A DNA test which will save foals from unnecessary pain and suffering, and ultimately death, has been launched by the Animal Health Trust.
Foal Immunodeficiency Syndrome (FIS), a genetic disorder which is known to affect Fell and Dales ponies, causes foals to become anaemic and prone to opportunistic infections. Any foal born with the syndrome will not survive.
The new diagnostic DNA test, which costs £40, is the result of ten years of research by the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and the University of Liverpool. The test will not only identify foals which have the fatal condition but will highlight adult ponies who are carriers of the genetic trait which causes the syndrome. Affected foals will be prevented by avoiding covering a carrier mare with a carrier stallion.
Owners and breeders who wish to find out the genetic status of their ponies can arrange for a simple pulled mane or tail hair sample to be taken by a vet and submitted to the AHT. The Fell Pony or Dales Pony Societies will supply sample bags for submission on request. A fast-track system to identify foals suffering with the condition will report results within three working days.
The team that developed the DNA test was led by the AHT's Dr June Swinburne and Professor Stuart Carter of the University of Liverpool with research student Laura Fox-Clipsham. They believe that by using the test, owners and breeders will eventually be able to eradicate this awful condition.
Dr. June Swinburne, said: "The DNA test gives owners and breeders the power to overcome this devastating illness. It enables them to make informed decisions about which ponies to breed. We have already had samples submitted by HM The Queen from her own breeding stock of Fell ponies. I'd urge any breeders of Fell or Dales ponies to submit samples in order to arm themselves with the facts they need to prevent the birth of affected foals and thereby avoid this distressing condition."
Professor Carter, said: "The research, and ultimately the DNA test, has only been possible thanks to funding from The Horse Trust and the support of the Fell Pony Society and the Dales Pony Society who have supplied DNA samples. We consider that the efforts of all involved in enabling this research have lead to a major advance in animal welfare."
For more information on testing, contact the Fell or Dales Pony Societies. Alternatively visit the AHT website http://www.aht.org.uk/genetics_fis.html or email FIStesting@aht.org.uk
Last year BEVA received a national Antibiotic Guardian award from Public Health England in recognition of its work to promote responsible use of antibiotics. It was the only organisation from the veterinary profession to be shortlisted. BEVA launched its Protect ME antimicrobial campaign in 2012 to coincide with European Antimicrobial Awareness day. The Association has launched additional resources each year to facilitate compliance and educate the public about the importance of antimicrobial awareness.
This year, to recognise World Antibiotic Awareness Week (16th to 22nd November, 2016) and European Antibiotic Awareness Day (18th November), BEVA is encouraging members to document their efforts to reduce the use of critically important antibiotics.
To enter for the award, veterinary surgeons need to share practice sales data (in mls) of chosen antibiotics. Practices that document a reduction in antibiotic sales of these drugs will be presented with a BEVA Antibiotic Champion Award to endorse their commitment to responsible use of antibiotics and to help promote public awareness of the campaign. Members are also encouraged to sign up to be antibiotic guardians at www.antibioticguardian.com
Gayle Hallowell, Co-Chair of the BEVA Health and Medicines Committee said: "We are extremely proud of the equine veterinary profession’s commitment to the responsible use of antibiotics. We hope the introduction of our Champion Award will inject new vigour into efforts to continue to reduce the use of our precariously limited antibiotic resources."
To apply for BEVA Antibiotic Champion Award status visit http://www.beva.org.uk/Antibiotic-Champion-Award The BEVA Protect ME toolkit is free to BEVA members and can be downloaded at www.beva.org.uk.
The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) welfare award 2008, sponsored by The Blue Cross, has been presented to the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) organisation for their contributions to equine welfare in support of the re-training and re-homing of racehorses.
The award, which was introduced by BEVA in conjunction with The Blue Cross animal welfare charity eight years ago, is a formal recognition of significant contributions made by veterinary surgeons and others to equine welfare.
It was presented to Ron Huggins, trustee of the ROR and an owner and breeder of racehorses, at the 47th BEVA Annual Congress in Liverpool on Friday 12 September 2008, by Kerstin Alford, equine welfare director of The Blue Cross.
Kerstin said: "The financial support that RoR provides for charitable racehorse rehabilitation centres, together with their education programme to help owners and riders of former racehorses, make them very worthy recipients of this award."
Di Arbuthnot, director of operations said: "RoR are delighted to receive this prestigious award to recognise the work the charity does for former racehorses to provide them with a life after racing."
Retraining of Racehorses was established in 2000 by the British Horseracing Authority. Its aim is to raise funds from the British racing industry to provide and maintain facilities for the care, retraining and rehoming of former racehorses. Under the direction of the chairman of the trustees Peter Deal, the RoR has become recognised as a vital component of the racing industry.
The Blue Cross was founded in 1897 to care for working horses on the streets of London, and equine welfare still plays a vital role in its work today. The charity rehabilitates and rehomes over a hundred horses and ponies every year at its equine centres in Burford (Oxon) and Rolleston-on-Dove (Staffordshire). A third facility in Northiam (East Sussex) provides rest and retirement for Blue Cross equines.
The first steps have begun to find Petplan and The Veterinary Business Journal's Practice Manager of the Year for 2012.
Nominations are now being sought for the most accomplished UK practice managers and recommendations are welcome from any member of the veterinary team.
Three finalists will be chosen and the winner announced at the annual Petplan Veterinary Awards in April 2012.
Robin Fearon, editor of the Veterinary Business Journal, said: "It is a distinct pleasure to launch the awards programme each year knowing that at the end of it we will be able to announce another winning practice manager.
"These awards are so important in promoting the role and highlighting the crucial part that managers play in practice strategy and success - we can't wait to see your nominations."
Judges will assess candidates' applications and choose the three finalists based on their competency in areas such as staff development, financial strategy and marketing initiative.
Last year's winner Denise Coston is practice manager at Castle Veterinary Surgeons in County Durham. She said: "Winning this award has meant a lot to me because it makes you feel valued. I would say to anyone thinking of nominating their practice manager: 'just do it'.
"The role of practice manager varies in each practice and can be hard to quantify with specific measures, but it means a lot to celebrate someone getting it right. It is an excellent way to promote the role of practice manager and it is great to get recognition alongside vets and nurses."
This award is supported by the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons and the Veterinary Practice Management Association.
As well as a plaque commemorating their achievements, the winner will once more receive one year's free membership to the VPMA.
Nominations for this year's award close on 10 February 2012. Application packs are available from: Jackie Morrison, The Veterinary Business Journal, Olympus House, Werrington Centre, Peterborough PE4 6NA, or e-mail jackiemorrison@vbd.uk.com.
Alternatively visit www.vetsonline.com/ to download yours direct.
In the trial, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, synovitis was induced in the right intercarpal joint of 24 horses by intra‐articular injection of 0.5 ng lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Escherichia coli. After intra‐articular challenge, the nutraceuticals resulted in significantly lower synovial fluid TP, TNCC and PGE 2 compared with placebo, leading the authors to conclude that: "The preventive administration of these nutraceuticals showed anti‐inflammatory effects in this validated synovitis model."
Dr Maarten Oosterlinck DVM, PhD, Dipl. ECVS, one of the authors of the study, said: "Nutraceuticals are often used in the management of osteoarthritis, which is a common cause of chronic lameness in horses but their 'curative' efficacy remains controversial and the quality of the relevant studies is generally low. We set out to evaluate ArtiTec in a well-designed and controlled study. Our research shows that ArtiTec significantly decreased joint inflammation and could be useful in preventing the onset of arthritis."
Cavalor also points to a further field trial of the product by vets in Belgium which showed that it improved lameness in 74% of cases.²
ArtiTec contains glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, hyaluronic acid, blackcurrant extract, feverfew and pineapple, turmeric root and Boswellia Serrata.
Lieselot Hamerlinck, managing partner at Cavalor said: "Joint supplements account for 34% of the equine supplement market so we know how important these products are to horse owners. Cavalor ArtiTec is the result of an extensive research and development programme and its anti-inflammatory effect has been documented in both scientific studies and a field trial. It can also be used in combination with our other joint supplements, Arti Matrix and Arti Base."
For more information, contact Zebra Products on 01352 763350.
References
Ceva Animal Health has produced a leaflet to help horse owners understand the cause, diagnosis and management of equine back pain.
The company says the management of back pain in the horse can be a particular challenge to vets and a source of frustration for owners. Early diagnosis is likely to be associated with a more favourable outcome but it's important to ensure that other causes of pain and poor performance such as lameness, are not contributing to the horse's clinical signs.
'Understanding back pain' explains the anatomy of the back, as well as the clinical signs of back pain, and how it is diagnosed, including the treatment options and the general prognosis. Copies of the new leaflet are available, free of charge, from your Ceva sales representative. Leaflets on 'Understanding bone spavin', 'Understanding navicular disease', 'Understanding sacroiliac disease' and 'Equidronate discharge instructions', are also available.
For further information contact your local Ceva representative or Ceva Animal Health Ltd, Unit 3, Anglo Office Park, White Lion Road, Amersham, Bucks, HP7 9FB, Telephone +44 (0) 1494 781510.
The Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) has published a free online collection of articles which explain the current understanding of equine antimicrobial resistance and how the profession can preserve the effectiveness of these essential medicines.
The new collection comprises ten clinical reports and studies and three editorials covering current trends on bacterial populations, risk factors and the appropriate use of antimicrobials in practice.
A clinical report on the changes in bacterial populations in foals with sepsis raises the question whether the emergence of resistance in horses has occurred as a result of antibiotic use in humans, with nosocomial spread from human handlers in foals. Studies on the prevalence of faecal carriage of antimicrobial resistant E. coli show their prevalence to be common in normal horses in the community in the UK, although MRSA carriage was rare. Data suggested transmission of resistant bacteria from animals receiving antibiotics may result in carriage of bacteria by in contact animals.
The need for judicious use of antimicrobials is reinforced in a study on antimicrobial-associated diarrhoea in three equine referral practices. Two papers investigate both prescribing practice in the UK and the impact of antimicrobial use on infection and pyrexia in hospitalised horses, concluding that there are opportunities for more targeted, ‘smart’, use antimicrobials in the perioperative period, rather than simply more antimicrobials.
The final study discusses a low-cost syndromic surveillance model for monitoring healthcare associated infection in clinical practice to provide a realistic benchmark against which other hospitals may compare antimicrobial study data.
Three supporting editorials complete the online collection, giving comment on the overall situation of antimicrobial resistance in the horses, including the current political situation and antimicrobials and surgical site infection.
Professor Peter Clegg, Associate Editor of the Equine Veterinary Journal said: "It remains to be determined how big a problem antimicrobial resistance will become for the equine veterinary profession, either through greater difficulties in treating horses, or through political pressure to restrict access to antimicrobials. Meanwhile the EVJ remains committed to the promotion of responsible stewardship to best preserve the efficacy of the drugs we have got for as long as we can."
Mark Bowen, President of the British Equine Veterinary Association and guest editor said: "BEVA has a long-term commitment to promoting responsible antimicrobial use throughout the profession and supporting EAAD through the PROTECT ME brand. This year we have released resources around Education, aimed at the profession through EVJ and to the horse owning public through development of material that can be provided alongside antimicrobial dispensing. The work of the equine profession in preserving the highest priority antimicrobials will ensure efficacy can be retained for as long as is possible."
The antimicrobial online collection is available free online at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1001/(ISSN)2042-3306/homepage/antimicrobial_resistance.htm
The new resources include:
Celia Marr, chair of BEVA’s infectious disease working group, said: “Equine disease prevention and management are fundamental for responsible equine health, welfare and performance.
“These resources cover the need-to-know information and are all in one easy reverence location on the newly designed infection control page on the BEVA website.”
https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources/Equine-infectious-diseases
BCF, Instrumentation Concept and VetSonic have collected 'VetSurgeon.org Best Stand Awards'; the first two at BEVA Congress and the latter at BCVA Congress.
Judging for the BEVA Congress awards was undertaken by members of BEVA Council. BCF picked up the Best Large Stand Award which was presented by outgoing President, Andrew Harrison.
Pictured left to right: BEVA President, Andrew Harrison, Gavin Mitchell and Carole Irvine of BCF, and John Alborough representing VetSurgeon.org.
Instrumentation Concept picked up the Best Shell Scheme Award
Pictured left to right: Outgoing BEVA President, Andrew Harrison; Tahir Afzac of Instrumentation Concept; John Alborough representing VetSurgeon.org, and Sheraz Ishaque of Instrumentation Concepts
At BCVA Congress, Vetsonic won the Best Stand Award.
Pictured left to right: Clare Walsh, Vetsonic Director; John Alborough, All Round Good Egg representing VetSurgeon.org; Gareth Hateley, then President BCVA and Sarah Vermont, Marketing Manager Vetsonic.
A research project funded by The Horse Trust has found that various types of ocular tumours can be successfully treated with mitomycin C, a cytotoxic antibiotic isolated from a bacterium.
The research concludes that mitomycin C offers a safe and cost effective alternative to current treatment options such as surgery and radiation.
The research project was led by Fernando Malalana, while working as The Horse Trust's Clinical Scholar in Equine Internal Medicine at University of Liverpool. Fernando is now working as a Clinician Teacher in Equine Internal Medicine at the university.
Ocular tumours are more difficult to treat than tumours in other parts of the horse's body due to the risk of damaging the eye. In the study, Malalana investigated the use of mitomycin C in treating ocular squamous cell carcinoma, the most common ocular tumour in horses, and occular sarcoids, skin tumors that frequently affect the eyelids .
Mitomycin C is an antibiotic isolated from a bacterium, Streptomyces caespitosus. It is known to have cytotoxic effects and has been used to treat tumours in horses before, but only in combination with surgery.
Currently, the main method of treating ocular squamous cell carcinoma is by removing the tumour surgically or with radiation. Both treatments are costly and have a number of associated risks. There is also the risk of damage or scarring to the eye.
Fourteen horses with ocular squamous cell carcinoma, three of which were affected bilaterally, were included in the study. Mitomycin C was applied to the conjunctival sac of the affected eye; in some of the cases the treatment was combined with surgery. Malalana found that of the 8 eyes treated with mitomycin C alone, clinical resolution occurred in 6 cases. Of the 9 eyes treated with both surgery and mitomycin C, clinical resolution occurred in 7 cases.
Mitomycin C was also used to treat various types of sarcoids found in the eye. Currently, the most effective treatment for occular sarcoids is radioactive wire. However, radioactive wire treatment is not ideal as it is expensive, only offered in two locations in the UK, and has potential health risks to the vet applying the wire due to exposure to radioactivity.
Six horses and two donkeys with occular sarcoids, including one horse that was affected bilaterally, were treated with mitomycin C, which was injected directly into the tumour. Malalana found that of the nine nodular and fibroplastic occular sarcoids treated with the antibiotic, all were completely cleared. However, the vets did not have good results with verrucous sarcoids.
Malalana said: "The results of this research should offer hope to the owners of horses that have eye tumours. We have already been contacted by vets from across Europe to find out more information about this treatment and hope that it will be offered to more horses with occular tumours in the future".
Vets at the University of Liverpool are now testing the use of mitomycin C on other tumours that are difficult to treat surgically, including melanomas near the horse's anus. So far, two cases have been treated, but it is too early to tell whether treatment has been successful.
Malalana's research has been submitted to Veterinary Ophthalmology journal.
Ceva Animal Health has introduced an improved version of Hepatosyl, its liver support supplement for horses.
Hepatosyl Plus for horses contains the same antioxidant ingredients as the original version but now also contains Silybin, the most active isomer of Silybum marianum (milk thistle)1.
According to Ceva, the addition of Silybin gives new Hepatosyl Plus a triple antioxidant approach to liver support to help neutralise free radicals within the liver. Free radicals are produced by hepatocyte mitochondria and cause oxidative damage to cell membranes, protein and DNA.
The company says Hepatosyl Plus's triple approach includes S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), in a stable, pure and absorbable form, which is converted into the potent liver anti-oxidant glutathione and also helps to maintain bile flow; Vitamin E, which is well-known as a potent liver antioxidant, and Silybin, which works as an antioxidant by increasing cellular superoxide dismutase.
Hepatosyl Plus remains the only liver supplement to contain Vitamin K which is needed by the liver for the production of many essential clotting factors, such as factors II, VII, IX and X, making it ideally suited for pre and post anaesthetic liver support.
Ceva says an independent trial2 on horses with confirmed liver disease has demonstrated the benefits of Hepatosyl. Conducted by European Specialist in equine internal medicine Dr Tim Brazil, the trial involved seven horses of various ages and types. All animals were given Hepatosyl in addition to treatment with antimicrobials, corticosteroids, a low protein diet and vitamin B supplementation. Post SAMe supplementation tests revealed a notable reduction in raised liver enzymes, serum proteins and bile acids and the seven horses showed obvious improvements including better appetite, weight gain and demeanour.
For further product information contact Ceva Animal Health Ltd, 90 The Broadway, Chesham, Bucks, HP5 1EG, telephone 01494 781510 or visit the website at http://www.ceva.uk.com/
References1 Flatland B (2003) Botanicals, Vitamins and Minerals and the Liver2 Brazil T (2007) S-adenosylmethionine liver support supplement trial in horses
Novartis Animal Health Inc. has completed an agreement with Luitpold Pharmaceuticals, Inc. that grants marketing rights for Adequan® Equine to Novartis in all major equine markets outside the U.S. The first launch of Adequan® Equine by Novartis will take place in Canada in June.
Adequan® Equine is indicated for treating joint dysfunction and lameness in horses caused by injury or degenerative problems. It is available for intramuscular and intra-articular administration. Adequan® is also indicated for treating joint dysfunction and lameness caused by injury or degenerative problems in dogs.
Mickey McDermott from Novartis' Communications Dept told VetSurgeon that the timing of Adequan's arrival in the UK depends on how long it takes to complete the registration transfers, but that the company hopes it'll be before the end of the year.
The company says the new product has been 10 years in development and uses 'Soft Mist' technology - developed originally for human use by its pharma business - to deliver medication deep into the horse's lungs.
The active ingredient in the Aservo EquiHaler is ciclesonide, a corticosteroid that is activated directly in the lung, reducing the lower airway inflammation associated with severe equine asthma and reducing the risks commonly associated with systemic corticosteroids.
The Aservo EquiHaler does not use a propellant, so it does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Boehringer also highlights that it is made from up to 50% recycled materials. In April, the product was awarded a Red Dot Design Award.
Dr Marc Laemmer, Head of Equine in UK & Ireland said: "It's another industry first and is a strong indicator of the commitment that Boehringer Ingelheim has to the health and welfare of horses, and to the investment that we make into continuing to advance therapies through collaboration and innovation.
"We understand that a product launch in this challenging time for the veterinary profession may seem surprising, but we have had such strong demand from equine vets for the product that we have committed to making Aservo EquiHaler available. Out team of territory managers and vet advisers will conduct remote meetings with customers to make sure that they have the information and support they require."
The RCVS issued a reminder today that there is just over a month left before the 1 April deadline for all veterinary practice premises from which medicines are to be supplied to be registered with the College.
Just over 4,500 premises have applied for registration since November 2008. This includes about 750 premises not previously listed with the College, demonstrating the usefulness of the process, which will enable the government to fulfil its obligations under European law to maintain and improve traceability of, and accountability for, veterinary medicines.
From 1 April it will be an offence for a veterinary surgeon to supply a veterinary medicinal product from any practice premises not registered with the RCVS. On conviction, those committing the offence may be liable to prosecution, which may include a fine or prison sentence. Veterinary surgeons convicted of criminal offences are also considered by the College's Preliminary Investigation Committee to decide whether the conviction would affect the individual's fitness to practise and should be referred to the Disciplinary Committee.
In addition to ensuring their practice premises are registered, veterinary surgeons also need to keep a record of other places where medicines are stored, so these can be considered during an inspection - such as vets' homes or cars, or perhaps a charity premises from which veterinary work is carried out and where medicines are stored. Such records will not be published, although some of those premises may need to be registered in their own right.
Practices accredited under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme will be inspected by the RCVS; non-compliance with medicines standards will be dealt with under the rules of the Scheme. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) will carry out inspections of other registered premises to ensure compliance with the Veterinary Medicines Regulations. Where non-compliance is noted, the VMD will take a proportionate enforcement approach ranging from issuing advice to, where appropriate, serving an improvement notice or seizing medicines.
CEVA Animal Health has produced a leaflet to help horse owners understand the diagnosis and treatment of navicular disease.
Navicular disease can be difficult to diagnose and management of the condition can be a challenge for both vets and horse owners. The new leaflet helps owners get to grips with all aspects of the disease from the clinical signs to the procedures used to obtain a formal diagnosis. It then covers the various treatment options available including corrective farriery, analgesia, bisphosphonates and surgery. Diagrams and photographs help to ensure that the information is clear, concise and easy to follow.
The leaflet is available to equine vet practices as a useful information source for clients. Please order your free copies from your CEVA sales representative.
In short, it's a way for equine vets, researchers and students to stay on top of the latest research without accumulating towering stacks of unread journals.
Early reaction to the publication has been very positive. Professor Renate Weller at the Royal Veterinary College said: "HoofSearch is a great tool for anybody interested in staying up to date with what work is going on in relation to horse feet. It is a trustworthy source at an affordable price.
Renate added: "I am not the only one who appreciates HoofSearch; the farriers enrolled in our new degree in research are also using it for their work."
RVC Structure and Motion Laboratory PhD candidate Amy Barstow, BVetMed (Hons), agreed: "HoofSearch gives you a straightforward, time-efficient way to stay on top of the latest research."
Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine Professor Emerita Hilary M. Clayton also endorses the new publication. She said: "HoofSearch is worth its weight in gold – instead of spending countless hours scouring the literature, I just go through HoofSearch each month and find all the new publications, proceedings and patents neatly classified and enough of the abstract to convey the contents of the article."
Publisher Fran Jurga said: "Everywhere professionals are involved in helping horses with foot problems, the push is on to both be able to access and build on a comprehensive, if still evolving, body of knowledge. These reports will be useful to track how this newly expanding field of research grew and contributed to the improved welfare, longevity and soundness of horses in the future. I can’t wait to add more editions on other equine health subjects."
A subscription to HoofSearch is US$119, worldwide, for 12 editions.
For more information, visit: https://goo.gl/hJTISt
To subscribe (outside the US), visit: https://www.paypal.me/Hoofcare/119
Vet Stuart Thorne from Fellowes Farm Equine Clinic in Abbots Ripton has praised the work of the charity-run National Foaling Bank after it helped save the life of an orphan three day old filly foal.
Scientists from the Animal Health Trust, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of St. Andrews have pinpointed the genes which allow the bacteria responsible for strangles to thrive, thereby paving the way for the development of a vaccine.
In the study, which the researchers say was the largest of its kind, 224 samples of Streptococcus equi (S. equi) were procured from horses around the globe to try and find a common bacterial ancestor from which modern strains would have developed. Despite the disease first being described in 1251, the researchers were surprised at the genetic similarity of the samples and identified a total population replacement at the 19th or early 20th century. This corresponds to a period when horses from around the world were brought together in global conflicts including World War I, where an estimated eight million horses died on the battlefield.
Dr Simon Harris from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute said: “The mobilisation and mixing of horses in conflicts such as WWI provided perfect conditions for S. equi to thrive. This combined with high mortality rates among the horses and their replacement with young susceptible horses could explain what we see around the world today".
While loss of diversity could be considered detrimental to bacterial populations, S. equi still infects more than 20,000 horses in the UK alone each year. Its success, researchers believe, is due to its ability to persist in some horses for years after they have recovered from strangles, where the bug can evolve to evade the horse’s immune system.
Dr Andrew Waller, Head of Bacteriology at the Animal Health Trust said: “The data we have gathered in this study has enabled us to pinpoint the genes that help the bacteria to persist, spread and thrive in the horse population. This research provides an unprecedented opportunity to reduce the impact of and prevent strangles in future generations of horses.”
The AHT says that the ability of S. equi to adapt to living in a persistent state within its host and still infect new horses mirrors the situation with HIV and the bacteria that causes tuberculosis in humans. Dr Matthew Holden from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the University of St Andrews said: “Unravelling the complex population dynamics of S. equi sheds new light on the balancing act between acute and persistent infection that is going on in many pathogens. Not only does this collection of whole-genome sequences for S. equi offer hope for an effective strangles vaccine, it also provides us with a useful model for understanding persistent infection in humans.”
The survey of 2717 horse owners, 56% of which were leisure owners and 35% professionals, found that most horses (62%) were retired between 15-24 years of age, mainly for health reasons.
Mares had a higher risk of retirement than geldings, which the researchers say may be due in part to mares used for breeding not doing much structured exercise.
Just over 1 in 6 horses in the study were affected by low muscle mass according to their owners.
Age, sex, osteoarthritis, laminitis, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), and primary use were identified as risk factors for low muscle mass.
Geldings had a higher risk of low muscle mass than mares, which the researchers say may be a result of low testosterone.
Horses with owner-reported veterinary-diagnosed PPID, osteoarthritis and laminitis had a higher risk of low muscle mass.
Primary use was identified as a risk factor for low muscle mass, with retired horses having a higher risk than horses used for competition or pleasure riding.
Owner-reported low muscle mass was perceived to affect welfare and the ability to work in the majority of senior horses.
Alisa Herbst, who led the study, said: “A prolonged working/active life may not only be desired by owners but is also likely to provide health and welfare benefits to the horse.
"We hope the results of this study may be useful for veterinarians caring for senior and geriatric equines, by helping to achieve this."
“The information may aid in the investigation of diseases affecting senior horses and in establishing senior horse-owner education programs.
"The low muscle mass risk factor list may assist vets in identifying horses at risk of low muscle mass to be selected for close monitoring.
“Vets may also consider inclusion of an objective measurement of muscle atrophy, such as the muscle atrophy scoring system (MASS)***, in annual wellness exams, so that atrophy can be identified and managed as early as possible."
Sarah Nelson, Product Manager at Mars Horsecare added: “This survey has highlighted several interesting retirement trends.
“With a better understanding of when and why senior horses are being retired we hope, eventually, to be better placed to monitor for, prevent (where possible), and treat the underlying conditions early on, to help horses stay active and healthy for longer.”
https://www.seniorhorsehealth.com
Reference
Carried out by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and Rossdales Equine Hospital, the study also revealed that the groups particularly at risk were native pony breeds and their crosses, as well as horses and ponies with a history of laminitis and those with lameness or soreness after routine hoof care.
This research, funded by World Horse Welfare, comes from the first ever online study that collected information on laminitis from a group of owners in real time.
The researchers say that the study is also the second largest to identify weight gain as a risk factor for laminitis. Data was collected from the owners of 1,070 horses and ponies in Great Britain, who reported their animal’s management, health and estimated weight via online questionnaires for 29 months.
Owners were encouraged to use a custom weight tracking tool designed by the study/research team to help regularly track changes in their animal’s weight and body condition. The uptake of this tool was high, with over half of participating owners using it.
The tool is freely available at: www.aht.org.uk/research/lameness/laminitis.
Other study findings included:
A high risk of laminitis was present in horses shod or trimmed at intervals of more than 8 weeks, and in those that took a long time to return to soundness after a bout of laminitis.
Diet, grazing management and health were factors closely associated with the development of laminitis and will be the subject of future investigation.
Researchers also noted that weight gain often occurred unintentionally, even when owners were aiming for their animals to maintain or lose it. This reiterates the need to consistently record weight and body condition in order to prevent undesirable weight gain.
Dr. Dee Pollard of the AHT, one of the study’s chief authors, said: "This is one of the largest, and the first, online laminitis studies where we collected regular information from the same group of owners in real-time. We assessed the relationship between laminitis and many potential management and health factors and identified those more likely to be present before a laminitis episode was reported.
"We now have good evidence to develop laminitis prevention guidelines, and a number of different avenues to explore in the future. We cannot emphasise enough how important systematic and regular weight and body condition monitoring are. It’s very easy to miss weight gain when you are just relying on your eyes and you see your horse or pony every day. You need to get hands on, feel for the fat deposits and take measurements, remember the figures don’t lie!"
Eclipse Veterinary Software has released a new mobile addition to its equine veterinary practice management system.
Eclipse Mobile allows veterinary surgeons to access up-to-date clinical information wherever it is needed, be that on the yard, at the practice, or while making field visits.
When Eclipse Mobile is offline, all the information the vet needs is stored on the device. When next connected via 3G or Wi-Fi, any new details are sent to and from the practice - syncing notes made by the vet, adding follow-on appointments and To Do messages, services delivered and products administered to keep everyone up-to-date throughout the day.
Whilst online, client payments can be taken via debit/ credit cards within the app and detailed drug batch information recorded using the iPad/iPhone's camera as a barcode scanner, if required.
Jeanne Razzell, CEO of Eclipse said: "Many of the vets we work with have been keen to carry animal histories with them on visits, including the latest lab test results, together with recent clinical notes, and diagnostic imaging, e.g. x-rays, ultrasounds and MRI, CT or bone scans. Now, with Eclipse Mobile, every vet can have all of this information at their fingertips automatically - at every appointment; both in the consult room and on the road."
Eclipse Mobile is available for iPad, iPad mini, iPhone, Android smart phones/tablets and Microsoft Windows Surface
For more information, contact Jeanne Razzell, CEO, Eclipse Veterinary Software Limited, on +44 (0)1799 532988 or +44 (0)7515 906466. Website: www.eclipsesoftware.info
Protek Biochem Ltd., a company set up by champion horse-rider Debbie Topping, has won the rights to sell Envirocair Veterinary, a new range of disinfectants and sanitisers targeted at dogs, cats and other domestic pets, as well as horses and farm animals.
The product is claimed to kill 99.99% of all viral, bacterial and fungal infections, and lasts for 14 days.
Debbie said: "I did not consider myself a businesswoman, just a normal horse-rider and animal lover. However, I was so impressed when I tried Envirocair Veterinary that, when I was offered the opportunity to become the main UK distributor, I jumped at the chance."
According to the company, the product is being used by a number of the horses and trainers heading to the London Olympics in 2012. It is now being rolled out across the rest of the UK's animal care sector.
Debbie says that veterinary surgeons, farmers, dog kennels, animal rescue centres, breeders and others will all be able to benefit from the new product: "Envirocair Veterinary doesn't harm skin or irritate the respiratory tract, so you don't need to get dressed up in special clothing every time you use it.
"Used properly, it quite literally kills the threat of major animal diseases such as parvovirus in dogs, which can otherwise be fatal in less than 72 hours.
"It's not an exaggeration to say that Envirocair will protect the health and even save the lives of countless numbers of animals across the UK."
Debbie signed the distribution agreement with the manufacturer Biotech International Ltd last month, before officially launching Envirocair Veterinary this week.
For more information on Protek Biochem Ltd or Envirocair Veterinary, visit http://www.protekbiochem.com/.
The scheme uses a traffic light colour system of vaccination reminder stickers which veterinary surgeons can place on the front of passports at each vaccination appointment. If the 6-month pilot is a success, the initiative will be rolled out across the UK in the summer.
BEVA says that despite the best efforts of numerous equine welfare charities to address the obesity issue, a significant proportion of owners are either not recognising obesity in their horses, or not being motivated to take action.
For this reason, the Association decided to try and confront the problem in a different way, using knowledge gained from the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) – a government think tank specialising in behavioural economics and psychology.
Lucy Grieve, President Elect of BEVA and part of the Association’s obesity campaign working group, said: "Determined to look at new ways to positively engage with horse owners, we harnessed the BIT’s experience of what methods work most effectively and came up with a simple, practical scheme revolving around vaccination visits, which could be affected by vets themselves."
The idea is to use the routine annual or six-monthly vaccination visit as a time to assess a horse’s body condition. After the vaccination is given and the body condition assessed, a colour-coded vaccination reminder is stuck to the front of the passport, both to remind the owner when the next vaccination is due and to start a conversation about body condition.
A green sticker indicates a ‘healthy’ body condition. Amber means the horse is carrying too much fat tissue and needs moderate changes to diet, exercise, management, rugging and clipping regimes. Red implies that the horse is carrying excessive amounts of fat tissue which are placing the horse in morbid danger.
Amber or red stickers provide the opportunity to talk about the potential impact on the horse’s health and what needs to be done.
If there isn't enough time to talk about it during the appointment, the sticker includes a colour-specific QR code which the owner can use to access additional information via their smartphone in their own time.
One of three short, colour-specific videos will explain the reason their horse has been designated the colour of sticker on their passport, leading to a link to more specific advice on what the owner needs to do next. Having swotted up on the background information beforehand, the owner can then discuss the various management options with their vet at a convenient time.
Lucy said: "The first challenge is helping owners recognise when their horse is overweight. Once this has been established then we can make a plan to correct the problem as a team.
"The owner needs to be on board and committed in order to carry out the tough task of reducing the weight of their horse. We hope that owners will be ‘nudged’ by the sticker intervention to consider the information they have been offered and start to tackle the problem before it causes life-threatening disease."
Nine equine veterinary practices were invited to participate in the pilot scheme, including Loch Leven Equine Practice in Kinross. Managing director Liz Somerville said: "We have been focusing on equine obesity for the last couple of years including running a #FitnotFat campaign last year to try to highlight the growing obesity problem in our horses. Unfortunately, it sometimes feels that we are banging our heads against a brick wall so when BEVA came up with a new approach to try and get the message through to our owners it was too good an opportunity to miss."
BEVA says that at the end of the pilot, it will assess how well the project has worked for the vets involved, what proportion of owners used the QR codes, visited the advice pages and sought guidance from their vets.
For more information, visit: https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources-For-Vets-Practices/Clinical-Practice-Guidance/Obesity-in-horses
Horiba Medical has announced it is the official exclusive UK distributor of the fully automated Vet abc Plus+ veterinary haematology analyser from scil animal care company GmbH, Germany.
According to the company, the compact Vet abc Plus+ provides a complete blood count (CBC), including 4-part white blood cell (WBC) differential, from only 10 µl of EDTA whole blood, in only 60 seconds.
The Vet abc Plus+ provides pre-installed settings to analyse samples from dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, mice, rats, cattle, pigs and sheep. For dogs, cats and horses, the Vet abc Plus+ provides a 4-part WBC differential blood count, including a differentiation of the leucocytes to identify lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocytes and eosinophils. Results are available in 60 seconds on screen or can be automatically printed out and transferred to the practice information system or clinical notes. For ease-of-use, the Vet abc Plus+ also incorporates a self-contained reagent and waste system which provides a clean operation whilst being easy to replenish.
Borne from an existing manufacturing partnership, scil and HORIBA Medical already have over 6000 veterinary haematology analysers placed globally. Horiba says the new UK distribution agreement enables UK veterinary professionals to not only procure the Vet abc Plus+ analyser, but also receive expert service and support directly from the manufacturer HORIBA Medical and its team of UK specialists.
For more information, visit: www.horiba.com/uk/medical