Equine Standing MRI – what to expect

What to expect when your horse has a standing MRI.

Using the right tools early in the lameness process to get a definitive diagnosis will allow you and your vet to devise the right treatment plan, hopefully getting your horse back to full fitness as quickly as possible.

The clear images from MRI allow vets to make an accurate and precise diagnosis in 90% of cases.

If you’ve considered requesting an MRI for your horse but wondered what actually happens, an MRI scan will usually include the following steps:

Initial examination

On arrival for the scan the horse’s overall health is evaluated for sedation and our clinic vets will briefly examine the horse’s lameness.
Horse shoes

Metal horse shoes would degrade the quality of the images if left on as the MRI scanner contains a large magnet. Normally just two shoes, on the leg to be scanned and the adjacent leg, are removed.
Sedation

The standing MRI eliminates the need for anaesthesia, so removes the mortality risk and often allows for day patient scheduling. Top up doses may be applied during the scan, either on a drip or via a catheter in the horse’s jugular vein.
Positioning

The horse is walked into the MRI scanner, with the lame leg placed between the poles of the magnet. A radiofrequency coil is fitted around the injury site and the operator makes careful adjustments to ensure the horse and magnet are both in the right place.
The Scan

The scan takes around 2 – 4 hours, producing around 300-500 images at multiple angles of the limb or hoof, highlighting different types of tissue and pathology.
Recovery

After the scan the horse is given time to recover from the sedation, and in most cases can return home the same day.
Interpretation

One of our specialists responsible for scanning will carefully review the images to arrive at an opinion about likely pathology or injury. The findings are then communicated to you or your vet.
Treatment

The findings from the scan will enable an accurate diagnosis to be made. With precise information available the vet can prescribe the best possible treatment for the horse.

Should your horse be suffering with lameness or poor performance issues, please discuss with your usual Oakhill Equine Vet or call the practice on 01772 861300.

If you wish to be referred to us from another veterinary practice, please contact your own veterinary surgeon in the first instance.

Why MRI?

Our equine clinic has the most technologically advanced standing MRI machine available, used for both clients and those referred from other veterinary practices.

Often during a lameness work-up, your vet will use ‘nerve blocks’ to locate where the pain is coming from. This may then be followed with X-ray or ultrasound examinations, but because these imaging tools only show bone or some soft tissue your vet may not be able to see abnormalities, particularly those within the hoof capsule.

Standing equine MRI offers unique insight into equine lameness, identifying the specific cause in over 90% of cases.

With no general anaesthesia required the inherent risks associated with anaesthesia and recovery can be avoided and an early, safe and accurate lameness diagnosis will save you time, money and worry.

We’re often asked….

What is different about MRI?

MRI images show information about both bone and soft tissue, whereas x-rays only show bone and ultrasound only shows soft tissues. The many, clear images from MRI allow vets to make an accurate and precise diagnosis in 90% of cases.

Foot Lameness Cycle

Is it the same as a human MRI scanner?

The underlying principle is exactly the same but the Hallmarq Standing Equine MRI system has specifically designed for imaging the standing horse, not a human! The scanner operates close to floor level and the horse can immediately step out of an opening in the magnet if it needs to.

Is it safe for my horse?

MRI is widely used in both human and veterinary medicine as it is valued for it’s high image quality of both bone and soft tissue with no ionising radiation. The technology used is unobtrusive and poses no known risk to the horse.

Unlike high-field scanners where the horse has to be anaesthetised, our Hallmarq low-field system uses a smaller magnet that fits around the leg, allowing us to image the horse while standing and under mild sedation.

Hallmarq equine MRI systems have been used for over 60,000 standing sedated horse examinations, during this time there have been no fatalities.

The benefits of having an MRI scan at Oakhill Equine Clinic include:

Expert interpretation of images by our ECVS & RCVS recognised surgery specialists, Rosie Owen & Guy Hinnigan and imaging specialist, Meredith Smith.
Precise diagnosis
Rapid results
Specific prognosis
Optimum treatment

Using the right tools early in the lameness process to get a definitive diagnosis will allow you and your vet to devise the right treatment plan, therefore getting your horse back to full fitness as quickly as possible.

It is also very useful in establishing an accurate prognosis, to save you time and money worrying about what is likely to happen in the future.

Click here to find out more about what to expect when your horse has a standing MRI.

Should your horse be suffering with lameness or poor performance issues, please discuss with your usual Oakhill Equine Vet or call the practice on 01772 861300.

If you wish to be referred to us from another veterinary practice, please contact your vet in the first instance.

Keeping your horse safe on Bonfire Night

Bonfire Night can be stressful for both horses and horse owners.

The calmest of horses can become frightened by the unfamiliar loud noises and flashes of bright light.

There are some things you can do to prepare….

Find out when and where the firework displays will be in your area. You could look in local press, social media and shop notice boards.

Inform local firework display organisers and neighbours that there are horses nearby, so they can ensure fireworks are set off well away from them.

Decide whether to stable your horse or leave it in the field. Horses like routine, so try and keep as close to your usual routine as possible. If it is usually stabled, keep it stabled. If it is normally out in the field, keep it there as long as it is safe, secure and not close to the firework display area.

Check for anything that could cause injury to your horse:
– If stabled, look for things such as protruding nails.
– If your horse is to stay in the field, check that fencing is not broken and that there are no foreign objects lying around.

Ensure that you, or someone experienced, stays with your horse if you know that fireworks are being set off.
If you have to leave your horse in the care of another person during a firework display, then be sure to leave clear instructions with contact details for both you and your vet.

Discuss with your vet about sedation or perhaps consider moving your horse for the night.

Playing music on a radio positioned outside the stable can often mask sudden noise, distract attention and be soothing.

Stay calm, as horses will sense that you are anxious and that could increase their fears.

A startled horse can be dangerous, so try not to get in the way if a horse becomes frightened as you could easily be injured yourself.

Remember that Chinese lanterns (also known as sky lanterns) can cause harm to livestock and wildlife.

If you wish to discuss concerns about your horse with us, please call 01772 861300

Atypical Myopathy

Atypical Myopathy is a very serious and often fatal disease that horses can get when out at pasture from consuming sycamore seeds.

What is Atypical Myopathy?

An acute, severe rhabdomyolysis (a severe form of azoturia / tying up) that occurs independently of exercise. The disease causes extreme muscle cramping and often irreparable muscle damage.

Muscle enzymes that are released when the muscles are damaged, cause multiple organ failure.

What is the cause?

A toxin called Hypoglycin-A found in sycamore seeds. Ingestion of these seeds at pasture causes Atypical Myopathy. Outbreaks may occur with multiple horses affected in one geographical area within a few weeks of each other.

What are the clinical signs?

The onset of Atypical Myopathy is acute. Early presentation of the disease may be confused with colic or laminitis. Horses may be found dead, but more frequently they start by showing signs of weakness, stiffness, falling over, lying down more than usual, sweating, apparent sedation or depression, fine muscle tremors, dark brown urine that can look like blood and respiratory distress.

Progression to recumbency is often rapid and once at this stage, the prognosis is hopeless. Mortality is seen in 70% – 90% of cases within 3-5 days.

Who is at risk?

The condition predominantly affects young animals, but all horses are at risk. No sex or breed predisposition has been described, but to date, no cases of the disease have been reported in donkeys. Underweight body condition is associated with increased risk.

Overgrazed pastures and poor quality grazing gives a greater risk of disease.

What can I do to prevent Atypical Myopathy?

Clear fields and water troughs of sycamore seeds, leaves and saplings. If this is not possible, do not allow horses to graze affected paddocks or fence off affected areas. Do not over graze paddocks and avoid overgrowth of weeds on pasture. Provide hay if the fields are low on grass and where possible consider stabling horses over night.

What to do if you think your horse may have Atypical Myopathy

Ring your vet immediately. Try and move the horse to a stable with deep bedding in case they want to lie down. If you notice your horse urinating try and catch a urine sample with a clean jar or mug so that we can test it.

Equine Castration Clinics

Monday 29th April 2019 & Thursday 23rd May 2019

at the Oakhill Equine Clinic, Langley Lane, Goosnargh, Lancashire, PR3 2JQ

Only £130 + VAT

Price includes: Procedure under general anaesthesia, sedative, pain relief and antibiotics.

If horse is not vaccinated, an additional cost will be added for tetanus anti-serum.

Call 01772 861300 to book.

Terms and Conditions

Horse must be under 3 years old.
Offer only applicable on dates shown and to be carried out at Oakhill Veterinary Centre, Langley Lane, Goosnargh, PR3 2JQ.

Price is per horse. Payment must be made on collection of your horse. Passport needs to be presented and the horse to be certified as ‘not for human consumption’ to enable the relevant drugs to be administered during procedure.

The procedure cost does not include the cost of treatment as a result of any post-operative complications which may arise.

If one or both testicles are not descended a different type of surgery will be required – this will need to be arranged separately and additional cost will be charged.

Free* ACTH tests are back for 2019

Testing for PPID in your horse or pony

A few years ago PPID or Equine Cushing’s Disease was considered a rare hormonal disease in horses. Now it is thought to affect over 20% of horses over the age of 15 and is a condition recognised almost daily in equine veterinary practice.

Past ‘Talk about Laminitis’ test results show that you should look out for any of these clinical signs in your horse:

Laminitis
Abnormal or delayed moulting
Muscle wastage
Periorbital fat (fat round the eyes)
Increased drinking and urinating

In 2017, thousands of laminitic patients benefitted from PPID being ruled in or out of their condition during the Talk About Laminitis campaign, as a result, the Talk About Laminitis campaign will continue offering FREE* ACTH lab testing during 2019

You can claim your complimentary testing voucher code by visiting www.careaboutcushings.co.uk

If your horse is already on Prascend, you may be eligible for a free monitoring test (lab fees only). You can generate your voucher code for this by visiting the link above.

Terms & Conditions:

This free ACTH test voucher code is for the laboratory fees for a blood ACTH test only.
Each voucher is only redeemable against an ACTH blood test where the patient has not been previously diagnosed with PPID
Full T&Cs can be found below at www.careaboutcushings.co.uk
Oakhill blood sampling fee, visit fee and postage still apply.

What lurks beneath – equine lice

As our horses grow a thicker and longer coat over winter to keep themselves insulated it becomes an ideal breeding ground for lice, especially when we then cover this in a warm rug.

The life cycle of the louse is complete within 4 weeks and eggs hatch 10 days after being laid. Eggs or nits are small (1mm), yellowy-white in colour and glued tightly to the base of hairs.

Damalinia

Haematopinus

All horses can become infected with lice and those kept in large groups indoors, the elderly and young and those with immunosupressive conditions such as malnourishment and PPID (Cushings) are at an increased risk.

There are two types of lice affecting horses, a biting louse called Damalinia equi and a sucking louse called Haematopinus Asini.

Biting lice feed on skin scales and are found where the coat is finer (neck & body) whereas sucking lice feed on blood and are found where the hairs are longer in the mane and tail.

The feeding nature of the lice causes skin irritation with horses becoming extremely itchy. This can lead to patchy hair loss and a scurfy coat. In severe infestations the horse or pony can become anaemic.

Diagnosis is based on evidence and appearance of lice or their eggs.

Removal of the winter coat will help ensure treatment reaches the skin and has the best effect. Lice powders are available over the counter however anecdotally they don’t seem to work. Treatment needs to involve a permethrin or cypermethrin product applied every two weeks for a few treatments to ensure all life stages of the lice are killed. In addition if there is an underlying cause this needs to be identified and treated to prevent reoccurrence.

The lice affecting horses can’t affect humans however sharing rugs/ numnahs/ grooming kits can spread it horse to horse.

If you have any questions regarding lice on your horse, please contact us.

Winter series: Impactions

Colic is a collection of clinical signs shown by a horse indicating abdominal discomfort. We see an increase in colic’s due to impactions during the winter months.

Impactions of the gastro intestinal tract commonly occur at the pelvic flexure. The pelvic flexure is a part of the large colon which turns 180 degrees on itself and naturally narrows. The reduced speed of food material passing through this area mean it is more susceptible than other areas to blockage.

Other than anatomy there are a number of changes that occur, mostly in the winter, which increase the risk of blockage:

[checklist icon=”fa-arrow-circle-right” iconcolor=”#39aa87″ circle=”yes”]

We reduce the amount of hours that horses and ponies are outside eating short moist grass and replace it with eating longer, drier roughage such as hay and haylage. Larger amounts of hay and haylage can be eaten alot quicker.
Horses and ponies often have less exercise either because they are confined to a stable for longer periods of the day or because we can’t ride them as much due to shorter daylight hours.
Horses may reduce their winter intake due to the water being cold or frozen, causing the food material to become dehydrated in the gut.
Horses may be turned out on sand paddocks to stretch their legs. If roughage is fed from the floor then they will ingest sand particles which will rest in the gut.
Horses and ponies may eat large amounts of straw from their bedding.

[/checklist]

As food material slows down in the pelvic flexure more water is reabsorbed from the gut causing drying of the gut contents, reducing motility of the gut further, leading to more drying and eventual blockage. Usually the horse will have passed reduced amount of, drier than normal, faeces over the preceeding 48-72 hours to eventually passing no droppings at all.

Pain from impaction colics is due to stretch of the gut. Impaction colics usually are mild in pain but can have periodic episodes of more intense pain. Normal colic signs such as pawing, flank watching and inappetance can be exhibited.

Examination by a vet may reveal a mildly increased heart rate, dry gums and prolonged skin tent. Gut sounds can sometimes be reduced due to slowing of the gut, however they can also be increased as the body’s response to try to shift the blockage. Impactions of the pelvic flexure can usually be identified on rectal examination. They usually are doughy in consistency and sit in the lower left area of the abdomen.

Treatment, as with any colic, involves providing pain relief and a muscle relaxant. In addition the blocked food material needs to be rehydrated. This is most commonly done using a tube passed down the nostril of the horse into the stomach. A mix of water and electrolytes is then administered. Over time this will seep through the food and hopefully relieve the blockage. Food is restricted until poo is seen as it will contribute to the blockage. Tubing may have to occur repeatedly over several days. In severe cases intra venous fluids may need to be used.

So to prevent your horse or pony from becoming impacted this winter try to:

[checklist icon=”fa-check-circle” iconcolor=”#39aa87″ circle=”yes”]

Change diet slowly.
Avoid straw bedding if you are concerned your horse or pony eats it.
Try to keep exercise maintained, a walk around the yard is better than standing still in a stable.
Ensure a ready access to fresh water.

[/checklist]

It is worth noting that there are other causes of impactions such as ileo-caecal impactions due to tapeworms and ascarid impaction of the small intestine in youngsters and these will be discussed at a later date.

As always, if you are concerned about colic in your horse, please call us on 01772 861300

Equine Summer Social

Thursday 13th September 2018

7.00pm start
at Oakhill Veterinary Centre, Langley Lane, Goosnargh, PR3 2JQ

To book your place contact 01772 861300 or equine@oakhill-vets.com

Join the Oakhill Equine Team for an evening of fun, hospitality and education.

‘Pre-Purchase Examination’ talk and demonstration
Tour of the Oakhill Equine Clinic, including our MRI system and surgical facilities
Dental demonstrations
Fun & Games

BBQ & DRINKS
FREE EVENT
To book your place contact 01772 861300 or equine@oakhill-vets.com

Eye problems in horses

We are seeing an exceptionally large increase in the number of horses with eye problems. These problems are including eye ulcers, uveitis, trauma to the eye and conjunctivitis.

Causes

Some of these problems are related to flies, causing infection.
The bright sunlight that we are currently getting is causing the sensitive areas of the eye to become inflamed and painful in some horses
In many areas there is now little grass on some fields due to the lack of rain and therefore some horses are rooting in hedges, where they wouldn’t normally be and scratching their corneas

What to look for:

Discharge from eyes (can be watery or cheese like)
Red eyes or conjunctiva
Closed or partially closed eyes
Excessive blinking with the affected eye
Sensitive to bright light
Swollen eye lids

Photo of a horse with uveitis – Note the pupil which is shut due to the inflammation in the eye

Photo of a horse with an eye ulcer. The green area is where the ulcer has been stained by a vet

How to help your horse

Turning your horse out in a full fly mask with UV protection is the best way to avoid eye problems.
Where possible, avoid turning your horse out in the bright sunlight, unless it has a mask on.
Avoid riding at the brightest, hottest part of the day
Observe your horse’s eyes daily

IT IS VITAL THAT IF YOU NOTICE ANY OF THE ABOVE SIGNS, THAT YOU CALL A VET WITHIN 24-48 HOURS. EYE PROBLEMS CAN DETERIORATE RAPIDLY AND CAN LEAD TO YOUR HORSE REQUIRING AN EYE TO BE REMOVED IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES. HOWEVER, MOST EYES ARE SUCCESSFULLY TREATED IF PROMPT VETERINARY ATTENTION IS SOUGHT.

What to expect when your horse has a standing MRI.

Using the right tools early in the lameness process to get a definitive diagnosis will allow you and your vet to devise the right treatment plan, hopefully getting your horse back to full fitness as quickly as possible.

Initial examination

Horse shoes

Sedation

Positioning

The Scan

Recovery

Interpretation

Treatment

Should your horse be suffering with lameness or poor performance issues, please discuss with your usual Oakhill Equine Vet or call the practice on 01772 861300.

Our equine clinic has the most technologically advanced standing MRI machine available, used for both clients and those referred from other veterinary practices.

We’re often asked….

What is different about MRI?

Is it the same as a human MRI scanner?

Is it safe for my horse?

The benefits of having an MRI scan at Oakhill Equine Clinic include:

Expert interpretation of images by our ECVS & RCVS recognised surgery specialists, Rosie Owen & Guy Hinnigan and imaging specialist, Meredith Smith.

Precise diagnosis

Rapid results

Specific prognosis

Optimum treatment

Should your horse be suffering with lameness or poor performance issues, please discuss with your usual Oakhill Equine Vet or call the practice on 01772 861300.

If you wish to be referred to us from another veterinary practice, please contact your vet in the first instance.

Bonfire Night can be stressful for both horses and horse owners.

The calmest of horses can become frightened by the unfamiliar loud noises and flashes of bright light.

There are some things you can do to prepare….

Atypical Myopathy is a very serious and often fatal disease that horses can get when out at pasture from consuming sycamore seeds.

What is Atypical Myopathy?

What is the cause?

What are the clinical signs?

Who is at risk?

What can I do to prevent Atypical Myopathy?

What to do if you think your horse may have Atypical Myopathy

Equine Castration Clinics

Monday 29th April 2019 & Thursday 23rd May 2019

Only £130 + VAT

Call 01772 861300 to book.

Testing for PPID in your horse or pony

A few years ago PPID or Equine Cushing’s Disease was considered a rare hormonal disease in horses. Now it is thought to affect over 20% of horses over the age of 15 and is a condition recognised almost daily in equine veterinary practice.

You can claim your complimentary testing voucher code by visiting www.careaboutcushings.co.uk

As our horses grow a thicker and longer coat over winter to keep themselves insulated it becomes an ideal breeding ground for lice, especially when we then cover this in a warm rug.

The life cycle of the louse is complete within 4 weeks and eggs hatch 10 days after being laid. Eggs or nits are small (1mm), yellowy-white in colour and glued tightly to the base of hairs.

Colic is a collection of clinical signs shown by a horse indicating abdominal discomfort. We see an increase in colic’s due to impactions during the winter months.

Thursday 13th September 2018

7.00pm start at Oakhill Veterinary Centre, Langley Lane, Goosnargh, PR3 2JQ

We are seeing an exceptionally large increase in the number of horses with eye problems. These problems are including eye ulcers, uveitis, trauma to the eye and conjunctivitis.

Causes

What to look for:

How to help your horse

7.00pm start
at Oakhill Veterinary Centre, Langley Lane, Goosnargh, PR3 2JQ