Paws, Claws & Just Tack

As horse owners, we play an essential role in our horses’ every day physical and mental health. We provide our domestic horses with all their basic needs such as food, water, shelter, grooming, hoof care, daily exercise, medical and dental care…this list goes perpetually on and on. The old axiom of “killing them with kindness” couldn’t be more true with today’s domestic horses. The mainstream of equine world has developed a practice of over feeding our horses with rich feeds, sweet feeds, and excessive amounts of grain. Even within in the Veterinary profession, there are abuses that our horses have faced such as the deleterious over usage of antibiotics, thyroid hormone supplements, and other excessive feed supplementations. With the environment that domesticated horses are faced with, a new medical condition has been recognized recently.

Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS or Peripheral Cushing’s Syndrome) has recently been described in the literature by veterinary scientists; however, EMS is not a new disease to the domesticated horse—equine veterinarians have long recognized the clinical signs of this syndrome. So what is EMS? What are the clinical signs associated with the disease’s development? How can it be prevented and/or treated? These are the questions which I will attempt to answer in the paragraphs to follow. Armed with this knowledge, we can help our horses live a much healthier, longer life.

EMS is a metabolic condition which leads to decreased glucose consumption by the cells within the body which ultimately leads to obesity, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, chronic laminitis (founder), infertility, lower immune systems, decreased intestinal wall integrity, colic, chronic hoof abscesses, and muscle wasting. EMS has been modeled after the human condition also known as Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X. Horses with EMS can not properly utilize sugars (in the form of glucose) and therefore store the excessive energy in the form of fat. EMS horses typically have “crusty necks”, excessive fat over the rump and head of the tail, and enlarged sheaths in male horses. The surplus of fat within the body ultimately leads to extremely elevated levels of endogenous corticosteroids (i.e. cortisol) within the blood stream. Cortisol has a negative affect on insulin which leads to even further insulin resistance and less glucose utilization. This vicious cycle stresses the equine body…and cortisol has been regarded as a major component to chronic laminitis.

EMS can be difficult to diagnose because many of the tests utilized by veterinarians to diagnose Cushing’s disease are within the range of normal. However, diagnostic tests can sometimes be beneficial in arriving at a clinical diagnosis and they include tests to measure insulin and glucose concentrations. These results combined with the clinical signs of obesity and chronic laminitis confirms the diagnosis.

At present, treatment strategies for EMS concentrate exclusively on the reversal of obesity and insulin resistance through dietary modification and execution of a proper exercise program. The most important principle of feeding affected horses is very strict limitation of easily digested carbohydrates in their diet. Feeding these affected horses an exclusively fiber-based diet such as good quality grass hay—1.0 to 1.5 % of the horses’ body weight per day is a useful guideline for the amount to feed. Eliminate sources of easily digestible carbohydrates such as grain, sweet feeds, carrots, apples, and lush grass. Several nutritional supplements have been advocated in the treatment/management of EMS. One of interest is the use of cinnamon to aid in the treatment of EMS. Cinnamon has been shown to exert some beneficial effects on humans with type 2 or adult-onset diabetes, and it is unlikely to have any negative or harmful side effects on your horse. Equine nutritionists have recommended administration of 4 tsp per 1000-lbs horse per day. Other widely recommended dietary supplements include chromium picolinate and magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, copper, zinc, manganese, and selenium. Omega-3 essential fatty acids (found in Flax seed oil 4 to 6 tsp per day) have also been shown to be beneficial to horses with EMS. Also, it has been recommended to add these supplements to soaked beet pulp instead of grain.

If you have any questions on EMS, we’d love to help answer them. As always, please feel free to contact us at any time.

The Animal Care Center of Castle Rock is thrilled to announce the arrival of a brand new CO2 Laser Surgery Unit. We are extremely pleased to offer our clients’ pets an alternative to the use of traditional scalpel blades during surgery. Laser surgery is an exciting, reliable, accurate option for procedures which provide your pets with less pain, less bleeding, less swelling, reduced risk of infection, and a rapid recovery.

A laser is a device that safely and precisely generates an intense beam of light at a specific wave length. This beam of light can be accurately directed by our veterinarians to a specific area on the patient’s body. The laser’s light seals blood vessels, lymphatic vessels and nerve endings as well as kills bacteria; these inherent attributes of the laser, ultimately, lead to decreased discomfort and pain and a rapid recovery from surgery.

The laser has a wide variety of surgical and clinical applications-we have performed multiple procedures so far and have been very pleased with our results. We have performed declaws, castrations, spays, wart and growth ablations, as well as tumor removals and tail amputations.

Is laser surgery an option for your pets? Our staff would love to discuss laser surgery for your pets. For more information on the benefits of laser surgery please contact us with any questions or find out more about laser surgery at www.petlasers.com.

A Word from Our Doctors…

Dr. Brooke and Dr. Shawn would like to personally thank you all for the sustained support and for your continual referrals. March 2005 is already upon us…we can’t believe how fast time flies. We incorporated the Animal Care Center of Castle Rock, P.C. two years ago this month, and we have now grown to about 4000 patients, mainly dogs, cats and horses (mixed in with a few sheep and goats to keep Dr. Brooke smiling each and every day).

We have added Ruth Alexander to our client care staff, and we are very excited to gain the wisdom and knowledge she brings to help us provide you with the best quality of service. We are now up to 6 wonderful staff members…and of course our 2 doctors. With spring upon us, comes all the exciting preventative care to keep our pets healthy and disease free. Spring is a time of birth…as we wait patiently for all our mares to foal. Spring is also the time for vaccinations and heartworm prevention. Please feel free to contact our office at anytime to discuss heartworm disease and its preventative options that best fit with your pets’ life style.

We look forward to seeing each and every one of your smiling faces, and of course your cherished pets this year. Please let us know how we can help or better serve you. We wish you all the best in 2005!

A cat can be either right-pawed or left-pawed. A cat cannot see directly under its nose. This is why the cat cannot seem to find tidbits on the floor.

A cat has four rows of whiskers.

A cat will almost never meow at another cat. Cats use this sound for humans.

A cat’s arching back is part of a complex body language system, usually associated with feeling threatened. The arch is able to get so high because the cat’s spine contains nearly 60 vertebrae which fit loosely together. Humans have only 34 vertebrae.

A cat’s tail held high means happiness. A twitching tail is a warning sign, and a tail tucked in close to the body is a sure sign of insecurity.

A cat’s tongue is scratchy because it’s lined with papillae-tiny elevated backwards hooks that help to hold prey in place.

A fifteen year old cat has probably spent ten years of its life sleeping.

A large majority of white cats with blue eyes are deaf. White cats with only one blue eye are deaf only in the ear closest to the blue eye.

A female cat can begin mating when she is between 5 and 9 months old.

A male cat can begin mating when he is between 7 and 10 months old.

Both humans and cats have identical regions in the brain responsible for emotion.

Cat families usually play best in even numbers. Cats and kittens should be acquired in pairs whenever possible.

Cats are the only domestic animals that walk directly on their claws, not on their paws. This method of walking is called “digitigrade.” When cats scratch furniture, it isn’t an act of malice. They are actually tearing off the ragged edges of the sheaths of their talons to expose the new sharp ones beneath.

Cats love to hear the sound of their own name and your voice, so talk to them often.

by Shawn K. Wayment, DVM

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slow, painfully progressive, degenerative disease associated with the freely movable joints within the canine body. Another way to envision canine OA is when the destruction of the joint’s structures (such as cartilage) exceeds the production creating varying degrees of pain and discomfort to our adored companions. Why then is OA so important to us and our canine cohorts? Recent accounts in the literature suggest that approximately twenty percent of dogs over the age of one already have some minor degradation of the joint’s structure-thus, making OA a significant canine disorder.

The canine skeletal system consists of numerous, separate, long bones that are fastened together by connective tissue creating an articulation or joint. A synovial joint is a freely movable joint that has a space between the two articulating bones. The synovial joint is comprised of a fibrous capsule surrounding the joint and a very thin layer called the synovial membrane. The synovial membrane is very important in the load-bearing capacity of the joint because it produces the viscous fluid found in the joint that helps with the frictionless motion of the joint. Joint fluid/synovial fluid also provides nutrients to the articular cartilage which covers the ends of the bones. Finally, the tendons, ligaments and muscles help provide flexibility and support to the synovial joint.

Athletic stresses or repetitive trauma to the joint can lead to injury of the cartilage cells. Over time, inflammation results in thickening of the fibrous joint capsule, formation of bone spurs, decreased flexibility, and painful swelling.

Diagnosing OA in the canine patient is most commonly done by a veterinarian during a thorough physical examination and, in most cases, is based on the owner’s observations and the patient’s clinical signs. One of the most common owner complaints is that their dog has difficulty getting up, and they are stiff after long periods of rest.

Treatment of OA is targeted towards management of the clinical signs associated with pain rather than a cure for the disease-OA is a non-curable, degenerative joint disease. Important management measures would include such therapies as nutritional regulation, weight loss and control, routine low-intensity exercise (walking and swimming), physical therapy, nutriceuticals (Glucosamine and Chondroitin, MSM, SAM(e), vitamin B-3, fish oils high in Omega-3 fatty acids, etc), acupuncture, and shock-wave therapy.

Some patients continue to be painful after the implementation of conservative treatments-these patients generally require pain relief in an additional form. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s-i.e. Rimadyl, Meloxicam, Deramaxx, etc) may be prescribed to the OA patient whom sustains uncontrollable pain. NSAID’s reduce pain by eliminating the inflammatory process. Although they reduce arthritic pain, they also have their shortcomings. NSAID’s do not provide support or lubricate the joint in any manner, and they may cause gastrointestinal upset and associated kidney or liver problems with chronic usage. Finally, we strongly recommend that NSAID’s be used only in combination with nutriceuticals such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin sulfate because they help lubricate and support the joint’s structures.

Alternative treatments have been shown to help reduce and in some cases alleviate pain associated with canine OA. Acupuncture and shock-wave therapy are two non-invasive treatment modalities that have been used on dogs, and they both have demonstrated significant improvement in painfully arthritic patients.

Managing OA successfully in our pets requires a basic general knowledge of the joint’s function and structure, as well as understanding how OA develops. Once armed with this knowledge, we can combine numerous treatments to alleviate our pet’s arthritic pain. Proper nutrition, regular exercise, weight control, physical therapy, nutriceuticals, alternative therapies, and judicial usage of NSAID’s in combination may possibly provide comfort and help the patient maintain adequate function of the joints; ultimately, furnishing our canine companions with a healthier and happier life.

By Shawn K. Wayment, DVM

Many horse owners at some point will experience a stint of colic with their adored horse. Colic is so common that the topic is embraced more frequently in media articles than any other equine related medical condition. Colic is very important because colic is the number one killing disease of the horse. Pfizer Animal Health (www.pfizer.com/equine) has recognized the importance of working toward the goal of colic prevention. They have developed a wellness program to help decrease the chances of your horse experiencing colic. They have so much confidence in their program’s ability to decrease the incidence and the severity of colic, that they will back it financially with their exclusive Colic Assistance Plan. What is Pfizer’s wellness program and how does your horse qualify for the Colic Assistance Plan (CAP)? Before we answer these questions, let’s talk briefly about what colic is.

Colic is a generic term meaning abdominal pain (bellyache, this pain can come from a myriad of sources (parasites, rapid diet changes, sand ingestion, decreased water consumption, rapid weather changes, poor dentition, etc.). Classic clinical signs, or what the horse is outwardly displaying, can include such things as: loss of appetite, sweating, stretching out, pawing at the ground, grinding teeth, and rolling. Most episodes of colic are very short lived (90% of all colicky horses) and the horse returns rapidly to its normal daily outine, thank goodness! However, on rare occasions (the other 10 %), the abdominal pain can persist to the point where your horse needs expensive veterinary intervention and possibly surgical assistance. Here is where Pfizer’s PreventiCare™ program becomes very advantageous.

PreventiCare™ is a wellness program where a partnership is developed between you, your horse, and your veterinarian; this partnership ultimately decreases the chance of your horse experiencing medical and/or surgical colic. Your horses must be enrolled into the program annually by having your veterinarian examine your horse and submit the enrollment form to Pfizer. Twice a year (spring/fall), your horse will be given a comprehensive physical exam (literally head-to-hoof including height and weight), any/all immunizations that are recommended for your specific geographic area (including West Nile Virus), deworming with Equimax® (which indigestion, cramps, etc.); gets stomach bots and tape worms), a complete dental exam and float (we recommend annual dental work for maximum equine performance), and a one year supply of Strongid C®. What do you as a horse owner gain from this preventative program? You will have a tranquil piece of mind knowing that your horse is getting the best possible preventative care. Your horse is truly parasite free, and they have a healthy, efficient digestive tract. Finally, if for some reason your horse did need surgical intervention r for abdominal pain, Pfizer would help alleviate the financial burden by paying a surgical facility up to $5,000.00 for the surgery and 3 days of post-surgical aftercare (CAP).

The old adage about An ounce of prevention… is dreadfully accurate. To find out more details about Pfizer’s Preventicare Program, please feel free to contact us.

Every year, $1.5 billion is spent on pet food. This is four times the amount spent on baby food.

It has been established that people who own pets live longer, have less stress, and have fewer heart attacks.

Some 39 percent of pet owners say they have more photos of their pet than of their spouse or significant other. Only 21 percent say they have more photos of their spouse or significant other than of their pet.

(This next one being the most important!)
The English Romantic poet Lord Byron was so devastated upon the death of his beloved Newfoundland, whose name was Boatswain, that he had inscribed upon the dog’s gravestone the following: “Beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, and all the virtues of man without his vices.”

The expression “three dog night” originated with the Eskimos and means a very cold night — so cold that you have to bed down with three dogs to keep warm.

An American Animal Hospital Association poll showed that 33 percent of dog owners admit that they talk to their dogs on the phone or leave messages on an answering machine while away.

We want to thank all of you for your support over the past few years. We are proud to announce our practice has grown by 550% due mostly to your heartfelt referrals. Drs. Shawn and Brooke want you all to know that we are working very hard to satisfy the health needs of your pets.

We have just acquired a Cardiopet ECG machine to assist us with heart disease diagnosis and acute cardiac emergencies. This machine allows us to send ECG’s via the phone to experts for evaluation. If you happen to feel like you are seeing a lot of new faces in our clinic it is due mostly to our internship programs. We have Bel-Rae technician interns turn over every 10 weeks and we also mentor local high school students. We also appreciate your patience with our occasional staff turn around. Please let us know if there is ANYTHING we can do for you.

Drs. Shawn Wayment and Brooke James

Recent events on the Front Range with severe weather and blazin’ fires highlights the need for each and everyone of us to have a family emergency plan that includes our pets and livestock. Where to go and what to do with our animals should already be planned in the case of an emergency. By making an adequate emergency plan, which includes our animals, we can ensure the safety of our families and pets. Below are 7 tips taken from The Colorado State Animal Response Team (SART - www.ColoradoSART.org) to keep people and animals safe during severe summer weather. We at the Animal Care Center of Castle Rock encourage each and every one of you to develop your own family emergency plan.

• ALWAYS PROVIDE SHELTER FROM THE ELEMENTS Pets and livestock should always have shelter available from heat or severe weather. Move livestock to higher ground when there is a danger of flooding.
• MAKE SURE THAT ALL ANIMALS HAVE ACCESS TO WATER ALL DAY LONG It is especially important during the hottest times of the summer.
• LIGHTNING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS FOR US AS WELL AS OUR PETS When hiking or horseback riding, seek shelter in low-lying areas and away from isolated trees during the storm. Avoid using horse pastures where a few trees provide the only shelter.
• MAKE SURE ALL ANIMALS HAVE IDENTIFICATION Pets may panic and become lost in a storm and livestock can be dispersed by severe weather. Tags, microchips, tattoos, and brands can all aid in the identification of our animals. Maintain photographs or brand inspection certificates for all of your animals!
• HAVE A FAMILY EMERGENCY PLAN NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE!!!! Every family member should understand and rehearse the plan. All pets and livestock should be a part of the plan. Identify ahead of time where you will go with pets and livestock if evacuated. Horses must be trained to load quickly and safely into a trailer.
• HAVE EVACUATION SUPPLIES ON HAND FOR PEOPLE AND ANIMAL Make an evacuation kit and keep a list of additional items that must be taken along. Include food, water, bowls, leashes, bedding, photos and other forms of ID, health records, and medications and first aid kit for you animals.
• DEVELOP A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN TO HELP PROTECT PEOPLE AND ANIMALS It makes sticking to the plan much easier with the help of others.

We wanted to update our clients on the issue with the FDA approved six month injectable heartworm prevention ProHeart 6. There was a lot of media coverage about supposed reactions to the injection. The manufacturer of this product, Fort Dodge Animal Health, has voluntarily pulled ProHeart 6 off of the shelves. This is for a short period of time so that an independent company can perform a study to answer the questions the public and the FDA have regarding the safety and efficacy of the pharmaceutical.

Fort Dodge still stands behind the safety of the product. However, they want to make sure all of the non screened reports of side effects (these are reported by consumers and not veterinarians) are adequately addressed. At the Animal Care Center of Castle Rock we have complied with the recall of ProHeart 6 and no longer have the product available on our shelves. When we find out the results of the study, we will certainly relay that information to you. We will hopefully post that on our website which should be functional within the next month!