Grand Prix Equine

01/11/2022

Happy November! This month we are focusing on some common equine emergencies and what you should do while you wait for the vet to arrive.

First, you should know your horse’s baseline pulse rate, respiratory rate, and temperature. It is important to have these baseline measurements so that you can compare in case of an emergency. These measurements will also help your veterinarian assess the immediacy of your horse’s condition. Please ask your veterinarian to show you how to take these measurements at your next visit if you are unsure of how.

Always notify your veterinarian prior to administering any medications as they will be able to instruct you on the correct steps to take while you wait for them to arrive. Grand Prix Equine provides 24/7 emergency care to our patients who are seen regularly for wellness care.

11/01/2022

IS YOUR HORSE 15 OR OLDER? Read on!

With each passing year, horses are living longer lives and many survive easily to 25 years of age or older. While this is good news, it also means that horse owners need to be aware of changes occurring with age, so they can preserve the health and quality of life of their equine friends throughout middle age and the geriatric years.

For example, Equine Cushing’s disease is one of the most common diseases of horses greater than 15 years of age. This syndrome is better defined as Equine Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) because it reflects the location within the brain that is abnormal, and the clinical signs are associated with abnormally elevated hormone concentrations in the blood.

Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is another endocrine disorder that can affect mature horses and shares some of the same clinical signs as PPID. Although the two disorders feature some striking clinical similarities — most notably a predisposition to development of chronic laminitis — the underlying disease biology is quite different in each case and successful management requires proper diagnosis by a competent veterinarian first.

Our understanding of both conditions, especially EMS, is incomplete and subject to continuous evolution, but sufficient information is currently available to highlight some important similarities and differences for the interested horse owner. Consult your veterinarian for more information and work with them to develop the best wellness practices to ensure a healthy life for your mature horse.

Additional information regarding the older horse’s care and nutrition is available on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/older-horse-special-care-nutrition

24/11/2021

Do you know the difference between stocking up and cellulitis?

Many horses will "stock up" with subcutaneous edema (fluid swelling) in two or more legs (usually the hind limbs). Stocking up generally results from a significant decrease in exercise and usually resolves as the horse starts exercising again.

Lymphangitis( or vasculitis, big leg disease, staph infection, or cellulitis) on the other hand is a bacterial infection and a dramatically different condition. While its causes may vary, it’s easy to spot once it sets in: the swelling will be extreme, hot and very painful to the touch, and the horse will be depressed due to the fever and discomfort.

If you think your equine friend has cellulitis or even if you're not sure, we encourage you to seek professional help promptly. Your horse doctor will make the best treatment recommendations, both to reduce swelling and to address any sort of bacterial infection that might be active or that could occur due to the edema in the soft tissue.

Read more on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/lymphangitis-frustrating-condition

01/11/2021

Tomorrow (Tuesday November 2nd) at 6:30p:

Dr. Amy Johnson, Equine Neurologist at UPenn, will be discussing a more frequently recognized degenerative neurologic condition: Equine Degenerative Myeloencephalopathy (EDM). This is not an infectious disease like the protozoal infection of EPM. Please register to learn more.

Here is a listing of upcoming New Bolton Center Events

25/06/2021

11/03/2021

You may have heard of the EHV-1 outbreak in Valencia, Spain three weeks ago and then a couple horses in the Ocala area contracted the disease a couple weeks ago (the two outbreaks are not related).
Confirmed cases were confirmed today in Westchester and although those cases have been properly isolated on the farm where they reside, there is a risk that these horses may have been exposed to other horses at a horse show this past weekend. The concern for this event will be high in our area so it is important that we rely on accurate information regarding this outbreak. We all would be well served to read this article that answers many of the questions you might have about EHV-1. Please call us if you have any questions about how to proceed in light of this information.
https://aaep.org/horsehealth/faq-equine-herpesvirus-ehv #:~:text=After%20infection%2C%20the%20incubation%20period,on%20day%206%20or%207.