Answers to your Equine Health Questions:
I have my mare on a regular worming schedule. Is a wormer more effective before, during or after feeding? Bonnie
Hi Bonnie,
The official answer is that it does not matter. When we used to tube worm, an empty stomach could cause colic, so I favor having some food in the system. It is wise to deworm before letting your horse eat because they always "save" a little food in there which they use to spit out the paste. If a horse has not been dewormed for a long period, I prefer using a "gentler" dewormer like Panacur or Strongid or the Strongid C2X daily dewormer. Also be sure that "regular" means every 2 months, that rotation is included, that tapeworm deworming is included, and that proper dosing is followed. An occasional fecal test is very smart to make sure you are not missing anything. Some folks wait, or want to wait, until worms are detected on a fecal test, but this is not wise. The reason is that by the time the worms are producing the eggs that are detected in a fecal sample, they have already done a lot of damage. The idea is to prevent the damage, not to fix damage after it happens!
Cheers,
Dr. Smith
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Last March I had to euthanize my 28 year old Arab gelding. For thirteen years he was the constant companion to my 21 year old mare. Now she is extremely depressed. Even though she is being fed adequate amounts of hay and grain, getting lots of water and graze, she has lost and is not regaining quite a bit of weight. She is up to date on her worming and vaccinations. I do have another horse, but it is a stallion, so I keep them pretty far apart from one another. I am unable to get another horse/animal as a companion right now because of the economy.Is it possible that there is something medically wrong or is it simply that she is feeling lonesome? Could I be missing something that I should be doing? Any advice would be appreciated! Amber
Hi Amber,
I am sorry that you lost your gelding, that is hard for the people and for the horses that he was with. I am suspicious that your mare is not merely depressed, because most horses will overcome a loss like this within a few months. It is not impossible that this is a behavior problem, but odds are more likely that it is a medical issue. For thin animals there are three things to address first. Number one: Parasites: Even though you are on a regular deworming program, that may not be adequate. Please review my last response to a question about deworming. You should definitely consider trying a Panacur Power Pack and/or a 45 day course of StrongidC2X. Number two: Groceries: Older horses do not digest and absorb food as well as younger horses. A very high quality, free choice hay supplemented with some oats (2-4 pounds) and corn oil (1/2 to 1 cup) will help put weight on. Alternatively, switch over slowly to feeding one of the Senior formulated complete feeds, using 15 to 25 pounds per day. Pasture up here has very little nutritional value, so do not count on that. Number three: Teeth: Although times are tough you can get an excellent and complete dental for about $225 if you haul your horse in to the veterinarian. If you save $25 per week, you could have enough in just over 2 months! Last, I would worry about a medical problem as the cause of the weight loss. If your mare has a good appetite, this is less likely, but still possible. A good history and physical examination, along with a rectal palpation and a blood test would uncover most problems. Again you'd be looking at $200 or $300 for all those services. Good luck, and just start working through this list one item at a time so you do not feel overwhelmed. Dr. Smith
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I have a 21 year old gelding and saturday I took his blanket off and his stifles are sunk in and his hip bones are sticking out. He is eating fine and drinking this just happen over a few days. Thursday he was normal then sat all sunk in. I dont know why, do I need to have my vet come look at him? I changed his feed over a month ago, could this be affecting him? He gets alfalfa in the am and a grass/alf mix at night. Along with Senior equine maybe 2-lbs with dinner. Dont know what would cause this. Thanks for the help. Cindy
Hi Cindy,
21 years old is a "senior" equine, so there is a fairly long list of possibilities for what you describe. As always rule out the 3 most common causes for low weight first: 1. Groceries: Feed plenty of good quality food: free choice hay, 1 to 3 pounds of oats, a good vitamin/mineral supplement, and/or 5 to 10 pounds of senior equine food (a pre-chopped hay/grain/vitamin mix), plenty of fresh clean water. 2. Deworming: I have spoken to this before, but deworm every 2 months with high quality dewormers--use Stongid C2X daily dewormer for 45 days once each year, and use a Panacur power pack once each year for one of your 6 dewormings. 3. Teeth: have a dental preformed on you horse by a veterinarian who likes dentistry and who does an excellent job. If one of these solutions is not the answer, then an investigation into other possible causes begins--a physical exam, rectal exam and blood tests are usually the first steps in this process. Good Luck, Dr. Smith
Meet the Veterinarians from Middletown Animal Hospital:
Dr. Brie Taylor was born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, with loving and supportive parents, family, and friends. She and her two brothers had many pets growing up which helped cultivate her love of animals and her dream to become a veterinarian. After receiving a B.S. in Biology from Oregon State University in 2002, she again attended Oregon State University where she obtained her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2007. She is excited to be a new edition to the veterinary team at Middletown Animal Hospital and enjoys working on a variety of animals. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, two cats, Toledo and Gracie, and family Golden Retriever dogs, Kalli, Bailey, and Donovan. She also loves to explore the outdoors and can’t wait to experience the diverse natural beauty California has to offer.
Dr. Jeffrey J Smith , DVM graduated from Cornell University in 1986. He completed an internship in Thousand Oaks, California in 1987, and stayed on for another year as an associate. Before opening MAH in 1991, he worked in a small animal clinic, in an equine practice, and in an emergency clinic. In 1990 Dr. Smith came to Middletown with the goal of building a veterinary hospital that the community could be proud of. Little by little he cleaned up the property, added staff and equipment, and built-up the reputation of the hospital. The mission of the hospital is simple: Provide the best possible care to each patient and client. Dr. Smith places a high value on continuing education and medical technology in order to offer the best care available. His biggest challenge on a day to day basis is to keep the small business running smoothly--- unfortunately that sometimes means cutting into his time as a veterinarian!
Dr. Sarah Mason was raised in rural southern Oregon on her grandfather and her father’s cattle ranches. Growing up around livestock and horses fostered her desire to become a veterinarian from a young age. In 2002 she graduated from the Oregon State University agriculture program with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business and then completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, also at OSU, in June of 2007. Dr. Mason has spent the last year in large animal ambulatory practice in the North Bay area, gaining invaluable experience in equine and small ruminant medicine and field surgery. She is looking forward to broadening her horizons and taking on new challenges with the doctors and staff at Middletown Animal Hospital. She enjoys trail running, hiking, knitting, and watching movies in her spare time. Her current project is training her 11 month-old terrier mix puppy named “Patti” to come when she is called.
Middletown Animal Hospital
21503 Highway 29
Middletown, CA 95461
707-987-2000
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