Farm Call: Your Questions Answered
Spleen Problems
September 17, 2001
Q.
Q: Can you help me settle a bet? I remember reading that a horse's spleen is unique, but my friend said that horses don't even have a spleen. What's the truth?
A: Horses do in fact have a spleen, so you win that part of the bet. However, although some aspects of the anatomy and function of the horse's spleen are different from the human spleen,
Tying-Up Syndrome
September 13, 2001
Q.
I just bought a Thoroughbred filly which was in race training, but retired without running because of recurrent bouts of ‘tying-up.’ She had been turned out for six months before I got her, and never showed any problems while on the farm. What can you tell me about this disease?
Tying-up is a syndrome or description of a horse with muscle damage that has many different causes
Life After Colic Surgery
August 01, 2001
Q.
Q: My horse had successful colic surgery about 3 1/2 years ago. He is now for sale, but as soon as someone hears that he had the surgery, they are no longer interested and ignore all the good points about the horse. Is there any statistical data that shows a correlation between colic surgery and future health?
Jerry
If All Else Fails, Use Baycox?
August 01, 2001
Q.
Several Standardbred trainers have told me that when a vet cannot find what is wrong with their horses, the vet will suggest putting them on Baycox. I recently had two vets tell me to try my 3-year-old trotter on Baycox. They had gone all over him and thought that might help him where nothing else has. He has had no tests, blood or spinal. So my question is: What else can this drug do to
Manure Eating in Adult Horse
July 01, 2001
Q.
We have a seven-year-old draft cross gelding who was treated for Lyme disease in October of 2000 with 8 grams of doxycycline (a broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotic) twice daily for three weeks. Since that time, and not previously, we have witnessed him eating fresh manure of his pasture mates. We presumed that daily probiotics (Accel) would restore the gut flora, which we assumed he wa
Who Owns Radiographs?
June 01, 2001
Q. Q: My vet took some X rays of my horse's legs. I paid the bill in full, but when I asked for the X rays, he said they belonged to him and not me. Is this correct? If I'm charged for the X rays, why can't I have them? A: Many veterinarians run into this situation, not only equine veterinarians. To the client, it makes sense that he or she would own the radiographs (X rays) since he or she paid...
The Club Foot
June 01, 2001
Q.
Q: After seeing the conformation of several weanlings at a sale recently, I noticed that my weanling had a strange-looking foot. On closer examination of his leg, his foot seemed a bit boxy. Will I still be able to sell him at the sales next year, and will he be able to perform as an athlete? My veterinarian said it sounds like he has a club foot. What does this mean?
Sole Bruise Lameness
June 01, 2001
Q. This morning my Quarter Horse gelding was lame to the point where he did not want to bear any weight on his left hind foot. My barn manager thinks it might be a sole bruise. What is a sole bruise? What should I do about it until my vet arrives?
Warts
June 01, 2001
Q.
Q: My yearling has broken out with warts around his mouth. These warts have become quite unsightly. How do I treat him, and will they come back? Should I quarantine him so he does not spread the warts to my other horses?
A: Warts are caused by the papillomavirus, and they usually appear as blemishes on the face, mouth, or nose regions in younger
Young Foal Exercise
June 01, 2001
Q.
When do I start my foal on an exercise program? My champion show jumper just gave birth to a foal a couple of weeks ago, and I want to give him every advantage possible since I have plans for him to be my next champion show jumper. What type of exercise should I start him with, and when?
An exercise program designed to build muscle
Graveled Horses
June 01, 2001
Q.
Q: My horse became very lame without showing any signs of cracks, bruising, or having a "hot" nail. The barn manager said my horse was "graveled" and called the veterinarian. After treatment, the horse became fine, but since my horse is never on gravel, could you please explain the term?
A: The diagnosis of a
Dirty Mares
June 01, 2001
Q. Vet Q&A: My veterinarian said my mare probably didn't conceive this year because she was "dirty." We treated her and cleared up her problem, but what are our chances of getting her pregnant, and could she get "dirty" again? A: The term "dirty mare" can be very complicated, and one that applies to as many as 85% of broodmares that have problems conceiving.
Headshaking Problem
June 01, 2001
Q.
My horse is driving me crazy! Every time we go out to ride, he starts flipping his head. I've changed his bridle, put on gallons of fly wipe, and had his ears and eyes checked. What is his problem, and what else can I try?
Headshaking in horses has been observed by horsemen and veterinarians for nearly 100 years. Several causes have been suggested, including middle ear disorders
Stall Walking
June 01, 2001
Q. I have a yearling Thoroughbred that constantly circumnavigates his stall. This is causing an uneven wear pattern on his hooves. How do I stop him from doing this? We do not want to put him in a standing stall, and have tried hanging a tire in the stall to no avail. He is outside when the weather is good and is quite happy there.
Gas Colic
June 01, 2001
Q. Question and answer about gas colic in horses, including causes, symptoms/clinical signs, and recommended treatments in both adult horses and foals. Gas colic is an extremely common reason for horses to exhibit signs of abdominal pain and, fortunately, one that has a very good prognosis for survival.
High-Performance Broodmares?
June 01, 2001
Q. Q: I have heard that breeding a mare does irreversible damage to the ligaments, tendons, and muscles -- that once a mare is bred, she can't return to the performance ring, i.e., reining. Any reports or information on mares that have been returned to the performance ring after being bred would be greatly appreciated. A: This is utter nonsense--many mares compete at the highest levels after...
Muscle Toning and Development
June 01, 2001
Q.
A number of horses I've seen appear to have asymmetrical muscle development, particularly over the shoulder area, which can make saddle fitting difficult. Many publications seem to say that the larger shoulder indicates that the horse is having to work harder with this leg and that muscle mass has therefore increased--just like with a weight lifter. However, I have also heard that the
Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP) and Breeding
May 01, 2001
Q.
I have a 6-year-old Quarter Horse mare N/H (heterozygous) for hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP), and a lot of vets have told me that I can breed her to a Thoroughbred, and the baby should be fine. She does have some problems with the warm weather. I would love to get her bred, but I do not want to have her so stressed out that it would kill her. Would she be OK if I get her bred this
Disinfecting For Strangles
May 01, 2001
Q.
I have a pony on a farm where strangles has broken out. There are about 80 horses on this farm on about 100 acres (split into different pastures). We don't know where the infection started, but horses which show signs are being treated. What do you do about a farm that is so big with so many horses? How do you treat that big of a problem? Can you spray the pastures with a bleaching agent?
Deworming Drugs
April 01, 2001
Q.
I wanted to ask if any vets or horse owners have heard of problems with the Quest wormer. I have heard from two different people in two different horse areas that this wormer has caused some problems for horses such as stomach aches or mild colic, and a family member's gelding got a belly ache after being wormed with Quest. If anyone has heard of this, I'd really like to hear about it. I'
Bute and the Urinary Tract
April 01, 2001
Q.
Can you direct me to any information regarding the effect of phenylbutazone (Bute) on the urinary tract of a gelding, specifically symptoms and prognosis for full recovery?
Peter
Phenylbutazone works by inhibiting the formation of prostaglandins, the chemical byproducts of inflammation. Prostaglandins appear to have an influence on perfusion (blood
Checking Out Equine Insurance
April 01, 2001
Q.
Q: I recently read your article in the February 2001 issue about horse insurance by Les Sellnow. What I would like to know is how to check and find out if the horse insurance you have is with a company with a good reputation. I have had my insurance for eight years, and I have never had to use it. I've been told by several people that when it came time to make claims,
Stallion Libido
March 01, 2001
Q.
I have a breeding problem with my 13-year-old Quarter Horse stallion. He has tremendous bloodlines. He has four or five foals on the ground, so I know that he is not infertile. But recently I leased him to a friend out of state to use. He covered five mares while he was there, but was not an eager breeder. I have him home now, and he is showing little or no signs of libido with my mare,
Umbilical Hernias
March 01, 2001
Q. Q: I am currently looking at a filly to purchase. She had an umbilical hernia, which the owner had repaired. I was wondering if this is a heritable condition. What is the likelihood that if this filly was used for breeding purposes in the future, she would pass on umbilical hernias to her offspring? Could a former hernia affect her future athletic performance? Any information you could give
EPM Vaccine and the Western Blot Test
March 01, 2001
Q.
I am very excited to hear that there is a vaccine for EPM (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis)! Three and a half years ago, I had to put down an outstanding colt who was only 14 months old. He suffered from both CVM (cervical vertebral myelopathy) and EPM. The vet did not seem to feel that the EPM was severe and probably was a new infection. Since the colt came from New Mexico in the
