EQUINE Archives

GREEN LEVEL INVESTORS IN THE ENVIRONMENT ACCREDITATION FOR OAKHILL VETS!

In 2022, Oakhill Vets embarked on its journey toward accreditation with Investors in the Environment (iiE), a national environmental accreditation scheme. The iiE program is designed to help organisations save time and money, minimise their environmental impact, and gain recognition for their sustainability efforts. The scheme focuses on four key areas of sustainable development: Leadership and Governance, Climate Change, Nature and Natural Resources, and Pollution and Waste.

Vet Lisa, Oakhill’s ‘Sustainability Lead,’ has been spearheading these efforts alongside sustainability champions, the wider staff team, and the directors. After a period of extensive reporting and planning, Oakhill had its second ‘Sustainability Audit’, and we are proud to announce that we achieved Green Level accreditation with an impressive score of 77%, skipping the Silver Level entirely!

To reach the Green Level, we demonstrated continuous improvement by implementing our Environmental Management System (EMS), achieving a minimum 2% efficiency improvement year after year. We have shown measurable success and progress, promoting sustainable development throughout our organisation and value chain while preparing for net-zero emissions and beyond. This includes:

Expanding the scope of environmental initiatives
Managing the environmental impact of work-related travel
Evaluating and greening our supply chain
Setting ambitious carbon reduction goals
Undertaking meaningful sustainability projects
Regularly reporting progress to stakeholders

At the Green Level, our focus has shifted toward broader sustainability efforts across the entire organisation, including sustainable procurement practices and addressing carbon emissions throughout our value chain.

In our audit report iiE said:
“Bronze Level Accreditation was achieved in 2023 by the practice, and although Oakhill Vets was aiming to achieve Silver Level Accreditation in this year’s audit, Green Level has been awarded. This is due to the extensive actions implemented which address usage of all resources, improvement in data collection, and the way sustainability has become embedded to form an integral part of the practice’s business approach. Further, the wider team show passion for changes, actively contributing ideas and taking ownership of sustainability projects in various areas across the practice. Work on projects this year has also been exemplary, and far surpasses the requirements of both Silver and Green Level Accreditation, as well as covering all three project areas: resource use/management, environment, and social/wellbeing.

“The practice has worked hard to establish a strong EMS over the past two years: Oakhill Vets should now seek to build on this in key areas, such as water management and introducing planned actions around travel. The practice is now in a good position to begin work to form an early draft for a long-term plan to clearly illustrate how its Net Zero by 2040 goal will be achieved. In the meantime, data collection should continue to be strengthened now that more reliable sources have been identified, which will support monitoring of performance when working towards the overall Net Zero target.”

STEM CELL BREAKTHROUGH IN EQUINE MEDICINE

Traditionally, stem cells have been used to treat tendon injuries, particularly in racehorses. These cells were usually harvested from the sternum of the injured horse and were expanded in a laboratory over 30 days for reimplantation into the site of the injury. This was used with variable success, largely as the number of stem cells harvested was inconsistent between individuals.

COMMERCIAL STEM CELLS

The brilliant news is that we now have commercial stem cells available which we can buy in for appropriate cases. This avoids the need for horses to undergo the painful harvesting procedure and, as the new stem cells are licensed, we can be sure that the vials contain the correct number of pure, mesenchymal stem cells for treatment to be as effective as possible. These cells can be used within joints for cases of osteoarthritis and can also be used in soft tissue injuries such as tendons and ligaments.

The stem cells are harvested from umbilical cord vessels of a particular donor herd. This herd undergoes many tests to ensure there is no risk of disease transmission through the cells harvested, hence why the cost of their production remains high (around £1000 per treatment dose for those interested).

The cells are collected in a completely ethical manner which involves no harm whatsoever to either the foal or the mare. The cells collected are termed ‘pluripotent’, meaning that they can convert into whatever cell is in the environment which they are placed within. It is becoming clearer that they promote gene modulation in the injured environment having both anti-inflammatory effects and impacts on the surrounding cells to improve the speed and quality of healing and repair.

SUCCESS STORY: MAX

If you follow us on social media (@OakhillEquineVets) you may have seen our posts about Max, the eventer who sadly suffered severe injuries to the superficial digital flexor tendon and suspensory branch of the forelimb following a 2* event. We implanted stem cells into both of these structures in 2022, and he’s just stepped back up to Intermediate level eventing as we speak which is incredible!

Image 1: an ultrasound image of Max’s tendon injury 2 weeks following the event. You can see the dark area representing significant tendon fibre disruption affecting approximately 50% of the tendon area (green arrow).

Image 2: an ultrasound scan just 4 weeks following stem cell implantation into the tendon! You can see that the cells have filled the defect very well, but there was still a long way to go to get to full healing.

THE IMPORTANCE OF REHABILITION

Some veterinary surgeons claim that if you use stem cells in these injuries, you can bypass a lot of the progressive rehabilitation work, however, we remain firmly of the belief that the horse should undergo gradual rehabilitation in the same way whether or not stem cells are used, as it takes time for the tissues to adapt, remodel and heal.

For us there is never a miracle quick fix with orthopaedic injuries in the horse: it’s always about the team approach using the best science we have available to improve the quality of repair with the long-term aim being to reduce the likelihood of reinjury and further time out of action for you and your horse.

LASER SARCOID SURGERY

Sarcoids are a relatively common skin complaint and can affect horses of all ages. Sarcoids come in multiple forms (6 types in fact!), ranging from flat (occult) sarcoids to a rapid proliferate type (fibroblastic). All areas of skin may be affected; however, the most common locations include the inside of the back legs, sheath, armpits and face.

As sarcoids are a form of skin tumour, they should be treated promptly and with respect. Fortunately, sarcoids do not spread to internal organs and what you see externally is what you get. There are many over-the-counter products people often try before consulting their vet but such measures delay the correct treatment of these tumours giving them a chance to increase in size and for more lesions to develop. This in turn, makes them more difficult to treat.

The two most common treatment options involve surgical removal through the use of a laser or the application of a chemotherapy cream. The best therapeutic option ultimately depends on the type and location of the sarcoid and this will be determined following veterinary examination.

We are fortunate to have been able to offer laser treatment of sarcoids at Oakhill for many years. Depending on the location, the sarcoids are removed by laser either under standing sedation or under general anaesthesia. We have certain cases in which laser surgery is combined with adjunctive treatments including chemotherapy creams or injectable chemotherapeutic agents.

The laser site generally heals rapidly following surgery and horses resume small paddock turn out within days of the procedure.

If you are concerned about any skin lesion on your horse, please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our team.

TO BREED OR NOT TO BREED? (AND HOW?) IS THE QUESTION

For many of us, the thought of having our very own foal from our own mare is a recurring dream – but what does it take for that to become reality? And is it something we should be considering, for both our mare’s sake and our own?

PRE-BREEDING CONSIDERATIONS

Breeding a foal can be risky – normally, everything goes to plan, and the foal arrives safely and healthily, and mother is also well and suffers no ill effects from this. However, when it goes wrong, it can really go wrong, and in the worst-case scenario we may lose both mare and foal. Thankfully, this is rare, but it is a risk that should be seriously considered before deciding to breed.

Other considerations should include:

- Is the mare a good candidate to be bred from? Look objectively at her conformation and temperament. Often mares are put into foal due to lameness or other ridden issues, but if these are due to physical abnormalities then these may be passed on to their offspring.
- What am I looking to breed? This will influence your choice of stallion, and whether you breed at all.
- Am I in a position to have a mare and foal, both in terms of finances, and practicalities (e.g. yard set up, other youngstock etc.)?

Choosing a stallion
This is one of the fun parts! Try to choose a stallion that will complement your mare’s conformation and type. Looking at a stallion’s offspring already on the ground may give an idea of temperament.

Bear in mind health testing for certain genetic conditions – this is especially important in certain breeds. If you have any specific questions regarding these please ask one of our vets.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NATURAL COVER, FRESH, CHILLED AND FROZEN AI?

Natural cover is just that – natural! This limits the choice of stallions logistically to those within a travelable distance for the mare. Many competing stallions, for example, may not offer natural cover due to the increased injury risk and the potential for it to affect their focus when competing. Some studs will cover in hand once the mare is in season, and others will allow the stallion to run with the mare for a period of time (the latter is more common in native pony types).

Fresh/chilled artificial insemination – this is where semen is collected from the stallion, and then placed either straight into the mare’s uterus (fresh) or mixed with ‘extender’ (think a little packed lunchbox of nutrients to keep the semen alive in transit) and then posted out to your mare. Chilled semen opens the options for stallions to be used from across the whole of the UK and even most of Europe. Typically chilled semen has a lifespan of around 48 hours from collection (although this will vary from stallion to stallion), so we need to time things carefully to ensure it arrives in time for the mare to be inseminated with it before she ovulates, but not so far in advance that the semen has died!

Frozen AI – this is the most tricky and time consuming, as once frozen semen has thawed it has a much shorter lifespan, and so we scan the mares ovaries much more frequently – normally every 6 hours – and then as soon as she has ovulated the semen is thawed and inseminated via a different type of AI catheter that allows the semen to be placed as close to the ovulating ovary as possible. As this technique requires much more scanning, and the access to a temperature-controlled water bath, liquid nitrogen tank etc., this is typically performed in the clinic rather than on yard. The plus points of frozen AI over chilled include an increased choice of stallions – including those who are deceased – and a lack of restriction on postage, for example over weekends/bank holidays/postal strikes (nightmare!).

THE FUTURE?

Embryo transfer is becoming more established within the UK and involves flushing an embryo from one mare and implanting it into a recipient mare. This is a useful technique for mares who are currently competing or cannot carry a foal themselves for health reasons. This is not something we currently offer at Oakhill (yet), but we can advise you on those who can help if this is something you are considering.

A newer emerging technique is one called ‘ovum pick-up’ where eggs are collected directly from the mare’s ovary, and ‘intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection’, where these eggs are injected with sperm. Once these develop into embryos they can be frozen, stored, and then placed into recipient mares when required. This technique is still in its infancy in this country but is likely to become more common in years to come.

WHAT DOES THE BREEDING PROCESS TYPICALLY ENTAIL?

If you choose to breed your mare by AI, then she will typically be scanned to assess where she is at within the oestrous cycle, and to check for any abnormalities that may reduce her ability to conceive and carry a foal. If she is not in season, then she may receive an injection to help bring her into season.

On subsequent scans, the size of any follicles on her ovaries will be measured, and her uterus assessed for oedema. Once we are happy there is a large enough follicle that looks like it will ovulate shortly, along with sufficient uterine oedema, then the semen can be ordered. In some cases, drugs to induce ovulation may be given.

As soon as the semen arrives, it is placed into the mare’s uterus, and the following day she may be scanned to check she has ovulated (if she hasn’t, it might be that more semen needs ordering!), and to check for fluid within the uterus, which can result due to the mare having an inflammatory reaction to semen/extender. If this happens, she may be ‘washed out’ with fluid, and/or antibiotics, to remove any dead semen and inflammatory fluid – but don’t worry, any swimmers that are winners will have reached the oviducts leading to the ovaries by this point and will be safe from us washing them out.

Then comes the long wait for pregnancy scanning – we typically recommend this to be performed 15/16 days after ovulation, as this enables us to check for twins. Unfortunately, twin pregnancies are very risky for mares, and so if there are two embryos, scanning at this point enables us to reduce one embryo, leaving hopefully just the one embryo. If she is in foal at this point, then we check again at 28-35 days to check that the foal is developing normally and by this point its heartbeat should be visible! Further scanning can be performed if there are any concerns after this stage.

It is important to remember that not all mares will become pregnant first time, just the same as with people, and sometimes it can take multiple attempts and further interventions and treatments may be necessary.

If you would like to discuss breeding your mare, please give us a call and ask to speak to Rob, Pete or Sarah

CASE STUDY: EQUINE CORNEAL ULCERATION

We are often asked ‘what is considered a veterinary emergency?’ Most people will automatically think colic, difficulties in breathing, severe lameness, bleeding, a wound located near a joint or in pregnant mares, dystocia (difficulties giving birth).

Problems with a horse’s eye often don’t feature, with a lot of owners opting to try an over-the counter product in the first instance prior to involving their vet. Whilst, for very minor ocular disease cases, this may be sufficient, if your horse has a more serious complaint such as corneal ulceration, incorrect treatment will not only delay healing but in severe cases, may be detrimental and result in the loss of an affected eye. Therefore, we advise that you contact your vet immediately should you notice any ocular abnormalities in your horse.

Meet Emily

Emily, a talented and much-loved showjumping pony, is owned by one of our wonderful receptionists Chloe and her family.

On arrival at the yard one fateful evening in October last year, Emily was noted as having a partially shut and very painful right eye. Chloe immediately called the practice and Leona attended to examine Emily and formulate a treatment plan.

Initial diagnosis

On examination, Emily was found to have a deep ulcer, with the worse affected areas extending to Descemet’s membrane. The meant that in places, only one layer of cornea remained intact, and should this become defective, Emily would have a ruptured eye.

We were incredibly concerned this may happen and therefore formulated an intensive treatment plan…

Treatment plan

This plan consisted of:

Pain relief
A combination of different topical medications (including antibiotics to protect against secondary bacterial infection)
Plasma/EDTA (a product made from Emily’s own blood) to try to prevent the ulcer from progressing to a ‘melting’ ulcer
A corneal repair gel

A month and a half later

Chloe diligently administered these medications every few hours and the ulcer rapidly stabilised, but took a month and a half to fully heal.

Emily has a small residual scar at the site of the previous ulcer but is back out and about with Mia – Chloe and Lee’s youngest daughter – doing what they do best – going very fast around SJ courses!

IMPACTION COLIC

Impaction colic is a relatively common medical colic we diagnose during winter months. However, we can see cases throughout the year. Clinical signs consistent with an impaction include signs of colic, reduced gut sounds and reduced droppings. An impaction is confirmed on rectal examination by your vet.

The horses intestinal system, although very large, is not capable of coping with sudden changes to the diet. Alterations in feed type, quantity and hydration can all lead to signs of colic.

Poor weather conditions necessitating stabling are a common reason for impaction development, as horses are fed an increased amount of dry forage compared to the usual grass-based diet. In addition reduced movement will slow gut transit times. Freezing conditions also contribute to impaction development due to reduced water intake as a result of the water source being frozen or the water being cold and unappealing to drink. This leads to the ingesta within the gastrointestinal tract becoming dehydrated with resulting signs of colic and impaction development.

Prevention

Add warm water to your horse’s water buckets when temperatures drop. This will encourage water intake and keep your horse’s colonic contents hydrated.
Add warm water to bucket feeds.
Supplement a second bucket of water with electrolytes or add salt to your horse’s feed – this will stimulate thirst and water intake. Ensure your horse is also offered plain water.
Manage forage intake. Sudden changes in management are sometimes unavoidable. Feeding forage little and often is helpful in preventing impactions. Soaking forage can also be beneficial but remember not to do this if temperatures are below freezing!
Maintain a level of exercise if possible and safe to do so. This can be difficult during freezing temperatures but movement, even turnout, will help to keep your horse’s guts moving and therefore reduce the risk of impaction colic.
Regular dentistry is crucial year-round, but especially during winter months as an inability to properly chew hay could result in impaction colic due to an increased quantity of long fibre reaching the colon. All horses should receive at least one dental check per annum. It is often worth an additional pre-winter check in older horses and ponies.

IMPORTANCE OF DENTISTRY

At least once a year (as part of your horse’s annual health check), a thorough dental examination should be performed. This is particularly important for the winter months and for our older equine patients.

Dental disease can be very painful. Early detection and treatment of dental problems is vitally important in maintaining good oral health- we all know that prevention is better than cure! This will also enable is to advise with regards to feed types that will best suit your horse.

Common dental problems that we encounter when horses are struggling include:

Diastemata: these are gaps between the teeth where food can get trapped resulting in painful gum disease. This is the most common cause of quidding during the winter months.
Loose teeth: longer forage like hay requires more chewing therefore teeth which are slightly mobile can become problematic with these changes in feedstuffs.
Sharp points: these sharp points can cause ulceration of the gums and mucosa resulting in pain when eating or when ridden.
EOTRH (Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis): this is a disease of the incisors resulting in severe pain. Horses can use their lips to graze during the summer months however struggle to pull hay out of haynets with these painful teeth.

If you have any concerns regarding your horse’s dental health or would like to arrange an examination with one of our vets, please give the practice a ring to book an appointment.

CASE STUDY: KISSING SPINES

This 6-year-old WB mare first presented to vet Nikki in May, with a short history of bucking, napping and increasing resistance to going forward.

On examination, severe pain and spasm was noted over the back. No lameness was observed, but there was no transfer of energy from the hind limbs through the back, which was lacking in flexion. The horse tended to strike off incorrectly into canter or become disunited in this gait.

Gastroscopy revealed mild ulceration. Radiography revealed the presence of significant impingement of the dorsal spinous processes (colloquially known as ‘kissing spines’) of the vertebrae in the region under the seat of the saddle.

Given the potential for both gastric ulcers and kissing spines to cause the symptoms exhibited, the gastric ulcers were initially treated with Omeprazole and confirmed to be resolved one month later. This meant that treatment of the kissing spines could commence.

The X-ray findings in this horse can be present in clinically normal horses and in horses where kissing spines have been found to be the cause of pain, treatment can unfortunately fail to resolve an established pattern of evasive behaviour. Therefore, to be certain that this was the cause of the performance issues in this particular horse and that resolving the pain did indeed result in the horse performing normally, medical management was initially opted for.

This involved injecting the affected region of the back with steroid followed by a rehabilitative exercise programme and physiotherapy. Sometimes, medical management alone is enough to return horse to – and maintain them in comfort for their intended use.

Conversely, as was the case with this mare, the improvement is only short lived, and the performance issues return as the effects of the steroid start to wear off. ECVS surgeon Rosie therefore proceeded to surgically reduce the dorsal spinous processes, so they were no longer in contact. This procedure is known as a dorsal wedge ostectomy – amazingly, it can be carried out under standing sedation!

Once surgery was completed, the mare returned home to allow time for the surgical site to heal before an intensive non-ridden rehabilitative exercise programme was instigated (promoting correct muscling over the back).

Pre and post surgery

Ridden exercise was then carefully reintroduced (allowing the horse time to understand that ridden activity was no longer painful), and as you can see from the short video clips, the transformation from unhappy an unhappy, tense horse to a settled horse with powerful movement is remarkable.

OAKHILL VETS CELEBRATES FIFTY YEARS

This year marks Oakhill Vets 50th anniversary, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this momentous milestone!

It’s been quite a journey since 1974 – what began as a one-vet practice founded by Barry Johnson, now employs 130+ people over three divisions and three sites. We are proud to have achieved this remarkable development and growth, all whilst remaining fiercely independent.

On this special occasion, we take a moment to reflect on our accomplishments and most importantly the positive impact we have made to our patients and clients’ lives. We have consistently pushed boundaries and delivered exceptional care, while upholding our core values.

“Oakhill Vets remains dedicated to delivering the very best veterinary care to the local community,” said Tony Barry, CEO. “As we move forward into the future, we are excited for the next phase of developments which will enable us to continue to be at the forefront of animal care. We will continue to invest in the future, both in terms of technology and people.

“Our success is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and talent exhibited by our incredible team. It is due to their commitment and passion that we have reached this significant milestone. We recognise the positive impact we can make to the profession through supporting ongoing professional development and working with local universities and colleges, offering work experience to the next generation of vets.”

We have chosen StreetVet as our charity of the year and money raised from events throughout the year will go towards helping them to deliver free, essential veterinary care and service to people experiencing homelessness in the UK.

INVESTORS IN THE ENVIRONMENT AWARD: ACHIEVING ‘BRONZE’, AND HEADING FOR SILVER!

Last year, Oakhill Vets started our journey working towards ‘bronze’ accreditation with Investors in the Environment (iiE).

Investors in the Environment is a national sustainability accreditation that supports organisations to develop an ‘environmental management system’ that focuses on four key areas of sustainable development: Leadership and Governance, Climate Change, Nature and Natural Resources, and Pollution and Waste.

Being kind to the environment has always been a part of Oakhill’s ethos and working towards iiE accreditation has been a fantastic way to formalise our commitment to the environment. In working towards this accreditation, we wanted to challenge ourselves to make Oakhill’s operations as sympathetic as possible to people and the planet. It has given us the structure to hold ourselves accountable to reducing our carbon footprint and developing sustainable practices.

The accreditation has three levels – bronze, silver, and green. Achieving the bronze award is all about identifying resources that our company is going to measure and creating a base-line-year of data for these resources. As well as this, we needed to radicalise our environmental and sustainability policy, to include bolder aims, create a waste management plan, and produce a robust sustainability action plan, to set out a roadmap to achieving our sustainability goals.

Vet Lisa is the ‘Sustainability Lead’ at Oakhill, and she has been working hard, alongside the project’s sustainability champions, the wider staff team, and our directors, to complete all the necessary work to achieve this accreditation. After a busy period of reporting and planning, Oakhill had its ‘Sustainability Audit’ with the iiE team in October, and we’re very proud to announce that we achieved ‘bronze’ accreditation!

Next steps…

The next step is to begin working towards achieving ‘silver’ accreditation. This will build upon all the work we have done for the bronze accreditation and deepen our commitment to treating the planet with love, turning our sustainability goals into habits and practices. We are looking forward to the challenge!!