Reserpine should only be used when prescribed by a veterinarian with specific dosing instructions for the individual horse and situation. While this medication is useful for horses recovering from an injury, there are potential side effects that should be carefully monitored. Horses could have an allergic reaction to this product resulting in facial swelling, hives, itching, shock, seizures, pale gums, and cold limbs. Other side effects include colic, GI upset, diarrhea, and lower limb swelling. If any of these signs are present, owners should discontinue use and contact their veterinarian. ​

Schedule a wellness exam to ensure that your horse is fit for travel and competition as well as up to date on vaccinations. This is a great time to discuss your showing schedule with your veterinarian to determine if any additional vaccines may be needed based upon your expected travel. It is also a good opportunity to perform Coggins testing, pre-schedule health certificate checks, and record baseline vitals.

If your equine athlete shows signs of fever, nasal discharge, and diarrhea prior to travel it is best to keep the horse home.

Be aware of current disease outbreaks. The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) is a communication system designed to seek and report real time information about disease outbreaks similar to how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerts the human population about diseases in people. Click the link below to sign up for the email alerts. 

​While on the show grounds, limiting exposure and monitoring your horse will help you to minimize your equine athlete’s risk of disease. 

​Clean and disinfect your horse's stall(s). One of your first showgrounds tasks should be to disinfect the stalls. Leftover manure, shavings, and dirty walls are potential hazards. Remove all bedding remnants and use a disinfectant of your choice on stall walls, especially built-in feeders. Diluted bleach (8 oz bleach to 1 gallon of water) is an inexpensive disinfectant option. Rinse the stall thoroughly.
 
Bring your own supplies. Portable stall mats can serve as a barrier between your horse and a dirt floor, which is difficult to disinfect. Using your own feed tubs and water buckets minimizes the chances of your horse accessing nasal secretions from other horses. Avoid sharing of equipment (feed/water buckets, hay bags, grooming tools, tacks, or manure forks) unless thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between uses. Remember to disinfect these items before and after the show to prevent the spread of disease. Hold showground hoses out of the water when filling buckets to avoid water contamination from those who may have dropped the hose in their bucket before you.
 
Limit horse-to-horse contact by keeping your horse separated from other horses as much as possible. It is especially important to not allow horses to have nose-to-nose contact. Also, discourage drinking out of communal water sources.

Limit horse-to-human-to-horse contact by limiting the general public’s contact with your horses and your contact with other horses. Wash your hands frequently and keep your own supply of hand sanitizer.

During and after your show, keep a close eye on your horse. Often, a higher temperature is the first indication you’ll see that your horse isn’t well. We recommend taking your equine athlete’s temperature at least once daily. The temperature taken at the wellness exam with your veterinarian will provide you with a baseline for comparison of what is normal for your individual horse. Observe animals daily for signs and symptoms of illness, such as:

​Upon returning home from a show, it is recommended that returning horses be isolated from resident horses for 14 days. Monitor horses daily for signs of fever, nasal discharge, and diarrhea. Inanimate objects (water buckets, hay bags, grooming tools, tacks, or manure forks) can serve as fomites, transferring infectious organisms from one location/individual to another. It is best to disinfect these items regularly, especially after arriving home from an event. To avoid spreading anything yourself, wash your hands, shower, and change clothing and shoes before working with horses kept at home.

Horse shows can be great fun, these biosecurity tips can help you to keep your horse safe and healthy through the show season. We love to see all of our equine athletes in action, don't forget to tag #HorsesofStarwood.

 Please feel free to print or share a copy of our Horse Show Biosecurity Guide below:

Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is a potentially fatal viral disease, transmitted by blood via biting insects. EIA causes severe anemia and fevers and has no cure. The incidence of EIA has been greatly reduced by surveillance through testing (Coggins Test).
 
A "Coggins" is a blood test that detects antibodies to the Equine Infectious Anemia disease. For your horse to travel across state lines and internationally, a negative Coggins Test is required. Requirements may vary depending on where you are traveling. International travel often requires a horse to have a negative Coggins within 30 days. Most states require proof that a horse has tested negative for EIA within the 12 months prior to travel. However, some states require that horses test EIA negative 60 days prior to entering the state. If you are crossing state lines, with your horse, you will also need a health certificate.
 
To perform a Coggins Test, a Starwood veterinarian will obtain a blood sample and send it to a USDA accredited laboratory. The sample is submitted with a form which identifies your horse through markings and digital photographs.

The only way to definitively diagnose ulcers is through gastroscopy, which involves placing an endoscope into the stomach and looking at its surface. To allow this, the stomach must be empty, so most horses are held off feed for 12 to 24 hours and not allowed to drink water for two to three hours. With light sedation the endoscope is passed through the nostril and down the esophagus into the stomach. The light and camera on the end of the endoscope allow the veterinarian to observe the stomach lining.

See Full Article on Ulcers from AAEP

The patient was placed on a regimen of omeprazole and sucralfate and was rechecked 42 days later. The follow up scoping revealed that the ulcers were improving with the prescribed antacid therapy. Below is a screen shot of the healing polyps found on the antrum after treatment. 

The treatment doses were tapered following the second scoping. We are happy to report that the patient is much improved since treatment. 

Starwood Equine Veterinary Services is happy to answer any additional questions about how to help you and your horse better prepare for winter!. ​

Starwood Equine believes in the use of both traditional and integrative medical approaches, and feels there is a place for both western and eastern medicine in our equine patients. Dr. Jillian Mills graduated from the Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. The following article is intended to introduce you to the use of mesotherapy in the horse, and explain the science behind this treatment method. 

What does the mesotherapy treatment entail?

• Treatment entails multiple intradermal injections spaced approximately 1cm apart using a 27 gauge 4mm in length needle. A small amount of solution is injected at each site to stimulate the skin. Injection results in multiple small strategically placed bumps that will disappear within 24-48 hours following treatment.
• Treatment is often performed with saline, however a combination of medications such as a local anesthetic or a short acting corticosteroid may be used depending on your horse’s condition.
• Depending on the size and location of the region being treated, your horse may be sedated prior to the procedure. 

​How does it feel?

• The size of the needle is similar to that of an acupuncture needle.
• The intradermal sensation is synonymous to what is felt during a tuberculosis or skin allergy test, which is performed in the same manner. 

​Starwood Equine believes in the use of both traditional and integrative medical approaches, and feels there is a place for both western and eastern medicine in our equine patients. Dr. Jillian Mills graduated from the Chi Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. The following article is intended to introduce you to the use of acupuncture in the horse, and explain the science behind this therapeutic modality.