Equine nutrition, welfare + first opinion practice Flashcards
Theory behind crib biting and what are the complications
Strong assocaition with concentrate feeding; biting increases just after this
- May relate to gastric acid
Potential issues = gastric ulcers, teeth wear, epiploic entrapment
What causes ‘fizzy’ behaviour in horses
Glucose spikes
Cresty neck scoring 0-5
0: no palpable crest
1: no visible crest but can palpate
2: noticeable crest but with even fat distribution; can be cupped in one hand and can be moved side to side
3: Enlarged crest with more fat in middle; hard to move side to side
4: Crossly enlarged crest; may have creases
5: cresh droops to one side
Body weight calculation from measurements in horses
BW (kg) = [girth^2 x length]/11800
How much of the diet should be roughage
50% by weight
What is the daily DMI for horses in terms of body weight for maintenance
2.5-3% body weight
How many calories per kg body weight does a horse need for maintenance
33.3kcal/kg
What % of ration should be protein for growing vs mature horses
Growing: 15% (geriatric similar too)
Mature: 8-10%
Normally can get enough protein from forage
What are the potential side effects of feeding oil to horses
Loose faeces
Vit E deficiency (should supplement)
Why might we choose to give horses oil in feed
To avoid concentrates in horses with gastric ulcers/to avoid ‘fizzy’ behaviour due to glucose spikes
+ helps with skin disease and allergic airway syndrome
Also useful in geriatric horses when hard to get calories in
How much water do horses need per day
5L/100kg
(extra 12kg per day if lactating)
= ~25L/day for a TB horse
If we want a horse to lose weight how much DMI should it be fed
1.5-2% BW + supplementation with balancer of multivitamins
Why is equine obesity bad
Increased risk of laminitis
And of equine metabolic syndrome
What should a geriatric horse diet look like
Higher protein of better quality + vegetable ol + vit C
Avoid too much calcium
What measure in blood to we use to reflect protein status
Serum protein-albumin
- Will be low in liver disease, protein losing enteropathy/nephropathy + severe parasitism or blood loss
What is PPID
= Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction
Equine Cushing’s syndrome
Signs of PPID in horses
Polyuria/polydipsia
Hairy long coat
Excessive sweating
Pot belly due to muscle loss
+ prone to laminitis
How do we treat PPID and what side effect should we be aware of
pergolide (=dopamine receptor antagonist); adverse effects on appetite
Care when feeding PPID horses
Prone to laminitis so don’t want to give too much sugar; use soaked hay or old lower quality hay
Why do we have to be careful with starving donkeys (and ponies)
Risk of hyperlipaemia which can be fatal
Dietary changes for horse with liver disease
Give high quality protein but don’t overload
More sugary diets
Avoid fat as metabolised by liver; avoid wheat/oats
What is exertional rhabdomyolysis
exercise associated muscle damage
- Present with stiff horse, haematuria
Should give diet with more fat (since unable to store) + lower starch
Medical treatment of osteoarthritis in horses
Intra-articular steroids
Polysulfated glycosaminoglycans or hyaluronic acid
NSAIDs
What factors can cause higher incidence of stereotypic behaviours (welfare)
Social isolation
Lower time at pasture (more time stabled)
Lack of environmental enrichment
Requirements of a stable
Large enough to lie down, temp appropriate, sufficient ventilation, good bedding
Access to fresh water + should be able to spend most of day feeding
Which order should we bring horses in from the field in
Hierarchy order; starting with most dominant
What type of handling do we use with a foal
Tight handling in sight of the mother
Signs of pain in horses
Posture = front foot pointed, hindlimbs tucked in
Colic rolling
Reduced movement
Depression
Increased heart rate/resp rate
Masseter muscle tension
Clenched teeth (bruxism)
What is habituation
exposure to full stimulus until they become less frightened; probably not very good
What is desensitisation
Gradual introduction to the stimulus
What is counter-conditioning
Training a horse to associate frightening stimuli with positive experience
Differences in pain expression in donkeys vs horses
More stoic; see low heart/breathing rate even in very painful conditions
- Need higher dosage of NSAIDs
Problems associated with dressage work in hrses
Back pain, SDF tendonitis, prox suspensory ligament desmitis
Problems associated with endurance training in horses
Hyperthermia and dehydration; musculoskeletal injuries, myopathies, colic
Have vet checks enroute
5 types of vaccine
Inactivated = no virulence; most common
Protein/subunity = non virulent but wear inducers of cell-mediated immunity
Live = can replicate in organism at lower capacity = more efficacious
Toxoid
Recombinant DNA; uses genetically engineered DNA to express proteins
What is an adjuvant
Chemicals, microbial components or mammalian proteins tat enhanec the immune response to a vaccine
= potentiation of faccine
What is it that causes vaccine reactions
The adjuvant used rather than the vaccine itself
Which diseases are commonly vaccinated against in hoses
Equine influenza
Equine herpes virus; EHV-1,4
Strangles
Rotavirus
Tetanus
Vaccination protocol for equine influenza
First vaccine; then second ~6 weeks later
Then first booster within 7 months of 2nd vaccine
Then yearly boosters (or 6 monthly for racehorses)
Difference between how equine influenza affects donkeys compared with horses
Much more virulent in donkeys
Tetanus vaccination course
2 injects 4-6 weeks apart (from 3-6 months old depending on dam immunity)
Then boosters every 1-3 years
Rotavirus vaccination protocol
Want to vaccinate pregnant mares to give colostral immunity to foals
> Give at 8, 9 and 10 months of gestation
Equine herpes virus vaccination protocol etc
To avoid abortion storms
NB: inactivated vaccine does not protect against NEUROLOGICAL FORM of disease
2 doses 4-6 weeks apart; then 6monthly boosters
- Can give to foals from 5 months old
Give to pregnant mares at 5, 7 and 9 months gestation
New strangles vaccine
= recombinant protein vaccine from Strep Equi
Good because DIVA compatible
What care must we take when preparing to give equire viral arteritis vaccine
Should have a sero-ve blood test first and documentation on passport
BECAUSE not DIVA compatible
+ DO NOT GIVE TO PREGNANT MARES
Vaccination protocol for equine viral arteritis
(from 9 months old): 2 doses 3-6 weeks apart
Then boosters every 6 months
Two types of adverse reactions
1) Idiosyncratic: should report to drug manufacturer and VMD = unexpected
2) Dose-related = normal
What is the purpose of a pre-purchase exam
See if animal is suitable for a particular use
Identify medical conditions/lameness at a specific snapshot in time
What is a 2 stage PPP vetting
Stage 1: thorough clinical exam; palpation of limbs, auscultation, examination of eyes in dark stable using opthalmoscope
Stage 2: watching horse walking and trotting in hand in straight line on hard, level surface including flexion test
+ usually do small circle trotting
What extra does 5 stage PPP vetting include
Stage 3 = strenuous exercise observation e;g under saddle
Stage 4 = time to rest after exercise
Stage 5 = second examination of trotting in hand to see whether strenuous exercise exacerbated an underlying lameness
KEY DIFFERENCE = RIDDEN COMPONENT
Why do we take and store a blood sample during PPP
To test for substances e.g pain killers, sedatives later on if concerns after purchase
What are ‘conditionally acceptable’ methods of horse euthanasia in UK
Free bullet
GA and intra-thecal lidocaine
Sedation and aortic cut (if no other methods available)
What are always accepted methods for euthanasia in UK
Lethal injection
Captive bolt
Indications for use of free bullet
Owner preference
Poor venous access; so hard to place catheter etc
How is lethal injection done
Overdose of barbiturates
Components = secobarbital sodium, cinchocaine hydrochloride (may sedate first too)
Always IV using catheter
How does captive bolt killing work
Use captive bolt to do percussive stunning
THEN to kill animal use pithing of the brainstem
Signs of an effective stun in captive bolt killing
collapse, no rhythmic breathing, fixed, glazed expression, no corneal reflex, relaxed jaw with tongue hanging out
