Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital Blog

CKE recommends the new ERAV Vaccine

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:26:41 GMT

Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital is recommending the new ERAV Vaccine for horses under 3 years of age and for mature horses in high exposure environments. Horses that travel frequently or live where other horses come and go are at greatest risk for exposure to respiratory disease. The ERAV vaccine is one more tool towards prevention of respiratory disease, helping you avoid costly downtime in your competition or training schedule. Ask your Veterinarian if the ERAV vaccine would benefit your horse.

Boehringer Ingelheim Introduces Promising ERAV Vaccine
Product addresses equine respiratory disease that is difficult to diagnose.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (11-16-12) - Boehringer Ingelheim Vetemedica Inc. has introduced a new vaccine for Equine Rhinitis A Virus (ERAV). ERAV is a potentially overlooked causative agent of respiratory diseases affecting horses.

This disease, which affects both upper and lower airways, maybe spread by contact through nasal secretions and aerosol inhalation.

"We are excited to offer a safe vaccine option for veterinarians and horse owners," says John Tuttle, DVM, senior associate director, equine professional and technical services. "And as a worldwide leader in equine health-care solutions, we also have an obligation to help educate the industry about the prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of this disease."

Widespread incidence
ERAV has been isolated from Thoroughbred horses with acute respiratory disease in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Europe, and it is emerging as an important disease in these regions.1 In a recent U.S. study, 73 percent of all sampled horses less than 3 years old exhibited serum-neutralizing (SN) antibodies to ERAV, and 90 percent of those 4 or older were positive.2

"Researchers are continuing to learn more about the prevalence of this disease," Tuttle says. "Performance horses that are co-mingled, stabled, entering training and 1 - 2 years of age or older appear to be at risk."

Early, specific diagnosis is the foundation of effective management of equine respiratory disease. Clinical signs associated with infection with ERAV may include fever, serous nasal discharge, coughing, abnormal lung sounds, anorexia, pharyngitis, lymphadenitis, increased tracheal mucus production, and occasionally, leg edema. Infection is accompanied by viremia that develops 3 - 7 days following infection and typically lasts for 4 - 5 days, with disappearance of virus from blood coinciding with onset of antibody production3. Veterinarians should be careful not to confuse ERAV with rhinopneumonitis, or "rhino" (Equine Herpes Virus 1 and 4).

"The role of ERAV in causing acute respiratory disease in horses may be underestimated due to the lack of sensitivity of traditional diagnostic testing," Tuttle says. "The virus can be detected from horses with acute, respiratory disease using virus isolation, PCR or paired SN assay testing."

Promising results
The USDA has granted BIVI a conditional license for Equine Rhinitis A Virus. A conditional license is eligible for consideration when it is demonstrated that there is a need in the field for such a product. Efficacy and potency test studies are in progress. A conditionally licensed vaccine may be distributed as authorized in each state, and used by, or under the supervision of veterinarians.

"Obviously, any number of factors can contribute to respiratory diseases in horses, which is why ERAV can be so difficult to diagnose," Tuttle says. "We are committed to helping veterinarians and horse owners understand this disease and learn more about the effectiveness of vaccination."

To find out more about ERAV vaccination for your horse, please contact Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital at 877-499-9909 or info@ckequinehospital.com.

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (St. Joseph, Mo.), is a subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation based in Ridgefield, Conn., and a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies.

The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 145 affiliates and more than 42,000 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.

References:

1 Warner S, Hartley CA, Stevenson RA, Ficorille N, Varrass A, Studdert MJ, and Crabb BS: Evidence that Equine Rhinitis A Virus VP1 Is a Target of Neutralizing Antibodies and Participates Directly in Receptor Binding, Journal of Virology, 75, 2001.

2 Holmes DF, Kemen MJ, Coggins L: Equine rhinovirus infection; serologic evidence of infection in selected United States horse populations, Princeton, NJ, 1978 Veterinary Publications.

3 Plummer G, Kerry JB: Studies on an equine respiratory virus, Vet Rec 74: 967 - 970, 1962.

Under The Knife!

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:22:57 GMT

Under the Knife!

When I started thinking about my next blog, I decided to share my personal experiences with having a chronic ailment and what I went through making the decision for surgery. For the last 6-7 years I have had ridiculously large tonsils that that were bad enough that they bothered me almost on a daily basis.

For the better part of my adult life, every time I went to the doctor for my yearly exam, the doctor would have me open my mouth and say ahhhh! The response was always the same. "Wow, those are really large tonsils" or "Wow, those are the biggest tonsils I have ever seen." But not once did they say, those look abnormal, you should consider getting them removed. I had always had big tonsils, but never really had chronic sore throats or strep throat. Once or twice a year, I would have a bought of strep throat, but not once did someone say, you should have those removed. Six or seven years ago, I went to my general practitioner and asked for a referral to an ear, nose, and throat specialist because I had had enough, with the comments and the fact that I had extremely large bothersome tonsils. He refused a referral because he had concerns about adults having life-threatening complications and he personally had lost two adult patients that he had referred. So after grumbling for a little while I trusted his professional opinion and decided that I would live with the abnormal tonsils for a while longer.

I never really had chronic strep throat or even sore throats growing up as a child. The occasional case of a sore throat, but by no means chronic. But these babies had grown to sizes that would compete with average kiwis as an adult. They had extremely large crypts that harbored food and bacteria and made things called tonsiliths. For those who don't know what those are, they are concretions of debris and saliva that form in the crypts. They can grow in size and become painful. Over the summer of 2012 I started having more and more problems with my throat. Swallowing became a chore. I ran out of patience. I spent many days looking at Google, Webmd, and various other internet sources to decide what I should do. I would run across forums, where people had documented their horror stories with tonsils and some without. I had conversations with my wife, who would always give a "No" to the idea of surgery. She would always remind me that our old general practitioner had refused referral because it was too risky. I would shut up and ignore it for just a while longer.

This past August I could not stand it anymore; I called my general practitioner and said I needed a referral. A few weeks went by, but I eventually got in to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist. I had reservations just going to the appointment. I wanted the tonsils out, but at the same time I wanted to please my wife and just deal with them a little longer. I was taken to the exam room. The doctor walked in, got my history, and then shined a light into my throat and nose. It took her a maximum of 30 seconds to complete her exam and proclaim that I had to have my tonsils removed. While removing my tonsils she also would perform a turbinate reduction to allow me to breathe through my nose which had become 90% occluded due to chronic allergies. I immediately got a little defensive. What about the complications? What about the down time? It was different than what everyone had told me about adult tonsillectomies. She responded with some quick answers that put me at ease. It was obviously not going to be as easy as a child going through the same surgery; and unlike a child who only misses two days of school, I was going to miss two weeks of work. My fear of hemorrhage and bleeding out was removed when she said that <3% of all tonsillectomies bleed postoperatively and far less than that have to go back to surgery. Without much thought I said "let's go for it".

Due to the doctors and my schedule I wasn't going to be able to have the surgery until the second week of December. That worked for me because I could capitalize on my slow work schedule and the Christmas holiday to rest and be ready to get back to work. My wife wasn't so sure, but she decided to go along with it.

The next couple of months, I would wax and wane. One day I couldn't wait any longer and some days I did not want the surgery at all. My wife was still pretty apprehensive, but also supportive of my decision for surgery.
December came and it was time for surgery. Again, I asked the doctor one last time if she thought I needed the surgery and if I was going to be ok. She proclaimed that I was and that I needed them removed. Here was the hard part, I had given the speech so many times to horse owners with regard to the need for surgery outweighing the complications and how we cannot worry excessively about complications. I had to trust the doctor and the anesthesiologist with their decisions. For the first time in my professional career I was the owner taking their horse to surgery, but I was also the horse.

The surgery went well and I recovered shortly after. The doctors stopped in one by one to visit and clear me for discharge. Before I could go, I had to get up, walk to the bathroom and drink a cup of water to prove that I was able to be discharged. I jumped up drank a cup of water and walked to the bathroom. Shortly after that I was ready to go home. The first couple of days are a little fuzzy between the narcotics and sleeping, but I did not feel too bad. I couldn't talk so I would write on a piece of paper to get what I needed. I didn't eat much, but I continued to drink water. The doctor's orders were to drink 4-5 bottles of water a day to prevent the scabs from drying out and falling off. I did not want to hemorrhage and have to go back to surgery. I followed those instructions perfectly. The first few days it was not hard to drink water. I actually felt like I could eat, but I had heard to not rush the eating that I should just focus on drinking. Everyone was right; the first few days were not too bad other than the swelling. It was not that painful. However, days 3-7 were miserable and by far the worst. I ate 5 easy mac bowls and 2 cans of soup the entire first week. If you want to lose weight and not do it by exercising and dieting, get a tonsillectomy.

On day 12, I ventured out of the house and my wife drove us to Indy for the family Christmas party. While standing wrapping presents I got a blood taste in my mouth. I immediately walked over to the trash can and spit and my worst fear had come true, I was bleeding. Of course my wife got panicky immediately. It had been 12 days since surgery, I was surely out of harm's way and this was just something minor. I called the emergency on call doctor and he said that it couldn't possibly be a big bleed because I was 12 days postoperative. The bleeding stopped after drinking ice water and resting like the doctor said it would. Later that night it happened again. I called the doctor and once again, he instructed me to drink ice water and rest and that it should stop. So I went to bed and rested like instructed. Around 3:00 in the morning I woke up with a stomach ache. Without turning the light on I went to the bathroom and switched on the light. To my disbelief, I had a big time problem. I looked like a vampire who had just had his first feeding. I know it sounds disgusting, but I had blood all over my hands, arms, and face. I immediately ran into my bedroom and yelled at Cathy that we needed to get to the hospital that I was bleeding and it wasn't stopping. She stirred, sat up, and said call the doctor. This time, the doctor was not going to tell me to drink ice water and rest. He immediately told me to go straight to the hospital and get evaluated.

To make a long story short, I arrived at the hospital at 4:20am and by 5:45am I was on a gurney and headed to surgery. As I was wheeling into surgery, the doctor who was going to perform my second operation lifted his Iphone flashlight and peaked in my mouth to proclaim I needed surgery and there were no questions. I awoke shortly thereafter in recovery to find out that they had in fact re-cauterized my surgery site and had pumped my stomach to remove the blood that I had swallowed. I was discharged and home in bed within 3 hours of my second surgery.

It took nearly another 2 weeks for me to get back to feeling good enough to go to work regularly, but I did eventually get back to feeling good. It has been a couple months since my surgery and people ask me two questions. How do I feel and would I ever do it again. I still have some occasional sore throats but overall I feel good. I don't have the golf ball to kiwi masses in my throat that seemed to obstruct breathing and eating. I currently make a noise that my wife wants to name. Maybe I should have a name the noise contest. My soft palate makes a noise when I swallow that sounds like I am grunting. The doctor assures me that it will not last forever and will eventually go away. She tells me that it will be 6-8 months before I feel completely back to normal. The hard question is whether I would do it again. And this is why I wrote this long blog. I tell owners all the time that they need to take their horse to surgery and trust me. The same way I had to let myself go to surgery and trust my doctor. I have put peoples horses through surgery and some have had complications that are life threatening. Some even had to be euthanized due to the complications. Owners will respond that they would not do it again because of the risk of complication.

Most complications that we describe to horse owners are realistically never going to happen, but we spend 5-10 minutes before surgery making sure that we tell them, so that just in case it does happen, they were prepared for it. We don't inform the owners of complications to prevent them from surgery, just to prepare them for the worst. It probably won't happen, but at least they are prepared. Well this is exactly what happened to me. I was informed of a complication that less than three percent of all patients undergoing a tonsillectomy have. And on top of that less than one percent has it as far out as I did. Yet it did not discourage me from surgery. I signed on the dotted line and off to surgery I went. Horse owners have to make those same decisions all the time putting their horse through surgery. A lot of people will say that it is not the same, but for a lot of our owners it is the same. These animals are their kids and family members and we have to make the decision to put them through a surgery to help them.

To answer the second question, YES! I would do it again. I have suffered some ridiculous pain in my postoperative period, but overall I no longer have the bad breath causing, difficult breathing, and difficulty swallowing kiwis in the back of my throat and it is sure a whole lot better now.

How much does it cost to own a horse?

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:06:11 GMT

If you don't earn whatever current politicians consider the top 1% fear not; this article is not going to suggest that only top earners should own horses. In fact only 28% of horse owners have an annual income of over $100,000. Nearly half of all horse owners earn between $25,000 and $75,000 per year.

When new horse owners ask me how much they should spend on a horse I often reply; "Buy the most expensive horse you can afford because the price of purchasing a horse is the least expensive aspect of horse ownership." I counsel them to be sure that the horse is well trained and suited for the riders particular needs. Generally new horse owners will get more value and enjoyment from a horse that can help train its owner - not a horse that requires a lot of training from an inexperienced owner. But the question remains; once the perfect horse is purchased how much will it cost to keep him?

Health Care Needs: As the experienced horse owner has learned through tough experience, horses can have a variety of health issues. For such a powerful animal in many ways they can be quite fragile. For the purposes of this article I will just discuss the basic health care that the average horse should receive; except to say that if you own a horse you should have an emergency medical fund available to cover catastrophic health expenses.

Hoof care: The horses hoof grows continuously and requires frequent trimming to keep your horse's feet in balance. Remember 50 to 80 lbs per square inch are being supported by each foot. Imbalances of the hooves will lead to lameness and osteoarthritis in the future.

If your horse grows quality hoof wall or does not have special performance needs you can probably have your farrier trim the feet every 6 to 8 weeks. In our area of Indiana, trimming cost ranges from $30.00 to $40.00 per visit. If your horse needs shoes the cost in our area is between $90.00 and $100.00 per visit.

So you will spend between $195.00 and $867.00 per year depending on your horse's individual needs.

Vaccines and examinations: At Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital we believe in comprehensive vaccination with the highest quality vaccine available. Our vaccine recommendations for most horses cost $127.95 for annual vaccines plus $85.50 for semi-annual vaccines equals $213.45 per year.

Every horse should have a veterinary examination twice per year. Physical examinations help us to determine: what type of vaccines your horse needs, what deworming programming you should be using, if dental maintenance is necessary, what feeding program you should be on, if your horse has lameness issues, if your horse has eye problems, or if his internal organs are functioning properly. Most importantly physical examinations help us catch small health issues before they become large health issues. We usually perform physical examinations when we vaccinate. Examination cost $30.00 per examination or $60 per year.

Deworming: All horses should be on a planned, well managed deworming program. Parasites are the number one cause of medical colic (for those that don't know, colic is one of those catastrophic health expenses that you should have an emergency fund ready for). Parasites rob your horse of nutrients and cause a variety of other health issues. A good deworming program will save most horse owners money in the long run.

At Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital we have developed an Individual Strategic Deworming Program that when implemented correctly saves the horse owner money and is better for the health of your horse. The program for most horses includes a quantitative fecal egg count twice per year and deworming with the recommended dewormer as little as two times per year. The cost is $12 for each quantitative fecal egg count and approximately $15.50 for each dewormer. Total yearly cost is $55.00 per year.

Other horse owners prefer the older way to deworm a horse by administering a paste dewormer every 8 weeks at a cost of $93.00 per year. Still other owners elect to use daily dewormers that can cost up to $260 per year plus the manufacturer recommended larvacidal paste dewormer at $15.50 twice per year for a total of $291per year. For the purposes of this article I will use the Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital recommended Individual Strategic Deworming Program at a cost of $55.00 per year.

Dental Care: Like the hoof, a horse's teeth also grow throughout their entire life. Unmaintained teeth will develop sharp points that will make chewing painful and impair proper digestion. Left unattended the teeth can become imbalanced causing a myriad of health issues. Most horses require dental maintenance every 6 to 18 months. This number can vary widely depending on the age of the horse and its use. Young show horses need their teeth done more often while mature pasture horses need their teeth done less often. At Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital we check your horse's teeth as part of their physical examination to help determine when your horse should have dental maintenance.

Equine dentistry should only be performed by a licensed veterinarian. In Indiana it is illegal for a lay dentist to perform equine dentistry unless supervised by a licensed veterinarian.

The cost of dental care can be quite variable but a good estimate is about $265.00 per year.

The total yearly cost of basic health care in Indiana is between $788.45 and $1,460.45

Feed: Horse's like to eat every day. Most of them can consume a tremendous amount of feed and produce a tremendous amount of manure. The amount of calories and the nutritional requirements for any individual horse will vary greatly. For the purposes of this article I will focus on the two basic elements hay and grain. I will use the "old timers" estimate of feeding 2% of the horse's body weight, half in hay and half in grain, every day.

Hay: There are almost as many types of hay as there are types of grasses. There is also mixed hay of different types of grasses. A common type of mixed hay is alfalfa timothy mix. Your veterinarian can help you decided what type of hay to feed your horse. The availability of hay is inversely proportional to the cost per bale. Some years hay is plentiful and the price per bale is quite economical. In a drought year hay can be quite scarce and quite expensive. The average price for grass hay in Indiana is about $6.00 to $9.00 for a 50 pound bale. For a 1000 pound horse you will feed approximately 3650 pounds per year or 73 bales. That comes to $438 to $657 per year. Pasture can offset some of this cost but keep in mind that pasture has cost of its own such as; the cost of the land itself and fencing cost.

Grain: Grain is always available but the cost can vary depending on the cost of the
Ingredients. There are many types of commercial grains, again have your veterinarian help you choose a grain that is right for your individual horse. The average grain price in Indiana is between $10.75 and $22.60 per 50 lb bag. You will be feeding approximately 73 bags a year at a cost of $784.75 to $1,649.80.

The experienced horse owner is looking at all that feed and thinking of all the manure that needs mucking. We will focus on manure next but for now the cost of that manure (I mean nutrition) is approximately: $1,222.75 to $2,306.80 per year.

Manure: If you have a horse you will have waste in the form of manure and urine to deal with. Equine specialists at the University of Minnesota report that the average 1000 pound horse excretes 50 pounds of manure and urine per day. That seems like a lot but the point is there will be a lot of mucking to do. If it takes 20 minutes to clean and bed a stall every day (I know we all clean our stalls daily), uYou will spend 7,300 minutes or 122 hours per year mucking stalls (If you do not clean your stall every day it takes longer to clean the unmucked stall the next day so the estimate is still good). In Indiana you will pay between $7.25 and $10.00 per hour for someone to clean your stall so it will cost you between $884.50 and $1,220.00 per year to keep the barn clean. If you clean your own stall remember that your time is worth something so the estimate stays the same.

Bedding: Bagged shavings in our area cost between $0.42 and $0.63 per cubic foot. The amount of bedding you will use per year varies greatly depending on your housing situation. Let's estimate that the average horse soils 24 cubic foot of bedding per week or 1,248 cubic foot per year. That is a cost of $524.16 to $786.24 per year. You may be able to use bulk shavings which are less expensive to purchase, however delivery, storage and labor cost are increased. Straw is inexpensive bedding but its availability is inconsistent and using straw dramatically increases labor cost.

Horses are big animals and cleaning up after them can be a big and expensive proposition. The total annual cost of dealing with waste is $1,408.66 to $2,006.24.

Facility and boarding: There are two ways to keep a horse. You can keep him at home or you can use a boarding facility. If you keep your horse at home you have the advantage of having your horse near at all times. The disadvantage is that you have to provide all the facilities and labor. Having a horse boarded can be convenient because you do not have to do all the work every day. Camaraderie with other horse enthusiast is another advantage of boarding. The disadvantage is that you have to drive to see your horse and you don't get to manage every aspect of his care.

Keeping your horse at home: Agricultural economists from Purdue University tell us that you have to have three to four horses to make keeping a horse at home the correct economic choice. This is because of what economist call opportunity cost. Land, barns, fencing, labor, etc. are all expensive. If you took the opportunity to invest the money that you spend on these items the proceeds will pay for board for up to four horses. Some people will say; "yes, but I will lose the opportunity to have my horse at home". There are of course many reasons to choose to keep your horse at home but because this article focuses on the cost of a single horse let's examine the cost of boarding a horse.

Boarding a horse: Boarding can be as simple as a physical place to keep your horse and you provide all labor, feed, and bedding. Boarding can also be very elaborate facilities that offer amenities such as; tack stalls, training, lessons, feed, bedding, lounge, indoor riding, outdoor riding, trails, nursing care, etc. The type of boarding you choose depends on your personality, your available time, your goals for your horse, and your pocket book. The least expensive boarding facility I was able to find in our area was $170 per month or $2,040 per year. This price includes a stall and a place for turn out. The boarder provides everything else. The most expensive board I found was $800 per month or $9,600 per year. This price includes a stall, turn-out, full care, labor, feed, and bedding. It does not include services that the boarder would pay extra for such as training.

If you decide to keep your horse at home or at a boarding facility the yearly cost will be between $2040 and $9600.

There are of course a lot of other expense associated with owning a horse. Most of these expenses I will put in the "optional" category and will not count them in the basic cost of horse ownership. For example, tack can cost a few hundred dollars for some used tack at a tack auction or I have literally seen $40,000 dollar saddles. We could include, trailers, trucks, training, show clothes, clinics, competition fees, camping equipment, tack, etc. but since all these expenses are not basic horse necessities I did not try to include any in the calculation.

Back to the original question; How much does it cost to own a horse? In northern Indiana in 2013 the annual cost to own one horse is between: $5,459.86 and $15,373.49.


Horse Ownership: Definitely worth the cost!

All horse lovers know that our horses are well worth the price. Cowboy wisdom teaches us that: "Buying a horse is cheaper than paying a shrink". When I start grumbling about how much my girls spend on horses, my wife likes to remind me that "horses are cheaper than boys or drugs". I did not write this article to discourage any one from experiencing the pleasure of owning a horse. I just want people to realize that horse ownership is a lifestyle choice and you should be prepared, at least financially, what you are choosing.

Robert H Koontz DVM
Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital
877-499-9909
www.ckequinehospital.com

Strangles, Noni Juice, and a Jolly Old Elf

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 14:17:05 GMT

About 10:30 one night I got a call from what sounded like a very old Amish man. He explained; "my name is Joseph Miller and I own the health food store in town, my horse is awful sick, can you come out and see him?" I didn't feel too bad about going out on the call. The football game I was watching was going badly for my team, besides it was a very nice December evening.

It just started to snow as I pulled into the driveway. Large, fluffy flakes floated leisurely from the sky. A hunched over little man with a long white beard sprung from behind the barn door and ran to my truck. The pipe he smoked had a long wooden handle and puffs of gray smoke fluttered from the bowl. Maybe I was caught up in the season, but I thought this hunchbacked little man with the long white beard, standing outside smoking a pipe while large snowflakes fell atop his head, looked very much like Santa Claus.

As he ushered me into the barn he pointed the handle of the long wooded pipe at me, cocked his head, and with a knowing grin whispered; "If I could give you a potion that would cure all your patients, you'd be interested wouldn't you?" I have had people offer me magic cure- all concoctions before so I politely said, "sure" without much interest and began to examine my patient.

It didn't take long to diagnose strangles in this three-year-old buggy horse. When I pulled the thermometer it read 105.1 degrees (a normal horse temperature is around 100 degrees). His head was hanging nearly to the ground. He had no interest in his surroundings, and his eyes were lifeless. This horse was indeed "awful sick".
The little man persisted, "My medication is wonderful stuff". "Why it cures cancer, kidney ailments, asteria, liver ailments, lameness, colic, infection, consumption, and fever." "Wow", I replied noncommittally, and continued to work on my patient.

When I looked under the jaw I saw what I expected, two tell tale swollen lymph nodes. It was strangles all right. Strangles is an upper respiratory disease that affects young horses. The lymph nodes under the jaw get extremely swollen and filled with pus. Like this horse, most horses with strangles get very depressed due to extremely high body temperature. The disease is called strangles because of the enlarged lymph nodes. It is said that the lymph nodes can become so enlarged that the horse will "strangle to death". I have never seen a horse "strangle to death", usually if you can break the fever and establish drainage of the lymph nodes, the horse starts to feel better and will recover quickly.

While I treated my patient Mr. Miller informed me that just four years ago he could barely walk due to "the cancer in his legs". I don't know what he was like four years ago but on that night he was bouncing off the walls. Then he asked "young man, do you know how old I am?" Without waiting for a response from me he answered, "I am 84 years old". "I'm 84 years old and I look like I'm 60, I no longer have cancer, and I am no longer lame" he stated proudly. "I have one medicine to thank for it; Noni Juice!" he pronounced.

The little man went on to explain that Noni juice was a tropical juice that could cure any human or animal ailment. It had cured him and he had many testimonials from others that had been similarly cured. He was of the opinion that if I would start using Noni Juice in my veterinary practice that I could stop all equine suffering.
I continued to treat my patient. I established drainage of the lymph nodes. I also gave him flunixin meglumine to reduce the temperature. I felt confident that after my treatment this horse would feel better soon. While I was explaining this to Mr. Miller he suddenly interrupted me. "I think a lot of this horse", the old man mused, "he deserves some Noni Juice".

I could see that this man really wanted me to give his horse the wonderful potion. Well I reasoned, what could it hurt? I passed a nasogastric tube and poured a bottle of Noni Juice directly into the horse's stomach. I then packed up my equipment, said good bye to Mr. Miller, and went home to bed.

The next day I stopped by the Miller Farm to check on the young horse. As expected he was doing much better. Mr. Miller burst into the barn cackling; "see; see I told you the Noni Juice would cure him!" I was informed that just one hour after the administration of Noni Juice my patient was improving. I thought, but did not point out, that it was also one hour after my treatment when the horse started feeling better. "Yes, yes", I said, "He is much better."

The jolly old fellow pointed his pipe at me and tried to convince me that I should throw away all the "old fashion" medications that I was currently using and start using Noni Juice exclusively. I doubt the "amazing medication" helped. Many times I have seen horses with strangles make remarkable recoveries when I administered the exact same medical treatment without the Noni Juice. I don't know if Mr. Miller was just a health food salesman or if he was a jolly old elf, but despite the spry man's assertions, I think I will stick with my more traditional treatments.

If you would like more information about strangles or how to prevent strangles in your horse CLICK HERE.

Robert H Koontz DVM
Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital
877-499-9909
www.ckequinehospital.com

Treating Photodermatitis

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:59:58 GMT

I am in need of your advice. I live in an area of Alabama where, unfortunately, we do not have an experienced equine vet.

I have a 12 year old splashed Overo paint mare. One afternoon she presented with drooling, staggering, and appeared to be in severe pain. She was given Banamine and stalled immediately (yes our pasture does have red and white clover). We noticed all of her white areas were raised/swollen and hot to the touch. She has been stalled during the day for the past 3 weeks and only allowed to graze at night. Her bald face was the first area to Scab and peel off. Now every splash where she is white is peeling off, even the white spots that are not exposed to the sun. The skin under the damaged peeling skin is very pink and has small white hairs growing back in. None of her sorrel areas are affected. The only conclusion I have come to is that she is suffering from photosensitivity. I am treating the areas with Vetericyn BID, Banamine as needed for pain, and penicillin only as needed for possible secondary infections. What would you recommend for bathing her? I don't want to use something too strong and further injure the new skin. Please help, any other suggestion, opinions and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely, Leslie

Dear Leslie;

Photosensitivity is a common problem with horses that a grazed on pasture with certain plants. As you mentioned in your letter, clover is among the toxic plants that can cause photosensitivity. Clover is especially common because horses will readily eat clover. The symptoms you describe are classic symptoms caused by ingestion of clover. You can learn more in our educational article about photodermatitis.

Unfortunately a horse that has intensive skin involvement may also have underlying liver disease. I would ask your veterinarian to consider testing for liver disease. I like the way you are treating the skin lesions, however you might consider topical steroids to help decrease the pain and inflammation. To prevent secondary infection penicillin would not be my first choice and I would never use an antibiotic on a hit and miss basis as described in your letter. You might consider a broader spectrum antibiotic such as Trimethoprim Sulfa. This antibiotic has the advantage of being broad spectrum and oral.

You can now eliminate clover and other toxic weeds from the pasture without destroying the entire pasture. Visit your local farm store to inquire about safe methods to control clover in your pastures.

Hopefully your mare can make a complete recovery and you can prevent such episodesin the future.

Robert H Koontz DVM
Chief Executive Officer
Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital Inc.
2249 South 500 East
Columbia City, IN 46725
877-499-9909
www.ckequinehospital.com

Preventing Abortion in High Risk Mares

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:13:15 GMT

Rob's View From The Passenger Seat

Robert Koontz DVM

The high risk mare is defined as a mare that has a higher risk for abortion than the normal mare. Her high risk may be due to a history of late term abortion with a previous pregnancy or due to clinical signs with her current pregnancy. Not so long ago these mares were treated with a wait and see attitude because the technology did not exist to diagnose their issues. If the issue could be diagnosed there were few treatment options available. Today however, new research helps the veterinarian do a much better job of diagnosis and treatment. We are now able to save many foals that in the past would have been aborted.

Dr. Koontz performs transrectal ultrasound

In order to save these foals we need the owner to help identify the high risk mares. Mares that have aborted in the past are immediately placed into the high risk group. Mares that have clinical signs of abortion are also immediately placed in the high risk group. Mares that appear normal and have no history of abortion should have a monthly transrectal ultrasound examination starting at 7 months of gestation to identify internal signs of abortion.

Most abortions occur without any external clinical signs. The owner just walks out to feed and finds a dead fetus in the stall. That is why ultrasound is so important; almost all mares that abort have internal clinical signs that can be identified with ultrasound.

Some external clinical signs you may see include premature mammary (udder) development. The normal mare's udder develops 2 to 4 weeks before foaling. Some mare's udders may not develop until immediately before foaling. Mares that have udder develop more than 4 weeks before their due date or stream milk more than 4 weeks before their due date should be evaluated by a veterinarian.

Mares with vulvar discharge are suspect for bacterial placentitis. Much to the surprise of many owners, most mares with bacterial infections do not have vulvar discharge. These mare need to be identified via monthly ultrasound examinations. The mares that do have discharge most often display white pus or blood tinged pus. Other signs to look for include; sudden enlargement of the abdomen, mares that are more than 25 days overdue, or mares that experience severe colic. (Be aware that mild, intermittent discomfort can be normal for some late term mares). Mares that display any of the above signs should be evaluated by a veterinarian.

When the veterinarian comes to evaluate your mare have her history ready. It is particularly important to have an accurate due date so we are not misinterpreting normal gestational changes as medical issues. The veterinarian will also want to know if the mare has had foaling issues before. If she has aborted in the past, at how many days of gestation did it occur and what was the cause?

To help diagnose a problem the veterinarian may want to perform transrectal ultrasound examination to determine the viability of the fetus, to determine the fetal heart rate, to characterize the amniotic fluid, to access fetal activity, and to measure the combined uterine and placental thickness. The veterinarian may also want to measure progesterone in the blood and the amount of calcium in the milk.

Once a diagnosis is made the appropriate therapy can be initiated. Medical treatment may include; domperidone, antibiotics, pentoxifyline, altrenogist, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The important thing to remember is that today there are ways to diagnose and treat mares at high risk for abortion. With timely intervention the high risk mare can deliver a healthy foal.

For a printable handout of this information click here.

Your Horse May Be Missing Roughage If . . .

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:24:32 GMT

From the Recovery Room
Ryan Rothenbuhler DVM, MS

Over the last few weeks I have seen multiple occasions of horses that are missing roughage. You might ask, what do you mean by missing roughage? I have seen trees completely stripped of bark from the ground to as high as a horse could reach, a barn missing siding, and a horse that ingested crushed corn cob bedding.

You can tell a lot by viewing the horse and its surroundings to determine if roughage is missing from their diet. First thing I like to do is to forget the horse and just look at its environment. What does it have for pasture? Horses are grazing animals and like their nose to the ground most of the day. Have you ever paid attention to a horse in pasture? They don't just eat three meals a day. Their nose is to the ground and they are constantly looking for that next soft, chewy morsel of grass. Most nutritionists and veterinarians agree that horses should be fed 4-6 times a day if they do not have adequate pasture. Is there overcrowding? We see farms all of the time that have one large round bale for multiple horses and no pasture. Imagine the dominance ladder of that horse farm. The strongest get to the round bale first and start grazing on the hay. The weakest slide in to take a bite and promptly get chased away. You can imagine that some of the horses on the farm have a good body score while others are getting thinner and thinner. After a while of being thin with nothing to graze on, they start to wander the fence line and find those trees with the not so soft, chewy morsel of bark or the four board wood rail fence. They think to them self; it's better than nothing and they become part beaver.

There are a lot of people who believe that wood chewers and tree chewers are horses which are bored. I like to think of it differently. I truly believe there are horses that have a need for indigestible fiber. I also think there are horses which are bored. I also know that there are horses that frankly, just need to eat. The people who watch over the wild horses out west have noted that in the face of ample forage, the horses will still eat trees and shrubs. As an owner and a veterinarian we should be able to differentiate the bored horse or the hungry horse. When we notice that tree bark and fence boards start disappearing we need to address the problem at hand.

A few years ago a new bedding product came out on the market called Beck's Better Bedding. It was crushed corn cob. It had a picture of various animals on the front of the bag including horses. It was being marketed at a cheap alternative to shavings. Right after the product came out, I got my first experience with Becks Better Bedding as a forage. It was marketed as a bedding alternative; no one said the horses would eat it. An owner brought their horse in for evaluation for colic. When performing my rectal exam it became apparent that there was something in the feces that was not your normal forage. It appeared like it was crushed corn cob. When quizzing the owner, she acknowledged that they had switched bedding and that the horse had ingested a significant amount. This did not make sense. Why would a horse ingest corn cob bedding? After spending a couple hours removing the impacted corn cob from the intestines and catching up on some sleep, I decided to investigate the Beck's Better Bedding a little bit. I went to the feed store and bought a bag of the corn cob. It was full of crushed corn cob with the occasional piece of corn. Why would horses like this? I opened the bag and took a deep breath. It smelled just like I thought it would, Corn!

I made contact with the company and they informed me that they had received complaints of horses eating it, but no complaints of surgical colics. I informed them that I had a case of it and that they would be contacted by the owner. A few weeks later while at the feed store, I ran across another bag of the bedding and it now had a sticker label that read:

WARNING! This product is made of all natural crushed corn cobs and is intended to be used as bedding. Corn Cobs are often used as a component of animal feed to provide roughage in the diet. Some animals, particularly horses, are curious and may eat the bedding. In small quantities this bedding should not be harmful to an animal. IF your animal continues to eat the bedding, you should remove the animal from the bedding, and you may want to evaluate if the animal has enough roughage in its ration. Persistent or excessive ingestion of this bedding may cause serious injury to an animal.

They had acknowledged that there could a problem with your horse ingesting the bedding and that you should evaluate your horse for roughage consumption. I have since seen a couple more horses with the same problem. Amazingly enough, most owners did not notice the horse consuming the bedding. I understand why owners like the corn-cob bedding; it was cheap and highly absorbent. I was at a science fair recently, and sure enough, an elementary student demonstrated that the corn-cob bedding was more absorbent than your other types of bedding.

The first question I get when I state that a horse is missing roughage is, "what should I be feeding". Horses should be continually grazing grass, but if that management practice is impractical because you do not have adequate pasture, or the horse cannot have turnout for any reason; then your horse should be getting it's roughage from good quality hay or a complete feed. It is thought that your average horse without access to pasture should receive at a minimum of 1% of their body weight in good quality roughage every day. To prevent digestive upset or problems, you should keep the roughage above 0.75% of their body weight. We prefer to see horses receive 1-2% of their body weight if there is no supplemental feeding of concentrates. For your average horse without access to grass, it should be fed approximately 13 pounds of hay a day or 2.3 tons of hay a year. So when buying hay for your average horse, you should expect to feed at least 100 bales (~50 pound bales) of hay a year.

Not all of the "tree debarking, fence rail chewing, barn siding munching, and corn-cob eating" horses have been your run of the mill roughage deprived horses, but some have been. Some have been skinny and some have been obese. Some are starving and some are bored. I think the key is to just watch your horse and their surroundings to ensure that they are getting adequate pasture, forage, and time outside of their stall.

If you are concerned with what your horse is eating and would like to discuss it with us, please feel free to call Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital. We always have ideas and information to help you make the right choices with your horses care.

My Top 10 "Horsey" Songs

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:03:55 GMT

Rob’s View from the Passenger Seat

Robert H. Koontz DVM

10. “Screwball Was A Racehorse” – Roger Miller version

This is a great old song from my youth. My Dad used to play Roger Miller records (kids, records are just like CD’s only bigger) and I used to sing along. We listened to such classics as “Screwball Was A Racehorse”, “King Of The Road”, and “Can’t Roller Skate In a Buffalo Herd”. For the memories alone “Screwball” makes the list.

9. “Blaze Of Glory” – Jon Bon Jovi

This song was written for anyone that loves the romantic side of the old west. What mythical cowboy didn’t want to “go out in a blaze of glory/starring down a bullet”. “I’m a colt in your stable/I’m what Cain was to Able/Mr. catch me if you can”. Even if it is not reality, these lyrics remind us of how we imagine the old west to have been. Besides, I love 80’s hair bands.

8. “Beer For My Horses” – Toby Keith and Willie Nelson

Legend has it that the great racehorse Zenyatta had Guinness Stout after each race. Let’s face it, everyone deserves a beer after a hard day’s work especially our horses. Toby Keith put that sentiment to music.

7. “Billy The Kid” – Billy Dean

I know this is not really a song about horses, but it takes me back to my youth. The duel meaning of Billy the western legend and Billy the singer as a kid speaks to me. Billy the singer misses his youth and so do I. Billy the western legend rode horses as a youth and so did I. Somewhere in there is a horsey song.

6. “Rawhide” – The Blues Brothers version

Who can forget John Belushi cracking that whip? If the lyrics “Move’em on, head’em up/Head’em up, move’em on/Move’em on, head’em up/Rawhide”, don’t make you want to go on a cattle drive then you are a little too civilized.

5. “Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy” – Big and Rich

This song is probably the song about horses that is the most fun to listen too. It has a great beat and the country rap lyrics are just fun to sing. You have to love a guy that would not trade his old stud Leroy for a Cadillac. This song deserves to be higher on the list, but since I am not really a cowboy “Save A Horse Ride A Cowboy” never helped me much with the ladies. Enough said.

4. “Rodeo” – Garth Brooks

In my opinion "Rodeo" is one of the first really cool country songs with a classic rock influence. It made me start to think differently about country music. "It's the broncs and the blood/It;s thhe steers and the mud/And they call the thing rodeo", it makes me want to rodeo. Maybe not, I would probably die.

3. “Wanted Dead Or Alive” – Bon Jovi

“I’m a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride/I’m wanted (wanted) dead or alive”, this is a song about the modern cowboy. Even if we can’t all ride a horse to work, we can have a little of the cowboy spirit. Plus this is the quintessential hair band and I already told you that I love 80’s hair bands.

2. “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” – Toby Keith

Everybody has had a frustrating day and thought; I should Have been a cowboy! Who wouldn’t rather be “wearing my six-shooter riding my pony on a cattle drive” then toiling at work. When your boss is yelling at you; “Go west young man, haven’t you been told/California’s full of whiskey, women and gold”. I know I “should’ve been a cowboy/you should’ve been one too”.

1. “Run For The Roses” – Dan Fogelberg version

This song is about the ultimate competition and giving all you have to win that competition. If I am alone when I hear this song I usually cry. There is just something about dedicating your entire soul to a goal that makes me emotional. “And it’s run for the roses as fast as you can/Your fate is delivered your moments at hand/It’s the chance of a lifetime in a lifetime of chance/And it’s high time you joined in the dance”. Lyrics like this make me want go out and achieve something.

These are my top ten songs in order. Maybe you have different opinions. Go to the Conley and Koontz Facebook page and let me know what you think. Do you like the way I ranked them? Suggest a different order. Do you have better song choices? For more ideas, check out the list on horsechannel.com. I would love to read your opinion.

Lifes Challenges

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:42:56 GMT

From The Recovery Room
Ryan Rothenbuhler DVM, MS

One of the biggest challenges I have faced as a veterinarian has nothing to do with veterinary medicine. The biggest challenge has been my ability to convince owners, and sometimes even veterinarians, that there are choices when treating an animal. Forgive me for labeling owners and some veterinarians as "old-school". I dread hearing those words "but that is how we've always done it". Advances in veterinary medicine have provided many new or improved diagnostic and treatment options. I am frequently called a young-gun who doesn't know what it was like in the old days of veterinary medicine and owning horses. I have been unable to transcend the gaps of veterinary medicine, to bridge the age gap of long time owners and modern veterinary medicine. I consider it a personal challenge to inform the horse community in our service area of the many options available to them.

I am sure everyone remembers the days where the best treatment was to euthanize or "Shoot" your horse. It was cheaper to just get a new horse. I don't remember these days, because they never existed for me as a veterinarian. One of my favorite cartoon pictures as a young college student was a veterinary infirmary with horses lying in hospital beds and every chart had the treatment as "Shoot". I used to think it was funny. I used to think that was real equine veterinary medicine. In veterinary school I learned a different type of veterinary medicine, one with options and good outcomes. Now, as one of 4 equine veterinarians at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital, I am proud to provide modern veterinary medicine at our state of the art facility.

Last year I traveled northeast Indiana to visit with 4-H groups and talk about vaccinations. Lots of people came up to discuss their horses with me. One story really struck a chord with me. A little girl gave a very good presentation to her fellow 4-Her's about her horse and the injury that it suffered the previous year. It had gotten into a fence, resulting in a hock laceration with a degloving wound over the front of the hock. She was instructed to wrap the wound and spray a wound spray that would promote granulation tissue and to keep it stall rested. By the time this girl had given the presentation, the horse had been stall rested in cross ties for a few months and still had a very long road to recovery. Her veterinarian told her that she might have her horse back later that year. By that point she was going to have lost her horse for almost a year for a leg laceration.

I am not going to dive into how I would have treated this girl's 4-H horse, but I am going to make one bold statement. There are very few wounds that cannot be fixed within a few months with the proper veterinary care. Veterinary medicine has transcended. We have raised above the old school thoughts of shooting the horse. Unfortunately, this patient was not receiving the benefits of the current knowledge of wound injury treatments. If they were not going to treat it appropriately, the outcome was going to be complicated. By the time they performed a year of bandage changes and the resulting scar tissue, this horse will probably not have much of a life. It may be able to be ridden, but if I was a betting man, there will be significant scar tissue on the front of the hock. Had the horse been treated aggressively and appropriately from the beginning we would have a different story. "Today's" veterinary medicine dictates that with "proper" veterinary care this horse would be able to do anything. It could have returned to whatever discipline this little girl required.

Some people say they can't spend that kind of money. That veterinary medicine is expensive. If you added up a year's worth of bandages and lost time, I bet you I could get you home cheaper. This is often the case. Owners will listen to the estimate but not realize that the likelihood of a positive outcome is a good investment. A little more money budgeted for a horse to return to full use makes more economical sense than spending less money and more time toward a "not very promising" outcome. The "we'll just wait and see what happens" phrase is another I dread.

For this discussion I picked a laceration, but you can almost put any veterinary diagnosis into this same discussion. We get phone calls all the time where people have gone through multiple veterinarians or veterinary visits and they still don't have the outcome they were hoping for. When we give the owner the information on how we would treat it or diagnose it, we frequently get resistance. I frequently hear how they've already spent all this money trying to resolve a problem and now they don't have much money remaining to spend with an equine specialist. Another disheartening situation is that owners may call when the problem first occurs. We give our estimate or discuss the case and they decide to go somewhere else for less money. Once they have spent their money and still don't have the outcome they were hoping for they call us back looking for help. Unfortunately, their budget has taken a blow.

I feel like I must emphasize here that the owner and veterinarian are not doing anything wrong. Treating these difficult cases can be very difficult and time consuming. Northeast Indiana never had access to a 24 hour full service hospital before we opened our doors in 2010. The only options were 2-3 hours away. We have 4 equine veterinarians on staff with a diverse history of specialties and knowledge. We also have up-to-date diagnostic equipment and an in house laboratory. You can learn more about our hospital, our veterinarians, and our services at www.ckequinehospital.com.

All of this ranting and I still do not have an answer on how best to inform horse owners of the advantages and easy accessibility of modern veterinary medicine. This will be a challenge that I will continue to face in the future, as veterinary medicine advances continue at a rapid pace. The one thing I do know is that at Conley and Koontz we will take your phone call, discuss the case with you and give you our best opinion. All we can hope for is that you see the quality of veterinary medicine that we practice and give us a chance to spend your money wisely.

Chasing Lions

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:44:56 GMT

As She Sees It
Bethany Couture DVM

The pastor at my church is currently giving a series of sermons entitled Chasing Lions, in which he talks about certain aspects of our faith that require us to take some risks. There is a story in the Old Testament about a man named Benaiah who was both figuratively and literally, a lion-chaser. He was a mighty soldier, captain of King David's body guards and Commander of Israel's army. He took risks in battle and actually fought a lion in a pit and came out alive. According to this story, the lion is a metaphor for our fear. Fear is what prevents us from taking risks. In order to become successful in life, we must take those risks and not letting our fear prevent us from achieving what we are capable of, in other words... chase those lions.

I have had to face many fears in my life, especially on the long road to becoming a veterinarian. Fear of failure is a very real thing when you are pursuing an advanced degree. First, get yourself into a decent undergraduate program to set you up for admittance to vet school, while taking on experiences outside of your studies that will build your resume. Next, get into veterinary school, a daunting task for any aspiring veterinarian. The road doesn't end there. Getting into vet school is hard enough but getting through vet school is even more difficult. Finally, graduation draws near and now you have to find a job, not an easy task especially in this economy. The job market is an unreliable place in all areas of expertise. You would think that having an advanced degree would make it easier to find a job-- unfortunately this is not true. Life truly is about taking those risks, chasing the lions that show up in order to succeed in whatever ventures you pursue.

A few weeks back, Dr. Rothenbuhler and I had the opportunity to donate our time and services to Black Pine Animal Sanctuary in Albion, Indiana. Black Pine is a non-profit exotic animal sanctuary that houses and cares for over 80 different exotic species, from big cats to small reptiles. All of the animals there came from less than ideal circumstances. Some are retired performing animals while others are former pets that owners could not care for properly. The park's resident male African Lion, Mufasa, needed veterinary care for a draining abscess on his lower jaw. Dr. Rothenbuhler was to perform the procedure while another veterinarian anesthetized the lion. A human dentist was also there to assist. As soon as Dr. Rothenbuhler told me about his participation I told him that I was definitely going. I would not miss the opportunity to get up close and personal with a lion!

Everything went amazingly well with the entire procedure. The team of staff and volunteers at Black Pine was incredible and the other doctors we worked with did an amazing job of getting Mufasa anesthetized and treated efficiently. I was fascinated with how beautiful and powerful Mufasa was, and it was a surreal experience to get to handle him and provide his veterinary care. After going through it, I realized how symbolic the whole thing was. I had chased so many lions trying to become a veterinarian and here, finally, I had "caught" one. It made me look back thankfully on all that I have been fortunate enough to accomplish. I know there will be other risks that I will have to take in my career and disappointments will come along, but I believe that all things happen for a reason. Things may not always work out exactly the way we planned them, but without taking any risks or chasing any lions, we will never know what we are fully capable of achieving.

Congratulations to Olivia and Honey: An Update on "My Horse Buying Mistake"

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 11:31:16 GMT

Rob's View from the Passenger Seat
Rob Koontz, DVM

In an earlier blog, "My Horse Buying Mistake", I detailed how I came to own Honey. To summarize, Honey is an American Quarter Horse mare that is very accomplished in the show ring. She also has navicular syndrome, a chronic forelimb lameness associated with several structures in the foot. Why would I buy I horse with navicular syndrome? Because I wanted Honey to teach Olivia how to show horses, because my wife believed that I could keep Honey sound, and most importantly because Olivia loved her. This blog is an update on our first year together.

The season started great. Honey knew her job and did it well. Despite some "Olivia moments" in which Olivia forgot her pattern, my daughter was learning to do her job and learning to do it well. Olivia of course loved Honey. I believe Honey also loved Olivia. Honey genuinely wanted to work for her little girl. In return Olivia treated Honey with love and respect, she did not jab her with sharp spurs nor rip at her mouth with a harsh bit. The team was starting to gel.

Then in June it was my turn to become part of the team. Days before the Indiana State show and the Indianapolis Horse Show Circuit Honey started to show lameness. This was my fear, just as Olivia was starting to count on Honey her feet would fail. I was anxious, how could I make her sound when so many had failed?

Combining my knowledge as a veterinarian and my desperation as a father I threw the book at Honey. Honey had every treatment for navicular syndrome known to modern medicine in the span of a few days. It worked! Honey was sound and able to compete. In fact they won several circuit awards and the Indiana State Show Small Fry All-around Award. Honey hasn't taken a lame step since.

They finished the year and got better with each show. There were occasional "Olivia moments" but when the season was over Olivia and Honey had won Indiana Quarter Horse Associations awards:

        1st Small Fry Showmanship
        1st Small Fry Hunter Under Saddle
        1st Small Fry Equitation
        1st Small Fry Western Pleasure
        1st Small Fry Trail
        2nd Small Fry Horsemanship
        AND
        Small Fry All-Around Grand Champion

Where do we go from here? As expected we are trying for another year. Honey and Olivia are taking off from where they ended last year. If Dad can keep her sound they should have a great year.

Wish us luck!

Operation Mufasa Smile

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:11:03 GMT

From the Recovery Room
Ryan Rothenbuhler DVM, MS
Diplomate ACVS

A few weeks ago, I got an email that I was not really prepared for. I had been communicating with the executive director of Black Pines Animal Sanctuary, Lori Gagen, regarding donations to the park for animal feed. I was now being asked to come help them x-ray the jaw of their resident male lion Mufasa because he had a draining tract. They had established a team of people from all around Indiana and Ohio to work on Mufasa, but they needed someone with portable x-ray equipment .

Teamwork at Black Pine

Immediately I was very excited. I had been to the Indianapolis Zoo and performed surgery on a walrus during my surgery residency and have always hoped for another opportunity to assist with exotic animal surgery. I responded quickly in my email with YES, I would love to assist with imaging Mufasa.

Lori had put together an amazing group of volunteers consisting of medical doctors and veterinary doctors. They had a dentist, an oral surgeon, a DVM from Ohio, and their two local DVMs. In addition to the medical and veterinary personnel, there were going to be some of the biggest advocates for exotic animal rescue around the country. A group of volunteers who work with FEMA regarding moving exotic animals and rescue attempts were going to be in attendance as well. Tim Harrison, star of the movie "The Elephant in the Living Room", was joining the effort as well. This was going to be an experience.

Mufasa had been rescued earlier in 2011 and had a history of having a draining tract in his jaw for the last 6-7 years. They suspected a bad tooth. Immediately "What Ifs" started rolling through my head. The procedure was weeks away and I had a ton of questions. Not that I don't think oral surgeons, dentists, and medical doctors were qualified to be participating, but what did they know about working on animals. If you have a bad tooth or an abscess, they open it up, debride it, remove the tooth and send you home with antibiotics and instructions to call if you had problems. We were going to be working on a lion who could not talk and more than likely wasn't going to just let them peak at it daily and make sure everything was healing ok. What kind of antibiotics were they going to put him on? If there was a major defect in the mandible would they pack it with antibiotic impregnated plaster of paris? Was he going to need multiple anesthesia's and surgeries for debridement? Follow-up exams? More radiographs?

While I was super excited to be volunteering my time, Dr. Koontz had concerns about having his head of surgery working on a lion that could eat me in one bite. I assured him that I had no fear and that the appointed group of veterinarians was fully qualified to anesthetize Mufasa, we had nothing to worry about.

A few days before we were scheduled to be working on Mufasa, Lori informed me that some of the veterinarians would be unable to participate, and that I was going to be lead surgeon. Dr. Taylor would run anesthesia and Dr. Kumaran would be available as well, but we were it. The team of so many different people was now three strong. I also learned that Tarzan, their resident chimpanzee, had swollen gums and was not eating. We were going to have to start earlier and work on him first. I decided at that point that I was bringing along Dr. Couture from our hospital. We needed as many veterinary hands there as possible. None of us knew what we were going to find.

Transporting Tarzan to surgery

We arrived Saturday morning at our predetermined time to meet Dr. Taylor, Lori, and everyone else. I was told that Dr. Kumaran may not make it because he had been sick. The sanctuary was buzzing with excitement and a little fear. Dr. Taylor had never fully intubated and anesthetized a chimpanzee or an african lion. We discussed the anesthesia protocol and I felt like he was prepared and ready to go. The first couple hours were spent with Lori trying to get Tarzan to take his oral sedative. I was told that chimpanzees have impeccable memories so he would be hard to trick into taking the medication. After a couple of failed attempts, Dr. Kumaran blessed us with his presence. He would be able to give Tarzan a shot - but Tarzan's memory of Dr. Kumaran would not be pleasant. After a little while we got the call that Tarzan was anesthetized and we were all to meet in the clinic to start the procedure.

Once we got started all of my fear vanished. Tissue was tissue and this was not going to be any different. We got Tarzan intubated and on gas anesthesia. Once he was under anesthesia and the fear of a sedated pissed off chimpanzee had vanished, I had a minute to reflect on what I was working on. I was working on a chimpanzee, the animal that most closely resembled humans. To touch his hands was almost creepy. They looked amazingly similar. The technician, Kelly, and Dr. Taylor worked on collecting bloodwork and lab samples for testing. I grabbed the dental instruments and with the help of Dr. Kumaran we went to work on his mouth. We immediately found a broken canine which I removed and cleaned out the socket. The surgery was done within minutes. We helped finish up the diagnostics before moving Tarzan back to his enclosure.

Oral surgery on Mufasa

The first surgery was done and now we had to wait on Mufasa. He was not so sure about everything that was going on at Black Pines that cool Saturday morning. He was not about to leave his enclosure and get into the transport cart. It was decided that he would have to be sedated at his enclosure using the syringe pole and then brought up to the clinic. After a short time, Mufasa arrived in the back of a ford ranger ready for surgery. He weighed in at a very large 550#. It took about a dozen people to carry him to the table for surgery. We immediately got him intubated and placed on gas anesthesia. Once he was stable, we quickly went to work on his infected mandible. We took many different views with the x-ray machine, but could not find an infected tooth. Once again, I took the "tissue is tissue" approach and started cutting out the pathology. Once I got down to his mandible I found a 1-2 mm hole in the mandible. He had a draining tract in the bone. I debrided the bone to find an abscess which promptly oozed pus as I entered it. He had surgery 6-7 years ago to remove a canine. It appeared as if they had left behind a piece of bone or tooth and it had formed a sequestrum. You ask, What is a sequestrum? A sequestrum is a piece of non-viable infected bone which becomes incased in bony proliferation called an involucrum. Once I opened the involucrum, it drained a significant amount of pus. I remove the lining and debrided the bone back to healthy bone. Once again, we were done within minutes. Dr. Taylor and his technician had once again done an amazing job collecting lab specimens and keeping him anesthetized.

Once we were all done, the room's atmosphere completely changed. It went from excited with a little bit of fear, to a room full of joy and happiness. Everyone had to take their picture with Mufasa because where else did you get an opportunity to place your hands around the neck of an African Lion and not have the fear of being eaten? Where else could you place your hand next to a paw that was close to the size of your head? At one point I had to remind the room (now with approximately 20-30 people) that we had a recovering lion in the room that was going to wake up with a very big headache and we really needed to keep things quiet. Everyone was ecstatic that it had gone so smoothly. Both surgeries had been completed with little consequences.

All from a simple email and a shot in the dark, I got to have one of the best days in my life as a veterinarian. I had worked on horses my entire veterinary career and in a few short hours I had worked on Tarzan and Mufasa. To top it off, the best part of this whole story is the fact that a group of volunteers and professionals that had never worked together became a team on this weekend and successfully treated Tarzan and Mufasa.

Dreams Dashed Needlessly

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:24:58 GMT

Dreams Dashed Needlessly

by Robert Koontz DVM

Bella Score was once a winning standardbred racehorse. On Saturday nights she would race under the lights. She could really strut under those lights. People would cheer, photographers would take pictures, and officials would drape her in flowers.

Those days of course are long gone. Bella Score was fast but she could not outrun time. Now Bella Score is a brood mare, and being a brood mare there is hope on the horizon. Bella Score was bred almost a year ago and as spring approaches the anticipation of her coming foal grows. Maybe she can produce a champion that will once again strut under the lights on a Saturday night.

Early on a chilly March morning a filly was born in the straw. She came into the world like all horses, gasping for those precious first breaths of air. She struggled to free herself from the womb, the umbilical cord, and the ammonic sack. These structures protected her and provided nutrition for the last 11 ½ months but now it was time to force herself free and start to grow into her destiny. Within minutes she was standing. Within hours she could nurse in the safety between Bella Score's hind legs.

When the sun broke the horizon the humans came into the Barn to get their first glimpse of the much anticipated foal. The filly was strong and healthy; she bore a striking resemblance to Bella Score. The humans would call her Bell after her mother but hopefully one day she would earn a prestigious name fit for a racehorse.

Bell started life on wobbly knees but soon she learned to run, and she was fast. Bell frolicked in the pasture under Bella Score's watchful eye. Bell raced the other foals, unknowingly preparing for the day she would race under the lights. The humans watched Bell, she was "put together right" and she almost always won the playful races. Perhaps she was going to be their champion.

Then one day she was racing along the fence, when she felt a sharp pain in her foot. Immediately she pulled up lame. Bell had never felt this kind of pain before. It hurt too much to put her front foot on the ground. Bell hobbled back to her mother using only three legs. It simply hurt too much to place weight on the injured foot.

Bella Score and Bell slowly made their way to the barn. When the sun was starting to set the humans finally entered the barn and noticed that Bell was lame. By this time the throbbing in her foot was almost unbearable. Bell had stepped on a wire. The misstep drove the wire through the bottom of her foot and up her front leg. Somehow the humans didn't realize that the pain was coming from the foot. They kept pressing on and manipulating her shoulder.

The decision was made to put Bell in a stall and see if her "shoulder" would heal. Had I been called that day, I may have been able to save the dream. I could have easily identified the foot as the source of lameness. With x-rays I would have identified the wire. Finally I could have treated the injury. I wasn't called. Bell suffered in excruciating pain for three months. The continual pounding in her foot, the inability to bear weight, and the unrelenting pain made the days frolicking in the pasture seem far away. Racing under the lights was inconceivable.

Three months later I walked into Bell's stall. She looked at me as another human that would not be able to help. At least this one knew the pain was coming from the foot she thought. Of course at this point it would be hard not to know the foot was involved. The misshapen foot was deformed and swollen. There were several holes leaking pus.

There was a large swollen "grapefruit" on the side of Bell's neck. When she lowered her head to eat her neck hurt almost as badly as her foot. The pain in her neck was the result of a single shot of penicillin given incorrectly by a neighbor, with a dirty needle. The shot was a pathetic attempt to treat infection. Soon her neck would be leaking pus along with her foot.

I quickly determined the cause of the lameness. X-rays revealed the wire, which I immediately removed. I surgically established drainage, and started Bell on painkillers and antibiotics. The damage however had been done. Three months of infection killed the dream. Bells coffin joint, pastern joint, coffin bone and pastern bone were all infected. We might be able to defeat the infection but Bell will never walk normally again.

Bell is a filly with great bloodlines. Maybe she can grow into a brood mare. Maybe the humans had learned something. Maybe they would be less apathetic next time. Maybe they would call for help sooner. Maybe Bell can produce a foal that will earn a prestigious name fit for a racehorse. Maybe Bell can produce a champion that will once again strut under the lights on a Saturday night.

If you would like information on how to correctly deal with a penetrating wound to the hoof, view our article on PENETRATING HOOF WOUNDS. If you would like to see how we successfully treated a horse with a penetrating wound to the foot, see this CASE STUDY.

Equine Wounds Equal Job Security

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 15:13:04 GMT

From the Recovery Room

Ryan Rothenbuhler, DVM , MS

Diplomate ACVS

If you have been around horses long enough, you have experienced both minor and major wounds. Horses are naturally inquisitive animals. They have an innate ability to run or flee when frightened leading to the majority of equine wounds. We have created an environment for horses to get injured, whether it is in their stall or out in pasture. Sure horses can get hurt on 1000 acres of pasture, but I promise you the incidence of wounds are higher on 1 acre. Horses wake up every day looking to put their leg through something or ram their eye into something. If you have been around cows and horses you probably have seen the difference. A cow with a leg through the wire will act like she is caught and restrained. She will continue to graze the grass that she can reach and wait for someone to come get her out. You can almost judge how long they have been in the wire, by how much grass they have grazed. I once saw a cow that had eaten every bit of grass within reach down to the roots because she had been in the fence so long. On the other hand a horse trapped in the fence thinks the world has officially come to an end and it is on the first train out. It will pull, jerk, and run to try to save its life, ripping the fence and barn down trying to escape. This leads to catastrophic wounds on horses and superficial abrasions on cows.

I don't care if you think you have the most "Horse Safe" fence on the market, a horse will find a way to put or wrap it's leg through it. Due to economics, owners frequently use high tensile wire. It used to be called New Zealand wire. I like to call it the "New Zealand Death Wire" (Figure 1). Some people will buy plastic coated high tensile wire because it is advertised as safer. I have seen many horses wrap their leg around both types of wire and frankly the wounds appear the same. I have had horses cut through all of the soft tissues and groove the bone with high tensile wire. It cuts just like a knife. I am sure if you have followed me on the web or read our website, you know about Sargent Bogo. Bogo was pastured in a "Horse Safe" fence. He had managed to put his leg through the wire and deglove the skin all the way around the cannon bone (Figure 2).


figure 1		figure 2

The key to making a horse safe fence is to be smart. Give them enough space and forage so that they are not inclined to be up against the fence all of the time. Don't put horses on both sides of the fence. Use a fence that is adequate strength and size for horses. A single strand electric fence will do very little to contain a horse that has ambition to get to the other side. One of my favorite stories as a young vet was a client who called with two horses that had both lacerated their hind limbs. The owner had purchased a new horse and she knew not to put them together because they would kick and try to hurt the each other while establishing the pecking order. So she just put the new horse in the paddock next to the other horses. By now you have figured out that the horses both kicked at each other and got their limbs wrapped up in the wire fence degloving both horses' hind limbs. One of my favorite cases as an intern was a story of an adopted mustang which lived in a single strand electric fence pasture. I was called out to evaluate him for a swollen leg. When I arrived he had a hind limb which was very swollen and had a 360 degree laceration around the pastern through the tendon sheath and tendons. After radiographing the limb I identified a wire that was completely wrapped around the leg and broken off next to the bone (Figure 3,4).


figure 3		figure 4

When asking the owner about the wire and the fence she responded with, "I wondered why there was 100 feet of wire stretched back to the run-in shed a few days ago". To keep a long story short, we treated the horse with oral antibiotics and the horse healed amazingly well.

What have I learned over the years of dealing with fence injuries?

1. Be smart when pasturing you animals. Just because it is labeled "Horse Safe" doesn't necessarily mean that it is. Always be on the lookout for the next thing your horse is going to injure itself on.
2. Single strand electric fence is inadequate for fencing and cuts like a knife when wrapped around a limb.
3. High tensile wire keeps me in the wound treating business more than any other fence type.
4. For every type of fence out there, where someone says it is safer, I will give you a case that says they can get injured with it.
5. When pairing similar cases, adopted wild mustangs will heal without problems and anything else, where significant money has been spent, will suffer complications. (This is by no means backed with scientific analysis, just a casual observation)

So the next time you are going to fence a new pasture or build a new barn and you have questions, please feel free to call and ask us. With the collective years of practice between everyone here at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital, we know which situations are most likely to lead to injuries.

Proper Dental Care Transforms Eeyore from a Depressed Character into a Happy Donkey

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:42:12 GMT

Rob's View from the Passenger Seat

by Robert Koontz, DVM

Sandy was not the typical horse owner. She had not grown up with horses. She was not interested in learning to ride. She knew very little about horses. But what she did know is that she loved Eeyore, the depressed donkey character, from the Winnie the Pooh children's' books by A.A. Milne. So she went out and bought a miniature donkey. Of course she named her new friend Eeyore.

Eeyore was anything but the depressed little donkey from the stories. Sandy's Eeyore was full of energy and life. She soon found she liked him that way; quickly Eeyore became a beloved member of the family. When Eeyore started to get sick, Sandy was concerned. She called her veterinarian, but despite his treatment Eeyore got worse. He had large amounts of snot draining from his nose. He had a consistently high temperature. He refused to eat or drink.

Finally Sandy's veterinarian gave her the worst possible news; there was nothing more he could do for the little donkey. It was time to consider euthanasia. Sandy refused to give up. "Can we take Eeyore to the new horse hospital in Columbia City", she thought, "maybe they can help"?

When Eeyore was led into our hospital I must admit that my first thought was that the referring veterinarian may have been right. Maybe the most merciful thing would be to help this poor creature die. The little donkey was emaciated and depressed. He was so weak he swayed when he walked. He looked every bit the depressed character that was his namesake.

As Dr. Minnemeyer started to examine the little donkey we started to realize that he wasn't that bad. Sure he was dehydrated and had a severe sinus infection; but we could fix those things. His heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver were all functioning normally.

The first order of business was to stabilize our patient. This was accomplished with a combination of IV fluids, antibiotics, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Eeyore was looking better but he still refused to eat. With medical treatment however he was soon strong enough to start to diagnose the cause of the chronic sinus infection.

Dr. Minnemeyer knew that many sinus infections were caused by neglected dental maintaince. When we put a speculum in Eeyore's mouth the problem was obvious. He had large caudal hooks. Caudal hooks are defined as an overgrowth of the last molars in the back of the mouth. Eeyore's caudal hooks were so large they were driving into the opposing bony tissue. The over grown teeth had actually created a hole into the sinus called an oromaxillary fistula. Feed was being forced from the mouth thru the hole and into the paranasal sinus. (For more information about caudal hooks see our educational article and case study.)

Unlike the character in the book Sandy's Eeyore had a reason to be depressed. Trying to close his mouth to eat must have been excruciatingly painful. The chronic sinus infection would have made him feel a constant headache. The fever made him feel depressed and weak. It's no wonder that Eeyore was deteriorating.

Dr. Minnemeyer and I cut off the overgrown caudal hooks and filed Eeyore's teeth until he had a perfect bite. Almost immediately Eeyore started to feel better. Within hours he was eating again. The sinus infection cleared as the oromaxillary fistula closed.

Eeyore's recovery was remarkable. He had soon transformed from a depressed character to a happy donkey. Once again he was Sandy's Eeyore, full of life and energy.

Equine Chiropractic from an Outside Point of View

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:05:06 GMT

By Lindsay Hefty
Veterinary Assistant

Most people have heard the old saying "seeing is believing". I had my own questions about equine chiropractic care when I started working at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital. Will it truly benefit my horse? Am I just wasting my money? Will it actually provide lasting results? Well, it seems that all of my questions have been answered by a horse named Chip.

You see, on my first ride along to a chiropractic adjustment with Dr. Conley we were introduced to a handsome gelding named Chip. The owner had called and scheduled an appointment for him to be evaluated and adjusted because Chip started refusing to jump. No matter what technique was applied, Chip simply would not jump for her. He would not even attempt something as simple as a ground pole. He had already been examined by another veterinarian who injected his hocks and fetlocks. Chip still refused to jump.

When Dr. Conley began his evaluation Chip was clearly agitated at being touched in the area of his withers and hips. I also noticed how uncomfortable he was just standing there by the way he kept shifting his weight from side to side. As the first adjustment was made on Chip's withers, I really do think that he would have bitten the doctor if given half a chance. Not because he was a badly behaved horse, but because he was in such pain. After all of the adjustments were made it was obvious by Chip's body language that he was already feeling immediate relief. He stood calmly allowing us to pet and praise him for being such a good boy.

It wasn't until a few weeks later that all of my questions were answered. We returned to adjust Chip a 2nd time in preparation for a horse show. Any doubt that I once had was now gone - I had the proof right before my eyes. We greeted Chip's owner and chatted a few moments as Chip was lead from his stall for his adjustment. I kid you not he was like a completely different horse! He was happy to see us and let us pet him without the slightest hint of pain. Not only was I surprised by this, but so was his owner. She told us that Chip never really cared much for being petted or fussed with. When Dr. Conley inquired how Chip had been doing since his first adjustment, she reported that he was jumping again and doing everything that she asked of him. She couldn't have been happier! She began telling us how she previously questioned the validity of chiropractic adjustments, not just for horses, but for humans as well. Chip was the proof that we both needed to change us from skeptics into advocates. If your horse is showing any signs of discomfort, I'd say a chiropractic adjustment is worth looking into. Just ask Chip!

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:56:39 GMT

Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart

Bethany Couture, DVM

At Thanksgiving time we tend to look at our lives and find what we are thankful for. Fortunately, I don't have to look very hard to see blessings throughout my life. Like most people, I have faced my fair share of challenges, but those trials allow me to be even more appreciative of all the wonderful things I have been fortunate enough to experience. I'd like to share with you a few of my individual blessings, in the hope that you will be able realize your own blessings this year.

In 2011 I am thankful for:

Family and Friends: God has blessed me with the most supportive family and friends one could have. My parents were unfortunate enough to have a daughter who loves horses and sought to compete on them. With a lot of hard work and sacrifice, we attended many horse shows and owned two amazing geldings. I will cherish those experiences the rest of my life, thanks to my parents. I also have a very loving and supportive brother and sister-in-law, who were there at Purdue during all my school years to lend me a hand when I needed help and an ear when I needed to talk. Old friendships that got me through my childhood and newer vet school friendships that got me through vet school are relationships for which I am truly thankful.

My marriage: My greatest blessing in life is my marriage to my high school sweetheart, Casey. The first 4 years of our married life was during vet school, which was a difficult time to be newlyweds. Casey put aside four years of his life and career to support me through veterinary school and I can never thank him enough for the sacrifices he made that allowed me to achieve my goals.

New Life: This year my brother and sister-in-law welcomed their first child, Amber Marie, into the world. She became my third (but first blood-related) niece, my parents' first grandchild, and my late grandmother's first great-grand daughter. To watch her grow and thrive under the nurturing of her family has been a blessing and a great joy.

Achievements: In 2011 my lifelong dream and goal came true... I finally became a veterinarian, something I have been working toward since high school (for over 10 years, YIKES!). Without my family and friends I mentioned earlier, I would not have gotten through my harrowing years in veterinary school. For everything I have achieved in my life, I must ultimately thank God because my life is proof that through him all things are possible.

Nature: I was able to take an amazing vacation in Costa Rica this summer after graduation. It was a once in a lifetime experience. We did the kind of things people put on their bucket lists: ziplining 600 feet above the jungle, rappelling down waterfalls, riding our own horses on the beach (they resided at the residence we rented and their use was included!), our own private pool, snorkeling in the ocean, seeing howler monkeys on horseback, careening across the ocean on a catamaran... the amazing experiences were endless! We are so lucky to live on such a beautiful planet and be able to visit exotic locations.

Horses: Being an equine veterinarian can be frustrating, exhausting, and challenging, but I will never take for granted the reason I became a vet; the horse. I fostered a love of horses from a young age and have never lost that passion. I am thankful that I can help care for these innocent creatures that so desperately need our compassion and care. I am thankful that the horse is such a beautiful, free-natured, and powerful animal. I am thankful that I am able to work with them for a living.

For those of you who have had a similar history with horses, I am including the following story about a father's explanation of why he had horses for his children. I believe it summarizes perfectly how horses bless us with the lessons they teach us and experiences they offer us.

My daughter turned sixteen years old today; which is a milestone for most people. Besides looking at baby photos and childhood trinkets with her, I took time to reflect on the young woman my daughter had become and the choices she would face in the future.

As I looked at her I could see the athlete she was, and determined woman she would soon be. I started thinking about some of the girls we knew in our town who were already pregnant, pierced in several places, hair every color under the sun, drop outs, drug addicts and on the fast track to no-where, seeking surface identities because they had no inner self esteem. The parents of these same girls have asked me why I "waste" the money on horses so my daughter can ride. I'm told she will grow out of it, lose interest, discover boys and all kinds of things that try to pin the current generation's "slacker" label on my child. I don't think it will happen, I think she will love and have horses all her life. Because my daughter grew up with horses she knows what it is like to loose a good friend and a loyal companion.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she gives and finds rewards in seeing others growing up with their horses and excelling in that important relationship. Because my daughter grew up with horses she has compassion. She knows that we must take special care of the very young and the very old. We must make sure those without voices to speak of their pain are still cared for.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned responsibility for others than herself. She learned that regardless of the weather you must still care for those you have the stewardship of. There are no "days off" just because you don't feel like being a horse owner that day. She learned that for every hour of fun you have there are days of hard slogging work you must do first.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned not to be afraid of getting dirty and that appearances don't matter to most of the breathing things in the world we live in. Horses do not care about designer clothes, jewelry, pretty hairdos or anything else we put on our bodies to try to impress others. What a horse cares about are your abilities to work within his natural world, he doesn't care if you're wearing $80.00 jeans while you do it.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she learned about sex and how it can both enrich and complicate lives. She learned that it only takes one time to produce a baby, and the only way to ensure babies aren't produced is not to breed. She learned how babies are planned, made, born and, sadly, sometimes die before reaching their potential. She learned how sleepless nights and trying to out-smart a crafty old broodmare could result in getting to see, as non-horse owning people rarely do, the birth of a true miracle.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she understands the value of money. Every dollar can be translated into bales of hay, bags of feed or farrier visits. Purchasing non-necessities during lean times can mean the difference between feed and good care, or neglect and starvation. She has learned to judge the level of her care against the care she sees provided by others and to make sure her standards never lower, and only increase as her knowledge grows.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned to learn on her own. She has had teachers that cannot speak, nor write, nor communicate beyond body language and reactions. She has had to learn to "read" her surroundings for both safe and unsafe objects, to look for hazards where others might only see a pretty meadow. She has learned to judge people as she judges horses. She looks beyond appearances and trappings to see what is within.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned sportsmanship to a high degree. Everyone that competes fairly is a winner. Trophies and ribbons may prove someone a winner, but they do not prove someone is a horseman. She has also learned that some people will do anything to win, regard-less of who it hurts. She knows that those who will cheat in the show ring will also cheat in every other aspect of their life and are not to be trusted.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has self-esteem and an engaging personality. She can talk to anyone she meets with confidence, because she learned to express herself to her horse with more than words. She knows the satisfaction of controlling and teaching a 1000 pound animal that will yield willingly to her gentle touch and ignore the more forceful and inept handling of those stronger than she is. She holds herself with poise and professionalism in the company of those far older than herself.

Because my daughter grew up with horses she has learned to plan ahead. She knows that choices made today can effect what happens five years down the road. She knows that you cannot care for and protect your investments without savings to fall back on. She knows the value of land and buildings. And that caring for your vehicle can mean the difference between easy travel or being stranded on the side of the road with a four horse trailer on a hot day.

When I look at what she has learned and what it will help her become, I can honestly say that I haven't "wasted" a penny on providing her with horses. I only wish that all children had the same opportunities to learn these lessons from horses before setting out on the road to adulthood.

How James Herriot Helped Me Keep Perspective

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:36:41 GMT

Rob's View From The Passenger Seat

Rob Koontz, DVM

I was called to look at a two-month old filly with laminitis in both front feet. For those that do not know laminitis is severe inflammation of the structure that holds the bone in the horses' foot in place. Disruption of this organ can be devastating. Laminitis, however, was a strange diagnosis because I had never seen a horse this young with laminitis, but with veterinary medicine you never know. I asked the owner "what is she doing that makes you believe she has laminitis". "Well", the owner started, "she's lame in both front legs, I called a friend in Iowa who is a veterinary and he said that it had to be laminitis".

I am always skeptical of long distance diagnosis but when I started to examine the filly she was indeed lame in both front limbs. I noted, however, that she had none of the other signs of laminitis that I knew so well. The owner would not believe me, but the symptoms did not fit, she could not have laminitis. "Well" he grumbled "if she does not have laminitis what are you going to do?"

"First we must isolate the lameness" I explained. I did this with diagnostic nerve blocks. I temporarily numbed her feet so she could not feel pain coming from the feet. When her feet were blocked she ran like a normal two- month old filly, she was sound. "There", her owner pronounced triumphantly, "that proves that she has laminitis". "No", I replied calmly, "that proves the pain is in the feet".

I explained that there are many structures in the foot that could cause lameness, not just laminitis. In fact I believed that this filly suffered from bilateral coffin joint infection. The coffin joint is the joint inside the hoof capsule, it is unusual for both front joints to get infected at the same time but it was a more plausible explanation then laminitis.
I knew I would have to prove to this owner (and to myself) that my diagnosis was correct. I carefully placed a needle in each joint and drew out some joint fluid. "Notice the cloudy appearance of the fluid" I explained "normal fluid is not cloudy, this shows it must be infected joints." Later the laboratory would confirm my diagnosis.

The owner reluctantly agreed to let me treat for infected joints. I started the filly on a powerful broad spectrum antibiotic regime. I flushed the joints to clean out the infection and put antibiotics directly into the joints. I planned to come out the next several days to flush the joints repeatedly.

On the second day the filly was noticeably improved. By the third day she was running and jumping like she did when her feet were blocked, but this time it was because she was pain free. I puffed up a little bit and declared, "She looks pretty good!" "I knew she would get better" the owner countered, "You see after you left I called the herb doctor and he treated her with essential oils."

He must have read the look on my face because he continued; "now, now, you veterinaries are fine but I believe in these oils." "My cousin had a horse with severe neurologic disease, some veterinary said the stallion would never get better; but the herb doctor treated him with these oils and he's fine."

It just wasn't fair; I was the "some veterinary" that treated his cousin's stallion. I did a thorough job of diagnosing the neurologic form of Equine Rhinopneumonitis. I most certainly did not say the horse would not recover. In fact I said that with proper treatment the stallion would do very well, than I proceeded to administer proper treatment.

Here I had correctly diagnosed two very difficult cases, applied the proper treatments and the horses' made full recoveries. I did all this and some sweet smelling oils got the credit. It just wasn't fair. Then I remembered the words of the great veterinary sage James Herriot who explained that veterinarians usually get too much credit when things go well and take too much blame when things go poorly. According to Herriot "Animals are unpredictable things, and so our life is unpredictable. It's a long tale of little triumphs and disasters. You really must love it to stick to it." Some day, I knew I would get the credit for a triumph I did not deserve.

I thought back to one of those triumphs. I was performing an ultrasound examination confirming pregnancy in a mare. Her owner asked; "boy or girl". The mare was not far enough along to determine sex and you certainly could not see color on a black and white ultrasound screen but I flippantly replied; "she's a chestnut filly with three white socks."

About a year later the mare gave birth to a wonderful chestnut filly with three white socks. Ignoring my protest; I had just been lucky, the proud owner told anyone that would listen that I was the greatest veterinarian. Her reasoning was that if I was that good with an ultrasound then I must know everything about reproduction.

I thought about James Herriot, the chestnut filly, and essential oils. I realized that even if I don't always get the credit, through all the little triumphs and disasters, I continue to love my career as an equine veterinarian.

Calming Agents for Horses

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:30:17 GMT

I am considering purchasing a calming agent for my gelding and would like your opinion of these in general and whether a daily product or a single use product would be best. Thanks, Jo

B1, or thiamine has been used to calm horses for years. It is made in injectable and oral forms. The oral form seems to be the most popular. It works better in some horses than in others. It is generally used to take the edge off of show horses.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is used as a calming agent and is the main ingredient in several of the commercial pastes used as calming agents. These also seem to work better on some horses than others. These products seem to work best on horses that don't need much edge taken off.

If your horse won't stand for the farrier or for clipping, or is truly dangerous in some situations, a prescription product from your veterinarian may be in order. Acepromazine, xylazine, and detomidine are strong tranquilizers or sedatives that will work on fractious horses for a few hours at a time. Some of these may be administered orally. Dormosedan gel is made specifically for oral administration and comes in an oral syringe with dosage rates indicated, making this product easy for owners to use without a veterinarian present.

There are some compounded products referred to as thirty day tranquilizers. These products have been associated with side effects that may include profuse watery diarrhea for a few days.

If you plan to compete in horse shows, make sure to know your association's rules and withdrawal requirements before administration. Most sedatives and tranquilizers are restricted and will show up in drug testing.

Ron Conley, DVM

A Sad Day

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:42:47 GMT

From the Recovery Room
Ryan Rothenbuhler DVM

Two weeks ago I had the displeasure of euthanizing my wife's horse, Vicki. My wife had owned her for a little over 15 years. Vicki was a good horse for my wife. She was one of those horses that you could just throw a saddle on and go.

Over the years she had had some minor problems like the occasional fever, colic, or sole abscess, but overall she was a good horse. A few years ago I diagnosed her with navicular or as we refer to it now, caudal heel pain. She would go through stages of pain, soundness, and manageable pain. We tried corrective shoeing for a while, but it eventually quit working. She would be chronically lame. My wife and I had decided that she was good enough horse to live out the rest of her life being a pasture pet. Last winter it got real hard to watch her. On the thawed, soft ground she would look really good, almost sound. On the frozen ground she looked like she was walking on pins and needles. Through the spring and summer she was pretty good. When it was real dry, she would walk gingerly on the hard compacted earth, but never as bad as the frozen ground.

As the weather was starting to cool down and the leaves were starting to change colors, my wife came to me and told me it was time to euthanize her horse. She did not want to have her go through another winter. She had made up her mind, but I had not made up mine. I was selfish and did not want to euthanize her because I did not want to deal with the emotions of my family as we had to euthanize one of the family members. I did not want to talk about it. I had bought enough hay to get her through the winter. Over the next month my wife would remind me that we needed to euthanize Vicki. I would hear it, but would not HEAR it. We would talk about it, but not TALK about it. My wife would tell other family members that she needed to euthanize Vicki, almost looking for their approval. I had made up my mind that I would euthanize her if something else came along that required extensive treatment, but I was going to give her some more time.

One day a couple weeks ago while feeding I noticed Vicki had a swollen eye. The next day I grabbed supplies from work and went home to check her eye for an ulcer. I was going to brush her mane and tail while she was sedated. I gave her a dose of sedative, examined her eye, found nothing and went to grooming her. While I was grooming her she started to sweat. This is not uncommon for a horse to do with sedative so I did not worry about it. As I finished brushing her she collapsed to the ground. I grabbed her upper lip to check her color and she was pale white, I felt for a pulse and could only find a faint one. She had reacted to the sedative and was hypovolemic. She was in shock. Most of the time the sedative would wear off and the horse would get better. Well not this time. As time progressed she got more and more painful, almost colicky. I went and got my wife to tell her. Her first question was, "what are you going to do?" As I stated earlier, I was going to euthanize her if something extensive occurred. This was it and I had to tell my wife it was time. The problem with this was it was not how I hoped it would happen. I wanted the opportunity for my kids and wife to say goodbye. I wanted everyone to remember her as a happy horse standing in the pasture. Instead I was standing in the headlights of Dr. Koontz's vet truck pushing euthanasia solution.

I asked my wife if she wanted any mane or tail from Vicki as a keepsake. She did not know. I had already braided her tail and removed it because I was sure she would. I have always wondered what people did with a braided tail or mane. The next day I did a google search for horse hair keepsakes. I ran across a website, www.braidedlovebywendaboyer.com. She would take the horse hair, clean it, sanitize it, and create a special keepsake. Working with Wenda was a great experience. We exchanged numerous emails and agreed on what she was going to make for my wife. I received the keepsakes today in the mail. The custom horsehair jewelry is great and will give my wife a lasting reminder of her beloved Vicki.

Calming Agents in Horses

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:00:37 GMT

I am considering purchasing a calming agent for my gelding and would like your opinion of these in general and whether a daily product or a single use product would be best. Thanks, Jo

A Meritable Case

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:57:31 GMT

As She Sees It
Bethany Couture, DVM

At the end of September, our hospital received a case that turned into quite an ordeal. "Merit," as we came to call him, arrived at our clinic with a 3 week history of an infected hock joint. He had been treated aggressively by his primary veterinarian but was not responding well. On evaluation, he was severely lame and had extreme joint effusion. Radiographs showed no significant cartilage or bone abnormalities from the infection. Ultrasound revealed a joint full of inflammatory debris, called fibrin. After speaking with Merit's owners about treatment options, surgery was performed. An arthroscope was used under general anesthesia to view the joint extensively. Fibrin was removed from the joint and a small area of infected bone was debrided. The cartilage surfaces of the joint looked healthy, and a good prognosis was expected as long as no complications arose.

Merit recovered well from surgery and was on the road to recovery. He was maintained on IV antibiotics for several days after surgery and was then switched to oral antibiotics. About 5 days post-op he showed mild signs of colic. General anesthesia causes a decrease in motility of the gastrointestinal tract, which occasionally results in colic. Rectal palpation revealed that Merit had an impaction. Impactions are generally treated medically, with oral fluids, laxatives, and pain medication. After 2 days of medical treatment, the impaction was worsening and Merit was becoming more painful. Another discussion with his owners and we were off to surgery.

Exploratory celiotomy (abdominal exploratory surgery) revealed just what we suspected...an impaction in the pelvic flexure of the large colon. Horses have a GI tract that is riddled with potential anatomical disasters. The pelvic flexure is one of those areas. The large colon is a double horseshoe shaped organ that begins on the right side of the horse, wraps forward toward the diaphragm, then curves backward to the left side. At that point, it narrows and makes a 180 degree turn before wrapping on top of itself back to the right side. The 180 turn on the left side of the horse is called the pelvic flexure. Merit had about 10 inches of very hard ingesta impacted in his pelvic flexure. The only way to resolve the impaction was to open up the colon (enterotomy) and dump it out. Obviously a messy procedure, the colon is incised ahead of the impaction and the material is lavaged out with water. Once the impaction is relieved, the colon is closed and the rest of the abdomen is explored. Merit had no other abnormalities so his abdomen was closed and he recovered uneventfully. He remained on IV fluids for about 24 hours after surgery and was given small amounts of senior feed at about 36 hours post-op. To the dismay of everyone at the hospital, he became colicky about 48 hours after surgery. Rectal exam showed no obvious abnormalities but Merit's pain could not be controlled with medication.

At about the time Merit was colicking again, I was visiting my brother's family for his birthday. Right when we were getting ready to go to the restaurant where we had reserved a room, I get a call from my favorite surgeon saying that our boy Merit needed surgery again. So much for a birthday celebration. I rushed to the clinic and we got him anesthetized and on the table. This time, we found a right dorsal displacement of the large colon. The free end of the colon (pelvic flexure) that I talked about earlier is able to move around at will because it has no connective tissue to hold it in place. When the colon contains no ingesta and becomes gas distended it is very easily displaced because it is not held down by the intestinal contents that it normally contains. We were able to easily put the colon back to its normal position. No other abnormalities were present in the abdomen. Merit again recovered well. We maintained him on IV fluids after surgery and began to feed him back very slowly over 4-5 days, in order to prevent any further GI upset. He became very hungry in record time and resented the small amounts of feed he was receiving, but he recovered superbly.

About a week after the second surgery, Merit's incision became infected. Incisional infections occur in about 25% of horses after one surgery and almost 90% of horses after a second surgery. We began treating him with oral antibiotics but no improvement in the incision was seen after one week of treatment. We submitted a sample from the incision to the laboratory, the sample came back as an extremely antibiotic resistant bacteria. We then put Merit on a very expensive antibiotic for about a week, during which time his incision cleared up well.

Fortunately for those of us at the hospital who were caring for Merit, his infected hock did very well and we never had a complication with it. He was in our care for a total of six weeks, during which time we all became very fond of him. Before all of his medical problems Merit was a very successful racehorse. Merit was discharged from the hospital today. Our hope is that he returns to racing next year in all his former glory. Thanks to his devoted owners for providing him that opportunity.

SOLD!

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:29:19 GMT

From the Recovery Room
by Ryan Rothenbuhler

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale in Indianapolis. For those who do not know about the Hoosier Classic, it is a very large standardbred yearling sale. There were just over 600 yearlings at the sale. For me, the biggest pleasure in attending this sale came from talking to horse owners about their horses that I had worked on. I especially enjoyed seeing horses at the sale that had been successfully treated in our hospital and were now looking sharp in tip top sale condition. When you work hospital cases, you often do not get to see your patients in the greatest condition.

The morning started off a little slow at our booth in the sale barn. We were located in the back, so a lot of people did not know we were there. As the morning went on, I decided to wander around and see how many owners and trainers I recognized from working with their horses.

The first person I ran across said I did not know him personally, but that I had worked on his brother's horse. He said his brother's horse had colic surgery sometime last year and I had removed a stone from his abdomen. I chuckled and told him to follow me. I had actually brought this so called stone, also known as an enterolith, to put at our booth as a conversation piece. He had never seen the stone let alone discussed the surgery. I showed him the 6 pound stone that I had removed from the horse's intestine, and through pictures showed him what colic surgery was all about. He did not believe me at first, but after I showed him a picture of his brother's horse, he couldn't stop talking about how well the horse had done after surgery.

Later in the morning I was walking around the aisles of horses and ran across the driver of "Sargent Bogo". He pulled out our brochure and told me he had been showing people the before and after pictures. Bogo was one of my first severe wound success stories since starting work with Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital. During the phone conversation with the referring veterinarian prior to Bogo arriving at the clinic, I was told it was doubtful that this injury could mend, but he would send it to me for consultation anyways. After Bogo's hospital stay, he healed and went on to be a successful winning racehorse. Bogo is becoming well known for his speed at the track, and also for his recovery story that is featured on our website.

All day I ran across owners and trainers that I had worked for over the last two years. The conversations usually started with "remember that foal - he's over here" or "remember this yearling - look at him now". It was one success story after another. I looked at healed horses where referring veterinarians did not think there was a chance for a successful resolution. There were horses that had sustained wounds only a few weeks earlier, and the owners were afraid that they would not make the sale. The majority had healed with no obvious scars.

I observed that most of the horses that I had treated did go on to sell in the auction. The money that they brought in the auction was not the most impressive part. The real satisfaction came from looking at an owner who did not think their horse would make it to the sale and seeing them smile as the auctioneer screamed SOLD!

Sending Off a Friend the Amish Way

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:23:59 GMT

Rob's View from the Passenger Seat

Robert Koontz, DVM

I got the call on a Friday evening. John had called to let me know that his grandfather John Sr. had died. I introduced you to the old horseman in my blog "How to Value a Horse". The news was shocking, John was in his eighties, but I was surprised. I had just talked with John Sr. a few weeks before when he returned from work. I told John I was sorry, "your grandfather was a good man that touched many lives". I wanted to go the funeral because of the respect I had for John Sr. and still have for his family. But first I had to ask an unusual question.

"Will I be welcome at the funeral", I asked his grandson? You see John and his family are Amish, I usually think of Amish people just like anyone else but a funeral is a very sacred event and I don't know all the customs. John assured me that his grandfather would like knowing I had attended his funeral. The following Tuesday I went to John's home for the service.

I was very nervous. I did not want to do something that would disrespect John and his way of life just because I did not understand the traditions and customs. I shouldn't have worried. The natural hospitality of the family saved me. My friend and John's nephew, Steve, had waited outside the home for me to arrive.

Steve approached me as I walked up the drive. "I just want to brief you on how we do things", said Steve. He pointed to a large building and told me we would have the service in there. Most Amish families have a large building on their property that they call "the shed". Among other things it is used to hold church services when it is that family's week to host. Apparently it is also used as a funeral parlor when a family member dies.

Steve explained that there are two services that last about 1 ½ hours. The home service is for the close friends and family while another service is held for everyone else simultaneously at a neighbor's home. Embarrassed I asked, "Should I be across the street?" "No, no", Steve replied "they want you here." At that moment I was very honored.

Steve went on to explain that at the end of the service all would be asked to kneel and pray. He said that I could either kneel or if I wanted I could stand. This seemingly trivial choice would seem important later. After we prayed the people from the other service would come to view the body. Finally we would be dismissed to have lunch or go to the burial.
Steve led me into the shed and we walked past the body and John's family. I took a plain, card stock program from a stack on the casket. I then found a seat on a long wooded portable bench. These benches are owned by the community and brought by horse and a special modified buggy to where ever they are needed.

The first preacher stood and started to speak in rhymic chant. I was surprised to discover that I could not understand a word. The entire service was performed in German or Pennsylvania Dutch. The rhymic chant made the service feel very holy and very important, which of course it was. Two other preachers spoke in the same melodic chant. The service was long, and several people got up to use the restroom or attend to other business. There were people stationed around the shed to help the elderly and young children leave and get back to their seats.

Toward the end of the service everyone in the room turned and knelt using the long bench, at which they had previously been seated, as an altar. I of course turned and knelt on the hard concrete floor with the rest of the mourners. After about 20 minutes into a prayer, that I could not understand, I realized that this was the point at which I could have chosen to stand. My aching knees told me that I had made the wrong choice.

After the prayer the third preacher looked at me and said in English "everyone is welcome to stay for lunch". Upon hearing the first words I could comprehend in almost two hours I must have looked shocked because the preacher still looking at me repeated; "everyone is welcome to stay for lunch."

I looked out the window and saw several hundred people lined up down the street. They were the people from the other service. They each walked by single file to view the body and give condolences to the family. As I watched the long line of mourners snake thru the shed my words came back to me; John had really touched a lot of lives. Finally we were dismissed row by row to have a last look at John's body and say some last words to his family.

When I emerged from the shed Steve appeared at my side. As a pallbearer it was his responsibility to place John in the grave that he and the other pallbearers had dug the evening before the service. I was told I could go to the cemetery or stay for lunch. I elected to go home. As I walked away I looked at the simple pamplet I had secured from the stack on the casket. Written on the card:

I'm Free

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free
I'm following the path God has laid for me.
I took his hand when I heard His call,
I turned my back and left it all
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Task left undone must stay that way,
I found the peace at the close of the day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joys-
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Oh yes, these things I too, will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much,
Good friends, good times,
A loved one's touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief-
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart, and share with me,
God wanted me now, He set me free.

In Memory Of
John Schmucker
Born
November 8, 1927
Passed away
September 8, 2011

Initiation Week

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:44:36 GMT

As She Sees It
Bethany Couture, DVM

It was a busy week for everybody. One doctor was working at a horse show. Another was on vacation for the week. And to top it all off, one of the technicians was sick. It had the makings of an excellent week, and I had only been working at the clinic for two months.

Monday was quiet, not many calls and nothing of great significance in the hospital. Then Monday night's on call shift came. What sounded like a simple call turned into hospitalization of a horse that appeared to be "tying up." The medical term for this is rhabdomyolysis, and it results in muscle stiffness and extreme pain. Usually from extreme exertion, such as racing or even a hard workout in an unfit horse, tying up can often be treated with tranquilization, muscle relaxers, and anti-inflammatories. If a horse becomes severely affected, substances are released into the bloodstream that can cause kidney disease. For that reason, in a severe case we prefer to administer IV fluids to keep an adequate blood supply to the kidneys and prevent any adverse affects. The horse I saw that night was extremely painful and her muscles were very firm. However, she did not respond to tranquilization and pain medication like most horses with rhabdomyolysis do.

She was brought into the hospital where we began IV fluid therapy and pain management. In the morning, she was slightly more comfortable but still significantly painful, which ruled out the diagnosis of tying up. A rectal exam revealed that she had a pelvic fracture with a large hematoma present. A hematoma is a pocket of blood and in this case, it was large enough to decrease the horse's platelets and cause her to become anemic. She required IV fluid therapy and continuous infusion of heavy duty pain medications, as well as steroids and antibiotics, in case the cause of decreased platelets was infectious or immune mediated.

While we were continuing supportive care on the mare with the pelvic fracture, a foal came in presenting with a puncture wound in a hoof from stepping on a nail. Her diagnostic work up revealed an infected coffin joint. She required daily treatments which included IV antibiotics, local antibiotic perfusions to the infected area, and flushing the infected joint with sterile saline.

The same day, another doctor in the practice sent a horse with severe corneal ulcers into the hospital for treatment. Both eyes were severely affected, but one eye was much worse than the other. We placed a subpalpebral lavage system in the worst eye and began round the clock treatment with antibiotics and antifungals every two hours. Because I live in an apartment at the hospital, I am often responsible for overnight treatments if they are needed. Getting up every two hours to treat a horse's eye is not on my list of favorite things, but it was necessary for the successful treatment of this horse. To these three cases add our regular appointment schedule with after- hours emergencies and you've got one busy week for two doctors to handle.

On the plus side, all three cases ended well. The foal went home sound and continues to do well on the farm. The horse with the pelvic fracture was sent home on long term stall rest but she is very happy and comfortable in her convalescence. And the horse with the corneal ulcers went home to continue treatment and on follow up appointment she was back in training.

It was a challenging but excellent week for me because I learned a lot and was managing hospital cases nearly on my own (with only a mild amount of input from one of the other doctors). This is what I worked toward all those years in school and I'm so grateful that I'm finally putting all my hard work to good use.

A Sad Story of Neglect

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:11:51 GMT

In My Experience
Ron Conley, DVM

Recently I saw two horses that were taken from their owners due to neglect. The first of the two horses was led out to be examined. You could see every rib and his withers and hip bones were quite prominent. I was thus introduced to Tony, a yearling pinto stallion that was less than one half the weight of the yearlings that I had seen at the Standardbred sale just 2 weeks before. Tony had a rub mark across his nose where a halter had been left on too long. He also had numerous scrapes and cuts.

The physical exam revealed that Tony had a low grade fever. His lymph nodes palpated normal. His lung and gut sounds were normal. A weight tape indicated that Tony only weighed 400 pounds. Most yearlings weigh 800 - 900 pounds this time of year.

How do people not recognize that horses, especially young growing ones, need the proper feed to grow and mature? Feeding instructions were given to the foster caregiver. A fecal sample was obtained to determine if parasite infestation was a problem. Antibiotics were prescribed for his infection.

We were not done at this point. A second horse was led out. A six year old mare that looked like someone had stretched skin over a skeleton. She also had open wounds. The weight tape indicated that she weighed 790 pounds. I estimated from her size that she should have weighed around 1200 pounds. Other than the open sores, the physical was normal on this mare. A fecal was obtained and antibiotics were prescribed.

I was told that before these horses were seized by Animal Care and Control, two horses from the same premises had already died. When officials inspected the farm they found no hay, grain, or other feed. As veterinarians that work daily with owners trying to provide the best care for their horses, neglect cases like this are especially difficult to understand. Why would owners keep horses that they do not provide with even the most basic necessities? When they look at these horses, can't they see the signs of neglect?

At least for the two horses that we saw, the future holds promise. They are now receiving proper care and nutrition. The caregivers that we saw were lavishing the horses with attention; medicating, grooming and routine handling. We certainly hope that once all the legalities have been resolved, these two will find caring homes.

Win a FREE DENTISTRY on Facebook

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 14:26:53 GMT

YOU COULD WIN A FREE PERFORMANCE FLOAT for your horse!

Now that's something to smile about.

Simply go to the Conley & Koontz Equine Hospital facebook page and look for the contest at the picture of the smiling mini. Below the announcement post your comment "My horse makes me Smile." Get your friends to "like" your comment - they may need to "like" our page first. The person that accumulates the most "likes" on their comment by Wed. 10/12/11 will win a free equine dentistry to be performed here in our hospital before 12/30/2011.

Special Discounts on Autumn Dentistry

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:03:52 GMT

We are pleased to announce our special

AUTUMN DISCOUNT

Receive $25 off each equine dentistry performed in

October, November and December of 2011.

Call our office at
877-499-9909
to schedule an appointment.

You can learn more about your horse's teeth, routine maintenance, and dental problems at our equine dentistry educational article.

How much difference can regular dental exams make in the performance and health of your horse? Find out one patients experience in this blog.

What are some common symptoms that your horse may need dentistry? Find out at our advanced dentistry services page.

Indiana Premier Yearling Sale

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:32:15 GMT

In My Experience . . .

by Ron Conley, DVM

Veterinary assistant Dave Hadley and I had the pleasure of attending the Indiana Premier Yearling Sale for Standardbreds at the Indiana State Fairgrounds last weekend. I am glad to report that there were no injuries or sick horses that needed treatment while we were there.

We set up a booth showcasing the hospital. Many attendees complimented the slide show presentation depicting our hospital and the variety of services that we provide. A favorite was the progressive series of photos showing the stages of healing of the degloving injury sustained by Sargent Bogo.

The sale was a great opportunity for us to visit with several friends and clients. We also met and talked to many Standardbred trainers and owners that were unaware of the hospital and the services we offer. They showed keen interest in the availability of colic surgery, throat surgeries and arthroscopic surgeries that we routinely perform.

Most of the sellers we talked to were pleased with the prices that their yearlings brought. The Indiana Program is still strong despite the struggling economy. The top selling yearling brought $95,000 to a very happy owner. Clients of our hospital saw excellent returns on their top quality yearlings, but expressed that they had hoped for a better price on the bulk of the yearling crop. Overall, sellers seemed satisfied with the outcome. We extend our congratulations to Silver Linden Farms, Black Creek Farm, Benjamin Graber, John McGill, Conquest Acres, and Victory Hill Farm on a very successful sale.

We were especially pleased to see that Here Comes Orpha had grown into an attractive and desirable filly. We had all grown attached to Orpha when she spent the early days of her life at our hospital. Shortly after Orpha was born on her farm, the owner felt that something was not right, and immediately transported the mare and filly to the hospital. Upon arrival the mare was in severe distress and a peek at her gums showed them to be as white as I have ever seen. The mare expired shortly thereafter from a rupture of the uterine artery that occurred during the birthing process.

Thanks to the quick actions and dedication of the owners, this filly received the necessary medical attention and care to have a healthy start despite being orphaned. Her general health and antibody levels were monitored to ensure her the best start. She was taught to drink formula from a bucket until old enough to eat grain and hay. Foals are always a favorite in our hospital, but an orphan really pulls at the heartstrings of our staff and gets special attention. Seeing Orpha at the sale reminded us that with proper care, orphaned foals can grow up to be normal in all regards.

Attending this sale was a great opportunity for us to stay in touch with one segment of the local equine industry. We look forward to attending future sales, shows, and horse events as the opportunity arises.

Foal Diarrhea

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:18:21 GMT

I have had foals get foal heat diarrhea, but why are all my foals getting diarrhea around 2-3 weeks of age?

It has been documented that over 70% of foals will have one diarrheal episode prior to weaning other than the typical foal heat diarrhea. Rotavirus is a major cause of infectious diarrhea in foals and has been documented to cause 50% or more of foal diarrhea cases in some areas. Rotavirus is transmitted through fecal-oral route and usually results in damage to the small intestinal absorption capabilities resulting in severe, watery diarrhea. Although death from rotavirus is very low (<1%), up to 50% of susceptible foals can get rotavirus. Most foals that develop diarrhea will not require medical intervention. However, many can get dehydrated and require fluids and veterinary care.

Many foal owners will call and notify us that their foal has diarrhea. We instruct them to watch the foal closely, administer appropriate prescribed medications, and call if the condition worsens. In a few cases the foal will be unable to maintain his hydration and need to be admitted to the hospital for intravenous fluids, gastrointestinal protectants, and observation. Typically these foals that are admitted will be with us in the hospital for 5-7 days while the foal stabilizes and begins to maintain its hydration.

If you would like to read more on equine rotavirus please click here.

To Explore or Not To Explore: That is the Question

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:30:51 GMT

From the Recovery Room
By Ryan Rothenbuhler DVM, MS

One day a few weeks ago, I had the displeasure of having to euthanize another horse. As a veterinary surgeon, I have to help owners make the decision to euthanize or keep going when their animal is sick and not doing well. A lot of horses present for signs of colic. Colic means nothing more than abdominal pain. Most horses with colic are your typical gas colic; or as I like to refer to them as a "Fart Caught Sideways". However, most horses that come see me are not your typical gas colic. They have been seen by their regular veterinarian, had the traditional medications and stomach remedies, and still are showing signs of colic. They come into the hospital in some degree of distress or pain. I get to work them up using all of my resources to give the owner the best possible diagnosis.

Usually owners have the same question for me, is it a twisted gut? Traditionally, the answer is No! Most causes of surgical colic are not a twisted gut. Some of the horses that present to me can be treated medically with intravenous fluids and an assortment of laxatives and medications. The occasional horse needs more than medicine, it needs an exploratory surgery. I once had an owner tell me that I could not take the horse to surgery just to explore, that I needed to know why it needed surgery before she would give me permission. I had to pull out my crystal ball and tell her that I had a suspicion of the exact cause of the horse's colic, but an exploratory would give me close to 100% cause and lead me in the right direction to save her horse. Sometimes the only way to truly determine the cause of colic is to just do a surgical exploratory. That was not enough. She needed more than I could give her. She asked me what options she had. I laid them out as clear as I could.

1. Surgery: I would explore the abdomen and find an answer to why the horse was colicky.

2. Medical Treatment: Not really an option for this horse. The horse was so painful that medications would not keep the horse comfortable.

3. Euthanasia: If surgery was not an option, then we could euthanize instead of watching it suffer; rolling in pain and banging itself up.

With this horse, exploratory was not an option in this owners mind. So the owner opted to euthanize her horse.

After euthanasia I frequently open the abdomen and at least take a look to make sure I can learn from the experience. After opening this horse I found that it had a colon displacement that I would have easily corrected and more than likely it would have went home in just a few days. On multiple occasions, I have had the displeasure of finding an easily correctable lesion after I have euthanized the horse.

Most owners are concerned about money and getting too deep in the surgical costs before getting an opportunity to euthanize their horse. I don't like to talk out the door price because every horse is different. What I do like to talk is what it takes to start treatment and see what happens. Typically a medical colic that requires an intravenous catheter, some fluids, and observation will start around $1000-2000. To do an exploratory colic surgery will cost $2000-2500. An exploratory will provide you the peace of mind that we have done everything possible and give you the true options for treatment of your horse. Depending on what we find at surgery the option to continue or stop is always made available to the owner. If we continue through with surgery, the costs of surgery will obviously be more.

Owners frequently want to know where they are at in regards to costs of veterinary care. At Conley and Koontz we try to keep bills up to date and always available for owners to know where they are financially in the treatment of their horse.

As an owner, it may be very difficult to make the decision to explore or not to explore. You are faced with emotional, personal, and financial decisions that can be very difficult to make in a matter of minutes. If there is the financial backing, most of the time a surgical exploratory can be curative, allowing your horse to recover with no long term consequences.

He will have to live with it the rest of his life?

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:51:07 GMT

Rob's View From The Passenger Seat

by Rob Koontz DVM

Early in my veterinary career I was asked to look at a wound on the tip of a horse's nose. It seems a few weeks ago Poco was tied to a picket line after a long day on the trail. Somehow he had gotten his nose caught in a snap and tore a 2 inch gash along the side of his nose. John, another veterinarian in our practice had gone out and sutured the laceration. John thought it should heal fine with very little scarring. But today Poco's owner had called and said the laceration was healing badly.

I left for her barn immediately, we always try to respond quickly to any laceration but we especially want to do a good job on a laceration that someone in our practice had seen previously. As I drove to the farm I imagined a wound that had completely fallen apart. The wound was probably bifurcated, filled with pus and proud flesh. I had not handled a lot of old wounds so this one would be a challenge; I hoped I was up to the task.

I drove up the driveway, an attractive young lady leaned out the house window and directed; "go ahead to the barn, I'll be out in a minute". I walked into the barn and up to a stall, the placard read "Poco the Trail Boss". There was a horse in the stall but it couldn't be Poco. There was no bifurcated laceration, there was no pus, there was no proud flesh. In fact this horse didn't even have a wound.

The woman rushed in and put a halter on the "Trail Boss". I noticed that she was a little older than I had initially thought; her hair color was red but not quite a natural red. The skin of her face was a little tight and also not quite natural. She looked at me, pointed at Poco and whined "isn't it AWFUL?"

It took me awhile to realize that she was pointing at a small divot and a tiny skin tag that was left when the edges of the wound healed slightly misaligned. Relieved that there was very little too the problem I simply stated; "all we have to do is snip off the skin tag." Horrified she asked; "but won't he have to live with that divot for the rest of his life?"
"Well sure", I said a little confused, "but he doesn't care. He would rather live with a small divot than go thru a surgery to fix it". A little more resolutely she stated; "he will have to live with it the rest of his life." "He won't be looking in a mirror" I reasoned. "He will have to live with it the rest of his life" she pronounced a third - and what I could tell - was her final time.

I proceeded to do standing cosmetic surgery on Poco the Trail Boss. Under tranquilization I blocked the area and carefully cut the edges of the old wound. Finally I meticulously sutured every ½ cm so the wound would heal properly. When I was done it looked pretty good, if I do say so myself.

When I returned to the practice I asked about the attractive lady and her insistence that we repair a divot that was truly very difficult to see. The staff in the office informed me that Poco's owner worked for a cosmetic surgeon and that she had undergone several cosmetic surgeries herself. I realized that if she was willing to endure such pain for her own cosmetic benefit, she must place a high priority on appearances.

I returned two weeks later to remove the sutures. The wound had healed wonderfully with no noticeable scar. Poco's owner was delighted. Poco would not have to live with an imperfection the rest of his life. As happy as she was with the outcome, the next time she made an appointment for Poco she asked that the young vet not be sent out; she would rather have the vet that did not fix the wound correctly the first time than the vet that tried to make Poco live with a divot the rest of his life.

This experience taught me not to force my values on other people. To live with a small divot on a trail horse was less invasive then re-opening the wound; so in my opinion the better option. Obviously this person, who had been thru several cosmetic surgeries, could only see that divot as a large imperfection. Neither one of us was right nor wrong we just saw the divot differently.

As a veterinarian I make many decisions every day. Sometime those decisions are value judgments. I try very hard not to place too much emphasis on my values. After all we all see that divot differently.

Frozen Semen Success

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:37:50 GMT

We have been very excited with the success rate of our 2011 breeding season. The frozen semen breedings can be especially challenging, so our 100% success rate is cause to celebrate.

We bred 4 mares with frozen semen for clients this year. The number of straws were limited so we endeavored to inseminate each mare as close to ovulation as possible. The horses were boarded at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital so that their breeding status could be checked every 6-8 hours.

Three of the mares became pregnant on the first breeding. The fourth mare conceived on the second attempt. All of these mares received post breeding flushes followed by intrauterine antibiotics as well as embolic drugs to help cleanse the uterus.

The owners are ecstatic that they have four foals coming from only 5 doses of frozen semen. High quality frozen semen placed into healthy mares at just the right time can often repeat these results. We are fortunate to have the diligent staff, modern facilities and equipment, and dedicated horse owners to follow the best practice procedures.

We look forward to a rewarding 2012 foaling season.

If frozen semen is an option in the breeding plans for your mare, consider Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital as the provider for reproductive services.

A New Beginning

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:40:44 GMT

Throughout life it seems that the end of one thing is always the beginning of another. I had a huge ending this year in completing veterinary school, followed by an even bigger beginning-a job. Like most new veterinarians, my path up to this point has been long and arduous and has taken every ounce of my determination and perseverance.

I don't remember a time when I wasn't working toward being an equine veterinarian. I grew up in Kosciusko County and never planned on moving back to northern Indiana. I did not grow up in a farming family but at a young age pursued a hobby riding horses. Weekly lessons progressed to working in barns and leasing horses. Finally, after 8 years of riding, I got my own horse. He was a saintly Quarter Horse that taught me many lessons and was also a pretty decent show horse. Then I traded up for a younger, more talented Paint horse that was very successful on the breed circuit, both locally and regionally. I took advanced science classes in high school and worked for a veterinarian during my senior year. Undergraduate work in Animal Sciences at Purdue was difficult with a pre-vet focus, which requires near perfect grades as well as plenty of veterinary experience. Then I got what I had been working so diligently for: admission to veterinary school. I thought I knew what to expect, but going through it was so much more challenging than I could have imagined. I cannot possibly describe all of my experiences at Purdue's veterinary school, but I can at least give you a few glimpses-meeting people from around the country, dissecting a dog for the first time, long nights of studying, endless flash cards, final exams, pathology, hematology, virology, every other -ology, and then on to clinics where there were colics, sick foals, calves with fractured legs, all night surgeries, on call shifts, down llamas, and finally... GRADUATION!

Veterinary school provides you with the basic knowledge you need to become a licensed veterinarian. This career truly is a lifelong learning responsibility and my journey has only just begun. I did not pick an easy road. Job opportunities in equine medicine are few and far between, especially those that offer mentorship and experience in both ambulatory and hospital settings. It would have been much easier to find a small animal job where I could work in air conditioning in the summer, heat in the winter, and work inside with animals that are usually glad to see me and don't want to run me over. No sir, I picked the hard path where I will work long hours during inclement weather on animals that not only don't like me, but can seriously injure me. But it is the career I have chosen and I've never been happier to be a part of it. I have worked toward this goal for over half of my life and I'm thrilled that I've made it. Like I said, I never planned to move back to northern Indiana. If you would have told me five years ago that I would be living in Columbia City after graduation, I would have laughed in your face. But I've grown wiser with age and when presented with a wonderful opportunity for an internship at a progressive equine practice with both hospital and surgical capabilities in an area close to my family, I jumped at the chance.

The word "intern" is not one that many understand. In human medicine, an intern is a doctor fresh out of the first years of medical school that still must complete both an internship and residency before being fully licensed to practice. In veterinary medicine, an intern is a fully licensed veterinarian with all of the privileges and responsibilities of a DVM. Interns are more common in equine practice because there is a very steep learning curve in equine medicine and an internship offers mentorship that may not be as available with typical associate positions. Interns typically work longer hours for less pay, but it's worth it to gain the experience. An internship is also necessary if a veterinarian wishes to pursue a residency in a specialty area, such as surgery or internal medicine. I am excited to see what the future will hold for me as I begin my new journey as a veterinarian. Hopefully I will have lots to share with you about my experiences at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital.

The Magic Colic Remedy

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:53:17 GMT

How I Unintentionally Caused Horses to Suffer in Pain

Recently a horse presented to the hospital with symptoms of colic. Colic literally means abdominal pain. In the horse, colic can be simple transitory gas pain or fatal colon torsion. The job of the veterinarian attending the patient is to determine the cause of the colic so appropriate treatment can be administered.

This poor horse had been painful for several hours. I hate when people let their horse suffer for several hours in intense pain. This poor guy was covered with sweat. His heart was pounding like a piston. His nostrils flared as he tried to draw in enough oxygen to keep his organs from suffocating. There were abrasions all over his body where he had frantically thrown himself to the ground in a vain effort to relieve the pain. It breaks my heart to see a powerful horse reduced to a pathetic mass of quivering flesh.

I passed a tube into his nose and down the esophagus entering the stomach. The pungent scent of menthol and turpentine rushed up the tube and into my nose and mouth. My eyes watering I realized why the owners had waited so long to call. They were waiting for a miracle that would never come and it was my fault.

The gelding's stomach contracted sending another rush of pungent gas into my face. That awful smell brought back memories of another horse with colic. This horse was a mare and she was very close to foaling. She was in as much pain as I had ever seen a horse. Over and over again she threw herself to the ground and thrashed violently desperately trying to relieve the pain.

She must be trying to give birth and the foal must be stuck, it is the only thing that can cause this much pain! But when I examined her uterus and cervix it was quite clear that she was not giving birth she had severe abdominal pain; colic.

I performed a rectal examination on the mare. Horses are large enough that in most cases you can insert your arm into the rectum and feel the intestines. The rectal exam is a very important aid to help the veterinarian determine the cause of colic. The problem was that in this mare the unborn foal was so large that it blocked my path and I could not feel the intestines.

I looked at the owner and calmly said; "I do not know what is wrong with her but its bad." "You should take her to Purdue University." "She MIGHT need surgery." (This was before we had our surgery center more conveniently located) The owner replied with a matter of fact tone; "were not taking her all the way to Purdue." Then he looked at his son and instructed him; "get on your bike and ride to the neighbors for some of that magic colic remedy."

All the while the mare was in extreme pain. The tranquilizers and pain medications I kept giving her were just not strong enough to keep the intense pain at bay. I pleaded with the owner; "When the magic colic remedy does not work can we take her to Purdue?" "Oh it will work" I was assured. I knew the colic remedy would not work but I hoped after it failed the owner would see reason and take his mare to Purdue for evaluation. Some of the local farmers had faith in the colic remedy because when they gave it to a horse with mild gas colic, the horse go better. Of course the horse would have gotten better without the secret mixture.

This mare unfortunately did not have transitory gas colic. I asked how long it would take for his son to come back with the magic concoction. When the owner indicated; "no more than 30 or 45 minutes", I knew I could not watch this mare writhe in pain for another 45 minutes.

Some of my colleagues may not agree with what I did next, but I just could not stand to see her in slam her body into the walls and ground any longer. I put her under short term general anesthesia. She was finally comfortable lying in a medication induced sleep. As she slept, I waited. For what I was not sure, she would probably wake up in as much pain as before. I had no faith in the colic remedy that had yet to arrive. So I watched her sleep.

About 30 to 40 minutes later she started to recover from anesthesia. I noticed a funny thing; she was recovering like any normal horse. She did not seem to be in pain. I was just about to point this out to the owner, when the boy pulled up on his bike. Before I could say anything the owner started squirting foul smelling liquid into the mare's mouth.

That mare never got painful again. About two weeks later she foaled uneventfully. Soon the story circulated the community how a secret magic colic remedy cured a horse that Dr. Koontz said needed surgery (they didn't recall I said I did not know what was wrong and she MIGHT need surgery). The mare went on to have several foals. She also went on to be a symbol to the community, proving the colic remedy works.

To this day I do not know why she was so painful and why she was better after general anesthesia. I suspect her intestines were in perpetual spasm and the general anesthesia allowed her intestines to relax. I know that the magic colic remedy had nothing to do with her recovery. She was better before she received the first dose.

I turned my attention back to the sick gelding in front of me. He would need surgery but he would be ok. I felt the tinge of guilt I always feel when I smell the familiar menthol and turpentine. I know this horse suffered longer then he needed to. The owners just believed the stories and were waiting for a miracle that would not happen again.

Wobblers Syndrome a Disappointing Diagnosis

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:28:08 GMT

I was called out to look at a yearling gelding that developed ataxia. The horse was ataxic enough that he had trouble getting out of his stall and almost fell down coming out of the barn. This horse was easy to diagnose as Cervical Stenotic Myelopathy from the neurologic tests and medical history. This disease is one of the most common causes of spinal ataxia in young horses.

I could not help but recall when one of my own yearling thoroughbreds was led out for the farrier. I saw a strange or odd step. After a thorough neurologic exam he was diagnosed as a "Wobbler". This was a disappointing outcome, with no hope of a race career for this young colt.

In this condition, neurologic gait deficits result from compression of the spinal cord by malformed cervical vertebrae. Developmental orthopedic diseases such as physitis, joint effusion, OCD, and flexoral limb deformities occur more frequently in horses with CSM (Wobblers).

The cause of CSM is likely multifactoral; consisting of genetic and environmental influences. A high plane of nutrition, rapid growth, or trauma often affects the largest best looking individuals. To date, no single cause of the condition has been identified.

Most horses with CSM develop clinical signs at 6 months to 3 years of age. Late yearlings are most common. Males are affected three times as often as fillies. Most light and draft breeds can be affected, while thoroughbreds are particularly predisposed. Affected horses grow rapidly and are large for their age. Onset of the clinical signs can be gradual or come on all at once.

Hind limb deficits are typically one grade worse than fore limbs. Circling, raising the head, and walking over obstacles or inclines make the condition worse. Toe dragging and knuckling are common findings. These horses have difficulty backing and may stand base wide and drag hind limbs. The musculature of the neck may be thin. Cervical pain may be elicited during movement of head position.

Radiographic and myelographic examination are helpful in making a diagnosis.

Treatments for CSM include dietary management or surgery. Management of diet involves avoiding excess weight gain and monitoring the balance of minerals ingested. Limiting exercise is also recommended. Dietary changes are most helpful in mild cases with horses under 1 year of age. Surgical treatments include ventral stabilization or dorsal laminectomy. These surgeries will generally improve the neurologic grading score by 1.

Most horses diagnosed with CSM are euthanized due to the cost of surgery with often less than desirable results. Very few ever become athletic enough to perform.

Why does my Horse Eat Dirt?

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:24:53 GMT

My thoroughbred gelding has been eating dirt lately. Is this normal? Should I be concerned? Nothing has changed with his diet or water intake. He has a salt block but doesn't use it. A few of the other horses at our barn have been eating dirt also. Any info would be greatly appreciated! - Jodi

Dear Jodi,

If your horse is turned out without much pasture, he may root on the ground for something to eat and end up ingesting dirt. The dirt itself will not harm your horse; however, if he consumes a large amount of sandy soil over time he could develop sand colic. This occurs most commonly in horses that are fed hay on sandy terrain. Sand is heavy and does not pass easily through the intestinal tract. If enough accumulates over time it can cause an impaction and your horse will be painful and exhibit signs of colic.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to prevent this from happening. When your horse is turned out, try feeding his hay in a large tub instead of directly on the ground. You can also feed psyllium supplements to your horse to prevent sand colic. Sand Clear and Sand Free are just a few of many psyllium products that you can easily obtain through your local vet supply catalog or feed store. Most of these supplements are fed for one week out of the month and will help your horse pass sand through their digestive tract. You can have a manure sample tested for the presence of sand. At Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital, we include the test for sand with all Fecal Egg Count labwork.

Some horses may eat dirt in an effort to ingest salt or other minerals. Salt intake is very important, especially during the summer, as it helps increase your horses' water intake. Commercial grains are supplemented and should give your horse the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals, but it is still wise to offer a supplement. There are several ways to offer salt to your horse. Many horses will lick a salt or mineral block, but for those that won't, loose salt can be given. A few cups of loose salt can be put in a bucket for your horse to eat at will, or you can salt his hay just like you would salt your dinner. Sprinkle a liberal amount of salt on his ration of hay every day.

Dr. Bethany Couture

My Horse Buying Mistake?

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:50:31 GMT

When I do a prepurchase examination the idea is that I will identify as many medical issues with the horse as possible (hopefully I will find all the horses medical issues). The buyer will decide what he can live with and make a rational buying decision. This of course almost never happens. Most horse buying decisions are based on emotion. About 70 % of the prepurchase examinations I do the owner has made up his mind long before I arrive.

Sometimes I identify major medical issues and the person will buy the horse regardless of my findings. My assistant and I talk in amazement at what findings some buyers are willing to deal with. This is where my story starts. You see my wife; Susan found the perfect horse for my 9 year old daughter Olivia.

Honey is a middle aged double registered Buckskin/Quarter Horse mare. She has won world championships in many disciplines in the Buckskin Association. She has won at large Quarter Horse shows. She is easy to get along with, and is good with kids. She was priced very reasonably.

You might ask "why is such an accomplished horse priced so reasonably?' That's exactly the question I asked. Susan quickly brushed past the question; "she has navicular, but Olivia gets along with her so well, and she knows patterns, and she is good with kids, and she can do western pleasure, and she can do English and..." "Wait" I interjected "let's go back to the navicular thing."

For those of you lucky enough to be unaware of navicular syndrome, it is a complex set of structures in the horses foot that when inflamed causes debilitating lameness. Navicular syndrome is usually not curable but in many horses it can be managed. Some horses, however, never get completely sound no matter how hard the veterinarian, owner, and farrier try.

While talking to the original owner I soon realized that Honey fell into the latter group. The owner described multiple medical efforts that she, her veterinarian, and her farrier had made to keep Honey sound. In the end she had been retired due to recurrent lameness. I told my wife and daughter that Honey was not a wise investment and that we should not buy her. So of course, I am at the barn the next day to do a prepurchase examination.

As expected on the prepurchase examination I found evidence of navicular syndrome. I told my wife and daughter that I did not think this is a wise buying decision. It is not the money; Honey is priced cheap enough that I can get my money back if I sell her as a brood mare. My issue is that my daughter will get attached to Honey just about the time she goes lame.

Susan being very knowledgeable about lameness issues kept asking questions like "what if we tried shockwave" or "do you think we could shoe her differently?" Sometimes out of the blue or during dinner she would shout out something like "How about treating her with Tildren!" I finally had to say that while all of these were good ideas to treat the mare, none of them are guaranteed to work and further more she was not going to stumble on to a treatment that the rest of the veterinary world had not considered. She was not going to be able to cure navicular syndrome at our kitchen table in time to make this a good buying decision. So of course, the next day I am writing a check to buy Honey.

Susan reasoned that the original owners did not have me as a veterinarian. Surely I could hold Honey together for a few years while she taught Olivia how to ride and compete!

So, like everybody else, we did not make a rational buying decision. We bought Honey based on emotion. Susan had made up her mind long before I did the prepurchase examination. So far I have been able to keep Honey sound. Olivia has competed in a lot of shows and is doing quite well. Honey is doing her job and helping Olivia become a better rider. I just hope I can continue to "hold Honey together". The dreams of my daughter and the admiration of my wife hang in the balance. I will keep you informed...

Crusty Scabs From Sun Exposure

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:54:27 GMT

My paint mare has crusty scabs on her muzzle and lower legs. I thought it was from insect bites but my friend said it could be sunburn? How can I tell and what can I do for her?
Karla

Karla,
The first step is to have a veterinarian examine the horse to determine the exact cause of the scabs. Often, sun exposure during these hot summer months can cause problems not only for you, but also for your horse. Many horses, especially those with white markings on their heads, can be victims of sunburn. Mild sunburn is not a cause for alarm, but may necessitate sunscreen and/or fly mask application, and night turn out. Horses can also be affected with photodermatitis, a reaction in the skin that occurs from UV light exposure. There are two conditions that cause a horse's skin to be abnormally sensitive to sunlight (photosensitive).

Primary photosensitivity occurs when a horse is exposed to a chemical that causes the skin to be more sensitive to UV light. This can occur from contact with chemicals (fly sprays, coat conditioners, etc.) or drugs (certain antibiotics and tranquilizers). Ingestion of certain plants can also cause photosensitivity. Clover, St. John's Wort, Rye, and other weeds and grasses are digested by the horse to produce substances that reach the skin and cause sensitivity to sunlight.

Secondary photosensitivity occurs when the horse has underlying liver disease that allows photosensitive pigments to accumulate in the body. Liver disease can be caused by infection, toxins, or cancer. Signs of liver disease are nonspecific and can include lethargy, decreased appetite, weight loss, and yellow color of the eyes and gums (jaundice).

Photodermatitis usually occurs on non pigmented areas of skin, especially where your horse has white markings on their face and lower legs. Horses with photosensitivity will exhibit redness, swelling, scabs and crusts. Owners may see their horses scratching the affected areas. More severe cases can have open draining sores and peeling skin.

Your veterinarian will want to obtain a full history about your horse's care, and perform a complete physical exam. The hay and pasture should be inspected for signs of plants that may cause photosensitivity. Affected horses should be removed from sunlight. The areas of affected skin should be cleaned with antiseptic soap daily and if needed, a cream such as Desitin can be applied to soften the scabs and soothe the skin. In severe cases, steroids can be administered to decrease swelling and irritation. Antibiotics may be needed if there is a secondary skin infection (dermatitis) present. If your veterinarian suspects liver disease, blood work should be run to evaluate liver function. If the liver is affected, further treatment will be warranted.

If you believe your horse may be suffering from photosensitivity, please call our office to consult a doctor and set up an appointment.

Bethany Couture, DVM

A Chiropractic Experience

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:12:08 GMT

I was once asked to discuss equine chiropractic for the Indiana Arabian Horse Club at Russell's Rainbow Stables. I thought the best way to present the talk was to do an actual exam and the chiropractic adjustments as I explained the procedures and why I was doing them.

Cheri Russell conveniently had a horse that she was wishing to try chiropractic on. She brought out the Arabian mare Kausla to be adjusted. As soon as I touched the mare, she attempted to bite and kick at me. She was sore enough that she did not want to be messed with. My first thought was that this might not be the best candidate for a demonstration in front of a lot of people.

After approaching the mare again, I let her smell my hands (they always recognize the veterinarians) and started to rub her neck. She finally relaxed as I proceeded to make a few adjustments. By the time I was finished with the talk and the adjustments, the mare was standing quiet and relaxed as her pain was gone. Several members of the audience came down to touch and prod at Kausla with no negative response. She was completely comfortable and content to be touched.

It still amazes me, after all these years, how much a horse can and will change their demeanor and ability to work after a chiropractic adjustment.

Not all Equine Chiropractors have the same schooling, training, or understanding of the anatomy and disease processes that may be going on. I often discover lameness, neurological, and other problems that require more than chiropractic care.

You may wish to give chiropractic a try if your horse is not happy or comfortable in his work. Symptoms may be behavioral problems such as bucking, rearing, or resistance. Other indications are difficulty with bending, collecting, changing leads, or any other performance issues. You can learn more at our chiropractic services page.

Dr. Ron Conley has been providing chiropractic care for over 15 years and may be reached at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital at 877-499-9909.

Ringworm (Dermatophysis) A Common Yet Often Frustrating Skin Condition

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:51:02 GMT

My horse has patches of hair missing. I am afraid it may be ringworm. How do I know, and how do I take care of it? Can I contract ringworm from my horse? Please Help. - Mary

Dear Mary,

Dermatophysis or "ringworm" is a common, contagious, fungal skin condition in the horse. True dermatophysis is one of several species of fungus. Dermatophysis is over diagnosed because many people erroneously categorize any skin lesion as "ringworm".

Symptoms include: hair loss, reddening of the skin, scales, crust, pustules, and sometimes these lesions form a circular pattern which has lead to the name ringworm. These are the same symptoms as most other causes of dermatitis; making diagnosis by visual examination impossible.

Many cases will respond to broad spectrum treatment and a precise diagnosis is not necessary. I like to use chlorhexidine scrub to clean the area and remove all exudates. I then topically apply an antifungal, antibacterial, and in some cases a steroid to the affected area. Exact diagnosis may be important in refractory cases. Culture, cytology, and biopsy of the affected areas can be used to give us a definitive diagnosis and help direct treatment. Systemic antifungal medication such as griseofulvin or ketaconazole may also be useful in refractory cases. Treatment may take several weeks to finally resolve the dermatitis.

Ringworm can be contagious to humans or other horses thru direct contact or sharing of tack. Transfer of the fungus is not common however because prolonged contact with the skin is required. To transfer ringworm from a horse to a human some of the fungus must get under a watch band or other clothing that grinds it into the skin. To transfer ringworm from horse to horse the fungus usually must get under some tack, this has caused some people to call dermatophysis "girth itch".

The environment and tack can be cleaned with povidone iodine, 6% sodium hypochlorite (bleach), 5% lime sulfur, or 1.5 % copper sulfate.

Dentistry - More than Floating Teeth

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:26:47 GMT

Some years ago I was called to look at an Arabian stallion that was down and did not want to get up. We encouraged the horse to stand and were shocked to see how thin he was. This horse would normally weigh 1100 pounds and was down to about 800 pounds.

The physical exam was normal. An oral exam revealed a mouth full of abscessed teeth. He was put on antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and analgesics. I extracted eight molar teeth during that visit. We started the horse on a senior feed. Over a few weeks time and a few visits, I extracted every molar tooth the horse possessed.

A few months later he was back up to his original weight and able to return to his profession of breeding mares. This stallion continued to maintain a healthy weight until his passing at the ripe old age of 29. Had this horse received routine dentistry over the years he may have died with all of his teeth. It is easy to forget about dental care as long as the horse is eating and carrying normal weight.

Dental problems have to be very severe to cause a horse to stop eating or to cause extreme weight loss. You should have your horses teeth checked once or twice yearly. Most horses need dentistry yearly and a few can go 2 years between dental care.

Dr. Ron Conley has been practicing advanced equine dentistry with power tools since 1988. He was a board member of Florida Equine Dental Association for 2 years. He has presented talks at three Florida Equine Dental Association meetings. Dr. Conley has instructed senior students at Purdue University and presented equine dentistry talks and demonstrations at the Hoosier Horse Fair.

All of the veterinarians at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital practice this level of dentistry on every case they see. Radiographic, endoscopic, and lab work are all available to help in the treatment of advanced cases. You can learn more about these services by visiting the Dentistry Page on our website. Please call Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital for all of your equine dental needs.

Cowboys, Wire Cuts, and Chewed Up Broadleaves

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:55:06 GMT

I was working at a small American Quarter Horse breeding operation when the owner asked me to look at a wound on the left hind pastern of a three year old filly. We walked up to a large 10 foot by 30 foot stall that indeed did hold a three year old filly. That filly did have a cut around her left hind pastern. That was about all I could ascertain as the filly paced the stall, occasionally kicking and snorting. It was probably the first time she had been confined to a stall since being weaned from her mother.

The owner somehow got a lead rope hooked to the halter. I walked up to a big filly that had earned her taught muscles by running with the herd. The owner muttered "she aint been broke yet". By the look of the too small halter digging into her face my suspicion was that she had not been touched by human hands since her first halter lesson. My suspicions were confirmed when I walked up to pet her neck and she immediately tried to strike me with her front hoof. As I moved along her neck she tried to bite me. Finally I got near the injured hind limb and she started kicking at me.

Somehow I got her to stop kicking long enough to smear some antibiotic ointment on the wound. I prescribed some oral antibiotics then explained to the owner that we really needed to put the filly under general anesthesia to explore, clean, and debride the wound. The owner agreed stating; "yea, we need to do that some time". With that we were done for the day.

I was frequently back at the breeding farm attending to the brood mares. Sometimes I would see the filly hobbling in the pasture. Each time I would reiterate to the owner that we needed to put the filly under general anesthesia and work on that wound. Each time he would promise to schedule an appointment to get it done. The call to schedule never came.

I didn't see the filly for several visits, I asked the owner about the filly with the injured leg? He replied; "you don't have to worry about her any more, I gave her to a young cowboy". I did worry about the filly, being given to a young cowboy did not sound like a good future for her. But in spring things are busy in an equine practice and I soon forgot about the filly.

Several months later I had an appointment to see a horse that had an old wound on the hind limb. Reportedly the wound had completely healed but the horse still moved a "little funny". According to the computer it was the same filly I had seen at the breeding farm, only this time with a different owner.

The person holding the horse was indeed a young twenty five year old cowboy. He stood in worn boots with spurs, well worn jeans, a thread bare western shirt, and a dirty cowboy hat. The filly was indeed the same horse I had known however she was no longer filled with the anger I had experienced at the breeding farm. She had transformed into a loving mare whose only desire seemed to be to please the cowboy at the end of her lead rope.

"What have you done to this horse", I exclaimed.

"Well" mumbled the cowboy, "your antibiotic cream wasn't working so I had to treat her my own way." "I worked with her every day for a month until I could hold her hind leg up." "It took another two weeks before she would allow me to pull this wire out of the cut", he said producing a fence wire from his pocket. "But what really saved her leg was an old trick my Dad taught me, Broadleaves!"

The young man led me out to the yard and picked some weeds. He chewed up the leaves in his mouth. He then gently picked up the mares leg. While the mare stood patiently he spit out the chewed up leaves and packed them into what was left of the wound. He proudly looked at me and simply said, "Broadleaves."

The young man was proud of his father's treatment. I remembered the kicking, striking, and biting; I was much more impressed with the transformation of this horse from an angry filly to a kind and loving mare. "My father was wonderful with horses, he could treat any ailment", the cowboy mumbled longingly.

If he wanted to give the credit to his father and some chewed up broadleaves it was fine with me. Some of my colleagues might point out that getting the piece of wire out of the wound was the key to treatment. In reality it was the young Cowboy that saved this mares life thru love, patience, and old fashion horsemanship.

My Horse has Ticks!

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:08:09 GMT

I was wondering if there is any certain products that will help to prevent or reduce tick numbers on horses? I have never had any major tick problems until this year and my three horses have ticks all over, mainly in their manes. My gelding, has them the worst, they seem to appear where his mane is black rather than the white portions and basically I haven't the slightest idea where to even start with this issue. Also I was wondering with all these ticks should I be getting any certain vaccines just to be on the safe side? - Amanda

Dear Amanda,

Ticks appear to be more prevalent this year, and we have seen them on several horses here in the clinic. Unfortunately, ticks are difficult to control but there are a few measures you can take to protect your horse. Ticks are found in heavily wooded areas and tall grass, so keeping your horses out of the woods and mowing pastures regularly is important. Inspecting your horses regularly for ticks will allow you to remove them before they've been attached for very long. Manes, tails, and ears are especially important to check, as ticks can hide easily in these areas.

If you do find a tick on your horse, you can remove it by gently grasping the head of the tick, right at its insertion to the skin, with tweezers. Be sure to remove the head of the tick, because if left behind it will remain under the skin and cause pain and irritation. Dispose of the tick in a jar of alcohol to be sure that it is killed. Wash the site of attachment with an antiseptic and monitor it for any signs of infection such as redness, swelling, or discharge. You can take the tick to your veterinarian to determine if it is the species that carries Lyme disease.

There are products available for application to your horse. Many fly sprays also repel ticks and can be applied daily to your horse. Applying a spray before riding, especially on trails, can help prevent tick attachment. Products that contain permethrin have the ability to control ticks, and are available in sprays, spot-ons, and pour-ons. A few product names include Permectrin, Ultrashield, Duraguard, and Equi-spot.

Ticks can carry several diseases, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and piroplasmosis. Unfortunately there are no vaccines against these agents. There is a Lyme vaccine for dogs, but it is not approved for use in horses. Removing ticks from your horse soon after they attach is an efficient way to prevent tick-borne diseases, because the chance of disease transmission increases with length of attachment. The tick control and prevention measures stated above are the best way to prevent your horse from acquiring a tick borne disease. To read more about tick-borne diseases and other equine insect problems, go to our educational article "Insect Related Health Concerns".

Bethany Couture DVM

Cellulitis

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:37:13 GMT

It seems we are seeing more cases of horses with cellulitis than we have in the past. Cellulitis usually results in extensive edematous soft tissue swelling of one or more legs. This may be caused by direct trauma such as a kick or injury. The leg is usually hot and painful, but lameness varies in degree. Cellulitis is often associated with a penetrating wound which tends to be hotter and more painful than noninfectious cellulitis. Radiographs are often required to rule out fracture.

Swollen legs often leak serum from the skin and abscesses may form and drain. Cellulitis is considered an emergency and should be treated promptly and aggressively with broad spectrum antibiotics, NSAIDs, rest, and controlled exercise.

Lymphangitis may result from cellulitis producing a leg that is enlarged and may never return to normal size. Legs that remain swollen longer than a week often develop lymphangitis. Long term corticosteroids, bandaging, and hydrotherapy may be included in treatments.

Cellulitis is a disease process that often returns repeatedly after the initial onset. Horses diagnosed with cellulitis might never return to 100% normal. They may have frequent flare ups requiring treatment, and may be on some form of treatment for the rest of their lives.

The take home message is to treat quickly and aggressively. Please call Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital if you have questions concerning the health of your horse.

4-H Horse and Pony Booster Clinic

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:30:42 GMT

Our 4-H booster vaccination clinic will be held Saturday June 18th here at the Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital. We will be administering Rhino/Influenza boosters prior to the 4-H fairs. The equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) outbreak that has been reported out west is also known as rhinopneumonitis. The vaccine provides the best protection when boostered every 60 days.

Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital recommends that any horses that travel to areas where other horses congregate should definitely booster every 60 days. For additional protection we suggest the following horse management practices:

Avoid direct contact, especially nose to nose, with other horses.
Do not share drinking buckets, troughs, or feed pans with other horses.
If your horse will be stabled in a stall previously occupied by another horse, disinfect the stall first.

These are management practices that are always a good idea to implement. The EHV-1 outbreak raises awareness of the risks of infectious disease. Please use our suggested precautions to keep your horses healthy.

To learn more about the outbreak, view our posting at EHV-1 News.

The 4-H Booster Vaccination clinic is an opportunity to bring your horse into the hospital to receive the vaccine, therefore saving yourself the cost of a farm call. We are waiving the hospital fee so that your only cost is for the vaccination. We want your 4-H fair experience to be a HEALTHY one!

Please call (877) 499-9909 or email info@ckequinehospital.com to sign up for the June 18 clinic.

Loading a Horse into a Trailer: A skill every horse and horse owner should master

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 14:57:21 GMT

While the previous blog "I am a Horse Whisperer" makes for an amusing anecdote, the simple fact is that too many horses cannot load into a trailer and too many horse owners are not prepared to load. You might think that if you do not go to shows or other events that you do not need to load. "My horse doesn't go anywhere." This mentality can be very dangerous to you and your horse in an emergency situation.

What if the horse in the blog had had a fractured limb? Would fighting to get into a trailer make a broken leg easier to fix? You might think that when you have medical issues you simply call the vet and he comes out to take care of the problem. But the truth is; that while we can treat many ailments on the farm, most life-threatening emergencies must be treated at the hospital. Severe colic, fractures, joint lacerations, tendon sheath lacerations, foaling issues and severe diarrhea are just a few emergency conditions that are best treated in a hospital.

I see people with unavailable or unusable trailers almost as much as I see unloadable horses. I can't tell you how many times I have worked to keep a horse alive while a desperate owner frantically tried to find hitches, electric hook-ups, dig out vehicles, jump dead batteries, etc... trying to get a truck and trailer in working order to haul a dying horse to the hospital. Those minutes or are precious, they can mean the difference between life and death.

Some owners don't have trailers. The desperate search to find a friend to haul a horse for you in the middle of the night can be heartbreaking if your horse's life is ticking away while you try to find a phone number.

If you have a mare in foal, please think about trailering long before she is due. Foaling is fraught with complications. This is compounded by that fact that when horses' go into labor there is very little time to get the foal out alive. Any complication usually results in a dead foal. There just isn't enough time for the veterinarian to drive to your farm, diagnose an issue, resolve the issue with the limited resources at the farm, and still deliver a live foal.

Most large breeding farms take a foaling mare to the hospital at the first sign of complications. They don't wait for the veterinarian to come to the farm and make a diagnosis. They meet the veterinarian at the hospital where the foaling problem can be corrected. This is the fastest, thus most likely way to have a successful outcome. If you have a mare in foal, you should be prepared to adopt the same policy (side note: many owners choose to have their mares foal at the hospital).

In summary:

Be sure your horse can load. Practice at home when you have nowhere to go. If you need help training your horse to load, DVD's by Robert Miller, Monty Roberts, John Lyons, and Clinton Andersen are excellent. You can also hire a local trainer.
Be sure your truck and trailer are in working order, filled with fuel, and accessible in all weather conditions.
If you do not have a trailer have the phone numbers of two friends or two professional haulers who have committed to be available to haul your horse at any time, without notice.
If you have a mare due to foal; have a truck and trailer hooked up, on your premises, and ready to go at any sign of foaling difficulties.

I am a Horse Whisperer

Thu, 19 May 2011 12:08:33 GMT

One summer morning I had stopped in at a standardbred farm to check on a broodmare that had West Nile Encephalitis. She was up and doing well and I was just getting ready to leave when I noticed the farm owner and several other people attempting to load a three year old stallion into a trailer. I stood back about fifteen yards and just watched.

What I saw was two professional trainers, a professional hauler, the horse owner, and the owner's son trying to stuff a powerful and stubborn stallion into a trailer. To be clear this stallion had made up his mind that he was not getting into the trailer. He was also starting realize that he was bigger and stronger then the ridiculously small people that were trying force him into doing something he clearly was not going to do. Nobody on that farm was tough enough to stuff this hellcat stallion into to that trailer.

For those of you who have seen me practice equine medicine on a hot summer day, you know I like to wear shorts, a polo shirt, and work boots. I really do not look much like a veterinarian. It is in this attire that I slowly approached the frustrated men and the determined stallion. When I got close I whispered; "looks like you're having problems getting him loaded". Though it was not said, the trainers' angry eyes yelled; "thank you captain obvious." I pushed on; "fellas I am a horse whisperer and I can load him for you if you'll let me talk to him a few minutes". The look in the trainers' eyes went from exasperation to fury. If they couldn't load him how could I?

I explained that if they allowed me to take the unruly stallion into a stall and have a private conversation, I would discuss the matter with him and I was sure I could talk him into loading. The trainers' pleaded with the owner not to waste any more time letting an idiot like me "whisper" to the horse. They would soon be able to get the job done by beating him into the trailer. The owner of course knew who I was, and was willing to play along so he simply said, "let this guy talk to him".

I took the stallion into a stall and, unbeknown to the trainers, gave him a strong tranquilizer in the vein. When I emerged I handed the lead rope to the hauler and said; "we talked it over, the horse says his signal to you will be when he drops his head, at that point you can load him". Well now the trainers' were really upset. One even growled; "this is ridiculous, we have no time for nonsense".

Fury turned to amazement a few minutes later when the stallion started to drop his head "Wait", I commanded, "he told me he is not quite ready". I was looking at the wide eyed trainers, giving the horse no mind, when I announced, "he just told me he'll load." I actually saw wide open mouths on the faces of the perplexed trainers as the former hellcat stallion led on to the trailer like a lamb.

The only thing I heard as a strolled away was; "how did he do that?" For equine veterinarians, drugs can be a wonderful thing.

News Bulletin: EHV-1 Outbreak

Tue, 17 May 2011 13:19:51 GMT

An outbreak of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) leading to neurologic disease has been identified at farms across the U.S. This particular form of herpes can cause symptoms of lethargy, fever, nasal discharge, incoordination, recumbency, and death. EHV-1 can spread quickly from horse to horse via aerosol transmission and contaminated objects.

The initial case appears to be a cutting horse show in Utah held in early May. The outbreak has subsequently spread to other areas of the country, causing cancellation of many horse shows in the western U.S. If you are planning on traveling to any show, rodeo, fairground, etc this summer, Conley and Koontz veterinarians highly recommend that your horse is vaccinated against EHV-1 every 60 days.

Though no vaccine is 100% effective in preventing the neurologic form of the disease, current vaccination research and experts in equine medicine believe the risk of viral shedding is decreased in herds of vaccinated horses. Therefore, regular vaccination is very important. EHV-1 is a form of equine herpesvirus, also known as rhinopneumonitis.

Horses at highest risk include horses; at training barns, at boarding barns, that attend shows, that go to breeding farms, or that attend the 4-H fair. If your horse will be exposed to other horses or exposed to horses that have been exposed to strange horses this year; your horse should be vaccinated for EHV-1 every 60 days.

Laminitis

Tue, 10 May 2011 11:23:38 GMT

Every spring we see new and continued cases of recurring laminitis. Horses seem to be more sensitive to laminitis than any other species. Laminitis has been defined as any inflammation within the laminae of the hoof. Laminae are the Velcro like substance which hold the hoof capsule onto the coffin bone. This is a very painful disease because when the laminae start to swell, the inflamation is in between bone on one side and hoof wall on the other. Too much swelling and you have a decreased blood supply to the laminae leading to its death. When the laminae become too weak, the coffin bone either rotates, sinks, or even sloughs the entire hoof capsule (pictured here). Although laminitis occurs in the feet, the underlying cause is often a disturbance elsewhere in the horse's body.

Many horses are more prone to laminitis because of obesity, high carbohydrate diets, equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), equine Cushing's disease (ECD) and especially excessive calories. Every spring as the grass becomes green and begins to grow, we see laminitis. Horses will literally eat themselves to death if left with excessive feed. How many calories are our horses consuming per day when left on pasture? Do we know the types of grasses and amounts of alfalfa and clover that may be growing in our pastures? How fertile is the ground that our pastures are grown on and when was it last fertilized? How much acreage is in the pasture and how many animals does it support? How is temperature and rainfall amount affecting the rate of growth? You can quickly see that these questions are not always easily answered.

To introduce horses to pasture, begin with short amounts of time and slowly increase turn out duration. Feed the horses hay before turning them out. Pasture is safer in the afternoons during spring because the sugar levels are lower in the grass. This is the opposite in fall when it is safer to turn out in the morning. Dr. Minnemeyer wrote a nice piece in our "Ask the Vet" on how to safely start pasture turn out.

Laminitis is considered an emergency. The longer the process has been going on the more permanent the damage to the laminae. Horses should be treated immediately no matter the time or day.

Stop all grain and remove the horse from pasture at the first sign of a problem. Call your veterinarian ASAP. Do not force any exercise. Allow the horse to lie down to take weight off of the hooves if it will do so.

Laminitis may affect only one foot or any combination of the four. Most often, both front feet are affected. The horse may show reluctance to move, and often develops a saw horse stance. Trying to reduce weight on the front, the rear legs are shifted forward to bear more weight. The front legs are extended further forward than normal. The horse may be warm and the digital pulses are increased or bounding. The horse may be very reluctant to having its hooves picked up.

Please call Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital if you have any questions o concerns about the health of your horse.

Equine Community mourns loss of Jack Fessler, DVM

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:25:07 GMT

Jack Fessler DVM, 76, died unexpectedly on Saturday, April 23, 2011. He suffered a stroke on Monday.

Jack had a long and illustrious career as a university professor specializing in large animal surgery. Jack was hired in 1960 as an instructor in veterinary surgery at Purdue University. He quickly became a professor and spent his career at the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Jack started the ACVS surgical residency training program at Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1975 and trained 20 residents. He also mentored 30 graduate students and taught large animal surgery to over 2,000 veterinary students. Many of these students are now successful veterinary practitioners here and abroad.

Dr. Fessler will be greatly missed by the equine community. Whether you knew him or not, Dr. Fessler's lifelong work has helped your horse in some way.

The Importance of New Foal Exams

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:14:04 GMT

Newborn foals come into the world with no antibodies to fight off disease or infection. They absorb these antibodies through ingestion of colostrum during the first 12 - 18 hours of life. There are several reasons that a foal may not get enough colostrum. It is possible that the mare may not produce enough, or that she may have leaked the colostrum before the foal was born. Or the foal may have difficulty nursing early in life.

Part of a foal exam includes pulling blood for an IGG test to ensure that the foal achieved high enough levels of antibodies to protect them from life threatening diseases. Foals that do not receive at least 800 mg/dl of antibodies are considered to have failure of passive transfer. Treating these foals with plasma administration (photo above) will improve their disease resistance.

The physical exam also identifies many foals that are born with or develop septicemia shortly after birth. Septicemia means infection is being spread through the blood to essentially every organ of the body. These infections can cause death if not caught early and treated aggressively. We often perform a CBC (Complete Blood Count) to identify early cases of septicemia.

The new foal exam also lets us check the heart, lungs, temperature, and conformation of new foals. The umbilicus is always given special attention and the foal checked for hernias or congenital defects. This is also an excellent time to check the mare for any post foaling problems such as mastitis or retained placenta. Some mares may have tears that need attention.

The doctors at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital highly recommend and perform many new foal exams each week. High risk mares are often brought to the hospital for foaling. These mares are observed 24 hours a day with a veterinarian always in the hospital. Oxygen, surgery suites, and 24 hour laboratory access insure that your mare and foal receive the highest quality care possible.

Perspective: How to Determine the Value of a Horse

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:12:02 GMT

There is nothing like talking to an old horseman to help you gain perspective in life. This is especially true when that old horseman is a 70 year old Amish man that has been breeding standardbred racehorses all his life.

One spring afternoon I had driven to Joseph's house to breed a mare named Memories Parked. I introduced you to Memories Parked and Joe's son's Josh and Lester in my blog entitled "My Favorite Broodmares: Tilleys Going and Memories Parked". Memories' foals now sold every year to a private investor from New Jersey. I don't know what he paid for them but it was a lot more than $1500.

The old man motioned me over to a porch swing. "There's something I want you to see" he called.

I looked at Joe. The lines and wrinkles on his face betrayed the knowledge behind the bright eyes. His rough, strong hands told the story of a lifetime of hard work. Those hands had built the house and barn we now stood beside. Heck, those hands had built my house. I have a lot of respect for Joe.

He handed me a copy of Hoof Beats Magazine the official magazine of the United States Trotting Association. "Read this article" he commanded. The article was about The Private Investor and his success. The interviewer noted that The Investor had particular success with foals born from a mare named Memories Parked. The article went on to ask why The Investor didn't buy Memories Parked. The Investor replied "an Amish man in Indiana won't sell her to me." The article actually read; "an Amish man in Indiana won't sell her to me."

When I finished reading the article Joe handed me a FedEx envelope. Inside was a letter written on linen paper. It was from the investor. The substance of the letter was that The Investor wanted to buy Memories Parked for $75,000. That he would meet Joe at any time and present the money in cash.

When I finished reading Joe said "can you believe that a man spent $5.75 to send me a letter?" Joe was not impressed with the mention of his mare in the magazine. He wasn't impressed by the $75,000 cash offer. Joe just couldn't believe someone would spend $5.75 to send him a letter.

I asked Joe "are you going to sell her? It's a lot of money!" Joe looked at me with a knowing grin. "Naw" Joe whispered, "I'll never sell her." "Owning that mare gives more pleasure than the money ever could."

I now own a horse named Zippin Hot Harley that is worth a lot of money. Due to my daughters hard work (I am biased, but she is an incredible rider) and his athletic ability, they have been very successful. I have had opportunities to sell him for quite a bit more money then I paid for him. My wife and I talked it over. We know the smart thing to do is to sell. You know what? In the end we decided that Joe was right; owning Harley gives our family more pleasure then the money ever could.

Equine Dentistry

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:37:54 GMT

Dentistry is a large part of equine medicine that is often poorly understood by many horse owners. Most horses need to have their teeth floated at least once a year to maintain peak performance and comfort for the horse. Late in the yearling year, before ever being introduced to a bit or training, the wolf teeth (upper first premolar) should be removed. Yearlings also have some of the sharpest points found on horses. Having high quality dentistry performed at this time will allow breaking and training to proceed without hindrance.

As three and four year olds, horses begin shedding their premolar caps. Caps are often retained, broken, shed unevenly, or are loose. This can cause the horses much discomfort. During these years, horses may need dentistry 3 - 4 times per year.

Dentistry has evolved over the past several years to recognize many more problems than just sharp teeth. Fractures of teeth are common and often require extraction. Recently, I extracted the upper fractured molar tooth pictured here, that came out in seven separate pieces. This spring, we found one horse suffering from a caudal hook over 1.5" long and perforating the upper palate. The sad thing was that this animal had dentistry performed by a lay dentist two months earlier.

If your equine dentist does not have sedation, analgesics, radiography, and antibiotics at their disposal your horse may be at risk.

Trust the veterinarians at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital for all of your equine dental needs.

Dr. Ron Conley, DVM
Vice President of Client & Employee Development
Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital

Stringhalt Concerns

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 13:17:28 GMT

What are the thoughts on Stringhalt being a vitamin deficiency?

Lish Diffendarfer

Dear Lish,

Stringhalt is abnormal gait that involves exaggerated flexion of one or both hock joints, resulting in a rapid elevation of the hind limb. The abnormality might be subtle--such as minor upward jerking of the hind leg, or so severe that the canon bone and fetlock are pulled violently against the horse's belly. The gait abnormality generally only occurs at the walk and is not present at other gaits. Some horses with stringhalt have difficulty backing. Horses with very mild disease may only demonstrate stringhalt when backing.

Stringhalt should be differentiated from upward fixation of the patella, fibrotic myopathy, shivers, and other mechanical causes of lameness. Stringhalt is caused by neuropathy (disease of the nerve) that innervates the hind limb. Although neuropathy is well documented the exact biomechanical cause is still unknown.

There is a well established pasture associated stringhalt in Australia involving a flatweed dandelion (Hypochoeris radica). In the United States (US) pasture associated stringhalt is becoming more prevalent. In the US pasture associated stringhalt involves vetch and sweet peas. The flatweed dandelion is also making its way to the US, and has been reported in Indiana. In addition to toxic plants, anything that can cause neuropathy can cause stringhalt. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), trauma, tendon adhesions, equine motor neuron disease, and viral encephalitis are other causes. Accurate diagnosis is very important.

Treatment involves removing the horse from pasture and resolving the inciting cause. The drug phenytoin has been effective in some cases of stringhalt. Some veterinarians recommend the vitamin thiamine as an adjunct treatment. Because thiamine deficiency is not a known cause of stringhalt, using thiamine as a treatment is of dubious value.

Horses that do not respond to medical therapy may respond to surgical removal of the lateral digital extensor tendon. This is the tendon that connects the muscle that causes exaggerated upward flexion when the affected horse walks. Horses affected by stringhalt may return to full athletic performance or may always have an abnormal gait.

Robert H Koontz DVM
Chief Executive Officer
Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital

My Favorite Broodmares: Tilleys Going and Memories Parked

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:11:20 GMT

I work on and breed a lot of horses, but my two favorite broodmares are Tilleys Going and Memories Parked. I had always liked both mares. They are both kind and easy to work with. They both foal out easily and have healthy, quality offspring. But the sale of Tilley's Colt and Memories' Filly really made them special to me.

Tilleys Going is owned by two Amish brothers, Lester and Josh. One day they invited me to go with them to the yearling auction because I was the one that had helped Tilley get in foal. Lester explained that this was a special auction because they expected to get $40,000 for Tilley's Colt. At the time, it would be the highest dollar amount they had ever received for a foal.

Bill Mirror inspects all the yearlings that are eligible for the auction. He is the person that decides which horses qualify and which horses have to sell at lesser auctions. Bill Mirror had told the brothers that Tilley's Foal is the best horse in that year's auction but that he would only sell for about $40,000 because many buyers would not recognize his value.

That's how I found myself driving a Ford Expedition with Lester, Josh, and two of their sons heading for Delaware Ohio and the Little Brown Jug Sale. We had wonderful day. We walked thru the paddocks before the presale races. Lester seemed to know everybody. Every ten yards we would stop and talk to a trainer, breeder, or buyer.

When the races started we had box seats. I bet a little money on each race. As the card progressed I noticed that Josh was full of advice about where I should place my money, but none of his money was ever wagered. I asked -" what gives, if you know so much why aren't you betting." "Aw", he replied, "the bishop wouldn't like that."

As the races concluded it was time for the big event, The Little Brown Jug Sale. I could sense the excitement in the room. Every buyer was hoping to purchase the next great racehorse. Every seller was hoping his horse would be the auction topper. No one had higher expectations than Josh and Lester, after all they were selling the best horse in the sale, of that Bill Mirror had assured them!

The first horse trotted to the auction block. The colt was bred almost exactly like Tilley's Colt. The boys considered this horse, although inferior, a good barometer to estimate their colts value. The auctioneer started to bark numbers and didn't stop until he had called out $110,000. Josh and Lester were really excited now; a horse bred like Tilley's Colt had sold for over $100,000 and Bill Mirror had said that their colt was better.

Several horses later another colt bred similar to Tilley's Colt trotted to the front. This time the auctioneer didn't quit until he had barked $125,000, a new sale record for a yearling. Now the brothers were bouncing off the walls. They had come hoping for $40,000 but suddenly $125,000 was in their grasp. Josh shouted to me "if we sell this horse for over $100,000 were getting a hotel room and partying all night long." Earlier I had learned what the bishop thought about gambling, I thought he may also have a dim view of partying in a hotel room "all night long". No matter, it was time for Tilley's Colt to take the stage.

Tilley's Colt looked impressive as he pranced down the aisle to the raised pen that housed the current horse on the block. He trotted around the pen almost performing for the buyers. I thought who wouldn't want this colt. He looked every bit the racehorse he was bred to be.

The bidding started fast, $1000, $3000, $5000. The brothers were giddy with excitement, $6000, $8000, $9000. The sons were jumping out of their seats, $10,000, $11,000. I was so excited I almost raised my hand and I knew I had no money, $12,000, $13,000. Then a funny thing happened, the bidding started to slow, $13,500 ...$14,000.
Josh looked at Lester no longer giddy but a little bit scared, $14,500 ...$15,000. What was happening, $15,250 ... $15,500? We could sense it; the money had left the room, $15,600 ...$15,700. The big spenders had bought the horses that they had come to buy, $15,800 ...$15,900. When the gavel banged for the last time Tilley's Colt had sold for $18,000.

Josh and Lester were crushed. Their boys were crushed. I was crushed. $18,000 dollars is nothing to sneeze at but we had come to the auction expecting $40,000. During the auction we had visions of $100,000. $18,000 at this point was a real let down. When we regained our composure we walked over to Bill Mirror and asked what happened? "Well" he said showing us his card, "I would have went as high as $40,000 but I wasn't going to pay more than $18,000 if I didn't have to".

Defeated we immediately left the auction. As we were walking out the consigner, a friend of mine, ran up to us and asked; "aren't you going to watch your filly sell"? Not even caring that Memories' Filly was going to sell a little later we just kept walking. Lester mumbled to the consigner; "put a bid on her for us, we can't stand to take another beating".
The ride home was depressing and gloomy. No one spoke until the phone rang. Lester picked it up and in a sullen tone asked; "how much did we get for her?" "That's it" he lamented "did you put a bid on her?" That's when I heard my friend scream thru the phone, "Yea, I bid on her, I almost got stuck with the damn thing". Memories' Filly had sold for $1500. That's how our adventure ended with those words "I almost got stuck with the damn thing" echoing in our heads.

Of course it didn't end for Tilley's Colt and Memories' Filly. Tilley's Colt went on to race and set several track records. I heard that Bill Mirror sold a 25% interest in him for six figures.

What about the filly that my friend the cosigner almost got stuck with? She was sold to a group in Italy. I was told that she had won the Italian standardbred version of the Kentucky derby. These two young horses had proved the experts at the auction wrong. They also created a lasting memory for me. I never saw either horse again but each had cemented a special place in my heart for their mothers whom I continue to work with to this day.

Delayed Uterine Clearance

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:25:14 GMT

Delayed Uterine Clearance

The Breeding season is in full swing, and with the season come many challenges. One of those challenges for mares is delayed uterine clearance. In healthy fertile mares the uterus sets off a natural inflammatory response which kills bacteria and clears the uterus of dead sperm. The debris is expelled and the uterus returns to normal within 2 days.

Mares with delayed uterine clearance are unable to clear the uterus. This may lead to chronic or persistent metritis and decreased fertility. The following treatment procedures should be taken to prevent development of this condition:

• Breed with a minimum contamination technique
• Flush with multiple liters of an isotonic solution after breeding
• Infuse with a broad spectrum antibiotic
• Prescribe oxytocin regimen to help clear the uterus

The veterinarians at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital have seen many problem mares conceive successfully after using these techniques.

Ron Conley, DVM
Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital
Vice President of Client & Employee Development
www.ckequinehospital.com

Quarter Crack Questions

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:50:46 GMT

Dear CK Equine Hospital:

My horse is very lame. She has a large crack on the side of her foot. There was a small amount of blood oozing from the crack. When I touch the crack Daisy pulls her foot away. My farrier tells me she has a quarter crack. What is a quarter crack? Why do horses get them? How can I treat Daisy?
Kay Kozinski

Dear Kay:

It does sound as if Daisy has a quarter crack. A quarter crack is differentiated from other hoof cracks by: location (toe, quarter, heel, or bar), depth (superficial or deep), and site of origin (ground surface or coronary band). It sounds like Daisy's hoof crack is at the quarter of the foot, is deep enough that it involves the sensitive tissue, and probably originates at the coronary band. Pictured below is a severe quarter crack that is bleeding extensive from the coronary band.

Hoof cracks can be caused by improper foot balance, coronary band defects, excessive hoof growth, thin walls, dry hoofs, or overly moist hoofs. Because improper hoof balance is a leading cause of hoof cracks, the farrier is often blamed. This may be unfair. Many horses get hoof cracks due to genetics; they grow low heels with a long toe and thin hoof walls. The tubules that make up the foot of horses with low heel long toe conformation grow forward instead of downward. The forward growing tubule is not as mechanically strong therefore is not able to stand up to the forces placed on them. Consequently the hoof wall breaks (cracks). Most horses develop hoof cracks while at work when the forces are greatest on the hoof wall. I have however seen rather sedentary horses develop quite severe and painful hoof cracks.

Superficial hoof cracks can be treated simply by balancing the hoof and correcting any extenuating circumstances such as adding moisture to overly dry feet. Some farriers will cut a horizontal groove in the hoof above the crack "to stop its progression upward". This practice is counter indicated. The groove only serves to weaken the hoof wall further. This "treatment" probably gained popularity because when the farrier was cutting a grove into the hoof wall he was also balancing the foot. Proper hoof balance, not a groove stopped the progression of the crack.

Severe cracks like the one you describe are more complicated and often must be treated in several steps. The pain you describe originates from three sources. The vertical force when the Daisy puts her foot on the ground. Horizontal stress from the now unstable back part of the hoof pinching sensitive tissue when Daisy walks. Finally inflammation and swelling from infected soft tissues.

To treat the vertical force we float the heel. This simply means the area behind the crack is trimmed shorter than the surrounding hoof wall so that it does not contact the ground. The vertical force has now been eliminated. In the hoof pictured below vertical force has been removed. Notice that the heel of the foot is not touching the shoe. An eggbar shoe is applied to support the healthy hoof.

Infection and inflammation must be controlled before the final stabilization of the hoof can be completed. Infection can be controlled using antibiotics, both topical and systemic. Drawing agents such as Epsom Salt and Animalintex can be used to reduce swelling.

To treat horizontal stress and pinching the crack is debrided often using a motorized Dremel tool. Necrotic, infected and undermined tissue is removed. The unstable back of the hoof is than attached to the more stable front of the foot. Attachment can be accomplished in many ways; the hoof can be laced with wire either embedded in the hoof wall or attached to metal studs drilled into the hoof wall. Farrier Lance Kendrick and I stabilized the foot pictured here using a wire lace method.

I often use acrylic hoof compounds to attach the unstable heel. The foot picture below is a completely repaired quarter crack using acrylic hoof compound for stabilization. Keep in mind that the hoof is not attached so it can grow together like a skin wound. Rather it is attached to provide stabilization while healthy tissue grows from the coronary band.

To prevent hoof cracks I suggest performance radiographs (x-rays) of the foot be used to properly balance the hoofs. Using radiographs of the hoof, balance can be achieved based on the internal structures inside the hoof capsule. If the mechanical cause of hoof cracks can be identified and eliminated prognosis for future athletic performance is excellent.

Robert H Koontz DVM
Chief Executive Officer
Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital
877-499-9909
www.ckequinehospital.com

The Veterinarian's Role in Parasite Management

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:31:22 GMT

The Veterinarians Role in Parasite Management:

The role of the veterinarian in parasite management has decreased to a point where it is rarely even discussed with clients. With the availability of dewormers at every feed store and in every catalog, parasite management has fallen out of the veterinarians hands and therefore, left up to the owner to decide proper management. We carry a few dewormers on the truck and in the pharmacy for the occasional client who doesn't want to mess with the hassle of driving into town or paying for shipping. As an owner, why do I need to change what I have done for the last how many years? Do I have a horse that doesn't shed out its coat, looks a little rough, maybe a pot belly? Do I have a horse that is hard to keep weight on? What about a horse with recurrent colic. Maybe parasite management should be evaluated to make sure we are not missing something.

One of the big questions that we need to ask ourselves both as a veterinarian and/or owner, what are we trying to accomplish? Kills the worms? This may be true for some of the equine parasites, such as equine roundworms, but an emerging problem with more and more resistance is the small strongyle (cyathostome). Small strongyles exert the majority of their damaging effects before they are susceptible to many dewormers. With small strongyles we need to focus our efforts on preventing contamination of the environment with eggs. In young horses the equine roundworm is a very detrimental parasite. It leads to poor weight gain, rough haircoats, and pot belly appearances. They exert their effect on the young horse by robbing the nutrients as well as leading to intestinal inflammation. The only practical way to decrease future infection is by limiting the passage of worm eggs, and this can be accomplished by killing female worms before they reproduce.

With all of the so-called management practices out there, only one practice works most of the time. Dewormers are still the best tool that we have in parasite management. Most dewormers will cover the horse parasite load, but what about the small strongyles and large strongyles. Small strongyles have proven to be the most difficult in management. As I said in the last paragraph, small strongyles exert their damage before they are susceptible to dewormers. The small strongyle does this by forming cysts while in the larval stage in the gut lining. The cystic larvae can lead to alterations in the gut and the potential for recurrent colic. The large strongyle larva migrates through the vasculature of the intestines and cause scarring. This can lead to recurrent colic. There are only a couple of dewormers which have been shown to get encysted small strongyles and migrating larva. Those are Quest administered once and the Panacur PowerPak administered over five days. Use of dewormers that are labeled as larvacidal is pivotal in the proper management of the strongyle parasites.

What about resistance? Most people recommend a rotation of dewormers thinking that this will help prevent resistance. Rotations were implemented to cover the deficiencies of certain dewormers. Some dewormers may not cover all potential parasites, so we rotate. True resistance of dewormers against common parasites is a growing problem and concern. Rotation is not as important as making sure that the dewormer is effective.

I cannot take credit for this quote, but I like it.

"Parasites are plastic organisms with the ability to adapt to, and ultimately triumph over, virtually all man-made selection pressures. Because most of these adaptations have a genetic basis, future generations of worms may not be susceptible to the same interventions that would have killed their grandparents."

One of the most important aspects of parasite management is making sure the drug administered is effective in your herd. Well you ask, how do I make sure that the dewormer is effective in my herd. We at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital can do quantitative fecal egg counts (FEC). This involves collecting feces from a group of horses in your herd prior to deworming. Once the proper dose of dewormer has been administered, we wait 10-14 days and collect feces from the same horses and perform another FEC. We want to see a reduction in FEC by about 90% to determine effectiveness. We can also use FEC to determine when to redose the dewormer. By collecting feces every 2 weeks after dosing, one can determine the egg reappearance period. This will allow us to determine if the time interval between dewormers is appropriate so that we can reduce the pasture contamination thereby, decreasing the infection. The sampling of individual horses in the herd can help us determine the spectrum of effective dewormers, the optimal timing of treatments, and the required expenses and effort needed for each individual horse in the herd.

One last thought about parasite management. Not every horse is created equal. Just because one dewormer works well on the majority of horses it may suboptimal for a member of your herd. By performing a FEC four weeks after the egg reappearance period you can determine which horses in your herd can handle strongyles on their own and which horses need the extra special attention.

By performing fecal egg counts, we can help you determine the optimal dewormer and dosing interval for horses in your herd.

Horse Sense Myth Buster: Horse Warts & Pliers

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:59:18 GMT

There is a phenomenon with human beings that if one event closely follows another event we credit the first event for the second event. Horse people seem to be especially susceptible to this phenomenon. I fell victim to this assumption back when I was a young farrier.

I was an apprentice farrier, my boss Dennis Wertenberger and I were at a large horse farm. As the apprentice it was my job to trim the feet of all the wild yearlings. The first yearling I walked up too had about 100 unsightly warts covering its muzzle. I soon found out that almost all the yearlings had at least some growths on their face.

I ask my boss, an old time farrier how to get rid of these growths. He shuffled his feet, spit on the ground and in his slow draw mumbled; "I could tell you but you won't believe me". After a few minutes of assurance that I would believe him, he mumbled his secret. "You pull a few off with some pliers," he asserted, "and feed the warts to the horse."

I was skeptical but I had promised to believe him, so as I trimmed the yearlings' feet I would pull some warts off their face and put them in the feed pan. Yearlings at this particular farm were only worked with every six weeks when I trimmed their feet. They were already pretty wild. Ripping skin off their sensitive muzzles with pliers did nothing to improve their moods.

Over the busy weeks I forgot about the yearlings, their unsightly growths, and the dripping blood where I had ripped skin from their muzzles'. Six weeks later we were back at the farm to trim the horses. I walked up to the first yearling and immediately noticed two things. First he had not forgotten the guy that had pinched his muzzle. Secondly, and more importantly the warts were gone, completely gone! This was amazing; the old time treatment had worked!

That was enough for me. I told everyone that would listen that I knew the secret to curing warts in horses. Every young horse I ran across with warts had them ripped off with pliers and put in the feed dish. My treatment worked every single time.

Years later I sat in a classroom at Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. The topic for the session was warts and other noncancerous tumors in horses. I sat at my desk a bit smug, after all I knew the cure, why did I need this lecture?

The professor explained that warts were caused by the highly contagious papilloma virus. The virus usually only affects young horses. The obvious warts the virus caused were self limiting. Wait a minute, did he say self limiting? You mean even if I didn't rip a few off and feed them to the horse the warts would have gone away on their own? I thought back to all the poor youngsters that had experienced me tearing pieces of skin off their sensitive muzzle, all the blood and all the extra work trimming infuriated yearlings. The disease is self limiting!

How could I be blamed? My treatment worked every single time. Of course that's the trap; it always seems as if the first event caused the second event. As I have matured into an experienced veterinarian, I try to avoid assumptions that cause me to do things like rip growths off the sensitive muzzle of a yearling. Maybe all horse people should try to be more aware.

For an educational discussion about horse warts and the papilloma virus go to the education and resources area of our website www.ckequinehospital.com.

Robert H Koontz DVM
Chief executive Officer
Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital
877-499-9909
www.ckequinehospital .com

4-H Discount Vaccine Clinic

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:38:16 GMT

Saturday March 26 is the 4-H vaccination clinic at the Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital. We have extended the registrations deadline until Friday March 25, 2011 @ 3PM. For forms and details click here. 4-H members benefit from a discount on their vaccination costs at this clinic.

Equine Affaire

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:26:22 GMT

Travel to Columbus OH to experience the 2011 Equine Affaire. April 7 - 10 will bring educational clinics for riders and horse enthusiasts, shopping galore, and the Pfizer Fantasia to the Ohio Expo Center. For more information click Equine Affaire.

Hoosier Horse Fair

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:10:37 GMT

The Hoosier Horse Fair will be held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds beginning Friday April 1st and running through Sunday April 3rd. The Indiana Horse Council sponsors this event featuring clinics, entertainment, and shopping. This is a fantastic opportunity to get prepared for spring. You can learn details about the 2011 programs by clicking Hoosier Horse Fair.

Invisible Disease

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:25:42 GMT

Invisible Disease

Spring is in the air, and a busy time for equine breeding farms. Spring is usually the time of year that most mares foal. It is also the time that most breeding takes place.

Endometritis is an invisible disease that affects approximately 15% of all mares. The endometrium is the delicate lining of the uterus. If it becomes infected or inflamed, it creates a hostile environment for sperm or any resulting embryo. All semen contains bacteria and inflammatory substances.

This disease may be detected by uterine culture and cytology, and by ultrasound in very severe cases. Some mares experience post breeding endometritis every time they are bred.

Detection and treatment are essential for optimal breeding productivity. The veterinarians of Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital can diagnose and treat these conditions, allowing your mare to conceive healthy foals year after year.

Are You the New Guy from Purdue: Part 3

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:37:01 GMT

Are You the New Guy from Purdue: Part 3

I got great experience during my internship at The Ohio State University. It was there that I really fell in love with surgery. I got to work on all types of horses. I was the veterinarian now. I had the privilege to work with some of the best surgeons and medicine doctors in the country. About four months into my internship I decided that I was going to apply for a surgery residency. I decided that I was only going to apply to a few schools and if that did not work then I would hit the road and visit every school that was offering one the next year. I called Purdue to come back and interview there. I was initially told no need to apply because they did not take back their own. Purdue was not big on inbreeding. I really wanted to go back there and learn from the people that I respected the most. With open arms they welcomed me back for an interview. The interview went well, but I just had the feeling in the back of my mind that they did not take back their own.

In March 2002 I got a phone call from Jan Hawkins (another very influential person in my life) saying welcome back to Purdue University. I was going back to Purdue to complete my surgery residency.

My surgery residency was everything that I thought it would be; long painful days of no sleep and long surgeries. The longest time I ever stayed awake was 56.5 hours straight. I was a walking zombie. On the drive home I fell asleep at a stop light. A kind gentleman walked up to my window knocked on it and told me the light had changed to green. By the time I had realized I was asleep and that someone had just woke me up, I missed the light for another cycle.

My first year of my residency was figuring out the ins and outs of each doctor that I had to work with. They all do things different. One doctor wanted needle attached when giving injections, one wanted needles up and attached, and another one wanted needle unattached and down. However, my favorite doctor said, "Give it however you can to get the drug into the horse with no problems!"

My second year of my residency was now trying to prep myself for doing surgery on my own. In the third year of a residency you are the senior resident. You have primary case responsibility. During the second year you still have to work on emergency duty with a senior clinician. But during your third year, you were the one that the first and second year residents would call for emergency surgery. I dreaded third year, but I knew I had to do it. The second year went by faster than the first.

One of my favorite surgeries during my second year was a cesarean section on a shorthorn 1st calf heifer. I had never done one on my own and frankly had never even taken the lead role in one. Dr Adams was my scheduled senior clinician. Everyone in the hospital including everyone in a three county radius knew that Dr Adams did not like c-sections. He would do them if he had to, but grumbled the entire time. He would tell us tissue is tissue and surgery is surgery. Not only did he not like them that night he was adamant that he was not going to assist me. He told me various reasons why he was not going to help, but the one that stuck was, "Ryan, this is an entry level type surgery. We expect our students to be able to do these when they graduate from here." So I strapped my big boy pants on and off to surgery I went. Not only was it my first c-section by myself, I got to do a belly button resection on a one hour old calf because the calf's intestines came through the belly button when it stood up. I got the 2 for 1 surgery that evening. I had never dealt with this in a calf before, but I remembered what Dr Adams had told me earlier and off to surgery I went.

Later during my second year I had a run of c-sections in first calf heifers. Most of these were shorthorns, but there were a few crazy Angus and a few crossbreds. One that really sticks out was a crossbred heifer that had a breech calf. This heifer wanted to kill me and she was going to do everything in her power to accomplish that. After the c-section we opened a bunch of gates and stall doors and let her run into a stall. Within 1 hour she had broke out of three stalls and was on her way to hurting everyone in the hospital. I called the owner and told him she was ready to go home and that we couldn't work with her. I also informed him that he probably should send her to market because we could not work with her and he probably would be unable to as well. To jump a little bit ahead into my third year; he brought her back the next year for another c-section. I almost cried.

My third year came a lot faster than I was prepared for. My very first weekend on call, I had four colon torsions in brood mares. I took all four to surgery. All four we had to euthanize. I had a terrible weekend. But after cutting four straight colic's, I had the confidence that I needed to be on my own. The confidence continued to grow as more and more emergencies continued to come in. One surgery that really humbled me and reminded me that we were dealing with biological tissue that doesn't read books was a colic that I cut for a good friend. He brought me his very good stallion. I diagnosed a surgical colic and took him to surgery. The surgery went great! I came out of surgery high fiving everyone and bragging how fast we got surgery done. We got a colic done in 55 minutes start to finish. That was good. A few days later the complications started occurring. First it was a simple one, then another, and so on. A month later it was another. This horse was not following the book. It reminded me that just because we think everything is going to go well, the horse is a living creature and IT tells us what is going to happen. I use this story with all my clients even today. Just because everything goes perfect at the time of surgery, they don't always read the book.

Spring Grass Induced Laminitis

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:38:24 GMT

Please give me a safe schedule for putting horses out on spring grass to prevent laminitis.

Answer Provided by Dr. Grant Minnemeyer:

When looking at ways to prevent spring pasture induced laminitis, let's first talk about why horses placed on spring pasture are at risk for this disease. When horses are turned out on pasture rich in starches and sugars, they often consume enough forage to exceed the capacity of their small intestine. These starches and sugars bypass the small intestine and enter the horse's hindgut and thus change the bacterial flora and pH of the hindgut. This increases intestinal permeability causing toxins to enter the bloodstream leading to laminitis. As with all feeding practices, it is best to avoid sudden changes. When a horse is being introduced to pasture, initially limit the turnout time to a few hours. The safest times for your horse to graze are late at night and early in the morning, with the worst being late morning and early afternoon. Ways to limit your pasture size include using a round pen or strip grazing using a mobile electric fence. Grazing muzzles work very well to limit the amount of forage the horse can consume. Unfortunately, pasture access may need to be taken away completely in horses with a history of pasture induced laminitis.

Crashed Dad's New Horse

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 11:10:58 GMT

Crashed Dad's New Horse

Because I have so many Amish friends and clients some of my "English" friends are very curious. I am often called upon to tell them about the Amish lifestyle. My "English" friends are often disappointed when I tell them the Amish are just like people of all religions. Some Amish people are impetuous and irresponsible, some are devote and reserve. Some Amish are lazy and some are hard working. I know dishonest Amish people and I have great Amish friends that are beyond reproach. Of course I know people of many religions that are dishonest, lazy, and irresponsible. I also know nonreligious people that are moral, honest and hard working. People are people no matter what religion. This is a story that illustrates what I am talking about.

One Saturday evening I was called to a house to see a horse that had fallen while pulling a buggy down the road. The caller explained that he was a neighbor to the owner of the horse. The actual owner was gone and could not be reached. The person driving the horse was the owner's son and could not talk at the moment. The good neighbor added: "The horse is cut pretty bad, can you please come."

When I arrived at the farm I found what had recently been a vital, and proud young racehorse, not long off the track. Now, however this poor fellow had several abrasions and cuts on the front of both front ankles and both front knees. He was very sore and lame. I quickly accessed the horse, surveyed the damage and developed a treatment plan. I then asked to talk to the owner. The good neighbor, pointing to a buggy, replied: "the owner is still unavailable but his son is over there."

I noted the scene as I walked over to a young man leaning on a buggy. Behind the boy, two nervous looking teenage girls stood fidgeting. Further in the background was another buggy filled with several teenagers. When I got closer I noticed two large speakers in the back of the buggy hooked to a stereo and powered by car batteries. There were a few empty beer cans on the floor boards.

As I explained my diagnosis and treatment plan the boy was unable to focus. It suddenly hit me; this kid was drunk! With this realization I put the entire picture together. Without permission, when Dad was out of town, the boy and his girlfriend had taken the new racehorse out for a spin. While racing with their friends the new horse, who was used to a track not the road, had slipped and fell injuring both front limbs.

I finished explaining what I intended to do to treat the horse. The boy looked at me and pleaded; "Mr. you just got to fix him, my Dad is going to kill me." At that moment I recognized the look in his eyes. It was the same look in my eyes when I was 16 years old and had wrecked my Dad's new car.
As I said; people are people, no matter what religion.

Are You the New Guy from Purdue: Part 2

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:54:28 GMT

Are You the New Guy from Purdue: Part 2

My very first day in the vet school as an official veterinary student began on a Friday night. We had orientation in the big, intimidating lecture hall. All of my classmates were there. They, being the vet school, had somehow goofed and accepted 72 students instead of the standard 60. It did not matter that I was an alternate because now I was on the same playing field as everyone else in the room. We spent a few minutes meeting everyone in the room. There were people with only 2 years of undergrad, people with bachelor degrees, and people with master degrees. Heck I had a classmate who was an attorney. But the one thing that we all had in common was that we all wanted to be veterinarians.

The following Monday morning, classes started at 7:30am. We had anatomy lecture. A very short, strong accented woman waddled to the front of the room and started to speak about neuroanatomy. My heart rate started to race, I was starting to panic. I had never heard these kinds of words in undergrad. It thankfully only lasted 50 minutes. Later in the day we had physiology. The first subject we covered was cardiac physiology. It was taught by an ex-professional wrestler who was also a veterinarian. A very large, strong man, who intimidated you just by talking, was starring at us from the front of the room. He carried a broken radio antenna as a pointer to illustrate principles on the chalk board. I was one of the first to ask a question as he was breezing through what he considered basic cardiac physiology. As I asked my question, which I truthfully cannot remember, he smacked his antenna on the chalk board and said…

”People, this is basic undergrad education! If you do not understand it, go back and learn it. I am not going to discuss it any further!”

I was done! I had signed on for the long haul, but I was done. I had spent the first day and had never heard of anything we talked about. Then it dawned on me, everyone minus the few master’s degree students were probably in the same boat. I had to stick it out.

The first two years of vet school were covering the normals and the not so normals of veterinary medicine. The second year was the abnormal –ologies. Pathology, virology, microbiology, toxicology.... I was once told if you made it through second year, you were going to be a veterinarian because it got no harder.

My routine was going to bed at 11:00pm and getting up at 3:00am, studying by 4:00am. Most mornings, I was at the vet school by 5:00am studying in the library or a small, quiet, obscure place in the building. I was bound and determined to pass second year. Second year came a little easier than I expected, but it did one thing, it taught me studying habits that got me through the rest of vet school and through my surgery residency.

The third year of vet school is the first time where one actually gets to start tracking towards the discipline they want to pursue as a veterinarian. As my classmates were mostly going towards small animal, some towards equine, and a fair amount towards mixed, I made up my mind. I was going to be a large animal veterinarian or I was going to flip McDonald’s hamburgers. Third year was fun. It was finally the classes that taught you how to fix the problems that we learned to recognize and diagnose the prior two years.

I really enjoyed ophthalmology (eyes). I really considered becoming a large animal ophthalmologist. There was only one problem, I was a future one eyed doc. Most of the ophtho- equipment required both eyes. I had only the use of one eye. I went to speak to one of the board certified ophthomologist about my interest and potential problem. She pointed me towards another one eyed doc who was a practicing successful ophthalmologist and said contact him. I was super excited that I possibly had found my true calling. When we started scheduling for fourth year clinics I went to talk to our ophthalmologist about what I needed to do in my fourth year. They really pushed me to track small animal so that I could spend more time in ophthalmology. They said there was no way I would get enough experience just tracking large animal to get an ophtho residency. This is where my love for eyes died. As I said in the paragraph above, I would flip McDonald’s hamburgers before I would work on a small animal. For the first time in my veterinary career I thought I would just be a general practice doctor.

Fourth year was the real deal, finally working on the actual animals and learning how to be a real veterinarian. It was scary, we had to work with a group of doctors who were going to challenge us and question us, but mostly trust us to take care of their cases. During my fourth year I had the privilege to work with Dr. Ron Conley for seven and half weeks for my veterinary externship. The very first day I met Dr Conley I showed up at his practice dressed in a dress shirt and tie. He took one look at me and said I hope you brought work clothes. He then said go out to the barn and palpate the mare that’s in the stocks and tell me what’s wrong with her. She had a giant cantaloupe size ovarian tumor on the left side of her abdomen. He asked me what I wanted to do about it. Confidently I said take it out. His only response was, “How?” I told him that no tumor that big was going to come out through the flank, it had to come out of the bottom of her abdomen. He said great, let’s do it now. I was amazed that we were going to lay down this mare in a barn stall, make an incision into an abdomen, and take out this tumor that day. What I did not know was that I was going to do it. He had to run anesthesia. Now he did not just run anesthesia, he did help take the tumor out. I spent the next seven and half weeks thinking how cool it was to do surgery. I really enjoyed surgery!

After my time with Dr. Conley, I had the privilege to travel around Indiana interviewing potential employers. The problem I kept running in too was that most employers wanted to pay somewhere between $35,000 and $37,000. I knew that wasn’t going to fly with all of my student loans. I started to remember all of the fun I had doing surgery and that I really enjoyed taking that ovarian tumor out. Shortly after that I applied for an internship at The Ohio State University for an ambulatory internship with rotations in the hospital. I was going to be a surgeon.

The rest of my senior year was uneventful. We finished clinics up in May and I was privileged to graduate with 65 other veterinary students in the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2001.

I wanted to end this section of my life with a quote from one of the most influential people in my professional life at Purdue University, Dr. Steve Adams. Dr. Adams was a Purdue lifer. He had been there since 1972. He was a man full of knowledge and always willing to give you his opinion. I asked him to sign a book that he had written with Dr. Fessler (another very influential man) before I left for Ohio. He obliged and this is an excerpt that he wrote on the front page…

“I am confident you will have a productive career and you are certainly getting off to a good start with your internship at “The Ohio State University.” I do want to remind you however, that a “buckeye” is a hairless nut of no intrinsic value so you might want to continue to call yourself a Boilermaker. “

New Website Launched!

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 09:38:05 GMT

Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital is pleased to announce the launch of our new website! Our new site will be a resource center that allows you to have many services and information at your fingertips.

Are You the New Guy from Purdue...

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 09:10:39 GMT

Are You the New Guy from Purdue?

I wanted to write my first official blog as an introduction (slightly long introduction). I have no real experience writing blogs and frankly have no real idea of what I will talk about. I have an idea of what blogs should be and what people want to read about, but would love to hear from everyone some topics that they would like to see in "From the Recovery Room".

A client was picking up a horse the other day and asked if the "New Guy from Purdue" was here. He had some questions... So over the next few blog posts I hope to answer some of his questions.

My name is Ryan Rothenbuhler. I am the head surgeon here at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital. I moved to northeast Indiana a year and half ago to help build Indiana's first full service equine hospital and referral center. Before I dive into more of my veterinary experience, I wanted to cover a little bit more about me and how I became a veterinarian. My future blogs over the next few days will cover a little bit more about my training and experiences.

I remember writing my first letter to Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine as a seventh grader at Decatur Central Junior High school on the south side of Indianapolis. It was for an English class assignment. I explained how I had always wanted to be a veterinarian and that I just wanted some information regarding what I would have to do to become a veterinarian. My mom had told me that while other kids wanted to be mountain climbers or garbage truck drivers, I always insisted that I wanted to be a veterinarian. I waited a couple of weeks for a response from the vet school hoping that they would have all of the answers. I finally received a letter and a brochure.

The letter read something like this...

Dear Ryan---
Thanks for your interest in Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. You must first graduate from high school and then go to college.

**Disclaimer** Thoughts portrayed may not be exactly as they appeared in 1989.

That settled it, I was going to go to high school, graduate, and then go to college. I was sure to get into vet school. In the years leading up to high school graduation, I tried to gain as much animal experience as I could through 4-H and other experiences. Sometime during my early teenage years, I decided I was going to buy a horse. My brother and I sold everything we owned to buy our first horse. He was a fast steed. He was rescued out of a Mexican slaughter trailer. Mostly out of his own stubbornness, he taught me everything I know about basic horse care.

In 1994 I graduated somewhere in the top 25% of my high school class and off to Purdue I went to become a veterinarian. That being said I had no idea how many other kids were at Purdue to become a veterinarian as well. During the first couple weeks of college I attended my first pre-vet club meeting. I was 1 kid in a fish bowl of about 600 students who all wanted to be a veterinarian. The very first meeting the speaker stood up in front of all of these kids and basically said if you wanted to get into vet school you had to be better than essentially all of the kids in this room because they only take 60ish students per class. That was my very last pre-vet meeting that I attended. I wanted to do something different. So a couple days later I attended the Purdue Equestrian Team. Up until that point I wanted to be a large animal veterinarian. That was where I officially decided that horses were going to be my career.

The next couple of years were basically keeping my head above water, learning how to study, and enjoying my time at Purdue. I had managed to get through high school and truly had no idea how to study. That wasn't going to fly at Purdue. My first year, was terrible, but I got through it. The second year got better, and the third year got even easier.

During my 3rd year at Purdue I decided that I was going to apply to vet school. I was only going to apply to Purdue my first year and if I did not get in I would open the full onslaught the next year and apply everywhere I could. In February, I was lucky enough to get an interview. That basically meant that now I was 1 fish in a fish bowl of about 200 students, all fighting for 60 spots.

Most people probably don't remember much about their interviews from vet school. They put you in a small room with 2-3 people who drill you for 30 minutes about why you want to be a veterinarian and what you would do if you did not get in. The only real question I remember was, "Ryan, can you tell me what has happened in Chinese politics recently?" I was in shock! I knew the answer! Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese dictator had died the week before. My dad, god love him, handed me a Newsweek before my interview and told me to be current on global news because people loved to ask questions like that to see how well you handled stress. I passed with flying colors. My interview was over and now was the waiting game.

A few weeks later, I received a letter from Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. The real important part before I opened it was...Was it thin or thick? Thin meant you were going to vet school next year, and thick meant you were probably going to be going through the application process again. Well, it was thick. I took my time opening it. It never got any thinner.

I opened it up later that evening to find...
"sorry to inform you, but you have not been accepted to veterinary school, but hey, at least you're an alternate..."

Written on the bottom was a small note that read...

Ryan-- Come see me at your earliest convenience. Denise

I ran to the student services office the next day. Denise who was in charge of student services told me that I had a really good chance to get into vet school, but I had to wait to see how many people did not accept admission. I had to enroll in my senior year of animal science.

Later that summer (July 2) while driving along interstate 74 going to towards Cincinnati, I got a call from the student services. Ryan you have been accepted into veterinary school, but we need to know tomorrow if you accept. As I was driving off the road in excitement, I screamed yes. A short time later, I was arriving back to Purdue University, not as an animal science major, but as a first year veterinary student.

My Mothers Dream

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:35:12 GMT

How My Mothers Dream to Own a Horse Shaped a Young Man and Veterinary Hospital

I need to start this story by skipping to the end and introducing myself. I am Robert H Koontz DVM (Rob). I am a graduate of Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. I am an equine practioner. My clinical interest include; reproduction, lameness and performance medicine. I am a founding partner in Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital. I am also the Chief Executive Officer. This is the story of how one woman's dream shaped a veterinary career and eventually grew into a veterinary hospital.

I guess I always knew I would be a veterinarian. I remember telling adults at a very early age that I was going to be a veterinarian. But unlike most kids that actually become veterinarians, I did nothing except express my desires. I did nothing to find out what veterinarians actually do. I did nothing to determine what kind of veterinarian I wanted to be. I had no idea the educational requirements involved. I didn't know that Purdue University was the only veterinary school in the State of Indiana and one of only twenty six veterinary schools in the country (I was an Indiana University fan). That all changed with a series of events initiated by my mother.

When I started high school I was living in a large subdivision in the suburbs of Fort Wayne, Indiana. I lived there with my Dad, Mom, and two younger brothers. We were normal suburban kids, we enjoyed sports, hanging out with our friends, and doing as little work as possible. One day my mother came home and declared; "I bought a horse".
We thought Mom had gone crazy. She had never expressed a desire to own a horse. We certainly did not want a horse. Nobody in my family knew anything about horses. Where was the thing going to live; my garage?
As it turned out it was my mother's dream to own a horse. Our horse's name was Star, she did not live in the garage but was boarded in a barn down the road, and to my surprise I really enjoyed learning about her. It was fun to go to the barn, it was fun to ride, and it was even fun mucking stalls.

I was another kid in the suburbs with a boarded horse and that's where the story would have ended if not for Mom's next revelation. One day she came home and announced; "we are moving to South Whitley". South Whitley is a small Indiana farming community. We were a suburban family; there was no way Dad was going to let us move to the "boon docks". Sure he was going to look at the small horse farm that Mom had found but he would nip this insanity in the bud.

Returning home from the visit to the "boonies" my Dad looked at his three sons and stated; "Boys, we're moving to South Whitley". We moved to a small family horse farm. It was there that I learned to love the country and learned about horses. We went trail riding in the woods. We cut wood to heat the house. We made hay in the summer. We mucked stalls in the winter. I learned to ride and even do a little training.

I was still telling people that I was going to be a veterinarian. I still was doing little to actually become a veterinarian. Mom stepped in again. She set up a day for me to ride with our farrier Dennis Wertenberger. Now there was nothing less appealing to me than spending the day with a farrier. Bending over and holding a horse on your back looked hard. Dennis was always sweaty and dirty. I could see very little that interested me.

I was wrong! From the first day I loved being a farrier. I loved the challenge of looking at a foot; diagnosing problems, coming up with a plan, and implementing that plan by putting a shoe on the foot. Dennis took me under his wing as his apprentice. Soon I had graduated from Kentucky Farrier School and was working as a professional farrier. I would have stayed a farrier except something that Dennis told me; "you see a lot of old veterinarians, you rarely see an old farrier".

I looked at him and I knew he was right. He had taught me so much, but he paid for that knowledge with his body. At 45 years of age he looked 65. He walked with a limp, and nearly every joint in his body hurt. I also started to realize that there was much more to the horse than the feet. There were whole body systems in which I could diagnose problems, develop a plan, and implement the plan to improve a horse's health and performance.
I am convinced that the only reason they let me into veterinary school is my experience as a farrier. In fact I continued to shoe horses until the day I graduated. It was these earlier experiences that shaped my professional life. In the years to come I would work for other veterinarians' as an associate. Eventually my wife Susan and I would build a successful solo equine practice together called Indiana Equine Veterinary Services (IEVS). Twelve years later IEVS would merge with Dr. Conley to form Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital.

Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital is a full service equine hospital with the mission to provide the highest quality equine medical and surgical service for our patients to benefit the caring horse owner. Bringing an equine hospital to the horses and horse owners of northeastern Indiana was one of my professional goals. Untold number of horses will be helped at this hospital. To think, the whole thing started with the fulfillment of one woman's dream, to own a horse.

Note to readers: You must be very interested in horses and veterinary medicine or married to the writer if you have read this far. In future posts you can expect stories about my experiences as an equine veterinarian. Some will be more clinically oriented and contain helpful information. Some posts will have heavy doses of my personal opinion from a veterinarian's perspective. Some will just be (hopefully) interesting anecdotes. Thanks for hanging in there and I hope you will be back to read future installments of Thoughts from the Passenger Seat: My Life as an Equine Veterinarian.

Preventative Maintenance

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:58:19 GMT

"Horses are like Cars"....Preventative maintenance for your horse is like making sure that the oil in your car gets changed. If you don't do it as scheduled, pretty soon it will catch up with you!

How often do you change the oil in your car? Is it every 3000 miles or 3 months? My car tells me when to change my oil. Do you get the gold plan when you get the oil changed? You know the one where they check all 2000 parts of the car. Or do you just do the basic plan where they only change your oil and not look at everything else?

We are not so lucky with our horses; unlike cars, they don't tell us to vaccinate preventatively. When we find out our horse has a problem, it is too late for vaccines to work. Most infectious diseases in the horse can be prevented with a simple vaccine. If they are losing weight, have a poor haircoat or are developing immune deficiencies; they can't ask for help. With timely examinations, proper vaccines, and dewormers given in the appropriate intervals, with correct dosage, we can help you keep your horse healthy.

I hear from owners all of the time, "I buy my vaccines and dewormers in the catalog or at the feed store". 75% of all people that vaccinate their own horses do it incorrectly. Are you in the 25% that do it right or are you in the 75% that think they do it right? What are you missing by doing vaccines yourself? You are missing the veterinarian. We are trained to observe and report any findings we see on the horse. When we administer a vaccine or dewormer, we are there to do the gold plan for you. We perform a medical examination on all "2000 parts". We examine your horse from nose to tail. By allowing us to observe your horse, we can hopefully catch a problem before it catches up with you.

If you have questions on what preventative maintenance to do for your horse, feel free to call or write us at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital.

Ask the Vet: What is this Swelling?

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:29:24 GMT

I've noticed this swelling on my horses hip the last few days. It is the size of a large grapefruit. It has gotten larger over the last couple of days. Should I be worried?

Answer: Provided by Dr. Ron Conley

Seroma's are a frequently encountered problem in horses. Horses tend to kick each other or run into things causing blunt force trauma. When this trauma is severe enough, the blood vessels leak and form a pouch of fluid that may be as small as a golf ball or larger than a basketball (figure 1). These must be differentiated from hematomas which consist of clotted blood. Seromas form a lining which may continue to produce fluid even after it is drained. I typically place a penrose drain (figure 2) which allows continuous drainage of the fluid and destruction of the lining. The drain is removed in seven to ten days. The seroma usually looks worse before going on to heal. We generally like to wait a few days before treating most seromas so that the full extent of the problem is evident. If no muscle was damaged these go on to heal with little or no blemish. If you happen to notice a swelling on your horse that isn't supposed to be there, give us a call at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital at (877) 499-9909.

Figure 1: Administration of local anesthetic into seroma

Figure 2: Placement of penrose drain into seroma cavity

Equine Abortion

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:35:04 GMT

Every year at this time we see a lot of mares either aborting or trying to abort. This appears to be a year that may set a record for nocardioform abortions. This situation can be heartbreaking for many owners. Also, the costs in terms of time and money are problematic. A foal lost late term means an entire breeding season is lost.

There are a great number of causes of equine abortion including twins, bacterial, fungal, viral, uterine insufficiency, etc. Sorting these causes out can be a frustrating and expensive endeavor, often with no definitive diagnosis.

Early signs of abortion include premature bagging up (udder development) and vulvar discharge. If the mare is diagnosed early and treated aggressively the foal can often be saved.

Prevention of equine abortion is not always possible but the incidence can be greatly reduced. Mares should be examined by ultrasound at 16 and 28 days of pregnancy to allow detection of twins. Pregnant mares should be vaccinated against rhinopneumonitis at 3, 5, 7 and 9 months of pregnancy to prevent abortion resulting from this devastating viral disease. Equine viral arteritis (EVA) may also be prevented by vaccination.

A mare with a history of late-term abortions is considered high risk and should be assessed differently than mares without previous problems. These mares and their fetuses can be followed monthly with ultrasound exams and lab work to detect placentitis or problems with fetal viability so that treatment may be initiated earlier.
If you suspect that your mare is high risk or is starting to abort, contact us immediately at Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital. This is a true emergency. We would be happy to help set up a program to insure your mare has the optimal chance of having a live and health foal.

Conley and Koontz Equine Hospital Blog

CKE recommends the new ERAV Vaccine

Under The Knife!

How much does it cost to own a horse?

Strangles, Noni Juice, and a Jolly Old Elf

Treating Photodermatitis

Preventing Abortion in High Risk Mares

Your Horse May Be Missing Roughage If . . .

My Top 10 "Horsey" Songs

Lifes Challenges

Chasing Lions

Congratulations to Olivia and Honey: An Update on "My Horse Buying Mistake"

Operation Mufasa Smile

Dreams Dashed Needlessly

Equine Wounds Equal Job Security

Proper Dental Care Transforms Eeyore from a Depressed Character into a Happy Donkey

Equine Chiropractic from an Outside Point of View

Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

How James Herriot Helped Me Keep Perspective

Calming Agents for Horses

A Sad Day

Calming Agents in Horses

A Meritable Case

SOLD!

Sending Off a Friend the Amish Way

Initiation Week

A Sad Story of Neglect

Win a FREE DENTISTRY on Facebook

Special Discounts on Autumn Dentistry

Indiana Premier Yearling Sale

Foal Diarrhea

To Explore or Not To Explore: That is the Question

From the Recovery RoomBy Ryan Rothenbuhler DVM, MS

From the Recovery RoomBy Ryan Rothenbuhler DVM, MS

He will have to live with it the rest of his life?

Rob's View From The Passenger Seat

by Rob Koontz DVM

Frozen Semen Success

A New Beginning

The Magic Colic Remedy

Wobblers Syndrome a Disappointing Diagnosis

Why does my Horse Eat Dirt?

My Horse Buying Mistake?

Crusty Scabs From Sun Exposure

A Chiropractic Experience

Ringworm (Dermatophysis) A Common Yet Often Frustrating Skin Condition

Dentistry - More than Floating Teeth

Cowboys, Wire Cuts, and Chewed Up Broadleaves

My Horse has Ticks!

Cellulitis

4-H Horse and Pony Booster Clinic

Loading a Horse into a Trailer: A skill every horse and horse owner should master

I am a Horse Whisperer

News Bulletin: EHV-1 Outbreak

Laminitis

Equine Community mourns loss of Jack Fessler, DVM

The Importance of New Foal Exams

Perspective: How to Determine the Value of a Horse

Equine Dentistry

Stringhalt Concerns

What are the thoughts on Stringhalt being a vitamin deficiency?

Lish Diffendarfer

My Favorite Broodmares: Tilleys Going and Memories Parked

Delayed Uterine Clearance

Delayed Uterine Clearance

Quarter Crack Questions

Dear CK Equine Hospital:

Dear Kay:

The Veterinarian's Role in Parasite Management

The Veterinarians Role in Parasite Management:

Horse Sense Myth Buster: Horse Warts & Pliers

4-H Discount Vaccine Clinic

Equine Affaire

Hoosier Horse Fair

Invisible Disease

Invisible Disease

Are You the New Guy from Purdue: Part 3

Are You the New Guy from Purdue: Part 3

Spring Grass Induced Laminitis

Crashed Dad's New Horse

From the Recovery Room
By Ryan Rothenbuhler DVM, MS

From the Recovery Room
By Ryan Rothenbuhler DVM, MS