Have you ever heard of Equine Cushing’s disease? If your horses or ponies are over 10 years old, they might be at risk!

This progressive hormone problem originates from a dysfunction in a part of the brain called the pituitary gland, causing an out-of-control increase in several types of hormones. Due to this situation, your horses might be at severe risk of debilitating laminitis or recurrent infections.

Continue to read our blog to learn more about how to manage this syndrome and help your horses live a long and happy life.

What are the signs of Equine Cushing’s disease?

Equine Cushing’s disease, also called Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) in the medical literature, happens when the normal control mechanisms of the pituitary gland that are responsible for ensuring proper levels of the essential hormone adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) become dysregulated.

We don’t know why this happens precisely, but the result is a progressively more elevated level of ACTH and other hormones, which go on to cause harm to many organs in your horses or ponies.

With a prevalence of about 20% in horses over the age of 15, owners should pay close attention to their older animals to avoid letting PPID progress to a point where you are seeing severe signs!

Here are some of the things that are commonly observed in affected animals:

• Increased thirst and urination;
• Lethargy and reluctance to move;
• Reduced fertility and muscle mass;
• Hair that is excessively long or that is not moulting;
• A distended abdomen, a thick neck and a lumpy look over the eyes due to abnormal fat deposits;

As this disease progresses, your horse will develop laminitis and will be much more susceptible to infections. Due to this, it’s vital that you keep a close eye on your horse(s) in order to spot PPID as early as possible.

Is it possible to manage this disease?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to cure Equine Cushing’s disease, but there are several ways to manage this disease and give your horse the best possible chance at having an excellent quality of life for many years.

One of the most common medications is pergolide which is aimed at keeping the pituitary gland under control, and it tends to be successful in a large portion of cases. It is extremely likely that your horse will require medication for the rest of his or her life.

Because PPID negatively affects immunity, your vet will likely recommend that preventative care, such as vaccines, deworming and nutrition as well as acting quickly on any other health issues that might develop.

It’s important to remember that if you see your horse is experiencing laminitis, even if it seems only mild, you should contact your vet as soon as possible! It can progress quickly and might lead to an untenable decline in his or her quality of life if not treated on time.

Managing PPID is a life-long process for you and your horse or pony, so don’t hesitate to reach out to your vet if you are experiencing difficulties with treatment or feel that things are getting worse!

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What do low temperatures mean for our dogs? As winter approaches and the need for warmer clothes, antifreeze and road grit comes about, so the amount of care you need to take with your furry friends increases.

Keep reading to learn how to navigate the coming season and keep your dogs healthy and safe.

Antifreeze ingestion can be fatal if not treated

Antifreeze and di-icing compounds contain ethylene glycol. Its primary purpose is to reduce the freezing point of water, meaning it keeps water liquid even though the temperature drops below 0ºC.

Ethylene glycol helps us keep car engines running when winter really starts, which means it could be inside our homes and within reach of pets soon. As this substance tastes sweet, pets might feel tempted to drink from spills and won’t think twice about licking it off their fur if they get any on their feet or legs.

However, antifreeze is highly toxic, and even a tiny amount can cause fatal kidney damage. Here are some of the most common early signs of ingestion in dogs:

• Lethargy;
• Incoordination;
• Drinking a lot of water;
• Seizures and coma.

Even though these show up shortly after your dog has ingested antifreeze and might improve without medical help within some hours, ethylene glycol will continue to cause damage to the kidneys! To avoid fatal kidney failure, bring your pets to the vet immediately after you spot the first signs.

Always keep a close eye on your containers of antifreeze and your car for any leaks or spills on your garage, driveway or in cupboards. If you see any, clean them up as soon as possible and if you suspect that your pets have ingested any, call your vet without delay!

Rock salt might cause skin irritation and kidney damage

As the risk of ice on the road increases, local authorities will start to de-ice roads with a mixture of grit and salt that stops ice from forming and helps people travel safely.

If you go out with your dog, he or she will likely get rock salt on the legs and abdomen. This concentration of salt and grit can cause irritation on sensitive skin, especially between the toes, prompting him or her to lick it off.

Ingesting this much salt can lead to problems such as vomiting, lethargy or excessive thirst and might even cause damage to the kidneys if it’s severe enough. To avoid this, don’t forget to wipe your pet’s legs and tummy with a towel after being outside during the road gritting season.

Frostbite happens more easily than you’d expect

While frostbite is fortunately not an everyday occurrence, it is easier than it may seem for your dogs to experience conditions that may cause cold damage to sensitive tissues if you’re not careful!

Exposure to cold temperatures for long periods, be it ice, snow, or just a wet, windy day, can cause feet, ears or the tail to lose too much heat and freeze. This causes damage to the skin and underlying tissues, which will not feel pleasant for your dog.

To prevent this, always ensure that your pets are not stuck outside on freezing days, keep their walks short in ice or snow and consider dog boots that are insulated for when you want to play in the snow for longer.

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

In part I, we focussed mainly on the importance of a balanced diet from a preventative perspective, as a way of keeping your pet healthy, but did you know that nutrition can also play a therapeutic role?

#4: My dog is overweight. Should I change his diet?

The most common cause for excess weight and obesity is excessive consumption of calories due to overfeeding. Many times, this happens without us noticing they we are overfeeding our pets, as it’s easy for us to give in to their ‘puppy eyes’ when we have our own meals. This is why it’s so important to establish a treat allowance – this way you can give in to your pet’s cravings without the risk of overfeeding.

If your pet is overweight, a calorie deficit will be needed for them to lose the extra kgs. This means subtracting some calories from their daily nutritional requirements, which translates to a gradual reduction in the daily amount of food they eat.

While some pets are unbothered with this reduction, others can become very unsettled and constantly beg for more food. In these cases, a specific diet for weight management may be recommended, as these are high in fibre and promote a feeling of fullness.

Please do remember that drastic changes to your pet’s diet can cause digestive problems or other health issues, so make sure to always consult with your vet so he/she can design a safe weight loss plan tailored to your pet’s needs and health status.

#5: Apart from quantity and type of food, is there anything else I can change in my pet’s feeding routine to help him lose weight?

Yes! Are you familiar with puzzle feeders? A puzzle feeder is an object where you place your pet’s food which they then have to manipulate in order to get it out. This type of feeder not only promotes mental stimulation but also slows down their food intake, which contributes to weight loss.

Puzzle feeders are also a great tool to help pets that have a voracious appetite, particularly large breed or deep-chested dogs, as they are prone to developing bloat. In these cases, dividing their food in multiple meals and ensuring a slower food intake is very important.

#6: When else should I change my dog’s diet?

There are a number of health conditions, from chronic kidney disease to pancreatitis, in which part of the treatment plan may involve a change to your pet’s nutrition.

However, other than medical reasons, and contrary to the variety that we’re used to enjoying ourselves, dogs’ benefit from consistency in their feeding routines, regarding what, how much and even where they’re eating.

If you have any other questions about how you should feed your pet, don’t hesitate to contact your vet for advice. Nutrition is a highly complex veterinary area and an essential part of responsible pet care!

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Last blog post we covered everything you can do to make sure your kittens feel welcome, comfortable, secure and loved in their new home. Today we’ll be focusing on other needs that should be addressed and that will become a part of your everyday life.

APPROPRIATE PLAY

Playing and exploring are essential activities for mental and physical development. From stalking, pouncing, striking, grabbing and climbing kittens learn and practice behaviours that would be vital for their survival if they were living in the wild.

Initially, kittens will engage in social play with their mum and siblings. However, by the time they come to our homes, usually after 8 weeks of age, they’ll be more interested in prey-oriented play. This type of play should always be directed at objects (toys) and it will help them develop their balance and eye-paw coordination.

Please do not engage in playing activities using your hands and feet as predatory behaviours will be inadvertently directed at the owner and this can cause aggressive behaviour towards people in the future.

Make sure the toys you provide are appropriate: kittens usually love toys that will involve some interaction from your end, such as fishing rods but are also easily entertained with a simple crumpled paper ball. To keep things exciting and fun you should alternate your kittens’ toys and provide places to hide, like a cardboard box.

It is also advisable to supervise your kittens while they’re playing. Kittens, just like babies, love to explore with their mouths so it is very important that tiny objects they may find interesting such as strings and hair ties are not left in their reach as they can cause gastrointestinal obstructions if ingested.

TRAINING

If you’ve never had a kitten, this might come as a surprise for you, but litter training a kitten takes zero effort. For most kittens, you just need to show them where the litter tray is and they will use it out of instinct.

You may also be wondering ‘Why would I want to train my cat?’.

If we were talking about dogs, we would immediately associate training with commands like ‘sit’ or ‘stay’. But when it comes to cats, even though they are just as capable (although probably not as willing!) of learning and performing commands as dogs, when we say training what we usually mean is other important things like how do I get my cat to not scratch the furniture or how do I keep my cat off the kitchen surfaces.

The first thing we need to acknowledge is that for cats to be happy and healthy, they need to be able to display their natural behaviour. Clawing and scratching are instinctive for cats and so is climbing to access higher grounds. If you don’t want your kittens to claw on your sofa, what you need to do is provide an alternative structure where they can redirect this behaviour.

If you want to teach your kittens to do something start rewarding the behaviours that you want them to develop by offering praise or small treats, for example, and remember that punishing can make them anxious, fearful and consequently aggressive.

HYGIENE

Proper hygiene, as well as adequate nutrition, are essential for good health. A standard hygienic routine should include grooming to keep your kittens’ coat and skin healthy, eye/ear cleaning, nail trimming if your kitten is an indoor cat, and dental hygiene at regular intervals. If you get your kittens used to being handled at a young age, they can learn to enjoy it, which will also make your visits to the vet easier.

HEALTH

Since you have the opportunity to start fresh, make sure you make preventative care a priority for your kittens. Take your kitten to the vet as soon as possible for a health check and take your notebook with you as your vet will be giving you lots of information and advise you on many important issues, such as microchip identification, worming and flea/tick treatments, vaccination, spaying/neutering, insurance options, nutrition, and they will be able to clarify any questions that you may have.

Regular visits to the vet are essential to make sure your kitten grows up healthy and protected!

Now that you have all this information, we hope you enjoy your new adventure!

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Can cats get sunburns?

When it comes to our feline friends it is very easy to either not consider or dismiss the possible harmful effects of the sun on their skin.

The truth is, their skin is very similar to ours, (give or take some fur!), and, as such, is just as prone to sunburns as ours. Of course, not all cats have the same risks of getting sunburned and we need to be a little more careful with some that are more at risk.

Cats who have light, short hair are at most risk but even cats with abundant dark fur can still get burned in places with less hair density such as ears and around the nose. Why is this important? It means their skin can be damaged by solar radiation, which can be both immediately painful if it gets burnt and also have long-term consequences due to increasing the chances of certain types of cancers developing.

Sunburns are a big risk factor for squamous cell carcinoma, a skin cancer that can be quite hard to manage as it invades surrounding tissues very easily. So, please keep an eye out for injuries or burn on your cat’s ears and face, if you see red and tender skin that’s a good indication that something might be wrong. You can help prevent this by applying pet-safe sunscreen, keeping your cats away from the sun during the noon hours and providing them with a lot of shady places they can hide in.

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Insect Hypersensitivity

With summer just around the corner it is a good time to remember some of the seasonal issues that affect horses.

Some horses may suffer from insect hypersensitivity which is caused by the bite of several insects such as flies and mosquitos. Insect hypersensitivity is an allergic reaction caused by insect bites, the severity of which can depend on the sort of environment that your horse is in.

The good news is that in the UK, there is a low incidence of insect hypersensitivity and it is mostly an issue during Spring and Summer due to the rise of the number of insects. If animals travel to places where flies and mosquitos are more abundant, such as countries where the temperature and humidity are higher, they might encounter these issues more frequently.

Horses present with an intense itch and skin papules with the possibility of self-inflicted trauma due to scratching. This situation can progress to severe erosions, skin crusts, hair loss and even bacterial infections.

Some breeds such as German Shire horses, Icelandic horses imported from Iceland, Arabians and Quarter horses seem to have a genetic predisposition insect hypersensitivity but if you think your horse might be suffering from this condition, please speak to your vet and they will do the necessary tests and assessments to manage it.

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

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Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Cats

It is very important for cat owners to be aware of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), as this is not an unusual condition and is frequently related to recurrent vomiting in cats.

IBD is a persistent or chronic inflammation of the lining of the stomach, small and large intestine that can be caused by several gastrointestinal diseases. The triggers for this reaction can be parasitic infections, bacterial infections or even food allergies. Over time, inflammatory cells invade the intestinal wall, increasing the wall’s thickness, damaging its structure, and affecting its ability to function properly during the digestive process.

In many cases, the reason why this happens is unknown. Recent studies show several factors such as the animal’s genetics, immune system, dietary antigens and even their intestinal microfora might be involved in this exaggerated inflammatory response.

Although this disease is usually seen in middle-aged and older cats, cats of all ages can have IBD. Affected cats often present with recurrent vomiting and/or diarrhoea, decreased appetite and weight loss. Some cats may present with all of these signs, while others may show only one of them or have no visible clinical signs at all.

Due to the domestic cats’ particular anatomy, it’s not uncommon for cats with IBD to also show signs of inflammation in their pancreas and liver. Diagnosing this condition requires some degree of investigation since the typical clinical signs are very unspecific and can be caused by a wide range of other conditions.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for IBD, but there are several options to manage this disease, minimise the clinical signs and provide a comfortable and healthy life for the affected cats. These options include adjustments in their diet and medications such as antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs.

It is really worth taking your cat to the vet if you notice your pet is showing sporadic vomiting or any of the clinical signs mentioned above. Early diagnosis and adequate treatment will greatly improve your cat’s quality of life and bring you much needed peace of mind.

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