Monthly Archives: April 2014

Horses

Why do horses grind their teeth?

grindingteeth_horses
Bruxism (also known as teeth grinding) is the medical term used to describe the side to side rhythmic movement of the jaw, while clenching and rubbing the teeth together. This movement results in a grinding, scraping, crunching sound.

Bruxism is a commonly observed problem in horses and it is almost always associated with stress, discomfort or pain.

This behaviour is often an indicator of a painful or stressful condition in both foals and adult horses. In foals bruxism is often seen associated with the occurrence of gastric ulcers. These are usually caused by the stress of early or sudden weaning followed by the introduction of concentrates in their diet.

In adult horses, bruxism has also been associated with gastric ulcers, with gastrointestinal pain (belly ache), dental pain and even neurological issues. Teeth grinding can also be the result of anxiety associated with being ridden. This type of anxiety could be related to the training methods, to the equipment or to the rider’s behaviour.

One of the main problems related to repetitive teeth grinding is that it will result in wearing of the molars and it may cause other oral problems which could lead to discomfort, pain and difficulties eating.

When this behaviour is detected and because it is not a specific sign for a particular problem, it is recommended to consult your vet in order to investigate what is causing it. Usually once the cause of the painful condition is dealt with, the horse will stop grinding his or hers teeth.

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Dogs

Chocolate is poisonous to dogs!

Chocolate is poisonous to dogs
We all know how happy a dog can be when he realises he is getting a treat: the anxious nose licking, the vigorous tail wags and the priceless expressions! To most caring owners seeing their pet so happy makes them happy! That is probably the main reason why we just love to share our food with our dog.

Chocolate is one of our favourite foods and it is particularly popular during festive occasions. We love it and we often feel tempted to share that delicious treat with our dog. Unfortunately many owners are not aware that chocolate can be very toxic for our canine friends.

The problem lies in a stimulant substance called theobromine that is perfectly safe for humans but poisonous to our pets. Different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine and therefore some types of chocolate can be a lot more dangerous than others. Dry cocoa powder and unsweetened (baking) chocolate contain very high amounts of theobromine, unlike white chocolate that has minimal amounts of theobromine.

In general theobromine affects the heart, central nervous system and kidneys. A dog with signs of theobromine poisoning will show vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, incoordination, hyperactivity and seizures.

If you suspect your dog may have eaten chocolate or if you notice your dog is showing any of the previously mentioned clinical signs, contact your vet as soon as possible. There is no antidote to theobromine poisoning and the sooner your pet is treated the better!

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Horses

Understanding Equine Metabolic Syndrome

Understanding Equine Metabolic Syndrome
Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is a complex hormonal disorder that has been recently identified and is still under study. This syndrome involves:

  • insulin resistance,
  • laminitis and
  • obesity.

Insulin regulates how the cells of the body use the sugar that is obtained through diet. This sugar (glucose) will be absorbed and go into the bloodstream. Insulin is a hormone that will basically tell the many cells and tissues of the body when and how to use that sugar. Cells can immediately use glucose for energy or they can store it as fat to be used later. This means that insulin regulates the body’s blood sugar levels.

The primary cause of EMS is insulin resistance and the harmful effects caused by the excess of insulin in the bloodstream. When a horse has EMS his cells do not respond to insulin as they should, glucose cannot be processed or stored and will remain in the bloodstream. The body will respond to this increased value of glucose by increasing the production of insulin. This condition is very similar to type II diabetes in humans.

Unfortunately high levels of insulin in the bloodstream have been associated with blood vessel narrowing, blood vessel damage and activation of inflammatory processes which are likely the reason why EMS causes laminitis in horses.

This lack of response to insulin can be due to a genetic predisposition or an acquired condition due to obesity. Obesity is a major predisposing factor for EMS. We now know that fat is not just an inactive lump of cells ready to be used as energy. These cells produce hormones and some of these hormones will down-regulate the sensitivity of tissues to insulin. Large fat deposits will have a down-regulatory action that will be too much for the tissues and these may develop insulin resistance.

Although EMS has been observed in all breeds and types of horses, native pony breeds seem to be more susceptible.

Clinical signs shown by horses with EMS are laminitis, abnormal regional fat deposits (above the eyes, in the neck and crest, around the shoulders and at the base of the tail), lethargy, excessive drinking and urination. Horses with EMS seem to gain weight on very low food intake and have great difficulty losing weight.

If you think your horse or pony has any of the clinical signs described in the previous paragraph, please call your vet as soon as possible. It will really make a difference to your horse or pony’s life!

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Dogs

Tick season has arrived! Protect your furry friend!

Tick season has arrived, protect your furry friend
 These parasites have a pointed head and a barbed structure in their mouth that is used to attach themselves to the skin of their host where they will feed for several days.

It is very common for these nasty parasites to go unnoticed by owners, hidden in their pets’ fur, until engorged females become easier to see. During the feeding process females will engorge with blood and increase their size considerably. Their body has an amazing capacity for distension and they can measure around one centimetre in length (about the size of a small bean). Males are smaller, with a flattened body and therefore much harder to find.

Ticks usually prefer areas where the skin is thinner: ears, face, armpits, between the toes and on the stomach and tail areas but they can really be found anywhere on an animal’s body.

These blood sucking parasites cause great discomfort to our pets because their bite causes itchiness and they can lead to anaemia if there is a large number of ticks feeding on the same animal.

Ticks activity is seasonal and in the UK there are two typical peaks where tick infestation is more likely to occur: the first one is from March to June and the second from August to November.

It is recommended for owners to frequently check their pets for ticks and remove them as soon as they are found. Unfortunately ticks are vectors of diseases that can be transmitted to both companion animals and humans (ex. Lyme disease) and their quick removal will help reduce the risk of any disease being transmitted. When removing a tick please make sure all of it is removed. Any embedded mouth parts that are left being behind can lead to the appearance of small abscesses. An effective way to avoid this is to use a tick remover device.

Consult your vet regarding your pet’s external parasite control. It is very important to reduce to the minimal the number of ticks that can establish a hold on your pet. Keep in mind ticks can easily move from one pet to another. This means that all pets in a household should be protected, not just the ones where ticks are found.

When applying any parasite control product please make sure you carefully read the product’s label in order to use it correctly, since many tick control products destined for dogs can be very toxic to cats.

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