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Elkhorn, WI 53121
(262) 723-2644
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January 2008

In this issue:

Equine Wellness Program | Water and Cold Weather | Vaccination and Disease | Recommended Vaccination Schedule | Foal Watch | Prepurchase Exams | Equine Dental Care

It’s Time to Enroll Your Horse in the 2008 Equine Wellness Program

   Routine medical exams, vaccinations, deworming, and dental exams are important to keeping your horse healthy. High quality preventive medicine can increase your horse’s chance for a longer, healthier life.
   2007 was our first year to offer a comprehensive equine wellness program. It was met with a great deal of enthusiasm by our clients and doctors. Clients were pleased to receive a 25% savings on their routine health care and to have the clinic contact them to schedule their horse’s fall vaccines. In our busy world, a gentle reminder is always welcome.
   We are again offering an equine wellness program in 2008 as a means of offering comprehensive routine health care at a substantial savings to our clients. There are several changes to the program this year, however, that we feel will make the program even more desirable. This year, we will include the Potomac Horse Fever vaccination with the remainder of the spring and fall vaccination protocol. Additionally, we have increased the discount on dewormers and additional vaccinations to 35%. The fee for this year’s Wellness Program is $250.00
   All horses over twelve months of age are eligible to enroll in the 2008 Equine Wellness Program. Please feel free to contact the clinic if you have any questions or would like to enroll your horse.

2008 Equine Wellness Program Includes:

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Water - A Cold Weather Necessity

   When the thermometer plummets, horse owners can see an increase in the frequency of impaction colics. These impaction colics are frequently due to dehydration. Several causes of dehydration are reduced water consumption, inadequate water availability, and eating hay, which is only 10% water, as opposed to grass, which is 80% water. Adequate water intake ensures that the fiber in the digestive system stays hydrated, which allows it to be broken down by intestinal bacteria.
   Generally speaking, a horse requires at least a gallon of water per 100 pounds of body weight. Making sure that horses have good access to unlimited warm water can encourage horses to drink during the cold months. Warm water is preferable to cold, as the horse instinctively drinks less cold water to limit the energy expended to replace the heat lost to the chilling water. Bucket and tank heaters are great for keeping the ice away. Don’t forget to check them, however, for wear and tear as well as stray voltage that may keep a horse from drinking
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Vaccinations Aid in the Prevention of Disease

   Vaccinations are an important means of keeping your horse healthy from infectious diseases. Protected horses will likely avoid more costly and more serious health problems than those horses left unvaccinated. Determining which disease to vaccinate your horse against depends on the likelihood of exposure of your horse to the disease as well as his or her age and use. Generally, young, old, and very active horses, when living in social settings, are at a higher risk of exposure to disease. Horses living alone are at risk for diseases transmitted by other than horse-to-horse contact, such as by mosquitoes or wild animals.
   Pregnant mares should be vaccinated 30 days prior to foaling to maximize the immunity that she passes their foal in her colostrum. Keep in mind that when vaccines are administered for the first time they need to be repeated (boostered) with 3 - 4 weeks. Foals should receive their first vaccinations at 6 months of age unless the dam was not vaccinated prior to foaling. In that case, the foals should be first vaccinated at 4 months of age.
   Some vaccines may cause muscle soreness and discomfort, so it is not recommended that they be given within 7 - 10 days prior to a competition.
   There are several vaccinations that we recommend for your horse unconditionally as the disease can cause serious illness and possibly death. These recommended vaccinations are Eastern and Western Encephalomyelitis, tetanus, and rabies.
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Recommended Vaccination Schedule

Vaccine	Pleasure Horses	Show Horses	Pregnant Mares	Foals
Tetanus Toxoid	Annual	Annual	Annual - 1 month prior to foaling	If mare not vaccinated: within 24 hours of birth. If mare vaccinated: at 6 months, booster in 1 month
Eastern & Western Encephalomyelitis	Annual	Annual, Unless traveling to southern states	Annual - 1 month prior to foaling	If mare not vaccinated: 4 months of age with 2 boosters If mare vaccinated: at 6 months, booster in 1 month
West Nile Virus	Spring, Booster in late summer if outbreak is present	Spring, Booster in late summer if outbreak is present	Annual - 1 month prior to foaling	If mare not vaccinated: 4 months of age with 2 boosters If mare vaccinated: at 6 months, booster in 1 month
Influenza	Spring & Fall	Spring & Fall		9 months of age Booster at 10 months of age
Rhinopneumonitis (EHV1, EHV4)	Spring & Fall or every 4 months	Spring & Fall or every 4 months		9 months of age Booster at 10 months of age
Rhinopneumonitis (EHV1) (Killed Virus)			(3rd), 5th, 7th, and 9th month of gestation
Potomac Horse Fever	Spring, Booster in late summer if outbreak is present	Spring, Booster in late summer if outbreak is present	Spring - 1 month prior to foaling	If mare not vaccinated: 4 months of age with 2 boosters If mare vaccinated: at 6 months, booster in 1 month
Rabies	Annual	Annual	Annual, prior to breeding	6 months of age, booster at 7 months of age
Streptococcus (Strangles) (Nasal)	Optional	2 Dose Series		6 months of age, booster at 7 months of age

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Foal Watch

   In the next few months mares will be foaling. The long months of waiting will be over and we’ll finally be seeing the new member of the herd.
   It’s natural for mare owners to get nervous about foaling their mare. It’s important to note, however, that 95% of the time, mares do fine foaling on their own. Remember, the horse evolved on the plains with no human intervention! Mares are designed to have foals and to take care of them.
   That being said, with the emotional and monetary investment that the owner has in both the mare and the foal, it’s a good idea to be prepared, just in case.
   The mare’s gestation is 320 to 360 days. Keeping an eye on the mare’s mammary development will give you an opportunity to check for subtle changes. Generally speaking the mare’s udder will enlarge, with the teats becoming full and pointing outward as foaling grows near. Stripping a small amount of milk from the udder lets the mare become accustomed to her udder being touched as well as allows you to check the milk. The milk will change from thin and watery to thick yellow or white just prior to the mare foaling. Milky wax may form on the mare’s teats as foaling draws near. Test kits are available to measure the amount of calcium in the milk, which increases as parturition nears.
   When stage 1 labor is imminent, the mare will become restless and may begin to sweat. This is NOT the time to call all of your friends over to watch. Instead, offer your mare a quiet, safe location to foal and bond with her foal.
   During the second phase of labor, the front legs of the foal will appear. The mare will lay down and begin to push. If the attendant can quietly enter the stall without disturbing the mare, she can remove the sack from the foal’s nose. The mare should be able to get the foal out within 20 minutes. If the foal is not born in that time, it’s a good idea to have your cell phone ready and give the Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic a call.
   After the foal is born, both foal and dam may rest quietly. Both will nicker to each other and the mare may nuzzle the foal. It is not necessary to cut the umbilical cord; it will break when the mare stands. The naval can then be dipped in a 25% chlorohexadine solution to ward off infection. The foal should stand within the hour and will hopefully start nursing within two hours of birth. The mare’s placenta should be expelled within four hours. Save the placenta for your veterinarian to inspect it at the new foal exam.
   The mare and foal should be examined approximately 12 hours after foaling. The placenta should be examined to make sure that it is complete. The foal should have and IgG blood test to ensure that he has received an adequate amount of antibodies from the mare’s colostrum.
   A word of caution, mares can become quite protective of their foals. Approach a newly foaled mare with caution. A halter with a short catch rope may be beneficial when dealing with a new mother. If you need help or have any questions, feel free to contact the Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic.
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Prepurchase Exams

   Purchasing a horse can be a difficult decision. Horses seldom come with a money-back guarantee. This makes it imperative to have the horse examined before you make the final decision to purchase.
   Although the final decision to buy is yours alone to make, your veterinarian can be a valuable partner in the process by providing you with objective, health-related information.
   Keep in mind that a prepurchase exam is like a snap-shot. It provides information about the horse at that moment.
   Accuracy of the exam depends on how comprehensive it is and what problems actually exist. It’s best to let your veterinarian know the intended use of the horse as well as your goals and expectations. Together you can decide how in-depth an exam you would like performed.
   The information revealed by the exam can be very valuable. Ultimately, avoiding the purchase of an unsuitable horse will save a great amount of heartache, disappointment, and money.
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Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic Recommendations for Equine Dental Care

   Dental health is important for the overall health and well-being of the horse. Periodic examinations and regular maintenance are especially necessary for a number of reasons. First,, through domestication we have modified the horse’s diet and eating patterns. Second, we demand more from our horses beginning at ever younger ages, and third, breeding animals are often selected without consideration of dental conformation.
   The Elkhorn Veterinary Clinic doctors have developed the following recommendations with regard to the dental care of the horses in our practice. Use these guidelines for preventive care with the under-standing that if you notice any problems, if your horse starts behaving abnormally, or you have any concerns, your horse may need to be examined again.

• All horses, two years of age or older, should have a dental exam at least once a year.
• Horses aged two to six years have softer teeth which wear faster and are losing caps (baby teeth). These horses should have a dental exam every six months.
• Most horses require a dental floating once a year.
• Horses going into training for the first time should receive a comprehensive dental exam to remove caps and extract wolf teeth as well any sharp points on the teeth.

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