Spring News and Notes 2012

 High Desert Veterinary Service

Spring 2012 News & Notes     

Chrysann Collatos VMD, PhD, DipACVIM           HighDesertEquine.com

775-969-3495 (Office)                        775-742-2823 (Cell)       hidvet@gmail.com

* Vaccination Clinic Schedule

* New information on Pergolide

* Learning from the Brumbees

* What’s new with Us

I am excited  to share new knowledge and continuing relationships with you all in 2012.  Spring clinics always provide a rewarding opportunity for me to catch up with you and your animals.

I look forward to seeing you in March!

Spring Vaccination Clinic Schedule

As always I’m there to answer your questions, and offer routine health care services on clinic days. Routine spring health care includes vaccination against E&W Encephalitis, West Nile, Rabies, Tetanus, Influenza and Rhinopneumonitis plus deworming, an oral exam and sheath cleaning for geldings.

Call the office to reserve an appointment.

BE SURE TO LEAVE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

Name, Phone #, Date you request, Number of Animals, and the Services needed.

We will return your call three days before your clinic with an estimated time of arrival at your address.  Please be sure horses are caught and haltered 30 minutes beforehand.

Location                                                   Date

Rancho Haven/Sierra Ranchos1             Sat  Mar 3 

Rancho Haven/Sierra Ranchos2             Fri  Mar 9

Red Rock North/Silver Knolls 1              Sun Mar 4

RR North/Cold Springs/Silver Knolls 2    Fri Mar 16

SpanSprings/Palomino Valley 1             Mon Mar 5

SpanSprings/Palomino Valley 2             Sat Mar 10

Antelope Valley                                     Sun Mar 11

Golden/Lemmon Valley                         Sun Mar 11   

South & West Reno                        Tues Mar 13 

Golden/Lemon Val/South Reno               Fri Mar 23

Sierra Valley/California                            Sat Mar 17

For additional savings, you can schedule your own mini-clinic as long as you have at least 10 horses at a single location.  Call the office to make such arrangements.

Price List – Clinic day only

Farm Call/Spring Exam          $18.00

West Nile (Prevenile)                $32.00

FluRhino                                    $27.00

Tetanus/ Encephalitis               $15.00

Rabies                                        $22.00

Intranasal Strangles                  $30.00

Ivermectin Deworm                   $14.00

Coggins Test                             $25.00

Sheath Clean w/sedation         $35.00

Ask Dr. C what vaccines are best for your horse based on age, environment, and activity level.

 New Information on Pergolide

Many of you are familiar with Equine Cushings Disease (PPID) and already are treating your affected horses with Pergolide.  Equine Cushings Disease is a disorder of the pituitary gland that affects the endocrine (hormonal) system.  It is slowly progressive, and puts affected horses at risk for laminitis (founder) and recurrent infections.  As the disease progresses, affected horses typically have long, shaggy hair coats (hirsutism) that do not shed out in the summer time,  drink and urinate excessively (PU/PD), and exhibit loss of muscles tone along their neck and back. Unfortunately, these clinical signs vary from horse to horse, making early diagnosis of the problem challenging.  The best way to test for Equine Cushings Disease is by measuring Adrenocorticotropin Hormone (ACTH) in your horse’s blood.

Pergolide, which stimulates production of dopamine in the brain, has long been an effective management tool to treat PPID.  There has been no FDA approved product for years, and so compounding pharmacies, which purchase and prepare non-approved chemical formulations of drugs, have been the only source of pergolide.  The price and quality of these preparations vary significantly.  Unfortunately in an effort to economize, many horses are receiving less expensive pergolide formulations that may not contain accurate or stable amounts of pergolide.

An FDA approved pergolide formulation, Prascend, is now available.  The cost is higher than some compounded formulations, but the concentration and stability of the drug is guaranteed.  If you have a horse on pergolide, or suspect that your horse may have Equine Cushings Syndrome, please contact me so that we can discuss the best diagnostic and treatment plan for your horse.  Go to our HighDesertEquine facebook page to find a link to more information on Prascend.

What’s new with us

All three of my assistants have had exciting years.  Hayley Rasmusen is waiting to hear any day now if she has been accepted to start vet school in the fall.  She had an interview at Washington State University last week and currently is on the waiting list at Oregon State University.  Join us in our hopes for a thumbs up from one of these institutions.

Jessie Racicot was accepted into and is finishing her first year in the Truckee Meadows Community College Certified Veterinary Technician program.  She is loving the veterinary related academics, but misses being able to spend as much time on the road with Dr. C

And when she isn’t winning barrel races Gina Valceschini continues in her undergraduate classes at TMCC.

 I am very excited to see these three talented individuals develop their career paths, and look forward to mentoring future HighDesertEquine assistants in the years to come. 

A New Perspective on the Mustang Hoof

Mustangs are widely used as a model for “natural” foot trimming.  This is based on the premise that their lifestyle promotes hoof health as a result of distance travelled on unimproved footing, a natural diet, and the absence of human intervention on hoof conformation.  I attended the 2011 International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot where Brian Hampson, working with Dr. Chris Pollitt of the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit, presented his studies on the feet of 100 Brumbies, the wild horses of Australia.

            Five groups of horses were studied, each living in a different environmental region of the Australian outback. The feet of 20 horses in each group were analyzed for conformation and pathologic changes.  Conditions ranged from rock hard arid strata to wet grasslands.  Brian’s hypothesis was that no single feral-horse foot model exists, and that it is incorrect to assume that because a horse survives in the wild that its feet are therefore healthy.

            It was discovered that each environment produced a different hoof conformation, and that 97/100 feet studied exhibited some pathologic abnormality.  Histologic evidence of chronic laminitis was observed in over half of the feet.  It was noted that “significant pathology was identified in the foot types most closely resembling the popular ‘mustang’ foot.”  In fact, characteristics such as thick hoof wall, thick hard sole and heavily worn distal wall promoting sole loading may actually be associated with pathology.         

Brian Hampson concluded that “there is currently no clear evidence to support the use of the extreme feral horse foot as a model for foot care.”  However, he went on to point out that when the varied characteristics of all 5 groups of horses were combined and analyzed, some consistent parameters were identified that may be important when considering the natural form of the equine foot.

            Research on the wild horse foot is ongoing.  See great videos and learn more about this work at www.wildhorseresearch.com.

Call 775-969-3495 to schedule your clinic appointment today!

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I believe that education is the key to evolution. I believe that animals are the key to compassion. I believe the learning never stops.

Hello all,

Here's to some fresh blogging this winter, along with the launch of our new practice logo - what do you think of it? Comments, both pro and con, are greatly appreciated.



I believe that education is the key to evolution.I believe that animals are the key to compassion.I believe the learning never stops.

Fall Clinic Schedule

                                                           

Reduced clinic fees still held over from 2009!

As always I’m there to answer your questions, and also offer routine health care services on clinic days. Routine fall health care includes vaccination against Influenza and Rhinopneumonitis plus deworming, an oral exam,  and sheath cleaning for geldings.

Call the office to reserve an appointment.

BE SURE TO LEAVE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

Name, Phone #,  Date you request, Number of Animals, and the Services needed.

We will return your call three days before your clinic with an estimated time of arrival at your address.  Please be sure horses are caught and haltered 30 minutes beforehand.

Location                                               Date

Rancho Haven/Sierra Ranchos1.............Sun  Sep 11 

Rancho Haven/Sierra Ranchos2............ Fri  Sep 16

Red Rock North/Silver Knolls 1...............Sat Sep 17

Red Rock North/Silver Knolls 2...............Fri Sep 23

SpanSprings/Palomino Valley 1.............Sat Sep 10

SpanSprings/Palomino Valley 2.............Fri Sep 23

Antelope/Golden/Lemmon Valley 1........Sat Sep 24

Antelope/Golden/Lemmon Valley 2........Thur Sep 29  

South & West Reno 1...............................Sun Sep 25

South & West Reno 2.............................. Fri Sep 30

For additional savings, you can schedule your own mini-clinic as long as you have at least 7 horses at a single location.  Call the office to make such arrangements.

Discounted Price List – Clinic day only

Farm Call/Fall Exam               $15.00

West Nile (Prevenile)               $30.00

FluRhino                                    $26.00

Tetanus/ Encephalitis              $15.00

Intranasal Strangles                  $30.00

Ivermectin Deworm                  $14.00

Coggins Test                             $25.00

Sheath Clean w/sedation         $35.00

Fecal parasite exam                 $15.00

Oral Exam (w/o sedation)         No charge!

. 

I believe that education is the key to evolution. I believe that animals are the key to compassion. I believe the learning never stops.

Continuing Education

Sharing New Knowledge

Although this picture looks like my life is one big vacation, the truth is that in addition to lots of hard work, continuing education is a vital part of my commitment to your animal’s care. This spring I attended the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Annual Forum. I thought you all might be interested in a few highlights of what I learned:

Topic: Neurologic EHV-1 – In a research setting, treatment with the anti-viral drugs Valacyclovir or Gencyclovir decreased the severity and improved recovery from neurologic signs even when the medication was not given until 5 days after the known time of infection with EHV-1.

Topic: Melanomas –A fascinating DNA based vaccine has been available for dogs with malignant melanoma for several years. Application of this vaccine to horses with melanoma has yielded promising results. The vaccine is expensive, and multiple doses are required, but for those of you who have experienced the heartbreak of progressive melanoma in horses, this represents a great breakthrough in treatment/prevention options. A second novel therapy for melanomas combines a hyperthermia unit with chemotherapy. In the pilot clinical study a positive response rate of 81% was reported with this treatment.

Topic:Insulin Resistance - Low carbohydrate diets are the standard recommendation for Metabolic Syndrome horses. Occasionally these horses are in work that requires a higher caloric intake and we have traditionally recommended adding fat as a caloric source. This may not be a good idea. Recent research shows that fat may be detrimental to the metabolism of insulin resistant horses, and that beet pulp and soy hull feeds are a better source for increase calories in these horses’ diets.

Topic – Stem Cells for Laminitis – Regenerative therapy is rapidly expanding field in medicine. Stem cells are now being injected as a regional limb perfusion in horses with laminitis (founder). The work is early, but positive results have been reported in horses that failed to respond to conventional treatments. Next week I will be administering stem cells to a horse with a chronic quarter crack and underlying laminar damage.

I believe that education is the key to evolution. I believe that animals are the key to compassion. I believe the learning never stops.

AAEP release on EHV-1 reporting

The American Association of Equine Practicioners (AAEP) has released the following regarding reporting of any suspect EHV-1 exposed horses:

American Horse Council and AAEP work with USDA to Facilitate Coordination of EHV-1 and EHM Case Reporting Horses exposed to the Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) based on attending an event held in Utah will now be monitored through a national case reporting system.  In addition, a guidance document was sent to State Animal Health Officials and Area Veterinarians in Charge (AVIC) in each state on Tuesday, May 17, 2011, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Service (VS). In response to confirmed cases of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) and Equine Herpes Virus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in horses that attended a cutting horse event in Ogden, Utah held from April 29 to May 8, 2011, the American Horse Council (AHC) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) contacted the USDA:APHIS:VS and requested federal coordination for data collection, dissemination, and communication efforts among state and federal veterinarians. The purpose of collecting this data is to protect the health of horses and mitigate the economic implications of further EHV-1 transmission to horses not yet affected. In response, USDA:APHIS:VS has reached out to State Animal Health Officials, federal Area-Veterinarians-In-Charge (AVICs) and private practitioners to collect current information on the EHV-1 disease incident and develop a coordinated response among state, federal and industry partners.  The full scope of the current EHV-1 situation and a complete accounting for the number of horses affected and/or exposed is underway. "We want to applaud the quick response and efforts of the USDA:APHIS:VS," said William A. Moyer, DVM, 2011 AAEP president. "Having the support and coordination of this effort by the USDA:APHIS:VS working in collaboration with State Animal Health Officials, will be key in providing accurate and timely information to the equine and veterinary communities during this outbreak." "USDA can play a critical and timely role in collecting, verifying, and disseminating accurate information to state animal health officials and industry partners," said Jay Hickey, President of the American Horse Council.  "These efforts are essential to mitigating the health and economic implications of this current EHV-1 situation. Misinformation can often be an epidemic in and of itself.  This latest disease incident only underscores the importance of implementing a pro-active national equine health program." USDA and State Animal Health Officials have initiated an investigation and incident response effort.  The USDA plans to release the initial report through summarization of information provided by the State Animal Health Officials and AVIC's including the number of horses suspected and confirmed as EHV-1 cases and EHM cases along with fatalities in the coming days. The USDA will update and release future reports on the current EHV-1 outbreak on a weekly basis.  If the current incident results in wide-spread exposure or a large influx of infected horses, the USDA will provide that information as it becomes available. Practitioners are encouraged to notify their State Animal Health Official of suspect or confirmed cases of EHV-1 and EHM.  The State Animal Health Officials can assist with guidelines on diagnostic testing and management to reduce risk of spread of EHV-1. There have been numerous scientific articles citing a wide variation in the number of suspect and confirmed cases of the EHV-1 and the neurological form of the disease (EHM) in horses.  This large disparity in reported information underscores the importance of allowing USDA and State Animal Health Officials to collect data, based on the use of consistent case definitions, to then verify information gathered and disseminate factual summary information. Until state and federal animal health officials are able to gather, verify and disseminate accurate information on the scope of the current incident, it is critical for individual horse owners and organizations to undertake appropriate and responsible actions to mitigate the welfare and economic implications of potential future transmissions. At the time this release was issued, only Colorado and Wyoming had implemented enhanced state entry requirements in response to the on-going EHV-1 disease situation. Additionally, if you anticipate transporting your horse across state lines it is recommended you contact each respective state/provincial veterinarian's office prior to departure to determine if there are any restrictions or enhanced entry requirements due to the current EHV-1 incident.  To find your state or provincial animal health office, visit www.aaep.org/us_canada_statehealthoffice.htm. In the interim, the AHC and AAEP stress the importance of responsible ownership practices and informed communication among industry organizations.  Please visit the AAEP's website at www.aaep.org for additional information on these diseases, as well as updated horse owner and veterinary resources including an FAQ feature about the diseases, biosecurity recommendations, updates from various states and more. The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse.  Currently, the AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 10,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.  As the national association representing all segments of the horse industry in Washington, D.C., the American Horse Council works daily to represent equine interests and opportunities. Organized in 1969, the AHC promotes and protects the industry by communicating with Congress, federal agencies, the media and the industry on behalf of all horse related interests each and every day. The AHC is member supported by individuals and organizations representing virtually every facet of the horse world from owners, breeders, veterinarians, farriers, breed registries and horsemen's associations to horse shows, race tracks, rodeos, commercial suppliers and state horse councils. ####

The I believe that education is the key to evolution. I believe that animals are the key to compassion. I believe the learning never stops.

EHV-1 vaccination

The question of the day seems to be about vaccination and EHV-1.  Here is my opinion:
There are two types of EHV-1 virus.  The first is the wild type EHV-1, which causes upper respiratory disease, abortion, and rarely, neurologic disease. The second is  neuropathogenic EHV-1, which is the virus identified in horses from the Ogden event.  This type has a genetic mutation that makes it much better at attacking the central nervous system, and therefore much more likely to cause neurologic disease, or EHVM (equine herpes virus myeloencephalitis).

 There is no vaccine known to protect against  EHVM.

The EHV-1 vaccines currently on the market have been shown to decrease the incidence of disease and the severity of signs in horses that get sick with wild type EHV-1.  There may be some cross-protection with these vaccines against infection with neuropathogenic EHV-1, but only if the horse is vaccinated at least 2 weeks prior to exposure to the neuropathogenic EHV-1, and even then this protection has not been proven.  Many horses currently clinically ill with EHVM were vaccinated against wild type EHV-1. Unfortunately, the interaction of the vaccine reaction and the neuropathogenic EHV-1 is very complex and not well understood.  If the vaccine is administered very close in time to exposure to the neuropathogenic EHV-1, vaccination may actually be harmful.

Based on this, here is my recommendation:
If there is any risk that your horse may have been exposed to neuropathogenic EHV-1 (the virus responsible for the current outbreak) do NOT vaccinate your horse. 
If there is NO risk that your horse has been exposed, and your horse is being housed in a closed facility so that there will be no new horses introduced within the next 2 weeks,  and your horse has not received a flurhino shot this year, then it is safe to proceed with routine spring vaccination.


I believe that education is the key to evolution. I believe that animals are the key to compassion. I believe the learning never stops.

Veterinary Networking

Veterinary Networking

     Last week a local veterinarian called me to discuss a horse he was treating for metabolic syndrome.  The horse had been treated with a specially designed diet and exercise program for the past 6 months to address a problem of abnormal weight gain, high blood sugar and insulin levels.  She was being re-evaluated and the veterinarian had some questions about interpretation of her latest laboratory values.  He called me because I am a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, which means I successfully completed a 3 year clinical large animal residency training program and a rigorous examination process to ensure my advanced knowledge and experience diagnosing and treating internal medicine problems in large animal species.

      I stopped by to visit with Dr. Shane Miller at Comstock Large Animal Hospital yesterday.  Shane is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.  I had taken some x-rays of a foal with an unusual stifle lameness and had some questions about the abnormalities I had seen on the radiographs.  Shane and I sat down and looked at the films together.  He gave me his opinion on the radiographic changes and some suggestions on treatment options for the foal. 

     This type of congenial exchange of information goes on all the time behind the scenes as a routine part of your animal's care. In addition to consulting with local specialists, there are larger networks we utilize to keep up with the constantly expanding subject matter concerning veterinary medicine.

    I allocate a portion of every day to reading two listserves that I follow on line- one is supported by the American College of Large Animal Veterinary Internal Medicine, the other by the American Association of Equine Practicioners.  These internet based conversation groups provide a wonderful, interactive forum for veterinarians to discuss cases they are treating and get input from colleagues worldwide.

    The variety of problems presented to the ambulatory veterinarian is enormous, and maintaining this network of colleagues is a critical part of my service to you.  After 22 years as a practicing veterinarian, the majority of patients I see exhibit clinical signs with which I am familiar, and diagnostic and treatment plans are relatively routine.  However, when an animal presents with an unusual history or presenting complaint, it is wonderful to have a network of specialists to consult.  Sometimes the initial conversation with a specialist leads to the referral of the patient for advanced diagnostics or treatment.  

Last month I sent a patient to the UC Davis Veterinary Teaching hospital not only for advanced diagnostic services, but also to ensure a level of intensive care treatment and monitoring that could not be provided in the field.  

     Deciding when to consult or refer with a specialist is not always a cut and dry matter - a crucial part of my job is to be sure to keep lines of communication open, and to present all your options to you as a horse owner.  If you ever have unanswered questions about your horse, discuss them with me until you are completely satisfied, and ask for a referral for a second opinion if you feel it is warranted -  I am happy to comply.
    There are 21 specialty colleges of veterinary medicine recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association. In the greater Reno area we have 2 board certified surgeons practicing on horses, 1 large animal internist, and a board certified ophthalmologist who sees both large and small animal patients.  UC Davis is 3 hours away and offers specialists in most of the large animal disciplines.  To learn more about veterinary specialists, google AVMA specialty organizations.

   

I believe that education is the key to evolution. I believe that animals are the key to compassion. I believe the learning never stops.