Establishing a wellness program will save you time, money and
headaches. Following a well thought out program will help assure that you are
giving your horses and small animals the care they need when they need it. An
effective equine wellness program (Preventive Health Care) will help to maintain
your horse in peak condition and minimize the chance of illnesses. Your program
should include a physical examination, vaccinations, deworming and be designed
to fit your horse's life style. Consulting with your veterinarian is vital because
many of the fatal diseases are preventable.
A good Spring - Fall Wellness Program will help your animals stay healthy year
round.
While most horse owners have experienced an equine medical emergency, many
of these "crises" could be prevented with twice-a-year wellness program. This biannual event provides your veterinarian an opportunity to bring your horses upto-date on season-specific vaccinations and parasite control treatments at the
time of year when they are most beneficial. This also provides a time for you to
visit with your veterinarian about nutrition, behavior problems, emerging disease
threats and other horse health issues.
While there's no way to completely eliminate emergency situations, a good
preventive health care program will minimize the chance of life threatening,
costly illness. Wellness exams are the best way to detect and treat health
problems before they become serious.
Keeping Your Horse Healthy
Comprehensive Equine Preventive Health programs include:
* Conducting an eye exam and dental exam
* Checking hair, coat, and skin
* Listening to the heartbeat, lungs and abdomen and recording vital signs
(pulse, temperature, respiratory rate)
* Assessment of the horse's overall conditioning
* Evaluation of the horse's diet, level of activity, behavior and any changes since
the last veterinary visit
* Analysis of posture and gait
* Administration of appropriate vaccinations and deworming medications
With the multitude of horse health care information available, how do you decide
what's right for your horse? Everyone has some advice including: books,
magazines, the internet, your farrier, the feed store operator and of course other
horse owners. The reality is you need a specific program that meets your horse's
individual requirements. A well designed program will save you money and help
to prevent over medicating. An equine veterinarian has the education and
experience to help you. Ask them to help you sift through the latest information
on horse health care. You will find they are among the first to learn about
advancements in health care, disease outbreaks, product complaints and other
information affecting how you care for your horse.
Your wellness program should include periodic vaccinations, deworming,
dentistry, nutritional evaluation to make sure your horse is getting what it needs
and that you are not wasting money on unnecessary items. Not too long ago it
was thought that foals, even from vaccinated mares, should begin receiving their
own vaccinations within the first few months of birth. On-going research has
shown that antibodies from the mare's milk, for some diseases (such as
influenza), last much longer than originally thought. Therefore, the foal's first
vaccinations can be given much later (at eight or nine months of age for influenza
if the mare was vaccinated).
While the equine community has benefited greatly with the introduction of more
effective dewormers, with the life style of many of our horses it is even more
critical to plan for parasite control. Issues such as resistance, whether to use a
daily dewormer or a purge dewormer along with the increasing importance of
encysted small strongyles should be considered when you select products to
protect your horse. In today's world, simply picking a product off the shelf may
not provide the protection your horse needs. Combining the utilization of
properly selected dewormers, regularly scheduled fecal examinations, and the
establishment of environmental control measures will help to assure the health of
your horse.
The feeding of more and more processed, pelletized feeds has caused equine
dentistry to be transformed to a science. Proper dental care will help maintain
your horse's weight and performance. In the wild state, horses spent their day
grazing and consumed large quantities of roughage throughout the day, Today
many of our horses spend their lives in paddock and stalls and are fed a
concentrate two or three times a day causing our horses to do less chewing and
grinding of teeth. This coupled with the fact that a horse's teeth are continually
growing has made regular dental care to become an important health
consideration. This becomes even more important as horses live longer and
longer. Your horse's health plan should include regularly scheduled oral
examinations along with preventive and corrective dental procedures appropriate
for your horse's age and use.
By showing your veterinarian what and how you're feeding your horse, you will
have an opportunity to ask questions about nutrition and review your procedures
as you tour the feed shed and pasture. You may end up reducing the number of
supplements you give your horse, reducing your feed costs. A penny spent can
yield a dollar saved, consult with your veterinarian.
Sample Equine Preventive Health Care Program
The following procedures will enhance your horse's overall health:
Yearly physical exam - Complete in January, February or March
* Nutritional evaluation
* Coggin's test (Equine Infectious Anemia)
* Blood tests (Complete blood count and chemistry panel) for older horses
Annual Spring Vaccinations - Complete in March, April or May Minimum
recommendation
* Rhinopneumonitis (Modified Live Virus Vaccine)
* Influenza (Intra-nasal only)
* Encephalitis (Eastern & Western and West Nile)
* Intra-nasal Strangles
* Tetanus every third year Optional, depending on exposure
* Potomac Horse Fever
* Rabies
Booster Vaccinations
* Rhinopneumonitis and Influenza Recommended in the fall for most horses (6
months after spring vaccinations), and every 3 or 4 months for high exposure
animals
* Potomac Horse Fever Booster in mid-summer if first dose given prior to May 1
Regular deworming
* Complete every 8 weeks utilizing an appropriate rotation of products
* Ivermectin must be given after a killing frost in the fall to remove stomach
bots & migrating bot larva
* The Pfizer Colic Assistance Program requires daily use of Strongid C® or
Strongid C 2X®, and twice yearly Ivermectin treatment.
Annual dental examination and floating
If necessary, done in either spring or fall
Routine hoof care
Farrier visits every six to nine weeks, more often if needed
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