Equine Matters - Winter 2018

02 Equine Matters Winter 2018 contents Winter Edition 2018 the editor XLVets Equine is a group of 27 equine practices spanning the length and breadth of the UK. We work together to share experience, knowledge, ideas and skills in order to define and deliver the highest standards of equine health, care and welfare. Hello and welcome to the Winter edition of Equine Matters. This issue of Equine Matters finds me writing my welcome on board a train home from a Continuing Professional Development course in the Midlands. As vets, we are required to undertake a significant number of hours of further learning each year to allow us to remain practising. Although this may be a requirement, updating our knowledge and skills to offer the best care possible to you and your horses is also a cornerstone of XLVets Equine. I very much hope that via Equine Matters we can also help to keep you, as horse owners, up to date with the ever-changing face of equine veterinary care. With that in mind, we have a variety of topics in this edition, including an update on PPID (formerly known as Cushing’s disease) - it’s not all old ponies with teddy-bear coats we are talking about here either, and some very thought-provoking information about equine genetic diseases that you may not have ever considered before. And finally, we wish all our readers a merry Christmas and a happy, healthy 2019. Susan Donaldson Clyde Vets Tetanus in horses Tom Southall of DS McGregor & Partners details this distressing and often fatal disease. Disease prevention 09 Respiratory conditions 17 Abnormal respiratory noises Equine genetic diseases 11 Lizzie Royce of Hook Norton Veterinary Group explains how genetic diseases are inherited and describes four disorders caused by defective genes. Nursing the infectious horse 15 Richard Meers of Fellowes Farm Equine Clinic explains the necessary precautions and care requirements when dealing with an infectious, ill horse. Happy endings - Respiratory noises 19 Keesjan Cornelisse from Calweton Equine tells the story of Cleopatra, a one-day-old Arab filly, who was snorting and choking on her milk. Happy endings - a lameness case 20 Charlie Mitchell of Cedar Veterinary Group reviews the case of Flash, an eight-year-old pony who, thanks to his owner’s patience and high standard of care, made a full recovery from a serious foot problem. Keesjan Cornelisse from Calweton Equine describes a range of respiratory conditions and the noises they create. Equine lice and mites 03 Caroline Blake from Torch Equine Vets provides an explanation of the differences between lice and mites, and advice on how best to control them. Investigation of a nasal discharge 05 Colin Mitchell of Scott Mitchell Associates describes the common causes and categories of nasal discharge, and the investigation techniques used. An update on PPID 07 PPID used to be called Equine Cushing’s Syndrome. Rachel Pretswell of Northvet Veterinary Group gives us an update on this increasingly common condition. Oesophageal obstruction (Choke) 13 Gillies Moffat from Seadown Veterinary Services describes the causes of this common problem and the treatment options.