Larch Veterinary Services

08/12/2024

10 Tips for Weight Reduction in the Overweight Horse from the AAEP

As a horse owner, you play an important role in controlling your equine companion’s weight. Sound nutrition management, a regular exercise program and veterinary care are key to keeping your horse fit and healthy. Maintaining the ideal weight is not always easy, however.

When implementing a weight-loss program for the overweight horse, it’s important to do it gradually and under the supervision of an equine veterinarian. Follow these guidelines from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to get started:
1. Be patient. Weight reduction should be a slow, steady process so as not to stress the horse or create metabolic upsets.
2. Make changes in both the type and amount of feed gradually. Reduce rations by no more than 10 percent over a 7- to 10-day period.
3. Track your horse’s progress by using a weight tape. When the horse’s weight plateaus, gradually cut back its ration again.
4. Step up the horse’s exercise regimen. Gradually build time and intensity as the horse’s fitness improves.
5. Provide plenty of clean, fresh water so the horse’s digestive and other systems function as efficiently as possible and rid the body of metabolic and other wastes.
6. Select feeds that provide plenty of high-quality fiber but are low in total energy. Measure feeds by weight rather than by volume to determine appropriate rations.
7. Select feeds that are lower in fat since fat is an energy-dense nutrient source.
8. Switch or reduce the amount of alfalfa hay feed. Replace with a mature grass or oat hay to reduce caloric intake.
9. Feed separate from other horses so the overweight horse doesn’t have a chance to eat his portion and his neighbor’s too. In extreme cases of obesity, caloric intake may also need to be controlled by limiting pasture intake.
10. Balance the horse’s diet based on age and activity level. Make sure the horse’s vitamin, mineral and protein requirements continue to be met.

Once your horse has reached its ideal body condition, maintaining the proper weight is a gentle balancing act. You will probably need to readjust your horse’s ration to stabilize its weight. Exercise will continue to be a key component in keeping the horse fit. Because obesity can affect a horse’s health, communicate regularly with your veterinarian. Schedule regular check- ups, especially during the weight reduction process.

For more information about caring for the obese horse, ask your veterinarian. If your horse is very resistant to weight-loss, testing for Equine Metabolic Syndrome may be indicated.

07/18/2024

~Colic Prevention~

Colic is a term used to describe abdominal pain in horses. There are many different types of colic, some of which are preventable and some which are not.

Impaction colic refers to a build up of dried feed material/manure within the gastrointestinal tract. If horses do not maintain adequate hydration, this can predispose them to an impaction colic. We believe that some impactions can then predispose horses to displacements of their large colon.

We often seen horses’ water intake decline during abrupt changes in weather (cold one day and hot the next). An average sized 500kg horse should drink 25 litres of water per day. Their water intake should be closely monitored. Clean and fresh water should be available at all times.

If you notice that your horse is not drinking enough you can add 2-3 tablespoons of salt to their feed or use an oral syringe to administer salt mixed with water directly into their mouths.

07/10/2024

Meet Dr. Shelby Krywonos!

Dr. Krywonos was born and raised in Vernon, BC. Animals have been an integral part of her life for as long as she can remember and are what fostered her passion for veterinary medicine.

Growing up, she competed locally in the hunters and jumpers as well as obtained her practical HB2 and written A levels in the Canadian Pony Club. She completed three years of undergraduate studies in biology before moving to Saskatoon, SK, to obtain her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. She graduated with distinction in the top 15% percent of her class.

Dr. Krywonos completed a 1-year rotating equine internship at Paton and Martin Veterinary Services. She worked in this referral hospital managing critical cases, assisting in surgery, and running anesthesia. She also gained valuable experience in ambulatory work.

Dr. Krywonos is passionate about companion animal medicine and supporting the human-animal bond. She has always dreamed of returning to the Okanagan to serve her community, and she is thrilled to make this dream a reality with Larch Veterinary Services.

To book an appointment with Dr. Krywonos or Dr. Veronneau please call or text 778-562-5455. You can also fill out our new client form here: https://larchvetservices.com/new-client-form/

06/01/2024

Check out this article about kissing spines written by Dr. Shelby Krywonos in the June issue of Saddle Up!

https://issuu.com/saddleup/docs/saddle_up_june_2024

04/29/2024

Did you know that the best time to graze horses that may be susceptible to pasture associated laminitis is between 3am and 10am?

Laminitis means inflammation of the laminae. Laminae are a soft tissue structure that attaches the coffin bone to the hoof wall. Laminitis is serious condition.

There are several different categories of laminitis.
-Supporting limb ➡️ This can occur when a horse sustains an injury to one leg and as a result, bears more weight on their other leg (the “supporting limb”).
-Sepsis and inflammatory ➡️ Conditions likes colitis and metritis cause a dysregulation of the horse’s inflammatory response which can lead to laminitis.
-Endocrine ➡️ Horses with Cushing’s (PPID), Equine Metabolic Syndrome, or pregnant mares can have an increased response to glucose causing hyperinsulinemia. The exact physiology of how this leads to laminitis is currently unknown.
-Pasture associated or carbohydrate overload ➡️ A horse that consumes feed with a lot of sugar (non-structural carbohydrates) can overwhelm their digestive system. The bacteria in their hind-gut ferment this sugar-rich feed and produce acid as a by-product. This acid makes the gut “leaky”, allowing bacterial toxins to gain access to the horse’s blood stream. This leads to a systemic inflammatory response and laminitis. Horses with endocrine disease are much more predisposed to pasture associated laminitis.

🌷As spring approach and the grass begins to grow, we should be mindful of horses that may be predisposed to pasture associated laminitis.

If you have a horse that has foundered in the past, has been diagnosed with metabolic disease, or is overweight/an easy keeper, please limit, or in most cases, eliminate their access to grazing.

During the peak sunlight hours, grasses produce and store more sugars in their stalk. This is why it’s better to graze susceptible horses in the early morning ☀️

This article has more excellent information about grazing susceptible horses: https://extension.umn.edu/horse-nutrition/grazing-horses-prone-laminitis

04/21/2024

What are sarcoids?

Sarcoids are the most common type of skin tumor seen in horses globally. They are most often seen in horses 1-7 years of age and are often found around the eyes, ears, neck, armpit, groin, and sheath.

Sarcoids are locally invasive and rarely regresses on their own. They do not spread to other tissues of the body but a horse with one sarcoid is likely to have more. While the tumor itself is not necessarily life-threatening, they are often found in inopportune areas such as where the girth sits. They may also become ulcerated, infected, and painful. Sarcoids are a detriment to the value, use, and welfare of the horse.

What causes sarcoids?
The exact details of how and why sarcoids form is an area of on-going research, but we know that multiple factors are involved. There appears to be a genetic predisposition. Appaloosa, Arabians, Quarter Horses, and Thoroughbreds are more likely to develop sarcoids than other breeds. Bovine papilloma virus has been consistently found within equine sarcoids. It is thought that this virus is transmitted by flies and contact with infected surfaces. Skin that is thin or inflamed is more likely to become infected by the virus and lead to sarcoid formation. The virus has been shown to induce tumor formation in the equine skin. Cattle infected with the virus build an appropriate immune response and clear the virus. Horses’ immune systems do not respond to the virus in the same way, allowing the virus to remain in the skin.

How are they diagnosed?
There are 5 broad classifications of sarcoids based on clinical appearance. They are occult, verrucous, nodular, fibroblastic, and malignant. Sarcoids can also be a combination of 2 or more of these categories. Sarcoids are often diagnosed based on clinical appearance but to know for sure, a biopsy is required. This involves taking a piece of the tumor and sending it to a histopathologist for microscopic evaluation. However, damaging the sarcoid in this way is likely to cause it to grow and transform. Alternatively, there is a lab test for the presence of bovine papilloma virus, which is highly suggestive of a sarcoid. A veterinarian will make recommendations for diagnosis and treatment based on size and location of the suspected sarcoid.

How are they treated?
Unfortunately, no one treatment has been found to be 100% effective at curing sarcoids. Sarcoids are very likely to recur after removal, and they often come back more difficult to treat. Some sarcoids may be left alone and monitored if they are in a location that is unlikely to be traumatized. A veterinarian may otherwise recommend treatment. Treatment options include surgical removal, cryotherapy (freezing), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, antiviral therapy, immune-modulating therapies, and/or a combination of these treatments.

Pictured here is an occult or "flat" sarcoid. For images of the other classifications visit https://equinesarcoid.co.uk/types (viewer discretion advised; some people may find the appearance of tumours to be graphic)

References:
Bergvall, K. E. (2013). Sarcoids. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 29(3), 657–671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2013.09.002

Taylor, S., & Haldorson, G. (2012). A review of equine sarcoid. Equine Veterinary Education, 25(4), 210–216. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3292.2012.00411.x

04/12/2024

Let’s talk about deworming!

Resistance to our deworming products (anthelmintics) is growing. We only have 3 main classes of anthelmintics for horses. If parasites are to develop resistance to all 3 classes then we will no longer be able to control them.

Parasites develop resistance to anthelmintics by being exposed to them. This occurs through the process of natural selection: those parasites that are not killed by the dewormer (due to a genetic enhancement) live on and reproduce more parasites that are resistant. The previously recommended practice of deworming horses every 8 weeks has led to the development of this resistance on a global level.

To reduce the development of resistance, we should be performing f***l egg counts:
- A sample of fresh manure is sent to the lab to determine how many eggs are being shed by that horse. Horses that shed

Scientists have reported widespread parasite resistance against every anthelmintic drug class on the U.S. market.

04/05/2024

Why do horses need their teeth floated?

Horses’ cheek teeth are classified as hypsodont teeth which means that they continually erupt throughout a horses’ lifetime. Horses chew in a figure 8 motion and gradually wear their teeth down as they erupt. This wear also creates sharp points along edges of the teeth. These sharp points can cause ulcers and pain.

Horses’ teeth do not continually grow like the teeth of a rabbit or a rat which means that once a horses’ tooth is entirely erupted that is all that they have left.

Floating of the teeth aims to reduce the sharp points and realign any other abnormalities that a horse may have (wave mouth or a step mouth due to a missing tooth). It is important that floating is done properly and conservatively in order to not remove excessive amounts of the teeth.

Starting around 18 months - 2 years of age horses should have a yearly oral exam, performed by a veterinarian, to assess for abnormalities and determine the need for floating.

Poor dentition can lead to several problems including poor performance, weight loss, choke, and colic.

Call or text 778-562-5455 or email [email protected] to book your horses in for a professional oral exam and float😁 🐴

03/25/2024

Meet Dr. Janine Veronneau!

Janine has been a horse lover all her life, but she took a few twists and turns before starting Larch Veterinary Services in 2024. She grew up eventing on her American Quarter Horse, Regal, and enjoys riding her Thoroughbred lease horse, Billy, while doing a little of everything. She attended Oklahoma State College of Veterinary School in Stillwater, Oklahoma, graduating in 2011. After five years of small animal practice in North Carolina and briefly overseas, she returned to British Columbia for an equine internship at Paton and Martin Veterinary Services in Aldergrove. A year in British Columbia was enough to convince her to stay, and she had the opportunity to move to the Okanagan, where she’s been since 2016.
Dr. Veronneau believes in offering high-level care to horses in the Okanagan, from preventative medicine to performance evaluations. She is also an experienced small animal clinician and surgeon.

To book an appointment with Dr. Veronneau call or text 778-562-5455. You can also fill out our new client form here: https://larchvetservices.com/new-client-form/

03/15/2024

🎉Larch Veterinary Services is now open! Please call or text 778-562-5455 or email us at [email protected].

A new client form can also be found on our website here: https://larchvetservices.com/new-client-form/

Our current hours of operation are:
Monday: 11am to 7pm
Tuesday: 9am to 5pm
Wednesday: closed
Thursday: closed
Friday: 9am to 5pm
Saturday: 9am to 5pm
Sunday: 9am to 5pm

Equine emergency services are available 24/7 through us or one of our partners. We do not see small animal emergencies. We recommend calling Tri-Lake or Fairfield animal hospital.

We cannot wait to see you and your animals 🐴

03/14/2024

Still pending an opening time....
In the meanwhile, AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) is putting on a wonderful Zoom education meeting "Calm Under Pressure: Conquering Equine Emergencies" for all horse owners, Wednesday, March 20th at 5PM PT. It is free, but you have to register: https://aaep-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7L6QaXs_RI6UymQgAWBuvg #/registration

03/11/2024

The physical inspection was completed! Now to wait for the paperwork to go through the official channels and receive the “you can open!” from the province. We might be down to a 14 day count down. 🤞

03/07/2024

Each step is a step closer to opening! First big order of all the basic supplies has arrived.

02/15/2024

X-ray gowns finally arrived!!!! One step closer to opening, now that we can safely take x-rays.

02/08/2024

Introducing Larch Veterinary Services! We are a mobile practice proudly serving the North Okanagan. We provide comprehensive wellness, performance, and emergency care for horses as well as limited small animal services. Please see our website below for more information.

Please stay tuned for our opening date. We cannot wait to meet you and your animals!

We proudly serve the North Okanagan. We look forward to seeing you and your pets!