disease | Horse Racing Free Tips

Safe Removal Of Ticks Imperative To Horse Health

Ticks are prevalent in many areas of the country this year and keeping them off horses can seem like a never-ending battle. Though the tiny, hard-bodied arachnids are difficult to see, removing them is imperative to keeping horses free from the life-threatening diseases they carry.

Ticks are equipped with powerful jaws, so removing them from a horse can be difficult. Though it can be tempting, don't crush or twist the tick when trying to get it off the horse. Although many people try, smothering the tick with baby oil or petroleum jelly or touching the tick with a lit match isn't the best strategy. It can potentially cause more harm if the tick regurgitates blood into the horse, increasing the risk of disease transmission. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease, equine infectious anemia, piroplasmosis or equine granulocytic anaplasmosis.

Tick bites make horses itchy, but in large numbers they can cause more than just discomfort: they can cause enough blood loss to make the horse anemic. The best way to remove a tick is to use tweezers and grab the tick where it's attached to the skin. Using a steady force, pull the tick straight out and wash the area with an antiseptic solution.

Horse owners who are unsure what types of ticks thrive in their area should contact their local extension agent.

Anthrax: More Than A Bioterrorism Weapon, Just As Deadly For Horses

Most people know anthrax as a bioterrorism tool, but it can also harm livestock. Anthrax occurs naturally as a spore-forming bacterium in the soil in many parts of the United States. Once it is ingested or inhaled by an animal, the bacteria travels to lymph nodes, where it multiplies and circulates throughout the body.

Anthrax infection often gives no warning, making it an especially deadly disease. Though cattle are most often affected by the disease, horses can also be infected with anthrax. Horses that work with cattle, in competition or on a working ranch may be more at risk of anthrax exposure, according to a recent report by Quarter Horse News. Horses that live in cattle-abundant states, like Texas, may also be at additional risk of getting anthrax. Anthrax can remain viable in the soil for years if left undisturbed.

Anthrax has its deadly effects by not allowing blood to clot. Horses infected with anthrax may have a high heart rate, show signs of colic, and go off their feed. Some horses will have swelling, stagger while moving, or have seizures. Horses generally die between two and four days after developing anthrax signs and are usually diagnosed post-mortem.

If handlers suspect anthrax is the cause of a horse's illness, animal health officials should be notified because humans can contract anthrax through inhaling spores or through cuts in the skin.

Anthrax outbreaks often take place in areas that have alkaline soils or those that are exposed to extreme weather events, like drought followed by flooding. Wet winter weather followed by a dry spring and then heavy rainfall are perfect conditions for anthrax to thrive. Pastures with poor drainage and lots of organic matter are particularly at risk.

There is an anthrax vaccination available, but horse owners should discuss their horse and management strategies with a veterinarian before administering the vaccine, as there are other ways to prevent anthrax outbreaks. Horses living in anthrax-prone areas could be fed off the ground if conditions seem ripe for an anthrax outbreak. If horses have traveled through mucky areas or through areas where cattle have been, washing them with soap and water may lower anthrax risk.

Study: Massive Doses Of Antibiotics Many Not Be Needed Post-Surgery

Horses who undergo colic surgery are often given a five-day round of antibiotics to fight off possible infection after the surgery is complete. A new study has shown that a single antibiotic injection could provide the same amount of protection.

Dr. Sabita Diana Stöckle notes that many human and veterinary surgeries conclude with a round of short-term (24-hour) antibiotic treatment to reduce the risk of disease. For colic surgery, however, it's common for antibiotics to be administered for well over 24 hours.

Stöckle and her colleagues used 67 horses that had undergone colic surgery to compare the standard five-day course of antibiotics to a single-shot dose. Thirty of the horses received a single shot of penicillin and gentamicin once before the surgery. Some horses also received an additional shot during surgery if needed. The other 37 horses received the standard, five-day antibiotic protocol.

The study team found no significant differences in post-operative adverse issues between the two groups; there was minimal difference in the amount of colitis, hemolytic anemia or surgical site infections. They suggest that the single antibiotic dose may be an effective alternative to the common, five-day protocol, if proper hygiene and close patient monitoring also occurs.

Read the article here.

EHV Outbreaks And Equine Insurance

Equine insurance is utilized by many horse owners, whether the horse is kept for competition, breeding, or as a family pet.

With the EHV-1 outbreak across the United States and Europe, many horse owners are considering insuring their horses. But would insurance cover a horse that may have been exposed to a contagious disease? Horse Network recently delved into that question.

Each insurance carrier has its own set of rules regarding insuring a horse during a contagious disease outbreak; some may have a heightened sense of awareness about where the horse is located and what it has been exposed to, while others proceed with business as usual.

Insurance agencies and carriers deal with viral disease outbreaks similarly to how they handle weather events: they cover exactly what they say they will cover for current customers – nothing changes. However, they may limit their risk by not accepting new clients in the storm's path.

Insuring a horse that has been imported from Europe, where the EHV outbreak is intensifying, may not be possible, so contacting an equine insurance company before the import is planned is imperative.