It’s hard to believe, but soon enough the first bloom will be taking place, with the promise
of warmth and green!
Now is the time to start planning out your horse’s Spring needs. Athletic Equine believes in
individualized care for your horse, as not every horse has the same needs and recommendations.
PHYSICAL AND WELLNESS EXAMS
While many horse owners try to save costs by skipping an examination, this can be a pennywise, pound-foolish approach to horse care. By having a full physical examination, conditions
involving the vital organs and subtle diseases of the eyes, heart, lungs, and digestive system can be
caught early and addressed. A full wellness exam allows for consultation of nutrition, work
schedule, farriery, and any special concerns a horse owner may have. Additional diagnostics such
as bloodwork or imaging can be performed to stay on top of current conditions or to help prevent
detrimental health conditions from forming in the first place.
In order to encourage a proper preventative care program, Athletic Equine is offering a
coupon for this Spring for a free EEE/WEE and West Nile vaccination with the purchase of a
Wellness Exam.
VACCINATION
Vaccines are an important part in your horse’s health to help prevent serious disease.
Limitations of vaccinations should always be noted, and the concept of “vaccinosis” (a term coined
for over-vaccination) should be taken seriously. Your horse should not receive vaccinations for
diseases that are of no or little consequence based on travel, show schedule, interaction with other
horses, and feeding schedule. However, it is equally if not more dangerous to leave your horse
unprotected when it is at risk.
Vaccinations to discuss with your veterinarian:
WEST NILE AND EEE/WEE
West Nile is now widespread in the mosquito population of Long Island, and EEE (another
mosquito-borne illness) has caused numerous horse deaths in New York State. None of the
reported deaths have occurred in an up-to-date vaccinated horse, indicating that vaccination is
highly preventable from obtaining this disease.
INFLUENZA AND EHV-1/4
Equine Herpesvirus is currently a grave concern in the horse community, and the past
several years have given rise to several outbreaks stemming from large show populations. There
are variations to this virus that can lead to serious neurological illness and death. There is currently
no vaccine that is proven to protect against the neurological form, however vaccinating from the
respiratory form is the current recommendation to limit the risk of the neurological form
developing. If you horse is going to be showing, or interacting with other horses or have contact
with other horses off the property, vaccination against both influenza (the flu) and equine
herpesvirus is recommended.
RABIES
Long Island was Rabies-free until around 2004, and now cases of rabid wildlife have been
reported in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. Wildlife can make its way into the stables and thus
horses are at risk for exposure, although their exposure risk is less than horses upstate due to
denser rabies populations in other areas of NYS. The rabies vaccination tends to have a larger
post-vaccination reaction including localized swelling at the site of injection, mild fever, and
inappetance. If you have concerns about these side effects or if your horse is
immunocompromised, has had previous laminitic or other inflammatory events, please inform your
veterinarian so that they can discuss alternative options.
LYME
By now, almost everyone has heard of this obnoxious, and
scary, disease caused by the bite of an infected tick. Lyme is
extremely prominent all throughout the island and the Northeast.
While there is no current equine vaccination to prevent Lyme
disease, veterinarians are now using the dog vaccine off-label for
horses. Initial studies and anecdotal data
have shown that this vaccination will provide
protection in horses. This vaccine requires an
INITIAL LYME VACCINATION SERIES
initial booster series of three different shots.
1RST SHOT - $25
In order to make this vaccine available to
2ND SHOT - $25, 3 WEEKS PAST INITIAL SHOT
patients, Athletic Equine is offering the initial
booster series at $25/vaccination for the
3RD SHOT - $25, 3 MONTHS AFTER 2ND SHOT
initial three shot series.
STRANGLES
Strangles rarely causes death but can be a very nasty, very contagious disease when it arises in
populations. Generally this disease is prominent in auction houses and in some show populations.
It does run the risk of side effects that should be discussed with your veterinarian.
POTOMAC HORSE FEVER
This can be a devastating disease involving diarrhea, high fevers, and in some cases laminitis.
Discuss risk with your veterinarian.
BOTULISM
The Clostridium botulinum bacteria only produces
toxin in specific environments, such as if feed is allowed
to ferment or if the feed is contaminated with an animal
carcass (large round bales at high risk). Some areas of the
country have this bacteria prominently in their soil (ie KY,
PA). Most hay is bundled off of Long Island, and
feedstuffs such as hay cubes can also be a source of the
Botulism toxin causes rapid progression of
bacteria, so Long Island horses are at risk. This disease
weakness, leading to complete recumbency
is often fatal, but vaccination can help protect against
and often, death.
one of the most common toxin types (B). It should be
recognized that not all of the toxins produced by the bacteria will be protected by the vaccine, but
the risk of disease vs. the low risk of vaccine reaction makes this vaccination a strong
recommendation for horses.
DENTISTRIES
Your horse’s teeth should be checked 1-2 times yearly for any conditions that need to be
addressed. Equine dentistry has come a long way in the past decade, and it no longer just involves
“floating teeth”. New York State recently passed a law allowing a lay person (unlicensed individual
with no educational or licensing requirements) to remove the sharp enamel points from a horse’s
dentition. However, only a licensed professional (veterinarian or veterinarian technician under the
guide of a veterinarian) can legally and safely sedate, monitor, diagnose, and perform a full dentistry
in your horse.
The above picture was taken during a dentistry examination – without proper evaluation, this tongue laceration
would have been missed with just a simple, unsedated “floating”
Why Is It Important To Have Your Veterinarian
Perform Your Horse’s Dentistry?
1) Only veterinarians and veterinary technicians (under the guide of a veterinarian) are legally
allowed to perform dentistry in NYS.
2) Aside from a horse owner administering medications themselves, only veterinarians and
veterinary technicians are legally allowed to administer sedation/tranquilization. In
addition to legality, SAFETY is of a concern when undergoing any medical procedure,
particularly when requiring sedation or tranquilization.
3) Veterinarians and vet techs are the only individuals able to properly monitor your horse
for complications and have available the drugs and knowledge needed for sedation
reversal or to treat a reaction.
4) Only veterinarians are able to perform imaging diagnostics, such as radiographs, to
properly diagnose conditions and have the full picture of dental conditions and
abnormalities.
SHEATH and UDDER CLEANING
Sheaths and udders should be examined for cleaning every six months. It is very important
to make sure the bean is removed from your gelding/stallion – if you are not skilled in removing
this debris, it is best to ask your veterinarian to perform the cleaning.
FECAL EXAMINATION AND DEWORMING
Resistance has only worsened, with reports of parasites showing resistance to even the 5 day
Panacur Powerpak. Fecal examinations are crucial to keeping track of your horse’s parasite load. A
thorough parasite deworming protocol is available on Athletic Equine’s website at www.athleticequine.com. Athletic Equine offers affordable fecal examinations for $25 a sample.
SPRING IS ALMOST HERE, let us help you prepare your horse for the
summer and keep them healthy and sound.
Office: 631-494-6897 Cell: 561-319-7781
Office email: athleticequineveterinary@gmail.com
Please call or email to set up your appointment so that your horse is up to date on his/her care.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOON!