Dr. Alyssa Butters discusses the typical progression of a lameness exam.
This excerpt is part 1 of 4
Focus on Lameness - General Lameness Exam
Sugar - Skin Grafting
Sugar sustained a major laceration to the front of her carpus during the big snowstorm we had in September 2014. Even though her owner found it the day it happened, there was already a large amount of swelling present as well as a large amount of dirt and contamination in the wound. Initial treatment included intravenous regional limb perfusions with antibiotics, intravenous antibiotics, and bandaging. Because of the large amount of motion present on the front of the carpus, we ultimately decided to use pinch grafts in this wound. Pinch grafts are small 3mm discs of skin, harvested by removing an elevated cone of skin, that are implanted into small slits in the granulation tissue.
Dan - Third Eyelid Removal
In horses, the third eyelid is prone to developing squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common tumour in horses, and it is the most common tumour in the equine eye. It develops most commonly on areas lacking pigmentation, poorly haired regions, and skin near mucocutaneous junctions. It can be quite an aggressive tumour, spreading to nearby tissues and local lymph nodes. In the third eyelid, it often initially appears as a reddened area, then becoming raised and in some cases developing a wart-like appearance. In most other areas, recurrence is extremely common unless surgical excision is combined with another treatment such as chemotherapy or cryotherapy. Fortunately, the third eyelid can be removed in its entirety, and a success rate of 90% has been reported with removal alone.
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The Equine Eye by Dr. Kirby Penttila
Vaccination FAQ - What are common side effects of vaccination? What can I expect after my horse is vaccinated?
Just as in humans, most vaccinations cause at most very mild outward symptoms after the vaccine is given. Some horses may be a little more lethargic than usual, have some mild tenderness at the injection site, or stiffness in the neck if that is where the vaccine was administered. Occasionally, the horse will develop a mild and transient fever, and this is usually noticed if the horse goes off his feed. These usually resolved uneventfully, although sometimes anti-inflammatories are given.
Why We Vaccinate - Equine Herpesvirus (“Rhinopneumonitis”)
With several recent outbreaks of neurological herpesvirus infections in the US and Canada, much attention has been turned to this common disease. The virus is not new, and is considered endemic in most regions of the world. Although some aspects of the disease have been understood for decades, there is still much to be learned about the virus and its effects on horses.
Vaccination FAQ - Why are horses vaccinated for tetanus yearly, whereas humans are boostered every 5-10 years?
Both horses and humans are very susceptible to tetanus, horses even more so than humans. In humans, there are many studies examining the duration of immunity following vaccination, so physicians can feel confident in their recommendations of extending the revaccination interval. In horses, a 6 month study comparing responses to commercial vaccines demonstrated significant antibody response for the duration of the study, but did not measure the response beyond 6 months. There have not been any studies in North America that have challenged vaccinated horses with tetanus toxoid, but antibodies alone can mediate protection. Conclusions about efficacy of the vaccine and duration of protection are based on antibody levels detected in laboratory studies combined with field experience, and the recommendation for yearly vaccination stems from this. There have been rare reports of horses with clinical cases of tetanus that had been vaccinated, however survival of horses with tetanus is strongly associated with previous vaccination.
Vaccination FAQ - Why is the Strangles vaccine intranasal? Isn’t there an intramuscular vaccine available?
The theory of an intranasal vaccine for Strangles is that the site of entry and infection with Strangles is via the tonsils located in the nose and mouth. If we stimulate immunity at these sites by introducing a vaccine directly to those tonsils, we can limit the propagation of the bacteria at its site of entry. The Strangles vaccine most commonly used is a modified live bacterial vaccine, which is unable to replicate but mimics the immunity stimulated by a natural infection. However, its efficacy is dependent on an adequate amount of the vaccine reaching the tonsils deep in the head, so it must be administered via the nasal passageways.
Rabies in Alberta—Should We Be Vaccinating Horses?
Alberta stands out as one of the few jurisdictions in North America in which horses are not routinely vaccinated against rabies. Arguments have always been that the incidence of rabies is much lower than in other regions, and there have been no reported equine cases of rabies in years, so the risk of infection would be so low as not to necessitate vaccination. The rabies vaccine must be administered by a veterinarian, another potential stumbling block to widespread vaccination of equines.
The rate of rabies in potential sources of infection within Alberta is the same whether we are considering a wildlife vector could infect a dog, a cat, or a horse. Yet rabies vaccination of our small animal companions is routine whereas vaccination of horses is almost non-existent. Although relatively rare, rabies is present in wildlife populations in Alberta, clinical disease should it occur is untreatable and (almost) invariably fatal, and a rabid companion animal or even horse can have very significant public health ramifications. Should we be revisiting this policy of non-vaccination of horses in Alberta?