"Horse's Health and Safety Issues and Information"

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Star Traveling with your horse?

  1. State by State Requirements
  2. Canadian Requirements
  3. What to take with you ~ sugestions

Shoe LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) State Veterinarian Dr. Steven Halstead today urged Michigan citizens to be pro-active and have their pets and livestock vaccinated against rabies and other diseases after confirmation that a horse in Lapeer County tested positive for rabies.

"It is essential pet and livestock owners take steps to vaccinate against rabies and other diseases because of the possibility human
exposure to the disease from interaction with infected horses, cattle, dogs, and cats," Dr. Halstead said.  “By working with their
veterinarian, owners can take significant steps toward providing a safe and healthy environment for their families and animals."

A quarantine was issued on the Lapeer County horse farm and will be monitored by county animal control officers.  Feral cats and any pet cat on the premises showing clinical signs consistent with rabies or with a history of biting someone within the previous 10 days will be tested.
Six people, including the owner, trainer, and veterinarian, that may have been exposed to the rabid horse are receiving a series of preventative rabies shots.  No other humans or animals are known to have been exposed at this time.

This is the third case of rabies in Michigan thus far in 2010 - a skunk was found to be rabid in St. Clair County and a bat was found to be rabid in Kent County. 

A standard vaccination program for pets and livestock includes vaccinations required by law, along with vaccinations for diseases
commonly found throughout the state. Licensed vaccines are also available for horses, cows, sheep and goats.

"It is important to make sure animals attending fairs or exhibitions, field trials or shows receive additional vaccinations to protect against
diseases they may be exposed to in group housing or stressful situations. Owners should consult their private veterinarian to develop an appropriate vaccination program specific for their animals,” Halstead said.

State law requires ferrets and dogs be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian.  It is also important to make sure that cats kept
indoors also be vaccinated as bats frequently get into homes exposing the cats.

Dr. Halstead also recommends the following vaccinations:
·        All horses against rabies, Eastern/Western Equine Encephalitis, Tetanus, and West Nile Virus.
·        Having dogs checked for heartworm and intestinal parasites, along with vaccinations against canine distemper, parvovirus, and
adenovirus.
·        Having cats checked for heartworm and internal parasites and vaccinations for cats include rabies, herpes virus, calicivirus, and
panleukopenia.
    
For more information on pet and livestock vaccination requirements,
please visit  www.michigan.gov/mda.  For the latest information on
rabies visit www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases.

Shoe MSU-CVM EQUINE HEALTH SEMINAR

Have you ever wondered what that crusty "fungus" was on your horse or whether or not you should be concerned about the marble-sized lump on your gray horse's tail? Well, come to MSU on Saturday morning for a discussion of common and not so common skin problems of horses.

On Saturday, March 20, 2010, Drs. Hal Schott, Elizabeth Carr, and Annette Petersen, MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, will lecture on "Crusts, bumps, lumps and other icky skin conditions."

This educational lecture will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in E-100 Veterinary Medical Center, East Lansing, MI 48824. Admission is free but any questions can be directed to Linda Silvers, CVM Publications and Media Relations, (517) 355-0001 or silversl@cvm.msu.edu.

Parking: The Veterinary Medical Center is located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Bogue Street and Wilson Road. Please park in the NORTH section of the Wharton Center parking ramp--access via Shaw Lane. Walk south out of the ramp to Wilson Road. You will be facing the Veterinary Medical Center. Cross the road and turn right. The entrance to E-100 is west (right) of the entrance to the Small Animal Clinic (do not use the Small Animal Clinic entrance).

Star Attention Horse Owners

The 2009-2010 winter in Michigan has been unusually cold with temperatures well below freezing for many days in a row.  This extreme cold weather can be particularly dangerous to animals that live outdoors and the MSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital is reporting an increase in the number of animals presenting with starvation and exposure-related problems.
 
During the winter it is imperative that you monitor your horse’s body weight by putting your hand on them frequently! 
Furry coats make visual assessment of body condition impossible - the ONLY way you can assess your animals condition is by touch.
As temperatures continue to remain unusually cold, it is important to remember that your animals require MORE calories to maintain body temperature and body weight.  Once an animal’s body condition has deteriorated it may no longer be strong enough to eat enough food to survive.
 Remember older animals with poor dentition and young animals may require more feed, and be fed separately from other horses to ensure adequate intake

 Points to remember

1:  The average inactive horse needs to eat 1.5 to 2 percent of its body weight in food per day to just maintain weight without any other energy demands.  In the winter, the amount needed will increase as the demand to keep warm will increase the amount of energy the horse expends. 

This means that the average 1,000-pound horse in good condition needs at least 20 pounds of hay during normal weather and may need as much as 35 to 40 pounds of hay and grain products during cold weather. 

If your horse is considered underweight, the amount of feed needs to be calculated based on his ideal weight, NOT his current weight.  While hay diets are ideal, certain animals will require grain, complete feeds or fat supplements to maintain body weight.

2:  Separate young, old or debilitated horses as the dominant horse will frequently eat most of the food provided, resulting in some horses being healthy and others facing malnutrition.

3.  Blankets and shelters will help decrease energy demands.  However, remember a blanket hides the body condition so it is important to place your hands under the blanket and remove it at least every week or so to assess body condition.

4:  Old horses with poor dentition (teeth) may require COMPLETE PELLETED FEEDS* that are easily broken down, as they may be unable to adequately chew fiber (hay). For the average horse that should weigh about 1000-pounds, at least one-third of a fifty-pound bag needs to be fed daily just to maintain the body weight, and more will be needed if severe energy demands are present.

5:  Water intake is also very important during the winter.  Many horses will suffer from impaction colics due to inadequate water intake.  Older horses may require the water to not only be frost free, but warmed due to older horses having sensitive teeth.

6:  Remember, during extremely cold weather, to provide extra (free choice) hay, as this will generate more energy and comfort than just increasing the grain (concentrate) portion of the diet.  Just the physical aspect of moving and eating will make the horse more comfortable.  The hay fermenting in the large intestinal tract will generate heat and finally, the horse will utilize the calories absorbed from the feed.

Body condition score- The body condition scoring (BCS) system is based on a 1 through 9 scale and is designed to assess a horse’s overall condition.  Horses with a BCS less than a 4 are at increased risk of hypothermia and starvation, especially when the weather conditions cause an increase in energy demands just to maintain weight.  If an individual is already thinner than desired (BCS < 4), they will not have adequate body mass (fat) to help with insulation from the cold or provide a supply of energy when the diet is lacking and demands are higher than expected.
  
To determine your horse’s BCS you must touch your horse, especially in the winter, as winter hair hides a horse’s true BCS, often until it is too late to successfully correct the weight loss.  Feel over the ribs, neck, shoulder  area, mid-spine, hips and tail head.  If your horse’s ribs over the widest part of the barrel are easily felt with little or no tissue between the skin and ribs, the BCS is below 4. This horse is suffering from malnutrition and is at a high risk of hypothermia when the temperature drops, particularly if the wind chill is high and little to no shelter is available.

For more information on body condition and feeding horses during the winter, please contact your veterinarian.  The website www.extension.org is also a very good site to visit for information on feeding, care and body condition scoring.

*A COMPLETE PELLETED FEED is a product that contains at least 15-percent crude fiber and can be fed as the sole source of nutrition for horses.  Horses that are routinely fed a complete pelleted feed are senior horses that are lacking teeth or have severe dental problems.  A complete pelleted feed can also be used as part of the diet when hay is in short supply (a hay extender) or fed to horses that have certain digestive disorders.

Dr. Judy Marteniuk,
Equine Medicine and Extension Veterinarian
Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Michigan State University
(517) 353-9710

 

Star AHC’s State Horse Council Advisory Committee Fall Meeting
Hosted by the Pennsylvania Equine Council

            The 2009 AHC/SHCAC fall meeting was hosted by the Pennsylvania Equine Council at the Holiday Inn East Hotel in Harrisburg, PA, November 6-8, 2009. Several members of the Michigan Horse Council attended. Following is a summary of the program, and links to the issues and programs presented at this informative meeting.

2009 SHCAC Equine Issues Forum---"How Green is Your Farm?"

The Penn State University Equine Program and the Pennsylvania Equine Council (PEC) were the hosts for this year’s State Horse Council Advisory Committee’s Fall Issues Forum and the Pennsylvania Equine Council’s Annual Meeting at the Holiday Inn East Hotel in Harrisburg, PA on Nov. 6-8, 2009.        
The three day program began on Friday, Nov 6 with a tour of the Crescendo Training Center, LLC and M.H. EBY, Inc. headquarters located in Blue Ball, PA, followed by a social dinner at the Shady Maple Restaurant. 
Highlighting Saturday’s programs were educational presentations focusing on Equine Environmental Stewardship and “How Green Is Your Farm?”  The Environmental Issues Forum focused on several new nutrient management regulations that are now regulating the equine industry.  Other topics included pasture management, laminitis and manure resources, with discussions led by renowned speakers from across the country.  The day’s activities concluded with a reception and an American Horse Council update with Jay Hickey, president of the American Horse Council.
The Keynote address was given on Saturday by Dirk Vanderhall, DVM, PhD, chief of the Reproduction Section and director of the Hofmann Research Center for Animal Reproduction at the New Bolton Center, University of PA.  His interesting presentation covered the topic “The Latest in Equine Cloning.”
Sunday, Nov 8, consisted of the annual meetings for the State Horse Council American Council SHCAC and the Pennsylvania Equine Council.
The presentations from the 2009 Equine Issues Forum can be accesses by clicking on the presentation title: 

 
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