter. 

"In the wake of Hurricane Irene and an active tropical storm season, several states along the East Coast and in the Southeast reported record rainfall for the month of August. Saturated grounds and regional flooding has led to standing water, a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Animal health experts warn that fatal cases of Eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile virus are being reported in numerous states.

To help prevent the spread of additional cases, Pfizer Animal Health is encouraging horse owners and veterinarians to follow the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) guidelines for vaccinations against mosquito-borne diseases and vaccine label directions.

"Historically Eastern equine encephalitis has primarily been reported in the south and southeastern parts of the country," said Kevin Hankins, DVM, MBA, of equine veterinary services at Pfizer Animal Health. "However, in 2010 we saw a rise in cases of mosquito-borne diseases across the northern states including New York, Michigan, and Maine. Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV) cases once again are being reported to health officials; therefore, we encourage horse owners to take preventative measures and get their horses vaccinated."

According to the United States Geological Survey, 22 cases of EEE have been confirmed. Eleven of those were reported in New York, where areas are still recovering from devastating flooding after Hurricane Irene hit the region on Aug. 27-28. Similarly, as of Sept. 6, 21 cases of WNV have been reported in 13 states, from California to Texas, North Dakota, and New York.

The AAEP considers EEE, Western equine encephalitis (WEE), and WNV core vaccinations for horses, along with tetanus and rabies. Though annual vaccinations should be administered in early spring, the AAEP also recommends boosters after five or six months in areas with high mosquito exposure.

The Pfizer Animal Health Equine Immunization Support Guarantee program provides up to $5,000 for reasonable diagnostic and treatment costs if a horse properly vaccinated by a veterinarian contracts the corresponding equine disease. Disease protection backed by the support guarantee includes infection from WNV, equine influenza virus, tetanus, EEE, WEE, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Vaccinations must be performed by a licensed veterinarian with an established client-patient relationship to be eligible.

In addition to vaccinations, authorities advise owners to reduce or eliminate standing water around the farm. A few effective steps to remove standing water includes disposing of any old tires, buckets, cans, or anything that can collect water. Turn wheel barrows over when not in use. Clean debris from rain gutters and stock ponds or wading pools with mosquito-eating fish. Fill or drain ditches and swampy areas and other soil depressions. Eliminate standing water and seepage around watering troughs. Also, clean buckets and watering troughs frequently and refill with fresh water.

"When there is this much rain and flooding, eliminating standing water can be challenging," said Hankins. "It's important as horse owners to manage what we can, while working with a veterinarian to ensure the horses are current on their vaccinations."

A viral disease, EEE affects the central nervous system and is transmitted to horses by infected mosquitoes. The fatality rate for EEE-affected horses is 75-95%. The course of EEE can be swift, with death occurring two to three days after onset of clinical signs despite intensive care. Horses that survive might have long-lasting impairments and neurologic problems.

Clinical signs for EEE include moderate to high fever, depression, lack of appetite, cranial nerve deficits (facial paralysis, tongue weakness, difficulty swallowing), behavioral changes (aggression, self-mutilation, or drowsiness), gait abnormalities, or severe central nervous system signs, such as head-pressing, circling, blindness, and seizures.

Clinical signs for WNV include flulike conditions where the horse seems mildly anorexic and depressed; fine and coarse muscle and skin fasciculations (twitching); hyperesthesia, or hypersensitivity to touch and sound; changes in mentation (mentality), when horses look like they are daydreaming or "just not with it"; occasional somnolence (drowsiness); propulsive walking (driving or pushing forward, often without control); and "spinal" signs, including asymmetrical weakness. Some horses show asymmetrical or symmetrical ataxia (incoordination on one or both sides, respectively). Equine mortality rate can be as high as 30-40%."

Source: http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=18846&source=rss&utm_sour...

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EHV-1 spreading among Horses

Whenever I see these articles about different diseases being spread in the States I can't help but let the horse therapy community know about it. Recently in California, eight horses have been confirmed with EHV-1. This is not contagious to humans, but it can spread through horses. Sometimes it's good to double check the horses if you are doing group equine courses or if your horse is going to participate with another in a horse therapy session. 

"Eight additional horses in Tuolumne County, Calif., are exhibiting clinical signs consistent with equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) after a mare in that county tested positive for the neurologic form of the virus on Sept. 12, according to a statement from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The exact clinical signs each horse are displayed were not reported.

The initial confirmed positive mare, who was being treated at a referral hospital, has shown improvement and was returned to her quarantined premises in Tuolumne County for recovery, the statement said.

"Epidemiologic investigation is ongoing and the premises owner and CDFA has contacted potentially exposed horse owners that visited the affected premises over the past two weeks," the release read. "On Sept. 13 University of California, Davis, veterinary school staff collected samples (blood and nasal swabs) from 150 animals on the premises, including the eight demonstrating compatible clinical signs. Test results are anticipated within the next few days."

Steve Lyle, director of public affairs for the CDFA, stressed that only one horse has been confirmed as EHV-1 positive in Tuolumne County to date.

Further, the CDFA has relayed that a horse that participated in the Sept. 10 American Competitive Trail Horse Association Ride for Mustangs was exposed to the index horse prior to taking part in the ride.

"The exposure occurred prior to the ride and the exposed horse has not displayed any signs of disease," the release noted. "However, out of an abundance of caution, CDFA has contacted all ride participants to recommend isolation and temperature monitoring of horses which participated in the ride for 14 days from the last exposure."

Although it's not transmissible to humans, EHV-1 is highly contagious among horses and camelids, and it is generally passed from horse to horse via aerosol transmission (when affected animals sneeze/cough) and contact with nasal secretions. The disease can cause a variety of ailments in equines, including rhinopneumonitis (a respiratory disease usually found in young horses), abortion in broodmares, and myeloencephalopathy (EHM, the neurologic form).

Myeloencephalopathy is characterized by fever, ataxia (incoordination), weakness or paralysis of the hind limbs, and incontinence. Should a horse display the aforementioned clinical signs and has been potentially exposed to the virus, a veterinarian should be called quickly to obtain samples and test for the disease."

 

Pegasus is an organization that brings recovery through Horse Therapy and Equine Courses to help people achieve an addiction cure! Visit PegasusEct.com for more information! :) 

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Older Horses

Many of the people that participate in Horse therapy are actual horse owners; so I thought this would be a great article to share! As quoted, "most horses aged 15 years or older have at least one health problem..." This is very true and it's our responsibility as owners to find out.

"Thanks to advances in veterinary medical technology, today's horses are living longer and more comfortable lives than horses in the past. However in order to make use of that technology, owners must first be able to detect when there's something not quite right with their animals--especially with geriatric horses. As a team of British researchers recently discovered, some important medical conditions are being overlooked by some owners and caretakers of geriatric horses.

Previous research by Joanne Ireland, BVMS, MRCVS, a research assistant at the University of Liverpool in England, funded by the Horse Trust, found that most horses aged 15 years or older have at least one health problem.

"It is the horse owner's or caretaker's responsibility to recognize disease and seek a veterinarian's assistance when required," Ireland said. "However, some owners attribute the clinical signs of disease to the normal aging process or may not recognize the significance of certain health problems."

To determine how frequently owners recognize clinical problems in geriatric horses, Ireland's randomly selected 200 geriatric horses throughout the northwest and midlands of England Northern Wales. A veterinarian examined each horse, and the researchers questioned owners regarding their perception of their horses' health.

"We found that owners underreported many conditions and had not reported many clinical signs of disease that were detected at veterinary examination," noted Ireland.

For example, veterinarians diagnosed dental abnormalities in 95.4% of geriatric horses, but only 24.5% of owners reported that their horse had a dental problem. Likewise, veterinarians detected hoof abnormalities in 80% of senior horses examined, but only by 27% of the owners had detected a problem.

Compared to veterinary-assessed body condition scoring, owners tended to report horses in good/ideal condition as underweight and misclassify overweight horses as in good condition. Other conditions examined and underreported in this study included cardiac murmurs, lameness, and respiratory disease.

"Failing to identify health problems in geriatric horses may prolong the time until the horse is examined and treated by a veterinarian," concluded Ireland. "Improved owner education in the care of aging horses is likely to improve identification of disease in geriatric horses. In turn, this will help reduce welfare issues as well."

Owners of geriatric horses should consult with their veterinarians to ensure their equine seniors are receiving proper treatment or care for the medical conditions they might possess. Additionally, owners with concerns that their horse (senior or otherwise) has developed an ailment are encourage to seek veterinary advice.

The study, "Comparison of owner-reported health problems with veterinary assessment of geriatric horses in the United Kingdom," will be published in an upcoming edition of the Equine Veterinary Journal. The abstract is available on PubMed."

Pegasus is an organization that brings recovery through Horse Therapy and Equine Courses to help people achieve an addiction cure! Visit PegasusEct.com for more information! :) 

 

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Myths about Happiness

Happiness is really a choice more than an event. Horse therapy often helps people find where their happiness comes from and how to find it again. Many people who come in for horse therapy suffer from depression, so here's 10 myths about happiness. 

"1. Happy people are annoying and stupid.

Wrong. Actually, studies show that people find happy people much more likable than their less-happy peers. Happy people are viewed as friendlier, smarter, warmer, less selfish, more self-confident, and more socially skilled — even more physically attractive.

2. Nothing changes a person’s happiness level much.

It’s true that there’s a powerful genetic link to happiness — usually it’s estimated to be about forty to fifty percent. Some people are born more Tigger-ish, and others are born more Eeyore-ish. And it’s also true that people are amazingly adaptive, both to good and bad fortune. Human resilience is extraordinary.

However, adaptation has its limits.

3. Aggressively venting anger relieves it.

Wrong. Contrary to popular notion, aggressive “venting” doesn’t relieve bad feelings, but fuels them. Studies show that blowing up, punching a pillow, yelling, or slamming doors makes you feel worse, not better.

Although we think we act because of the way we feel, in fact, we often feel because of the way we act.

4. You’ll be happier if you insist on “the best.”

Maybe not. As Barry Schwartz explains in his fascinating book, The Paradox of Choice, there are two types of decision makers. Satisficers (yes, satisficers) make a decision once their criteria are met; when they find the hotel or the pasta sauce that has the qualities they want, they’re satisfied. Maximizers want to make the best possible decision; even if they see a bicycle that meets their requirements, they can’t make a decision until they’ve examined every option.

5. A “treat” will cheer you up.

It depends on what you choose. Treating yourself to a long walk in the park, say, is a good idea – but the things we choose as “treats” frequently aren’t good for us. When you’re feeling blue or overwhelmed, it’s tempting to try to pick yourself up by indulging in a guilty pleasure, but unfortunately, the pleasure lasts a minute, and then feelings of guilt, loss of control, and other negative consequences just deepen the blues.

6. Money can’t buy happiness.

Well, money can’t buy happiness, but it sure can buy lots of things that contribute mightily to happiness.

As the current financial downturn is making vividly clear, money contributes to happiness mostly in the negative; the lack of it brings much more unhappiness than possessing it brings happiness. (Good health is the same way – it’s easy to take money or health for granted until you don’t have it anymore.) People’s biggest worries include financial anxiety, health concerns, job insecurity, and having to do tiring and boring chores. Spent right, money can go a long way to relieving these problems.

7. Doing “random acts of kindness” brings happiness.

Half wrong. It is true that studies show that if you commit a random act of kindness, you’ll feel happier. What’s considered a “random act of kindness”? Giving a flower to a stranger, paying the toll for the car behind you, or putting coins in someone’s meter are typical examples.

Doing something thoughtful for someone else is a surefire way to make yourself happier. Do good, feel good.

8. You’ll be happy as soon as you…

We often imagine that we’ll be happy as soon as we get a job/make partner/get tenure/get married/get that promotion/have a baby/move. As a writer, I often find myself imagining some happy future: “Once I sell this proposal…” or “Once this book comes out…”

In his book Happier, Tal Ben-Shahar calls this the “arrival fallacy,” the belief that when you arrive at a certain destination, you’ll be happy. (Other fallacies include the “floating world fallacy,” the belief that immediate pleasure, cut off from future purpose, can bring happiness, and the “nihilism fallacy,” the belief that it’s not possible to become happier.) The arrival fallacy is a fallacy because arriving rarely makes you as happy as you expect.

9. Spending some time alone will make you feel better.

Wrong. Although it can be tempting to take a “personal day” when you’re feeling blue, or to isolate yourself until you feel better, you’re better off doing just the opposite.

Note: I wish that in this post, I’d made it clearer that I wasn’t talking about restorative, peaceful solitude, which most people crave to a greater or lesser degree (I certainly need enormous quantities, myself) — but rather the drained, can’t-get-off-the-couch kind of isolation that sometimes sets in when you’re feeling too blue to connect with others. In that state, pushing yourself to see other people is likely to give a lift.

10. It’s selfish to try to be happier.

Myth No. 10 is the most pernicious myth about happiness. It comes in a few varieties. One holds that “In a world so full of suffering, you can be happy only if you’re callous and self-centered.” Another one is “Happy people become wrapped up in their own pleasure; they’re complacent and uninterested in the world.”

Wrong. Studies show that, quite to the contrary, happier people are more likely to help other people, they’re more interested in social problems, they do more volunteer work, and they contribute more to charity."

 

Pegasus is an organization that brings recovery through Horse Therapy and Equine Courses to help people achieve an addiction cure! Visit PegasusEct.com for more information! :) 

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