Category Archives: Horses

Horses, The Pet Professionals

Preventing obesity in horses: weight monitoring

People’s lifestyle and eating habits have dramatically changed over the years, and so have their pets’. As a result, excess weight and obesity have become a growing concern in human and veterinary medicine, as these have been proven to be associated with a number of diseases in all species. Overweight horses, in particular, are at higher risk of suffering from:
• Equine Metabolic Syndrome,
• Diabetes,
• Laminitis,
• Arthritis,
• Heart disease,
• Respiratory problems.
All these conditions can have a serious impact on horses’ welfare, health and, consequently, their lifespan, so it’s our job as responsible owners to make sure they do not have to suffer from problems associated with excess weight.
Trying to fight this alarmingly growing trend, and as obesity is a preventable disease, the BEVA is raising awareness of the importance of weight monitoring and of the fact that the perception of a normal horses’ weight has changed, with people not being able to recognise when a horse is overweight anymore.

But how can monitoring your horses’ weight help prevent obesity?
If your horses are at a healthy weight, monitoring will be a valuable tool to detect unwanted variations early on. As a result, you can adapt their management regime, preventing a little weight gain from becoming a bigger problem, which will also be more difficult to correct.
If your horses are already overweight, this is something that you need to address as soon as possible, and monitoring their weight is essential to keep track of their weight loss progress.

So, how can you do this?
When we say to monitor your horses’ weight, we understand that most horse owners will not have access to weighbridges to actually weigh their horses. However, there are simple methods you can use to estimate their weight (such as using a weigh-tape or calculating it through a formula) and, even better, to assess their body condition.
Assessing your horses’ body condition, also known as body scoring, consists of running your hands over your horses’ body, feeling for certain skeletal landmarks, like the ribs or the backbone, and for the fat cover. The body scoring system is divided into five scores, where a score of 3 is ideal, a score of 1 is emaciated and a score of 5 is obese.
Compared to weight measurements (however accurate they may be), by using the body scoring system, you’ll have the additional information of knowing if the weight is right for your horse instead of just having a number.

Here are some tips to help you start:
• Monitor regularly – create the habit of actively monitoring your horses’ weight and body condition at weekly, fortnightly, or monthly intervals;
• Be consistent – always use the same method and tools to avoid errors;
• Keep records – this will be the easiest way to track trends and make changes if needed;
• Take pictures – you won’t be able to notice subtle changes just by looking at your horses. However, comparing new pictures to old ones can be extremely helpful and encouraging if you’re on a weight loss journey;
• Seek professional help – if you are not sure how to start or if you are concerned about your horses’ weight don’t hesitate to talk to your vet.

There is a lot you can do to help fight the growing threat of obesity, and it is very important to acknowledge that this is a preventable disease.
It’s not always easy to find the right balance, but through proper nutrition, regular exercise and weight monitoring, you can help keep your horses fit and healthy.

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Horses, The Pet Professionals

Time to relax! Equine massage

For many of us, when we think of relaxation, the first thing that comes to mind is a day spent at the spa, enjoying a lovely massage and lots of pampering. But it turns out that were not the only ones who are keen on massages, horses appreciate them too!

Besides the fantastic feeling of comfort and warmness that comes from a massage, there are other benefits associated with massaging your horses, such as:
– Reducing physical, emotional and environment-related stress;
– Preparation for work and warming up;
– Warming down and recovering from exercise;
– Preventing injuries;
– Improving muscle tone and flexibility;
– Increasing circulation and lymphatic activity, consequently removing metabolic waste, draining accumulated fluid and encouraging tissue repair.

Depending on the horses’ particular problem, different techniques can be used and, overall, massages can be categorised into four major groups: relaxation, sports, therapeutic or preventative massages.

Throughout the massage, points of tension can be identified and worked on by manipulating soft tissues, loosening the muscles, joints and tendons, promoting relaxation and improving the horse’s overall well-being and health.

Just like us, there are a number of situations where massages are beneficial, and one of the most common indications to use them in horses is a sore back. This can be caused by improper saddle fit, excess work/exercise, conformation problems, lack of proper turnout, among other reasons. However, and even though all physical problems must be ruled out first, it is important to keep in mind that tension can also be caused by stress.

There is a lot of knowledge and technique behind a proper massage, but this is something all horse owners can learn to do that will have a significant impact on their horses’ well-being.
By learning massage techniques, you’ll be able to know how to analyse and assess your horses’ posture, movement and musculoskeletal function as well as how to recognise and correct some abnormalities. Besides, massaging your horse is a great bonding experience we are sure you and your companion will love.

If you’re interested in learning more about horse massage, we can help you!

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Horses, The Pet Professionals

Horses’ Digestive Process


Horses are herbivorous animals that have a very complex and sensitive digestive system. As with all animals, proper nutrition is vital for their wellness and health.

Let’s do a simple overview of the horses’ digestive process!

There are some things in common between horses’ and our digestion: it will start in the mouth, where food is grabbed, chewed and then off it goes into the stomach lubricated with salivary digestive enzymes to help the digestive process. In the stomach, the process continues with other enzymes, acid and lots of mixing so food can now reach the small intestine in bits tiny enough to be broken down into usable nutrients like fats, glucose and amino acids.

So far, so good! This process is familiar to all of us.

But it’s when the food particles reach the large intestine that things get a lot different. Horses, unlike us, have the ability to digest cellulose from plants. But actually, even though they get all the credit for it, they are not the ones doing it! Cellulose (fibre) is digested by microorganisms, bacteria and protozoa, present in the caecum, a 30 litre intestinal fermentation chamber, where all the magic happens. The fibre is then transformed into volatile fatty acids which are absorbed and provide an important source of energy for horses.

What this means is, when we’re feeding our horses we have to make the horses happy and the fermenting microorganisms happy as well! Otherwise, we will start seeing problems like poor performance and even severe health issues, such as weight loss or obesity, colic, founder, osteoarticular issues, gastrointestinal ulcers, among others.

Here is an example: before domestication, horses pretty much spent their whole day eating the same thing. It would be either that or roaming to find a new place to eat! So over time, their digestive systems evolved to perfectly deal with the naturally available food. With domestication, horses are usually enclosed in pastures, paddocks and barns which keeps them from roaming and grazing. Also, their caloric needs are different. Some days horses will need more calories as they spend more because they are working or performing; other days they’ll need less as they’re stabled and won’t burn as many. As a result, concentrate feed has been introduced in horses’ diets to meet their daily caloric intake requirements. However, as concentrate is not a natural food for horses, sometimes gastrointestinal problems may occur.

As you’ve figured out by now, the number of things that influence the horses’ digestive process is pretty big and finding the correct nutritional balance to keep your horses happy and healthy is not easy.

If you need help or if you’d like to know more about equine nutrition, please talk to us!

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Cats, Dogs, Horses

Reward-based training

Training is an activity that can not only be useful in your daily life, but it can also be gratifying for both you and your dogs. By spending quality time together, you’ll strengthen the bond between you and your dog, keeping your pet mentally stimulated. It will take some time, patience, and lots of treats, but soon you’ll start seeing results!

In this post, we’ll focus on reward-based training though there are a number of different methods for training your dog.

To keep it simple, reward-based training consists of rewarding your dogs when they do something that you want them to do.

A reward doesn’t necessarily mean a treat (surprisingly, some dogs are not very food-motivated!). It can be anything from verbal praise to fuss or cuddles, whatever you feel your dogs will enjoy the most.

As for unwanted behaviours, just choose to ignore them! That way, they will not lead to the desired reward, and your dogs will soon learn that there is really no point in keeping up with them. They will be much more interested in performing the desired, rewarded behaviour instead.

Here is an example: when they sit on command, they get a reward. Soon, your dogs will start sitting more readily and voluntarily in anticipation, as they have learned that following the desired behaviour of sitting, there will be a reward.

This learning process happens by making positive associations between a behaviour and a reward. At the same time, your dogs will be making positive associations with training and you, the provider of rewards!

If you want everything to go smoothly, there are two things that you should keep in mind: timing and consistency. For your dogs to make the correct association between the behaviour you want them to do and the reward, your timing must be spot on. As for consistency, it will help your dogs learn much faster and with fewer mistakes, as you’ll be giving them clear directions on what you want them to do.

Even though dogs have been mentioned throughout this post, training is not only for them! The learning process is very similar across species so virtually every pet can be trained. You can even make training a family activity and get your children involved with pet care.

Why not take advantage of these last summer days, go outside and start training your dog today? If you need any help, we’re here for you!

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Horses

Equine Therapy

Animal-assisted activities and therapies have benefits that have been recognised for a long time, and equine therapy is no exception.

As the name indicates, this type of therapy makes use of horses to help people who are dealing with physical, emotional and mental problems, such as attention deficit disorder, autism, Down syndrome, depression, motor skill problems, and many others.

Even though horses are very large animals, it is their gentle nature that makes equine therapy so successful. Horses are great at reflecting people’s emotions, as they are very perceptive and pick up and respond to minimal sensory information. This and the fact that horses have some response and social behaviours that are like our own make it natural for people to establish a connection with them.

With the assistance of certified professionals and through interaction with horses, people learn to cope with their disabilities and associated hurdles. They learn how to deal with specific situations, overcome difficulties and achieve emotional growth, as well as developing their communication and socialisation skills.

This is accomplished through activities that fit each individual’s character and preferences such as horseback riding, horse care, horse grooming, saddling and basic equestrian lessons.

If you have a horse, you’re probably familiar with the sense of calm and freedom that they can instill in us, but it is great to know that they can also help people who are struggling as well. As Churchill once put it “There’s something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man”, and horses have been proving him right.

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Navicular Syndrome

 

Horses have very particular anatomy and physiology. They are very large animals, and their weight is all supported by 4 hoof-covered phalanges or fingers.

Yes, you read that correctly! Horses only have one complete finger in each limb, and the last distal phalanx (the coffin bone) is covered with the hoof, and it’s the only structure that makes contact with the floor. This is one of the reasons horses are so prone to developing lameness problems.

One of these problems is navicular syndrome. This syndrome affects a tiny bone named navicular bone that moves with the two last phalanges. Navicular syndrome usually affects the front limbs of the horse, and one foot is often in worse shape than the other. This syndrome can have many causes and can result in different clinical signs, the most common one being lameness. Overweight horses are more prone to developing this condition.

If you have a horse with navicular issues, you may notice him or her appear lame in one (initially) or both front limbs. While lunging, you may notice lameness on the inside limb in both directions. You may also notice he or she sets their feet toes first. Lameness is usually more evident after work/exercise and gets better with rest.

Unfortunately, navicular syndrome is a degenerative condition, and the navicular bone suffers alterations over time with inflammation and density loss. The soft tissues around it may also be consequently affected.

Since this is known to be a progressive degenerative condition which is usually painful and can cause disabling lameness, navicular syndrome always needs to be addressed and managed so your horse can maintain a good and active life.

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Vaccines in horses

How much do you know about vaccines? They are one of the most important parts of preventive medicine and our horses are no exception.

Vaccinations allow us to avoid very severe diseases with very little risk and eliminate the need for difficult treatments.  Beyond being instrumental in avoiding many infectious diseases, they can also:

  • Lessen how severe a disease will run in animals that are already affected
  • Make it harder for a disease to spread through your herd or the area

The immune system is adaptable – when it contacts an infectious agent for the first time, there is a bit of a lag before enough cells are produced that can create enough antibodies to solve the issue. The second time the same disease happens, those cells already exist and the immune response is much faster.

Vaccines work by pretending to be an infection and this triggers the same production of cells that a harmful infection would. Basically, all the immunity benefits of a disease but mostly none of the danger!

There are several vaccinations for horses and which ones you should consider will depend on your horse’s lifestyle and their chances of contacting some infectious agents (oversea travelling, breeding, certain sporting events). However, it is highly recommended that all horses are vaccinated against tetanus and equine Influenza.

Tetanus is a severe disease caused by a bacteria called Clostridium tetani and if left untreated, it can be fatal. Equine Influenza is a disease of the respiratory tract and it can be quite debilitating, allowing for secondary infections to thrive and it might even damage the lungs permanently.

Talk to your vet about the best course of vaccination for your horse and don’t forget, it’s always better to prevent!

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Obesity in the Pregnant Mare

Did you know that body condition scores in mares are quite important during pregnancy? This is especially true for mares that have body condition scores that are too high.

If you think having an obese mare won’t influence your foals, think again. A new study has revealed that it may influence a lot more future factors than we previously thought.

The study focused on mares that had high body condition scores before getting pregnant while previous studies had focused on mares that had a normal body score but were overfed during pregnancy and presented as obese at foaling.

Obesity has been linked to several disorders such as equine metabolic syndrome, laminitis and even inflammation. Proper nutrition and maintaining a healthy body score throughout the year in your mares is paramount to help avoid future problems.

The study observed that while foal birthweight and growth were the same in obese mares and in normal mares, foals from obese mares had an increased risk of low-grade inflammation, higher insulin resistance and also transient osteochondrosis until 12 months of age.

This means that the body condition of mares at insemination and onwards might have concerning future effects on foals as well as influencing health in the adult horse.

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Horses

Larval Cyathostominosis

Late Winter and Spring are seasons when this parasitic disease does the most damage. While not very common, ponies and horses that are under 5 years old can suffer from these insidious worms.

So, why are these parasites an issue? Adult cyathostomins are easily removed with many deworming compounds but larvae are the bigger issue. They are quite resistant to dewormers and they burrow into the intestinal wall, staying dormant for long periods of time until they emerge.

The sudden emergence of a large number of larvae at the same time causes massive damage to the intestinal wall which leads to severe, acute weight loss and diarrhoea, often accompanied by recurrent colic and fever. This is compounded by a guarded prognosis as only about 40% of horses suffering from acute diarrhoea will survive, even with proper treatment.

What can you do? Prevention is the best course of action. Speak with your vet and they can identify potential issues with husbandry and/or with pasture management that might be causing high numbers of parasites.

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Foaling

 

Foaling, also called parturition, is a very important stage of a mare’s life and it is just as important for the owners.

The correct recognition of the stages of labour and knowing what to expect is fundamental to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Now, luckily, most mares will give birth successfully without needing any intervention.

Knowing what to expect and how long the stages of labour last will help owners decide if help is needed or if everything is progressing normally.

Normal labour is divided into 3 distinct stages:

  • First stage: When the foal shifts and positions their head and forelimbs extended into the birth canal. The mare may be quite restless, very nervous, sweating on the flanks and in pain due to uterine contractions becoming more severe. Depending on the animal, she may have no observable signs or be in a lot of distress for several hours. This stage ends with the rupture of the allantoic membrane and there will be the release of allantoic fluid – this happens around 1 to 4 hours after the start of the first stage;
  • Second stage: The foal is born! A foal’s normal presentation is with their head tucked between their extended forelegs. Other positions might require veterinary assistance so this should be checked. The mare will lay down on her side and rise several times, even when the foal is already partially out. This is due to the very strong uterine and abdominal contractions required to give birth. After the foal’s shoulders are out successfully the mare will usually rest a bit before delivering them fully. Foetal membranes should rupture when the foal tries to get up and move around – should this not happen, they should be ruptured by hand (except for the umbilical cord!) to allow for the foal to clear their nasal passages and breathe. This period usually lasts around 30 minutes but may continue for an hour. If it overextends a veterinary surgeon should be called.
  • Third stage: After the foal is born, the placenta has to be expelled from the uterus. This usually takes somewhere between 1 to 3 hours but it may continue for up to 8 hours – if the placenta is retained for too long it might cause severe issues but its important to not pull the placenta forcefully to get it out.

In summary, let things progress undisturbed for as long as possible but if any of these phases takes too long, if the foal isn’t in their proper place in the birth canal or if you see them or their mother struggling too much, don’t hesitate and call your vet at once.

And there you have it! After all of this excitement, hopefully there is a healthy young horse just dying to explore the big wide world.

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