Foal feeding habits and growth
Did you know that when a foal is born, it weighs approximately 10% of its mature body weight? This can vary however from about 7% of mature weight in draft […]
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Immune Health
Abstract: Non-pharmaceutical interventions in the successful management of refractory lymphocytic-plasmacytic enterocolitis
Background: Lymphocytic-plasmacytic enterocolitis (LPE) is a rare, poorly understood form of infiltrative intestinal disease in horses, with a generally grave prognosis. Corticosteroids are the drugs most commonly used in treatment,
Post Viral Syndromes in Equines
We commonly hear of ‘viral infections’ being blamed for a horse’s poor performance, recovery, lethargy or general lacklustre health. The horse who doesn’t look a picture of health; is not
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Diarrhoea in Foals
Up to 40% of diarrhoea cases in foals are due to Rotavirus infection. Other common causes of diarrhoea in foals include Foal Heat Scours. In addition to compromising the health,
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Hoof Health: Beyond Biotin
When thinking about nutrition for hoof health, biotin gets a lot of attention. Supplemented in appropriate amounts, biotin may help to improve hoof wall integrity. Conflicting evidence exists as to
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Antimicrobial Resistance
At the time of writing this article, it is World Antimicrobial Awareness Week: an important week not only in terms of equine, animal and human health, but also in helping
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Grain Free Feeds….What does this mean, and do our horses really need these feeds?
What we feed our horses and how we feed them are crucial to their health. Diet and nutrition are known to play an important role in our horse’s gastrointestinal (GI),
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Why is it important to make dietary changes slowly in horses and ponies?
We commonly read or hear that when introducing a new feed into our horses’ and ponies’ diets that we should make the change slowly. But why is this? And is
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Grass, Hay, Fibre and Short Chain Fatty Acids
When we transition from winter into spring or from summer into autumn/fall weather, we can suddenly find that our horses have increasing amounts of green grass to graze. With plenty
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STRESS: What is stress exactly when it relates to horses? And what do we need to consider?
When we talk about stress in equines, we often think of those horses and ponies that never settle, constantly spook, pace the fence line in the paddock, or sweat up
An Introduction to Off The Track Thoroughbreds (OTTB)
Among the many breeds and types of horses available to riders, off the track thoroughbreds (OTTB) are a highly popular choice of mount. And for a very good reason! Their
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the horse. Is GLUTEN a culprit?
Equine Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) describes a group of diseases affecting the mucosa and submucosa of the intestinal wall. It is characterised by the abnormal infiltration of inflammatory cells in
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Vitamin B12 for Horses
Injectable vitamin B12 is a common treatment given to horses. One of the primary functions of vitamin B12 is to help make red blood cells, which are important to carry
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Laminitis ‘Prevention’- But at what cost?
We all want to do what’s best for our horses. Marketing experts employed by large brands know this. Clever product marketing targets this. That’s why it is common to find
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Bad Behaviour & Exclusion Diets
When we have a horse who starts to exhibit nervy, spooky or irritable behaviour then one of the first things we commonly do is look at their diet. This is
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Timing Vaccinations in Young Horses
As we move into weaning season in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s an opportune time to give thought to the timing of routine vaccinations we give to our horses. Vaccinations for
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Bad Breath in Horses
Bad Breath in Horses The smell of our horse’s breath isn’t something we generally give much thought to. Yet if you’ve ever smelt the breath of a horse or pony
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Selenium- Is your horse actually using the amount on the feed or supplement label?
Selenium is a crucial trace-mineral in the diets of our horses and ponies. It plays many key roles in the body and is particularly important in reproductive health (both mares
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The Importance of Protein
Protein- it’s a most crucial component of a horse’s diet, yet is commonly blamed for causing a whole host of problems in horses: Everything from ‘hot behaviour’, to joint problems,
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Inflammation & Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories in Horses
Inflammation. It’s a word commonly associated with poor health outcomes. Yet a certain amount of inflammation is absolutely crucial to health and wellbeing in our horses. Some inflammation is essential
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Stress in Horses: Why it isn’t always obvious
When we think of the term ‘stress’, we often think of horses that pace the fence line, shy at non-existent monsters (!), call out incessantly when their paddock mate leaves
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Soy: The Good, Bad and Confusing!
If there’s any horse feed that can cause heated debate about whether or not it is suitable and even valuable for horses- then soy may well take the cake. For
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Feeding The Injured Horse
Injuries in our horses can be frustrating and upsetting occurrences- and more often than not, they tend to occur when our horses are coming along really well. Ironically, although we
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Horses: Rethinking The Use of Corticosteroids
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in horses refers to a group of intestinal diseases that are caused by the infiltration of different types of inflammatory cells into the mucosal and submucosal
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Iodine & Horses
Iodine. It’s an essential trace mineral in our horse’s diets which plays many crucial roles. It is vital as a constituent of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work
There’s much interest in ulcers in horses and for very good reason. Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) affects 60-90% of adult horses and 25-50% of foals and weanlings. The condition
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Foals & Colostrum
With foaling season now upon us in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the importance of good quality colostrum. Colostrum provides antibodies (immunoglobulins), which are concentrated
Ulcer Medications: What Nobody Tells You and What You Need To Know
The most commonly used equine ulcer medications on the market generally come under names containing Gastro/Ulcer/Guard and contain the active ingredient omeprazole, which belongs to the class of drugs known
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Sweet Itch: Nothing Sweet About It?
Sweet itch, Queensland itch, summer dermatitis, seasonal equine dermatitis, Culicoides hypersensitivity are all terms used interchangeably to describe the allergic skin reaction which occurs in many horses.
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Placentitis: Think about it
Placentitis. It is the most common cause of late pregnancy loss in mares. It causes many a stud manager and breeder a lot of grief. It costs a lot of
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The Stabled/Stalled Horse: The Impact of Ammonia and Airway Health
Ammonia- the colourless gas associated with the pungent, eye watering smell when you enter some barns and when you muck out stalls- comes with some profound health effects on the
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Corticosteroids. STOP and THINK!
Corticosteroids, more specifically glucocorticoids, are a group of potent anti-inflammatory and
immunosuppressive drugs that are frequently used in horses.
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Vitamin D and Rugging: An Important Consideration
Blanketing/rugging horses is a topic which sparks much debate, primarily due to its influence on weight regulation, metabolic function and thermoregulation in the horse. Yet an often forgotten consideration is
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Garlic: The Suitability and Use in Horses
Many equine owners/managers/riders add garlic to their horse’s ration. This herb has a wide range of potential therapeutic properties, including its actions as a: hypotensive (ability to lower blood pressure);
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Equine Hospital Nutritional Practices
Nutrition plays a paramount role in keeping horses healthy, with the ability to help prevent or manage specific health conditions. The need for appropriate feeding and nutrition practices becomes even
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When Supplements actually make the problem worse
Something I see commonly in practice is well meaning owners prescribing supplements to help with a particular health or performance issue in their horse. One of the most commonly misused
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Horse Dental Health and Systemic Inflammation
Periodontal disease (inflammation of the structures that support the tooth -including the gum, periodontal ligaments and the bone within which the tooth sits), is believed to effect at least one
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Bacterial Endometritis: Bacteria and Biofilms
Bacteria in biofilms can readily become resistant to both pharmaceuticals and the host immune system, developing a tolerance to antimicrobial agents, biocides and antiseptics. In fact, research has demonstrated that
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Hoof Rings and Ridges
When observing a horse’s hoof it is common to see minor lines or ridges on the hoof wall. Hoof rings, also called growth rings, occur in healthy hooves and are
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