APRIL NL 2023

FOUNDER ALERT

Spring is here, the grass is green, and horses are foundering.  The new growing grass has a high sugar content, which can cause the susceptible horse to founder.  If you have a horse that has foundered before, get them off the green grass, or they will easily founder again.  If your horse is fat/obese this also puts them at a higher risk.  Limit grazing time to 4 hours/day, and cut back on the grain until summer if your horse is overweight.

FOUNDER SIGNS

1. Reluctance to walk or turn.
2. Moving slow or reluctance to move.
3. Rocking back on the hind end to get the weight off the sore front feet.
4. Laying down without rolling because their feet hurt.

TREATMENT

1. DMSO via nasal gastric tube.
2. Bute
3. Soft Ride Boots.
4. Remove the horse from the pasture and stop feeding grain.

TIME TO WORM

For the strategic worming plan, the time to worm is April 15.  Use Quest or Ivermectin.

SPRING VACCINATIONS

Getting your horses vaccinated in the spring provides the best protection from diseases carried by insects that are active and biting in the warmer, wet months.  Vaccinating in accordance with the AAEP recommendations assures your horse is protected as needed. 

These are the combination vaccines for our area that we use at Hayes Equine.

1. Core Vaccine has Eastern & Western encephalitis, West Nile, Tetanus, and Rabies.  It is the basics in one shot.  It is intended for the horses that are in a “closed herd” environment.  It does not contain Rhino (EHV1) or Flu.  
2. 7WAY vaccine contains Eastern & Western encephalitis, West Nile, Tetanus, Flu, and Rhino (EHV1) in one shot.  A Rabies vaccination is given with 7way.  
3. Flu/Rhino is a respiratory vaccine combo for horses that go to competition, or have exposure to outside horses. This vaccine is often given with the Core Vaccine.  It is recommended that a Flu/Rhino booster be given in six months if the horse is in a high exposure environment.   

RECORD KEEPING

Spring is also great time to evaluate your record keeping methods.  Modern cell phones have simplified keeping track of our horse’s records.  You can use the Notes app in your phone to stay on top of vaccination, worming and shoeing dates.  For those who prefer hard copies, use a notebook or journal book to log each horse’s schedule on it’s own page.  Its always a good idea to have this information handy at the barn.  If need your horse’s vaccination reminder list (date given and due date) give us a call.  We will be happy to send it to you.

COGGINS TEST 

Proof of a current coggins is needed for trail rides, clinics, competitions, breeding farms, and crossing state lines.  It is a good idea along with the original to save a copy in your phone (in favorites or a separate file) and a hard copy in your trailer.

FIRST AID KIT

If you have a horse, you know accidents happen.  It is wise to have a first aid kit in the barn and horse trailer.  A simple tote bag or plastic tote box containing the following is suggested.     

1. Banamine (flunixin) liquid.   Have one oral dose.  This is available only from your veterinarian. 
2. Bandage supply:  sheet cotton, vet wrap, telfa pad, Neosporin antibiotic ointment.
3. Eye ointment   1 tube SSD (available from your vet) which works against fungal and bacterial   eye problems
4. Thermometer.  Digital or glass is fine.

FOALING TIME: REMINDERS      

Your mare should be vaccinated at least one month prior to foaling with 7 Way and Rabies.  We have

Mare Prediction Kits available that will keep you from needlessly staying up night after night.  The kit contains a milk PH strip that tests a drop of her milk to predict foaling. The strip color will change to green when the mare is going to foal.  For after foaling, have a foal kit on hand.  It should contain Nolvasan to dip the navel in, and an enema to help with the foal’s first bowel movement.  Remember the FOALING 1,2,3 RULES:  1 hour for the foal to stand, 2 hours for the foal to nurse, 3 hours for the mare to pass the placenta.

Call your vet when if the following occurs: 

1.  If the foal is not nursing or mare won’t let it nurse
2.  If the foal continues to strain to pass feces even after the enema
3.  If the mare has not passed her placenta in 3 hours
4.  If the foal is not nursing, bumps the udder and doesn’t nurse, is sick or has diarrhea.
5.  If the mare presents a red bag and not a white bag during foaling or takes more than 1 hour to foal.

Your new foal should have an Igg test at 24 hours old.  This test is to confirm the foal received+ enough antibodies from the colostrum milk.

We would like to congratulate Pinkerton (Pink) Bridges, daughter of clients Jessica and Jerry Jones.  Pink, on Shiney Little Rey, won the 2023 World Championship in the youth boxing at the NRCHA Celebration of Champions in Fort Worth, TX.  Way to go Pink!  

CASTRATION SIGNS:  April 14-19