paige_soap, Author at Oakhill Vets

Keeping your pet safe at Halloween

Top tips to help keep your pets safe this Halloween

For us humans Halloween may be a fun, sweet-fuelled event but Halloween can be a scary time of year for pets. Unexpected knocks at the front door and people dressed in costumes can be confusing and frightening for them. Read our top tips to keep your dog safe and happy this Halloween…

1. Walk your dog before it gets dark.

This means you’re not taking them out in the evening, where a lot of loud noises and bright lights might startle them.

If you know your dog is nervous or reactive to noise, try taking them for a longer walk during the afternoon. This ensures they get the right amount of exercise and mental stimulation, without forcing them out into an evening that could be filled of extremely scary noises and costumes.

If you get home after dark and don’t have time to walk your dog in daylight, think about fun ways to tire them out in the safety of your home. This could be with food toys, training, or search games.

2. Don’t leave your pet alone outside.

Being outside might be what your pet is used to, but to be on the safe side we recommend moving both cats and dogs inside on the evening of the 31st. Not only will they feel safer inside, because the noise will be duller, they’re also safe from becoming the target for a trick or treat prank.

3. When you’re opening the door to trick-or-treaters, keep your pet safely away in a different room.

If you’re a popular stop on your neighbourhood’s trick-or-treating route, the constant knocking and doorbell ringing can really stress out a pet. It’s best to put your pet in a safe haven, such as a back room of the home where the commotion won’t bother them. You might also try placing them in a crate or carrier that’s filled with plenty of toys, interactive feeders, or food puzzles to keep them entertained. This should be done in the days running up to the 31st, so your pet is used to the area and knows it is a safe spot for them to enjoy.

If your dog is really worried by people and may not cope with trick or treaters coming to the door, you could put a sign on your gate saying ‘Nervous dog. Please don’t knock on the door. Please take sweets from the box’ and leave a box of treats in the front garden for children.

4. Use Halloween as a good time to ensure your pet’s microchip details are up to date.

Autumn can be a difficult time for pets, and it is vital that both cats and dogs are microchipped with up-to-date address and telephone details.

5. Never force your pet to wear a costume.

Some pets enjoy being dressed up, and others don’t: consider your pet’s personality and what type of costume they may tolerate and for how long. If your pet appears uncomfortable, take off the costume. Signs of discomfort include folded down ears, eyes rolling back or looking sideways, a tucked tail or hunching over. Your pets’ happiness isn’t worth the Instagram!

6. Keep any Halloween decorations out of reach from pets.

Your pet may be tempted to chew the new decoration. Lots of Halloween decorations can be toxic to pets, so keep them out of reach.

7. If you and your family go trick or treating, leave your dog at home.

Although it’s a family event, let the dog sit this one out. People dressed up and lots of strange noises can be very scary for your pet. Dogs can be easily excited by the Halloween commotion, and a bite or a lost dog will quickly end the evening’s fun.

8. Consider leaving the TV or radio on for your pet.

With the strange noises associated with people being out later than usual in your area, consider leaving some noise on in the house to distract your pet.

9. Keep any Halloween chocolates or sweets out of reach of pets.

Pre-Halloween and during trick-or-treating, keep candy safely stashed in a high cabinet secured with a lock or child-safety latch. Many foods, such as chocolate, gum and xylitol (a sweetener used in many foods) are hazardous to pets. And sweet bags and wrappers can also cause a choking hazard or obstruction if ingested. Small plastic bags could pose a suffocation risk.

Watch your kids! Children may make the harmful mistake of sharing their loot. Make sure they know the difference between a treat for them and a treat for their four-legged friends.

If you suspect your pet has ingested anything they shouldn’t have, contact us immediately.

10. Ditch the real candles!

Pets can easily brush against the open flame resulting in severe and painful burns and possibly even lighting your home on fire. If you want to set the mood for Halloween, opt for the LED variety instead. One less thing to worry about if your pet accidently knocks the pumpkin over!

Parasite management at housing time

At this time of year parasites take on a dormant state and “overwinter” within the stomach lining. It is important to remove this inhibited stage of the parasite because if left they can cause significant damage and disease when they emerge en masse in spring. Affected animals develop rapid clinical signs of weight loss, scour and dehydration, which may be fatal.

Parasites which survive over winter in the stomach lining will contribute to larval pasture burdens when they emerge the following spring.

1st and 2nd season grazed youngstock

This age group are most susceptible to gut and lung worms as cattle have not had time to develop a protective immune response until after their 2nd grazing season. Treat all youngstock at housing with a Group 3-ML (clear drench/injection/pour-on – ivermectin e.g. Enovex) that will remove all inhibited larvae. Avoid Group 1-BZ (white drenches – albendazole, fenbendazole) and Group 2-LV (yellow drenches – Levamisole) products are these will not remove all inhibited larval stages

The winter housing period will soon be upon us, which means that many of you will now be planning to treat your animals for gut parasites. Purchasing worm and fluke products can be a bit of a minefield, but this guide aims to help you choose the most appropriate product for your stock. The aim being to effectively remove parasites whilst minimising the likelihood of selection for resistance.

Purchased 1st lactation dairy/ 1st lactation beef cattle

The immune status of these animals is unknown with respect to lungworm. It is worth paying particular attention to this group of animals and treating them if they are coughing or under conditioned. Dairy cattle can be treated with an eprinomectin product (e.g. Eprizero -zero milk withdrawal). A Group 3-ML (e.g. Enovex) would be a good choice in beef cattle.

Adult dairy/beef cattle

Adult cattle should not require any treatment for gut worms as they will have built up protective immunity. However, it may be beneficial to perform faecal egg counts in any animals in poor condition so that they can be treated if necessary.

All age groups

Cattle (and sheep) are unable to develop a protective immune response to fluke infection. Therefore fluke control should encompass all ages of cattle. A bulk milk test can be used to monitor the infection level in milking herds and faecal tests can be used to test individual or small groups of animals.

In contrast to sheep, cattle typically only suffer from the chronic form of fluke infection. After a dry summer like we have just had, even if autumn is wet, cattle will only be harbouring immature flukes at the time of housing. Therefore, it is best to wait at least 10 weeks before treating with a product which targets adult fluke (e.g. Distocur). A nice job to look forward to at Christmas time!

Products containing Oxyclozanide (e.g. Distocur) or albendazole (e.g. Tramazole) may be used in milking herds (usually at dry-off) as they have a short milk withhold (Oxyclozanide = 108hrs and albendazole = 60hrs). Resistance to triclabendazole is becoming more widespread. Whenever possible we should avoid the use of triclabendazole products in cattle as this drug targets immature fluke which are more significant in sheep.

Combination products

Combination products are more costly as you are paying for the “convenience” of a 2-in-1 product. However, it is often the case that the two drugs which are combined should not ideally be given together at housing.

For example, if you used a product containing ivermectin and closantel at housing, you will remove all worms, but very few fluke as closantel will only kill fluke that were ingested over 7 weeks ago. Therefore, another fluke treatment would be needed later on. If you waited until the cattle had been housed for at least 7 weeks before dosing they will have carried their worm burden for an extra 7 weeks+. Adult cattle do not need treating with combination products as their worm burden will be low and does not require treatment. So overall, combination products are a more costly option and may increase the risk of resistance to these drugs.

Poisonous toxins to be aware of on Autumn dog walks

Autumn is the season for muddy woodland walks, kicking through piles of crunchy golden leaves and wrapping yourself up, ready to battle the wet and windy weather. Although autumnal walks with your dog can be beautiful, it’s important to be aware of the seasonal dangers that could be harmful to them.

Acorns

Acorns contain a type of toxin called tannic acid that can make your dog sick or give them a stomach upset. In larger amounts, or if eaten regularly, tannins can also cause kidney and liver failure. Green acorns contain the highest amounts of tannins and are more poisonous than brown ones. As well as being poisonous, acorns can also block your dog’s stomach, causing further complications.

Conkers

These hard shiny seeds contain a toxin called aesculin, which can make your dog sick or give them an upset stomach. Conkers have a bitter taste that might put some dogs off eating a lot of them. When eaten in larger amounts, aesculin can cause more serious effects, and in rare cases can even be deadly.

Clinical signs are usually seen between one and six hours after ingestion, although they can be delayed for up to two days.

Symptoms of conker poisoning include:

Vomiting, which may contain blood
Diarrhoea
Drooling
Abdominal pain
Increased thirst and reduced appetite.
Signs of restlessness, wobbliness and muscle tremors may also be seen.

Poisoning is not the only risk – Conkers are large and hard and may cause your dog to choke on them, or could cause a blockage in your dog’s intestines.

Fallen fruits

As the temperature begins to cool in autumn, many trees start to drop their fruits. Some seeds, pips and fruit stones (apples, cherries, plums etc.) contain toxins that can make your dog ill.

These fruits can also make your dog unwell if they’re eaten when mouldy or after they’ve begun to ferment.

Case Report: Acorn toxicity

In mid-October we were called to examine two 14 month-old beef heifers which had exhibited a sudden onset of foul smelling diarrhoea, inappetence and abdominal pain whilst at grass. Despite symptomatic treatment both animals died within 48 hours. Faecal samples were analysed at the practice but did not reveal a significant parasite burden. One heifer was submitted to the laboratory for a full post mortem investigation.

The post mortem revealed significant kidney damage which raised suspicion of the ingestion of a poisonous substance. On further investigation the field in which the heifers were grazed had 3 oak trees and an abundance of acorns. Acorns contain high levels of tannins which cause acute kidney damage.

Cattle and sheep can exhibit clinical signs of foul-smelling diarrhoea which may contain blood, weakness, inappetence, weight loss and may appear hunched up due to abdominal pain. They may die relatively suddenly. Those animals which survive exhibit weight loss and anaemia as the result of kidney failure.

It is advisable to prevent stock having access to acorns by removing them from fields with oak trees in the autumn or erecting a temporary electric fence. Stock are more likely to ingest acorns if grazing is in short supply.

Interestingly one of the laboratories that we use has reported over 20 cases of acorn toxicity this year, in comparison to only one last year.

Look out for Lungworm

Parasite management at housing time

Parasites which survive over winter in the stomach lining will contribute to larval pasture burdens when they emerge the following spring.

1st and 2nd season grazed youngstock

Purchased 1st lactation dairy/ 1st lactation beef cattle

Adult dairy/beef cattle

All age groups

Combination products

Respiratory tract health

Does your horse cough at the beginning of an exercise session? Do you often find accumulations of mucus outside your horse’s stable door? These subtle signs can indicate lung inflammation.

Formerly known as COPD or RAO, Equine Asthma is commonly seen in equine practice. For the purpose of simplicity, two forms are recognised- Summer asthma and the more traditional dust-induced form.

Both forms of the disease occur when a susceptible horse inhales either an allergen, to which they are allergic, or dust into their airway. This results in the airway spasming and the production of increased amounts of both inflammatory cells and mucus within the airway.

Affected horses present with clinical signs of varying degrees of severity. Some horses present with the subtle signs mentioned above or with a history of poor performance, whereas others present in respiratory distress and struggling to breathe.

On examination affected horses will generally have an increased breathing rate and effort combined with nostril flare. Mucoid nasal discharge may also be present. More severely affected horses may cough, have abdominal effort to their breathing and may have a ‘heave-line.’ A horse’s history combined with clinical examination findings will point towards a diagnosis of asthma but for definitive confirmation, airway endoscopy, to visualise the airway and grade airway mucus combined with laboratory analysis of respiratory tract samples is required. This will also rule in/out secondary bacterial infection.

Treatment of asthma should be based on environmental modifications plus drug therapy on an as needed basis. Horses affected by dust-induced asthma should be turned out in so far as possible. The stable environment should be closely examined. Ideally, the stable will have an inlet and outlet for airflow. Forage should not be stored adjacent to the stable to minimise the dust to which the patient is exposed. Horses should be groomed outside of the stable and fresh bedding laid when your horse is not in the stable environment. If your horse’s stable is unsuitable, try find an alternate stable on your yard that has better airflow. If feeding hay or ‘dry’ haylage, steaming is optimal to reduce dust particles but if not available, soaking should be considered. Managing Summer asthma is more challenging, but the measures outlined above should be followed to ensure stable ‘air hygiene’ is a good as possible.

Drug therapy, when needed, is based on relieving airway spasm (bronchodilators) and reducing airway inflammation and mucus production (steroids and mucolytics). Drug therapy can be provided by the oral or inhalatory routes. Oral medication includes bronchodilators, steroids and mucolytics (which serve to break-up airway mucus). From an inhalatory medication perspective, three options are available- the Equihaler, MDIs and nebulisation. The Equihaler is a licensed, steroid based product which utilises a fine mist to deliver steroid directly to the lungs. The product is very safe as the steroid acts at the lung surface only. We have had some great success using this product in cases of severe asthma and in those that did not respond to other forms of medication. MDIs, human asthma inhalers administered via a baby asthma face mask, have been utilised in equine practice for many years. These are probably most useful in relatively mild cases. Drug delivery via a nebuliser is the third inhalatory option but arguably used less frequently these days.

If you have any questions regarding asthma or think your horse may be affected, please do not hesitate to contact the team for guidance.

Are your tup’s up to the job?

Reduced fertility performance in tups can have a detrimental effect on scanning percentages and can lead to an extended lambing period. Often subfertile tups are only noticed well into the breeding period when ewes are returning.

A pre-breeding examination can rule out common health problems, assess the genitalia, and check semen quality. It can take 6 weeks for sperm production to recover after a problem (stress, lameness, disease etc), so it is important to schedule the pre-breeding exam at least 8 weeks before the planned start of breeding.

The 5 T’s of the tup exam

Teeth – Check for under or overshot jaw and dental health. It is important that he can eat well during the breeding season to maintain his energy status and body condition.
Toes – Check for any signs of lameness, infectious disease, or arthritis. Assess his locomotion.
Tone – Assess his body condition score. Aim for 3.5-4.
Testicles – Measure scrotal size, check firmness and feel for any lumps.
Treatment – Chance to give any treatments e.g. vaccinations or parasite products.

Assessing the semen quality

If the tup passes the first half of the test then a semen sample will be taken with the aid of an electro-ejaculator and examined under the microscope. The motility and number of abnormal sperm will be assessed.

What is MRI used for?

Our standing MRI scanner can be used to assess injuries from the hoof, up to and including the hock and carpus (knee). The scanner is specifically designed to image the lower limb in the standing horse, as this is the most common site of lameness. It has revolutionized our understanding of the structures of the hoof, and we can now differentiate between the multiple conditions that were encompassed as ‘navicular syndrome’.

Previously, a horse with forelimb lameness that was localized to the foot, was diagnosed with ‘navicular syndrome’. However, a lot of the time, the severity of the lameness did not fit with the mild observations noted on radiographs (X-rays). We now know, through the use of MRI, that there are many other anatomical structures that could be injured and causing the lameness. With forelimb lameness being a common problem in horses, this diagnostic imaging tool means we can target rehabilitation, farriery, and treatment more specifically.

Injuries identifiable on MRI would include deep digital flexor tendon lesions within the hoof. Without the use of MRI this condition would have been misdiagnosed, leading to inaccurate management and unsoundness. MRI can also assess ligaments within the hoof capsule, such as the collateral ligaments of the coffin joint, which are often painful when horses are lunged in a circle. This amazing imaging modality also shows us the degree of inflammation within synovial structures such as the coffin joint and navicular bursa of the foot which cannot be visualized in any other way. Not only does MRI allow us to diagnose more accurately, but it allows us to monitor the progression of conditions and carefully assess the horse’s response to treatments.

X-ray imaging is used to assess bone pathology as an initial tool. However, it can take up to 2 weeks following injury before the bone pathology is noticeable on radiographs, and sometimes it is not visualized at all. MRI is the only imaging modality that can assess inflammation within bones such as bone bruising or cysts. These can cause severe lameness and require long periods of rest but would not be diagnosed without the use of MRI.

As equine vets we are eternally grateful for these advancements in technology which have enabled us to achieve an accurate diagnosis much faster than ever before, and as we know, a faster diagnosis leads to more precise treatment and management protocols to get your horse feeling in tip-top shape again.

Heat Stress in Cattle

Cattle are particularly susceptible to heat stress as they carry a fermentation tank (their rumen!) around with them which is constantly producing heat (the equivalent to a 1.4 kW heater in ambient temperatures). Cows may be subjected to heat stress under housed conditions or at grass.

For lactating cows, the greater the milk yield, the more heat is produced. For example, irrespective of the environmental temperature, a cow yielding 31 litres a day produces 48% more body heat than a dry cow!

There is evidence that heat stress is most marked when it comes in short bursts (as we (un)commonly see in Lancashire!) with no time for the cow to adapt to the rising temperatures.

Factors affecting the likelihood of heat stress include:

Air temperature
Solar radiation
Air velocity
Relative humidity

Cattle are likely to experience heat stress once the temperature reaches 24°C, particularly if the humidity is >70%. Calves are susceptible to heat stress from 25°C, as they have a larger surface area to body weight ratio.

The effects heat stress in dairy cattle include:

10-30% reduction in dry matter intake. Cows reduce their feed intake as a means to limiting their own heat production by the rumen. Cows will be more selective in what they eat and will avoid roughages if they are able to sort their diet. Less roughage = reduced rumination, and a reduction in heat production.
Negative energy balance. A reduction in DMI will have a negative effect on the cows’ metabolic status.
8-37% reduction in milk yield. Butterfats will reduce if fibre intake is decreased.
Negative impact on fertility. A reduction in heat expression and increased embryo mortality.
Increased lameness. Heat-stressed cows prefer to stand in an attempt to keep cool. They may congregate in cooler areas of the shed. Increased standing puts greater pressures on feet.
Increase in somatic cell count and clinical mastitis. This is due to a combination of compromised immune function, increased standing times, reduced fibre intake leading to thinner slurry, and a reduction in cubicle hygiene (sweaty skin and warm humid bedding materials are the perfect recipe for mastitis!)

Cows suffering from heat stress exhibit increased breathing rates. In extreme cases cows may be seen panting and open-mouth breathing in an attempt to cool down. You may notice cows clustering in cooler areas of the shed or in shaded areas. Respiration rates and body temperature are both good ways to assess whether cows are affected by heat stress. A normal respiratory rate is 26-50 breaths per minute. Rectal temperature should be <39.3. It is not advisable to wait for a reduction in milk yield as there is a lag time of 2-4 days.

Managing heat stress:

Ensure sufficient water sources – cows may drink in excess of 200 litres in hot weather. Provide at least 10cm linear trough space per cow, from multiple troughs to minimise competition.
Reduce solar radiation – ensure cows at grass have sufficient shade and assess the effect of solar radiation from sky lights. Try painting south-facing sky lights to reduce sunlight entering buildings.
Modify existing buildings to maximise ventilation. This could include opening up the ridge and creating more air inlets along the side of buildings. For adult cattle the outlet in the ridge needs 0.1m² per animal. Inlets in each sidewall need to be 1.5-2x the outlet area.
If the ventilation is still inadequate, consider installing fans.
Reduce the stocking density in buildings.
It may be appropriate to house grazed cattle.
Only handle cattle at cooler times of the day and minimise time spent in holding pens.
Feed at cooler times of the day (8pm-8am).
Ensure good fly control as flies are more active in hot weather and contribute cows’ frustration.
Move calf hutches to shaded areas where there is good air flow.

Don’t forget collecting yards and the milking parlour. If it’s uncomfortable for you it certainly will be for your cows!

What is kissing spines?

What is kissing spines and why has it suddenly become more common?

Kissing spines or more correctly termed ‘impinging dorsal spinous processes’ (IDSPs) is where there is over-crowding of the summits of the 18 spines that the horse has, usually in the saddle region of the spine. This leads to bone friction and pain which spreads along the muscles either side of the spine. In our years of experience of dealing with this disorder, by far the most common clinical signs are (in order):

Bucking
Being ‘Cold-backed’ on mounting
Hunching or arching of the spine
Sudden shooting/scurrying under saddle particularly on mounting
Bolting

Yes, some young (and old!) horses will buck when they are excited, these horses usually have their ears pricked and they are ready to go!! Horses who buck due to pain will have their ears pinned back and they are not ready to go, they just want to get rid of the pain (unfortunately that’s usually the rider on board!).

The problem we have in diagnosing this condition is that many horses will have kissing spines on X-rays of their spine, in fact up to 86% of thoroughbred horses will have x-rays consistent with IDSPs! That does not mean that they are all painful! To determine whether or not the x-ray findings are causing discomfort relies on 3 methods of diagnosis (in order of our preference!):

Medication of the spine with steroids (potent anti-inflammatory drugs) which lasts several weeks in this region in severe cases, so you can tell if your horse feels better over this prolonged period of time.
Infiltration of the spine with local anaesthetic and seeing if the clinical signs resolve when the horse is re-evaluated ridden.
A ‘bute’ trial, whereby we administer systemic anti-inflammatory drugs to see if the clinical signs improve.

Only then can we be sure if the X-ray findings are consistent with pain in the horse. So your horse is diagnosed with kissing spines, what can we do? Is it hopeless? NO, in fact, this condition can be treated fairly successfully in most cases either with conservative management and altered training techniques, including physiotherapy or with different surgical methods. If your horse is suffering with kissing spines, we are equipped to help you every step of the way with your journey back into the saddle.

And in answer to the original question, IDSPs is NOT more common than it was years ago…….we just have X-ray machines that are capable of seeing the spine now. We are also more aware than ever that our horses are generally not a naughty bunch, and are often just asking for our help because something hurts!