Monthly Archives: August 2017

Horses

Seasonality and foal birth size

Fresh from the presses! Published just this year in May, a new study sheds light on the how and why of seasonal size differences in foals.

Horses, like many other animals, are seasonal and their metabolic processes will vary during the year. Makes sense, nutrients available in Winter are not the same as the ones available during the Summer, which means that the body will have to adjust accordingly.

Knowing this, it’s not hard to imagine that the mare will have a different nutritional supply to the foetus as the seasons change. Foals born in the last stretch of Winter (February and early March) had a smaller height due to bone development but did not have a significant weight difference from foals born after the 1st of May. This difference can stretch from birth up until 12 weeks of age.

This happens because there is a rapid foetal growth done in the last stretch of gestation and at that time, the mare has reduced metabolic rates that seem to be independent of nutritional status. Which is to say, the mares in the study were adequately fed but the foal height was still smaller than the height recorded for mares foaling later in the season.

Is this an indication that is best to aim for births later in the season? Researchers are not sure yet but we will keep an eye out for new conclusions!

Would you like to know more about horses? Check our Equine Courses:

Equine courses

Cats, Dogs

Atopic Dermatitis: an itchy bother of unknown cause

Atopic dermatitis is a skin disease of dogs and cats, but for our pooches, it’s one of the most common allergic skin diseases right alongside flea bite hypersensitivity.

I’s estimated to affect in about 3 to 15% of the canine population and it occurs due to an exaggerated response to environmental factors and substances that are usually no bother like pollens, moulds, mites and many other things.

In dogs, we believe that it’s an inherited predisposition and while it can show up anywhere in the world and in every dog, some breeds might be more predisposed to developing this condition than others. Because this allergy relates to environmental factors, different breeds might be affected differently.

In the UK, these breeds are:

  • Boxer;
  • German Shepherds;
  • Labrador and Golden Retrievers;
  • Many breeds of terrier but especially West Highland White Terriers and Staffordshire Bull Terriers

Of course, having a pooch of any of these breeds won’t mean they will have atopic dermatitis but it is a risk factor.

What to expect from a dog that has this condition? A *lot* of itching!

There are a lot of different degrees of severity to it and may even be a seasonal issue but the chief complaint is intense itching, scratching and even injuries due to self-induced trauma. Recurrent otitis and conjunctivitis might also happen.

The areas that are the most likely to be affected are in between toes, muzzle, around the eyes, axilla, ears and groin. You can find your pet scratching or trying to get to these areas a lot and there might be little hair there, bumps on the skin or a reddened or thick skin.

Unfortunately, without adequate management, it is usually quite likely to get worse. Not only worse in terms of being itchier and maddening for your pet but secondary infections with bacteria and yeast can show up to make matters worse.

If you see your pet with very intense and recurrent itch, foul smelling ears, loss of hair and red skin take them to the vet! While it cannot be cured, there is therapy that can afford great quality of life to your furry friend.

Would you like to know more about cats and dogs? Check our Feline and Canine Courses:

Feline courses

Canine courses

Cats

Harvest mites in cats

It’s now (unfortunately!) late Summer and with the looming Autumn, a new parasite is very keen to join our outdoor parties.

Our incoming party crashers are none other than Neotrombicula (or just Trombicula) autumnalis, who go by the street name of harvest mites. These mites can affect cats, dogs and even an unwary human but they seem to love our purring pals a little more.

They are outside in the soil and plants, just hoping for a furry mammal to pass by them and then they can hitch a ride to latch onto skin. Only the 6-legged larvae cause issues, the nymphs and adults with 8 legs live in the soil and prefer to wait there for another host. They can be preferentially found on the head, especially around the eyes and ears.

Will you be able to see them on your cat? Adults are really small and while they are not microscopic and you might notice small, red clusters of dots on your cat that weren’t there before, it needs to be confirmed with a superficial skin scraping and a microscope.

Larvae feed on your cat’s tissues and, understandably, this causes a lot of damage. With itching, reddened skin, wounds, papules and hair loss we are looking at a nasty list of problems.

Worry not, these mites can be controlled and the problem can be solved but be aware that cats with easy access to infested areas may be frequently re-infested!

Would you like to know more about cats? Check our Feline Courses:

Feline courses