Equine Myth Busters

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Equine Myth Busters

• Barry V. Strickland DVM

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Introduction to Myth Busters

• Why do we have myths or old wives tails
• Advancements in research
• Traditions
• To help explain some common misconceptions in the
  equine community

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Myths to be Covered

• The Fungus among us
• Twist and Shout
• The No 1 sign of colic recovery is not No 2.
• Teaser buttons

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The Myth The Fungus Among Us

• All skin infection are caused by a fungus.

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The Fact

• The fact is most skin infections in the horse are
  caused by bacteria.
• Correct terminology Dermatophilosis
• Bacteria Dermatophilous congolensis

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Dermatophilosis

• Aka Rain rot, The Fungus, Scratches
• Location along back, dorsal cannon bones,
  pastern area
• Diagnosis examination, cultures, biopsy
• Treatment Good hygiene, topical shampoos and
  ointment, severe cases systemic antibiotics

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Infection
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The MythTwist and Shout

• That horses seen rolling are going to Twist a
  Gut.

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Common Presentations

• During Colic
• In the Field

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The Facts

• Horses just arent made that way.
• The mathematical formulas
• 1 Horse x X rolls no colic
• 1 Horse x 1 Colic x X rolls no twist
• No. times seen rolling R2
• No. times seen down colicing D2
• R2 doesnt equal D2

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What? E mc² is wrong!

• Rolling for muse (m) times colics seen squared
  (c²) does not equal Equine (E) gut twist.
• Well how do they twist?
• .

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Well How Do They Twist?

• Suspect motility malfunctions and altered
  digestive mechanisms
• Motility Malfunctions?
• Parasites
• Feeding schedules
• Post partum period

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The MythThat the No. 1 sign of colic recovery
is not No. 2.

• That during a colic, defecating is a sign that
  the horse is going to be Ok.

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Common Presentations

• Just get her to go and she might be alright.
• Doc, I think we are alright now, she just went,
  but you go ahead and treat her.
• I knew when we put her on that trailer and she
  made a pile that she was going to be OK.

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The Fact

• Distance
• 60 - 80 feet of small intestine
• 16 feet of large colon including the cecum
• 8-10 feet of small colon including the rectum
• Uncommon area for colic

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The MythTeaser buttons

• That if the tail of the epididemis (teaser
  button) is left during a castration the horse
  will continue to act like a stud.

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Common Presentations

• Doc, that vet up in Arkansas must have left the
  teaser button in that old gelding. I see him out
  there going to those mares all the time.
• Doc, you cant get that son of gun around no
  mares. Well just last week he threw my old
  daughter off trying to get to one.

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The Facts

• Masculine behavior
• Testosterone still present
• Sometimes a trained response
• Tail of the Epididymis
• Storage area
• No testosterone made
• Teaser button an excuse for a Proud Cut horse
• Proud Cut
• Testicular tissue still present
• Either left behind
• Never gotten

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Take Home Message

• There are many myths and misconceptions
  surrounding equine medicine.
• Its great to take advice or rely on others
  experiences and knowledge, but dont forget to do
  your own research
• Be willing change your understanding
• Ask your Vet.

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Skin Disease

• Barry V. Strickland DVM

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What is Skin?

• Largest organ in the horses body
• Allows sensation
• Controls water loss and aids in mineral
  conservation
• Protects internal organs
• Protect against ambient temperature fluctuations

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Basic Anatomy

• 2 Layers
• Epidermis outside layer which is composed of
  dried cells
• Dermis Deeper layer This layer is the living
  portion. Houses all of the nerves, blood
  vessels, and sweat glands

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Most common skin disorders

• Trauma
• Chemical irritants
• Sunburn
• Infections
• Parasites
• Tumors

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Diagnostic Aids

• Good History
• Examination
• Scraping
• Cultures
• Biopsy

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Trauma

• Lacerations
• Most common
• Protruding objects in the environment
• Blunt trauma
• Kicks
• Vehicles
• Fences

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Chemical irritants

• Urine
• Feces
• Shampoos
• Fly sprays
• Snake oils

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Chemical irritants
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Sunburns

• Primary light skinned horses
• Secondary to other internal disorders
• Secondary to drug therapy

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Infections

• 2 main groups
• Skin is naturally covered with fungus and
  bacteria. This is called normal flora.
• Primary
• Most commonly secondary

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Bacterial Infections

• Aka Rain rot, The Funk, Scratches
• Location along back, dorsal cannon bones,
  pastern area
• Diagnosis examination, cultures, biopsy
• Treatment Good hygiene, topical shampoos and
  ointment, severe cases systemic antibiotics

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Fungal Infection

• Aka Ringworm
• Location anywhere commonly on head, neck and
  shoulders
• Can spread from horse/horse or horse/human
• Diagnosis examination, cultures
• Treatment very expensive for systemic tx and
  hasnt been shown to work well. Rely mainly on
  topical tx

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Parasites

• Lice
• Ticks
• Gnats
• Habronema Larva
• Onchocerca species
• Choroptic spp.

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Lice

• Common in Miniature horses
• Location found under mane
• Diagnosis visual
• treatment shampoos containing parasiticide

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Ticks

• Location in and around the ears
• Prefer summer heat
• Horses that graze in high grass seem to be the
  most prone to getting them
• Horses will become ear shy quickly.
• Treatment Removing ticks (sedation!!!)
  Anti-inflammatories, Antibiotics

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Gnats

• Location ears, mane, and tail head
• Prefer milder temperatures (ie late spring, early
  fall)
• Diagnosis visual
• Treatment tx primary with fly sprays, 2 with
  antibiotic and steroids

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Habronema (aka Summer sores)

• Larva of common stall fly, that invades damaged
  tissue
• Can be mistaken for other skin diseases (proud
  flesh, sarcoid)
• Diagnosis history, examination, biopsy
• Treatment multi-dimensional, Ivermectin,
  topical and systemic steroids

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Onchocerca

• Non seasonal but worse in the spring and summer
• Larva from gnats living in the skin
• Not all individual bitten react to Onchocerca
• Location face, neck, ventral abdomen and chest
• Clinical signs thinning of the hair coat,
  crusts, plaques, scaling, to the point of
  severely ulcerated, oozing lesions
• Diagnosis Minced biopsy
• Treatment Ivermectin, steroids,

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Onchocerca
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Chorioptic Mange

• Location commonly in the pastern area
• Climate Late spring to early winter
• Clinical signs Thick oily matted hair in the
  caudal pastern area.
• Diagnosis skin scraping and sometimes biopsy
• Treatment Ivermectin and topical shampoo

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Chorioptic Mange
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Tumors

• Skin is the most common place for tumors
• Commonly self limiting
• 4 main types
• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Sarcoid
• Warts
• Melanomas

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Squamous Cell Carcinoma

• Location around eyes and sheath
• Malignant spreads from one area to another
• Diagnosis examination, biopsy
• Treatment excision, cyro-therapy, topical
  ointment

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Sarcoid

• Viral in origin
• Location On the torso and around eyes
• Diagnosis exam, biopsy
• Treatment excision, cryo-therapy, topical
  ointments

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Warts

• Viral in origin
• Usually in 2 year olds and younger
• Location - muzzle, face and ears
• Diagnosis History, exam
• Treatment excision, immunemodulatory, topical
  ointments, none of the above

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Melanoma

• Gray horses
• Location - Muzzle, throat latch and under tail
  area
• Unlike humans, they are rarely malignant
• Can ulcerate and become infected by secondary
  invaders
• Diagnosis exam, biopsy
• Treatment cimetidine, excision

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Summary

• Come in all shapes and sizes
• Can be treated
• Good husbandry is a must
• Being very observant
• Examination by your veterinarian
• Consistent care and patience