horse Flashcards
what is a horse?
- Equus ferus caballus
- Odd-toed ungulate
- Lifespan 25-30+ years
Draft Horse/ Heavy
Horses
- Breeds include: Clydesdale, Belgian, Percheron, Suffolk Punch,
Shire - Tall, muscular, broad back, feathered distal limbs
- 16-19 HH
- Bred to pull
- Farming, logging, carts, wagons, sleigh, showing
- Also used for riding in a variety of sports
- Harness horses may be used as a single or in a team
Warmblood/
Medium
Weight Horses
- Breeds include: Hanoverian,
Trakehner, Oldenburg, Dutch WB,
Canadian WB - More refined features than draft
horses without feathering - 15 - 18 HH
- Many registries have “open
studbooks” - Do not require 2 pure blood
parents - Accept animals of similar
phenotypes to improve the
breed - Bred to excel at competitive English
riding such as dressage and jumping
light horse
- Breeds include: Arabian, Quarter
Horse, Thoroughbred, Paint Horse,
Morgan - Greater than 14.2 HH
- Each breed has specific
characteristics, generally
smaller/lighter build - Often bred for a specific sport or
used for pleasure - Track racing, endurance racing,
cow horse/western sports.
ponies
- Breeds include: Shetland, Connemara
Pony, Hackney, Pony of the Americas
(POA), Welsh Pony - Shorter than 14.2hh
- Phenotypically distinct:
- Thicker coat, mane, and tail
- Short/stocky legs
- Wider barrels
- Shorter/thicker neck
- Broad forehead
- Used for riding, sport, pulling carts, sure-
footedness
-some registries have high requirements for papers, vets will measure
miniature horse
- Breeds include American
Miniature Horses, Falabella,
Dutch miniature - <8.2HH (34 inches)
- Legs longer than the body is
deep, more refined structure than some small ponies - Used as companion animals, harness, in-hand sport
donkeys
- Donkeys (Equus africanus asinus)
and mules make up 2/3 of the
world’s equid population - Working animals
- 3 common sizes
- Miniature
- Standard (small and large
varieties) - Mammoth
mules
- Offspring of a male donkey and female
horse - Donkey: 62 chromosomes
- Horse: 64 chromosomes
- Mule: 63 chromosomes -> infertile
- Highly versatile animals
- Strength, endurance, and
surefootedness of a donkey - Athletic ability and speed of a horse
- Used for both work and sport
donkey and mule terminology
- Drove / herd/ pace: group of donkeys
- Jack: male donkey
- Jenny: female donkey
- Mule: horse dam /donkey sire
- Hinny: donkey dam /horse sire
wild equids
-Feral horses:
* Multiple populations in Canada
* Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan, Sable Island
- Mustangs:
* Free roaming horses (feral) in Western US, descended from
Spanish Horses
* Managed by the Bureau of Land Management
breed registries
- Closed stud book: 2 pure bred parents, no outside bloodlines
accepted (Thoroughbreds, Trakenhner) - Open stud book: animals may be registered even if parents were not
- Most warmbloods
- Semi open for Quarter Horses
(will include TB and Paints)
Certain breeds have genetic,
conformational, or height requirements
Genetic Testing for Breed Specific Disorders
-Connemara Pony Hoof Wall Separation disease
* Equine Familial Isolated
Hypoparathyroidism (Thoroughbreds)
* Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa( Belgians)
* Warmblood Fragile Foal Syndrome Type 1
Colour Genetics
- Testing used for breeding purposes if a specific colour is desired
- Some colours or colour patterns are linked
to genetic diseases - Overo Lethal White Syndrome:
homozygous for the overo coat colour pattern gene - Silver dilution associated with Multiple Congenital Ocular Anomalies (MCOA)
- Gray gene associated with an
increased risk of melanoma - Leopard complex causing congenital stationary night blindness in
appaloosas
different gaits in horses
-Walk: 4 beat gait with each foot hitting the ground independently
- Trot: 2 beat diagonal gait with contralateral limbs moving
synchronously
-Canter: 3 beat gait
* Left lead: RH, LH + RF, LF
- Gallop: 3-4 beat gait
* Same as the canter except the diagonal hind foot hits the ground slightly before the front foot
Pregnant Mare’s Urine
-Used as the estrogen source in the drug Premarin (Pfizer)
* Hormone replacement
therapy for post- menopausal women
* Draft horses once commonly
used
* Industry byproduct (foals)
had little use
* Most PMU operations now
raise QH foals
* Sold as weanlings
* Performance and ranch
horse prospect
horses in the economics of canda
Contributed $8.69 billion to Canada’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP)
* Canadians spent > $8.3 billion on equine
keeping
* Large equine sport venues serve as
economic drivers
* Provided $894 million in provincial and federal
taxes
* Contributed 70,997 full time equivalent jobs
* > 155,000 acres of land across Canada are used
for equine facilities,
cost of equine care
-feed
-bedding
-housing (boarding fees or costs to maintain property)
-veterinary
-farrier (every 5-8 wks)
-tack
-others: competition fees, training.
perceptions regarding equine welfare issues
- Individual animal welfare issues
- Denied access to important psychological resources (companionship/ social interaction)
- Inappropriate drug use
- Denied access to physical requirements
- Lack of proper professional care
- Industry level welfare issues:
- Ignorance /lack of knowledge
- Overpopulation of horses
-Lack of regulation at the industry level
equine welfare requirements
- Methods to address equine welfare at the individual
level: - Allow access to physical requirements
- Make proper horse care the primary goal
- Consistent routine care
- Strengthen and enforce animal welfare legislation
- Education
- Methods to address equine welfare at the industry level:
- Education for all people dealing with horses
- Better understanding of equine behaviour and learning theory
Certifications in
Equine Practice
-Chiropractic
* Acupuncture
* ISELP (International Society of
Equine Locomotor Pathology)
* Fear-Free Certification
* CE programs and conferences
farrier
- Care for the hoof of the horse by trimming the hoof and applying shoes.
- Training courses 5 days to 1 year in length
- Requirements to become a journeyman, but no regulation around claiming to be a farrier
- Mentorship from an experienced farrier important
Equine Massage
and Alternative
Therapies
- Massage therapy
- Vertebral realignment therapy (someone who is not a vet but takes course says they are this, you should be a vet and take a course to be chiropractor)
- Therapeutic laser
- Pulsed electromagnetic field
therapy - Physiotherapy
horse thermo neutral zone
5-20oC
◦ No energy expended to maintain normal body temperature
Shiver when cold
◦ Especially if damp
◦ Produces heat
◦ Horse is not comfortable when shivering
Heat stroke
◦ Weak
◦ Disoriented
◦ Muscle tremors
◦ Shallow/rapid breathing
-healthy, good BCS horses dont NEED a blanket but skinny ect horses should have one. if blanketed you need to check routinley.
horse indoor housing requirements
Flooring should be non-slip, level and well-drained
Bedding used to provide comfort, warmth, dryness, traction and
protection from injury
◦ Straw
◦ Wood shavings/other wood products
◦ Shredded paper
◦ Peat moss
Horses need a comfortable place (bedded or otherwise) to lie down and properly rest
◦ Sleep (REM) about 1h/d
◦ Necessary for health and well-being
-dust free: can lead to resp diseases
indoor air quality
Major factor in the development and propagation of airway disease
Proper management of facilities and bedding helps maintain air
quality
Excessive ammonia poses a health threat
◦ Should be <10ppm
◦ Must not exceed 25ppm
◦ If you can detect ammonia (smell or eye irritation) likely >20ppm
Good ventilation is key to air quality and airway health
signs that management is poor
Infectious disease outbreaks
Horses thin, Horses overweight
Excessive rate of injuries
Increased incidence of equine asthma
Excess numbers of horses
Stereotypical behaviours
feeding behavior
-grazing species (12 h day)
-should be fed 2 meals a day, ideal free choice
-basic needs forage, water, salt
forage
-good quality
-2% of its BW in dry feed per day
* Quality dependent on:
* Stage of growth
* Leaf:stem ratio
* Degree of cure at time of cutting and baling
-if on pasture 2 acres/horse
-salt needed provides electrolytes to maintain homeostasis.
water
- Minimum daily requirement of water
for horses is 5L/100kg of BW - Thermo-neutral temperatures
- Minimum of 25L for the average sized horse per day
- Should contain:
- <5000ppm TDS
- <500ppm sulfates
- <100ppm nitrates
when to add more feed
When To Add More
* Maintenance: 2% BW in dry feed
* Basic needs change with increased metabolic demand
* Nutritional deficits: Trace minerals missing from hay or soil
extra feed diets
- Complete feed: used when forage quantity or quality is low or when forage cannot be fed
- Supplemental feeds: high fat, starch, or protein feeds to add calories
-Protein supplements: Soybean or milk based, given with ration
supplements
Minerals:
* Blocks
* Salt
* Salt and iodine
* Mixed mineral:Powders
Vitamins:
* Powders, liquids and pastes
* B complex, C and E
fibre
- May be used when traditional
forages are scarce or as a base
for feeding powdered
supplements - Beet Pulp
- Bran
- Grain hulls
- Extruded Fibre Supplements
feeding mares and foals
- Add 0.5-0.75% BW concentrates to
mare’s diet in last trimester of gestation and during early lactation - Dam’s milk sufficient for the foal during first 6-8 weeks of life
- Creep feed offered at 0.5-1% foal’s BW/day (max 5 lbs)
Feeding Growing Horses
- Usually consume 3% of BW/day
- Free choice hay is best
- Weanlings can be feed creep feed at 1% BW/day
- Feed horses under 2 years
separately from the rest of the herd
feeding geriatric horses
-poor dentition: slow intake
-poor appetite: * Iatrogenic: pergolide
* Pain: arthritis, loose teeth, EOTRH
* Increased nutrient requirements
* Good quality soft feed
feeding for weight loss
- Avoid all concentrates, treats
- Weighed meals:
- No free choice hay
- Gradual reduction in feed offered
- Start at 2% BW/day
- Reduce gradually to 1.5% BW/ day
- Reductions should occur over 2-3
weeks
feeding following starvation
- Refeeding needs to be slow and gradual
- Initially restrict NSC to <20%
- Diet should be primarily hay and a supplement
- Grass or alfalfa hay (~15% NSC)
- Aggressive refeeding may result in refeeding syndrome
- Potentially fatal shift in fluids and electrolytes
body condition score
- Monitor subcutaneous fat
deposits to determine changes in
health and feeding
-1-10 5 is moderate.
herd health visits
-1-2x per year
* Typically include:
* Vaccines
* Parasite control
* Physical exam
* Oral exam and dental float
* Sheath clean
* Coggins test for EIA
* Routine blood work
disease prevention core vaccines
- Tetanus
- Eastern encephalitis
- Western encephalitis
- West Nile Virus
- Rabies
risk based vaccines
- Equine Influenza
- Equine Herpes Virus -1, -EHV-4
- Streptococcus equi equi (Strangles)
internal parasite management mature horses
-older horses +3 yrs= FEC treat high shedders 3-4x year. low shedders 1-2x year.
-treat with ML (ivermectin, moxidectin)
internal parasite management young horses
- Immature Horses <3yo:
- Ascarids
- Treat with anthelmintic @ 2-3 months of age, and every 2 months thereafter until 12 months old
- Fenbendazole, pyrantel pamoate, macrocyclic
lactones - FEC to establish small strongyle burden @ 10-
12months of age - FECs 2-3x/year from 1yr to 3yr to help establish low vs high shedder and what tx currently required
- Tx 2-4x/year from 1yr to 3yr
Coggins Test for Equine
Infectious Anemia
- EIA reportable disease in Canada
- Western Canada has the highest prevalence of the disease world wide
- Many barns and competitions require a negative test to board or participate
routine blood work
CBC and Chemistry
* Important for horses treated with long
term NSAIDs
* PrevEquine: firocoxib
- Testing for resting insulin and ACTH
- EMS and PPID diagnosis and
monitoring
benefits of turnout and exercise
benefits of turnout
* Increased bone density
* More social
* Easier to train/handle
* Fewer undesirable behaviours
* Maintain level of fitness
Exercise
* If turnout not possible (or in
addition to!)
* Increases level of fitness
* Improves behaviour
Photo courtesy of Jim Westin
stereotypies
- “Abnormal behaviour that serves no apparent function and is performed in
a repetitive, invariant way” - Prevention more effective than treatment
- Stereotypies can have negative effects on health
- Dental problems and certain types of colic associated with cribbing and wind-sucking
- Stereotypies do not equate to welfare issues
-head tossing, cribbing
owner first aid kit
- Chlorhexadine
- Bandage material
- Non-stick pads
- Gauze
- vet wrap
- Tape
- Pillows and polo wraps
- Poultice material
- Sugar and iodine
- Animalintex pads
- Scissors
- Duct tape
biosecurity on farm prevention of disease
- Decrease exposure to pathogens
- Separation of new arrivals
- Separation of potentially higher risk horses: visibly ill,
exposed to disease - Separation of susceptible horses: young, pregnant, old
- Hand hygiene
- PPE
- Access control: limit public access
- Traffic flow: direct and indirect contact between
people, horses, and surfaces - Pest management
- Pasture management
notifiable diseases
- Strangles (Streptococcus Equi Equi)
- West Nile Virus
- EHV myeloencepalopath
-anthrax
-equine infectious anemia EIA
-rabies
-trichinellosis
Euthanasia
-To be humane, euthanasia method must cause immediate unconsciousness
* Can occur under general anesthesia
* Horse must not regain consciousness
* Signs of consciousness:
* Vocalization
* Attempts to rise
* Lifting head
* Blinking
* Response to painful stimulus
* Reflex movements may occur
* Death may take several minutes to occur
methods of euthanasia
- Euthanasia should:
- Be quick
- Cause minimal pain/stress
- Cause immediate unconsciousness
- Methods of euthanasia:
- Lethal injection (overdose of
pentobarbital, KCl, MgCl, MgSO4) - Intrathecal lidocaine injection
- Captive bolt (penetrating or followed by pithing)
- Gun shot
pentobarbital
- Barbiturate acting on the CNS
- binds GABA receptors -> CNS depression
-inhibits glutamate
-* Loss of respiration, then
brain dead in 73-261
seconds, heartbeat
stops, brainstem
reflexes stop, ECG
activity last to go - Controlled substance
- Toxic to scavengers
- Use in horses
- Catheter, 2 long extension sets
- Sedate
- Dose: 70-150mg/kg
- Stand back!
- Rapid injection
- Unpredictable reflexes
- Agonal breaths
- Caution in compromised horses
Potassium Chloride and Magnesium
Salts
- Animal needs to be anesthetized prior to
injection - Not considered humane if administered in a
conscious animal - Powder is dissolved in warm water and rapidly
injected IV - Not a controlled substance, not environmentally toxic
- KCl: cardiotoxic, colonic spasms
- 75-150 mg/kg
- MgCl, MgSO4: suppression of neural activity
- 2ml/kg saturated solution MgSO4
Intrathecal Lidocaine
- 2% lidocaine hydrochloride administered at the atlanto-occipital space under general
anesthesia - Direct anesthetic effect on neural structures
- Halts brainstem function: breathing stops immediately
- Loss of brain electrical activity in up to 226 seconds
- Heart stops in ~10 minutes
- Lidocaine:
- Inexpensive
- readily available
- drug residues in meat are not toxic to scavengers
steps
* Anesthetize the horse
* AO tap with 18 g spinal needle or catheter stylet
* 30-60 ml of CSF removed prior to injection
* Reduces pressure for ease of injection
* Administer 30-90 ml 2% lidocaine
gunshot or captive bolt placement
- Site: just above the point of
intersection of the lines drawn from
the medial canthus of the eye to the
middle of the opposite ear
disposal
-Burial, landfill, rendering,
cremation, chemical digestion
* Pentobarbitol:
* Carcass is toxic, may not be accepted at rendering facilities
* minimum 6 feet deep burial
* Moving the carcass:
* Towing companies will often
confirmation of death
- Death must be confirmed before you can move or leave the horse
- Absence of movement
- Absence of auscultable heartbeat and pulse
- Absence of respiration
- Fixed and dilated pupil
- Lack of corneal blink reflex
puberty in the mare
-starts at 1st ovulation at 12-24 months
-most can become pregnant at 2
-seasonally polyestrous
pregnancy in mare
-normal gestation: avg 340 days (320-365)
-must become pregnant within 20-30 days to be able to maintain yearly production.
Singletons (Twins = “Disease”)
Per cycle conception rates: 60 – 70 %
Per season pregnancy rates: 80 – 90 %*
parturition in the mare
Parturition: Rapid, Very Forceful
Stage 1: uterine Contraction, Cervical Relaxation
Stage 2: Fetal Expulsion
Stage 3: Fetal Membrane Expulsion
why horses are used for meat
-religious and cultural reasons
-asia and europe have largest market for canadian exports.
-sweet, tender. lean meat. more proein and less fat, cholesterol and sodium than beef.
-more tender in older horses
production of horse meat
-slaughtered similarly to cattle, under CFIA
-highly regulated
-vet inspects dailey
-registered establishments. 2 in canada
saftey of canadian horse meat
-tested for drug residues, enviro contaminants and pesticides.
-phenylbutazone is used as euthanasia and there are concerns in meat, causes aplastic anemia in people.
export of horse meat
-come from feedlots, shipped in and intermediate buyers
-european market: light horse types
-asian markets: draft horse types. off the hoof.
-horse meat has no spongiform encephalopathies.
