Tag Archives: health

Horses, The Pet Professionals

Equine Metabolic Syndrome – Keep an eye on your pony’s neck!

 

Equine Metabolic Syndrome

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is a major metabolic disorder in horses, and it is characterised by the deregulation of several metabolic processes, chiefly the proper use of insulin.  This situation might cause severe laminitis, and it is one of the main weight-related issues in horses.

Many owners are aware that EMS is frequently associated with overweight and obese animals, but did you know some horses of normal weight may also suffer from EMS?

The Body Condition Score (BCS) is a simple and easy method to look at your animal and rapidly be able to tell if they are over or underweight. It’s convenient to use by both vets and owners; however, studies show that owners tend to underestimate the BCS of their animals.

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/how-body-score-your-horse

Insulin is one of the most important hormones in an animal’s body system, regulating glucose content in the bloodstream and inside cells. When the use of insulin is disrupted during EMS, it predisposes the horse to changes in the structure of its hoof that might lead to laminitis and pain.

A recent study in ponies looked into the association between insulin deregulation and the thickness of neck fat. The Cresty Neck Score is an indirect way of measuring the amount of fat in the body and is especially important when animals do not have high BCS but might still be at risk of EMS.

Researchers have associated higher Cresty Neck Scores with increased odds of having insulin deregulation. While they do point out that further study is needed, they are confident that the thickness of neck fat is an important indicator during EMS diagnosis.

https://www.hygain.com.au/cresty-neck-scoring/

It’s important to remember that the sooner EMS is detected, the more chances you have of avoiding more severe issues down the line! It’s essential to keep an eye not just on your animal’s BSC but also on other signs that might indicate a problem.

If you have any concerns about your horse’s weight and nutrition, talk to your veterinarian!

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Horses, The Pet Professionals

Spring considerations for horses


Now that the weather is starting to get warmer and the days are longer many horse owners will begin taking their horses out for much anticipated extended walks.

However, before you start spending more time in the saddle, and to assure a safe transition for your horses, here are some things you should keep in mind:

Turnout and workout
Horses usually spend most of the winter stabled, so make sure you gradually increase the time they spend outdoors. If you haven’t been able to exercise your horse as much as you’d have liked during the winter months, it’s essential that you start slowly to give your horse a chance to regain its physical condition without compromising health. This can be achieved by progressively increasing the duration and intensity of the workouts.

Nutrition
Again, it is essential to gradually reintroduce your horse to grazing, as early spring pasture has higher levels of most nutrients, including non-structural carbohydrates (NSC). Ingesting large amounts of this fresh, green pasture can cause not only gastrointestinal problems but also metabolic issues such as laminitis and insulin imbalance.
As your horse increases its exercise level, it’s also important to make sure its energy requirements are met. As we’ve just mentioned, horses will start having fresh pasture in their diet, and both these factors need to be taken into consideration while adapting and adjusting your horses’ calorie intake and diet composition.

Health
Proper turnout and nutritional management, and monitoring your horses’ body condition are essential tools to help keep your horses healthy not only in spring but throughout the year. However, spring is known to be the ideal time for parasite proliferation, and horses can easily become infested while grazing, so you should consider consulting with your vet to make sure your horse is thoroughly protected.

These are some general recommendations that all horse owners can implement at home, and the most important message here is to take time and let your horses gradually get used to the spring environment. However, please keep in mind that every horse is unique and that turnout and nutritional management should be personalised to his or her particular needs.

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Cats, The Pet Professionals

Healthy ageing in cats

The advancements made in veterinary medicine as well as owners being more actively invested in making sure their cats’ needs are met have made it possible for cats to live longer lives. As a result, a growing number of cats are reaching their golden years, and it is up to us to make sure they spend them happy and healthy.

Ageing is associated with changes that lead to decreased vitality and make our cats more vulnerable to illness. Unless they are due to disease and affect our cats’ health and wellbeing, these alterations shouldn’t be seen as negative or positive, they just represent a normal transition to a different life stage that requires some adjustments.

You may notice changes in your cats’ behaviour, such as sleeping for longer periods, changes in their appearance (like finding little ‘freckles’ in the coloured part of their eyes) and changes in the way they move about and react, such as being less mobile and seemingly less aware of their environment.

As you start noticing your cats displaying these changes, there are some things you can do to make their lives a little easier and promote healthy ageing.

 

 

  1. Acknowledge that your senior cats have different needs

Recognising that your cats will have different needs as they age and that these will change over time is the first step towards you helping them. By identifying what and how things are changing, you can provide adjustments in your cats’ daily lives that are suited to their life stage. After 7 years of age, cats are usually considered mature and at 11 years old, senior. However, keep in mind that not all cats age at the same pace, so it is important to keep a close eye on them as they grow older to look for age-related physical changes but also changes in their habits.

 

  1. Visit your vet regularly

Regular check-ups will help diagnose any problems at an early stage which will usually make treatment more effective. A number of diseases are frequently diagnosed in older cats, such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease, for example. Unfortunately, we all know cats are great at hiding that there’s something wrong with them and these visits will help make sure everything is ok.

 

  1. Provide good nutrition and hydration

Again, a different life stage means different nutritional requirements and proper nutrition is one of the most important factors in keeping your cats healthy. There are diets specifically formulated for senior cats; however, you should consult with your vet to understand the best option for your them. If your cats have a medical condition, they might benefit more from therapeutic prescription diets than from a normal senior diet.

Encouraging drinking behaviour is also essential to keep them hydrated and promote kidney health as cats tend to neglect drinking even more as they age.

 

  1. Monitor your cats’ weight

As cats are great at hiding signs of disease, carefully monitoring their weight becomes vital as sometimes weight variations will be the first (or only) indicator that something might be wrong. Gradual weight changes are not easy to notice from just looking at them, so you should weigh your cats frequently, and a 500g loss might not seem like much but, for a 5kg cat, it represents a significant 10% body weight variation.  Keeping a register of your cats’ weight is the easiest way to keep track of these variations and to see if something is wrong.

 

  1. Provide environmental enrichment

Physical and mental stimulation should always be an integral part of your cats’ lives, just make sure you provide toys and activities appropriate to your older cats’ different abilities.

 

  1. Make adjustments to their home environment

Given enough time, most older cats will develop arthritis which will decrease their mobility. If you have stairs at home, one thing you can do is make sure your cats’ essentials are all on the ground floor – feeding area, sleeping area, resting area and toileting area. You can also use ramps to facilitate access to higher spots and lower the entrance to the litter box for easier access. Grooming might also not be an effortless task for an older cat, so that is something where you can definitely help. Providing warmer, padded beds will also be highly appreciated as senior cats don’t have the same capacity to keep their temperature stable as they did when they were younger.

 

We hope you find our tips helpful and that your cats enjoy their golden years 🙂

 

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