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MICRO KILLER
The Hazards of the Blister Beetle
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contents
Pest Control e-book
4 What’s New 8 Micro-Killer
2018
The hazards of the blister beetle.
Welcome to Equine Journal’s second annual Pest Control e-book. We are excited to bring you more great information on those pesky critters that are the bane of both horse owners’ and horses’ existence. When thinking about pests, we normally associate with ticks, flies, and no-see-ums, but there are plenty of other animals that meet that definition. The opossum, for example, can transmit sarcocystis neurona to your horse, causing a myriad of problems on his nervous system, ultimately leading to equine protozoal myeloencephalitisis (EPM). To learn more about how to prevent, recognize, and treat EPM, turn to page 15. Another pest that can be particularly harmful to equines is the blister beetle. These bugs are known to cause blisters on human skin, due to their secreting cantharidin, a poisonous substance that can be toxic to horses. Because the beetles can be found within hay, it is important to be diligent when feeding your horse during certain times of the year. To learn more, visit page 8. And for curbing the pests that we typically do anticipate seeing each spring, turn to page 4 to find out what products are new on the market. We hope this guide helps keep both you and your horse safe and fly-free this season! EXECUTIVE EDITOR/ GENERAL MANAGER
Karen Desroches
OPERATIONS MANAGER
ADVERTISING/MARKETING CONSULTANT
BY KAREN ELIZABETH BARIL
on the cover
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
Karen Fralick
Terisé Cole ASSOCIATE EDITOR
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Sherry R. Brown
Kelley Roche Candice D. Madrid
Tips to prevent EPM and new treatment options.
Laurel Foster
SENIOR EDITOR
ART DIRECTOR
15 Playing Opossum
SENIOR ADVERTISING/ MARKETING CONSULTANT
Elisabeth Prouty-Gilbride
Kelly Lee Brady
BY JUDY BRODLAND
PUBLICATION SERVICE MANAGER
Cher Wheeler
page 8
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Emily Trupiano
page 4 Equine Journal
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WHAT’S NEW 1. PRO-FORCE RAPID KNOCKDOWN FLY SPRAY
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including ticks, biting flies, and stable flies—in up to 14 days. It has also been proven to work against no-see-ums! Available in both 32-ounce and gallon sizes. BUY IT: forceflyspray.com/ej; $14.95
2. OUTSMART ROLL-ON SmartPak’s bestselling OutSmart Fly Spray has now been adapted into a rollon container, making it easier to protect your horse’s hard-to-hit areas, such as the face and ears. Featuring plant-based ingredients such as Geraniol and Peppermint Oil, this product works against flies, stable flies, and mosquitoes. BUY IT: smartpakeequine.com; $6.95
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3. WEATHERBEETA COMFITEC ESSENTIAL MESH FLY SHEET Constructed from a soft polyester mesh, this fly sheet offers breathable fabric that will help your horse stay cool in hot weather and protect him from bugs and UV rays, offering up to 65% UV protection. The addition of an elasticized belly wrap and large tail flap gives full coverage to allow him to move freely while remaining protected against all elements. BUY IT: weatherbeeta.com; $69.99$74.99 4
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Do you have a product to suggest? Contact editorial@equineJournal.com with your ideas.
PEST L O CONTR
4. RAMBO PONY HOODY VAMOOSE WITH NO-FLY ZONE Made from durable close woven 1000D
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5. SHIRES AIRFLOW FLY BOOTS Specially designed from Shires’ airflow fabric, these boots help prevent flies and other insects from biting the legs. The lightweight fabric and fleece bound
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6. SHIRES FINE MESH FLY MASK WITH EARS & NOSE FRINGE Shires’ classic Fine Mesh Fly Mask has been updated with fly fringe that moves along with the horse, helping to deter flies from the muzzle area. Air stream
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fabric on the ears also provides protection against bugs while fleece padding along the seams keeps the mask away from your horse’s eyes, shielding them from the sun. BUY IT: shop.shiresequestrian.com; $19.99 2018 Pest Control e-book
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MediaMARKET
Sponsored Content
Understanding Fly Spray Options by Decoding Product Labels Sponsored by Absorbine ANYONE WHO HAS EVER SHOPPED FOR FLY spray knows there is a lot of language on the product labels. So just what does all that language on fly spray bottles really mean? Let’s see if we can break it down.
broken down by sunlight, so their effectiveness can last for several days. Both pyrethrins and pyrethroids have a long track record for effectiveness and animal safety on horses.
Product Claims
Many of the actives listed above work with a synergist. Synergists are chemical agents used in conjunction with the actives to enhance killing power and provide longerlasting protection. The most commonly used synergists are Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO), Butoxypolypropylene Glycol, and N-Octyl Bicycloheptene Dicarboximide (MGK 264). Piperonyl Butoxide kills by attacking the fly’s central nervous system and provides a quick knockdown. It kills on contact when used with pyrethrin. Butoxypolypropolene Glycol has residual effects, acts as a repellent and is water repellent. N-Octyl Bicycloheptene Dicarboximide is both a mosquito repellent and a synergist. It helps prevent the insect’s body from producing a detoxifying enzyme, therefore preventing insecticide degradation.
First, everything written in the bigger font size tells you what the product does—in marketing lingo, these are the product claims. Manufacturers can’t just say whatever they want on the labels, though. Fly sprays are highly regulated for safety and efficacy by the EPA, and the language used on label claims is equally regulated.
Ingredient Listing The small type you see under those claims, at the bottom of the label on the front of the product, is where the rubber really meets the road. This language lists active ingredients, synergists, inactive ingredients, and the percentages of those ingredients. The types and levels of active ingredients can vary among fly spray products, but they make a big difference in helping you understand how well you can expect a fly spray to work and which ones are worth your money.
Actives Actives are the ingredients that have insecticide (killing) and repellent power. Many of the most commonly used actives have both insecticide and repellent characteristics. There are two forms of actives, namely natural and synthetic. The most common actives are pyrethrins, permethrin, resmethrin, tetramethrin, and cypermethrin. More recently, picaridin has come on the market for use as a combined horse and human insect repellent spray. Pyrethrins are natural and are extracted from certain types of chrysanthemums. They provide very quick knockdown—in other words, they kill the insects quickly. However, pyrethrins are broken down rapidly by sunlight, so synergists are often added to protect and extend the effectiveness of the formula. Pyrethroids are synthetic forms of pyrethrins. The most common pyrethroids are permethrin, cypermethrin, tetramethrin, and resmethrin. Pyrethroids are not as easily 6
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Synergists
Comparing Levels of Active Ingredients
There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Water-based fly sprays are nontoxic and non-irritating to the horse’s skin and won’t attract dirt or dust. However, water-based sprays should also include synergists in the formula to keep them from breaking down in environmental conditions (sunlight, rain, sweat, etc.). Oil-based fly sprays quickly stick to the hair coat and provide rapid knockdown of insects by suffocating them when sprayed. However, due to the nature of oil, oil-based fly sprays will attract dirt and dust. In addition, oil-based fly sprays can irritate the skin of sensitive horses and some horses are prone to burning if they are sprayed with an oil-based product and then turned out in the sun. It’s not always easy to determine if a fly spray uses a water or an oil base. The easiest way to tell is to look at the bottom of the active ingredient listing. If you see the statement, “Contains Petroleum Distillate,” then you know the product is oil-based.
All-Natural Fly Repellents
Water-Based or Oil-Based?
Another option to consider when shopping for fly sprays are those that use natural ingredients. All-natural fly sprays provide a safe alternative to chemical sprays. They are generally environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and insecticide-free. Natural fly sprays commonly use natural oils known to repel insects such as citronella, geraniol, eucalyptus, thyme, cedar oil, lemongrass, rosemary oil, and clove oil. You’ll notice on the label of natural fly sprays that they do not contain insecticides. This means that natural fly sprays will not kill insects. Instead, they will only repel insects. Because of this, natural fly sprays will not be effective at reducing the insect population around your barn. The ingredients in natural fly sprays also breakdown more quickly than their chemical counterparts and so they must be reapplied often, usually every eight hours. However, natural fly sprays can be a great option for people looking to go green, or for people who may want to use fewer chemicals when the bug population is low in the early spring and late summer and fall.
Another point of difference in fly sprays is whether they’re water-based or oil-based.
© 2017 W.F. Young, Inc.
When comparing fly sprays, it’s important to look beyond the price tag and focus instead on the list of the active ingredients and the levels of those ingredients included in the formula. Let’s say you have brand A and brand B. You look at the active ingredients and their percentages and see that brand A contains 0.10% permethrin and brand B contains 0.50% permethrin. That means there is five times more of the active ingredient in brand B. Which brand do you think will be more effective? Continue this comparison for each of the active ingredients listed and also look for the number of active ingredients in each formula to make an informed choice among the different brands of fly spray available. It’s easy to be disappointed by brands with very low levels of actives and therefore a lower price. With fly sprays, as with most things in life, you really do get what you pay for.
©2017 W. F. Young, Inc.
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Hay season is just around the corner for those of us who plan ahead, and with the arrival of forage “shopping season,” employing some caution could save you and your horses from the perils of a tiny killer. If you come into contact with a blister beetle, it is recommended that you use caution when removing it, even blowing the insect off of you versus brushing it away, to minimize the vesicant secretion of cantharidin. The incidence of this oily, caustic secretion can cause blisters to erupt on your skin, and it’s one that decrees a decidedly uncomfortable period of healing. Conversely, and somewhat fascinating, is the commercial extraction of this same toxic compound for pharmaceutical purposes, a process that has produced topical treatments, such as Canthacur, which is applied to benign epithelial growths, like warts and skin tags. From a practical standpoint, the blister beetle’s occasional encounter with humans is, for the most part, unexceptional. Gardeners are understandably disgruntled over these flying beetles that enjoy chewing on plants, as well as wilting the leaves of vegetables with their toxin. In this common setting, these pesky beetles are routinely and uneventfully eliminated by utilizing companion planting, insecticidal soaps, or traps.
Blister Beetles and Your Horse Gardens and wart treatment aside, mix the blister beetle in the company of horses, and the implications are far more sinister. Cantharidin is a poisonous substance that is comparable to cyanide and strychnine in toxicity, and at the very least, even a miniscule dose of cantharidin is enough to induce colic. While horses are significantly more vulnerable to a lethal ingestion of blister beetles, cattle and sheep are also susceptible to the toxic compound. Even more troubling is that the cantharidin toxin, which is stored in the insects’ blood, remains stable for long periods of time in dead beetles and beetle body parts—parts that might be baled up in the very forage we feed to our horses. A lethal cantharidin dose is approximately .5 to 1.0 mg per 2.2 lbs (1 kilogram) of a horse’s body weight. When sufficient, it is absorbed through the intestine and triggers severe and painful gastrointestinal inflammation, colic, urinary tract irritation and bleeding, renal damage, severe salivation, dehydration, and diarrhea. Urinary tract irritation frequently results in excessive urination and straining, accompanied by bleeding, and possible secondary infection.
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The quantity of blister beetles sufficient to kill a horse is influenced by several factors, including the cantharidin concentration, which varies with the sex and species of the culprit beetle. The toxic chemical is produced by the male, which has the highest concentration; some is passed to the female during mating. The striped blister beetle is the most deadly, with a cantharidin concentration at about five times the level that is found in the black blister beetle. Estimates suggest that it would require 1,700 black blister beetles to kill an 825-pound horse, whereas 120 of the striped blister beetle variety are sufficient to kill the same size horse. Although the thought of 1,700 beetles consumed by any single horse may sound absurd, when you consider that a single bale of alfalfa was found to have 450 blister beetles in its contents, the threat of cantharidin poisoning is grounds for sobering uneasiness. Because of the beetles’ tendency to swarm and feed in considerable numbers, the translation is that small quantities of forage can contain copious amounts of cantharidin.
Blister Beetles by Region The only hay that is guaranteed to be completely free from blister beetle contamination is that from the extremely northern United States and Canada. Alfalfa hay that is harvested from the southern and western United States is of the highest level of concern, where specific species of blister beetles live; these beetles contain high levels of cantharidin. According to the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, “Historically, blister beetles have been most abundant in arid regions of the United States where grasshoppers are abundant most every year.” Be aware when purchasing alfalfa hay from Kansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, as these areas in particular are often linked with blister beetle poisoning incidence. This is, however, not solely due to the number of blister beetles in this area, but also the large amount of alfalfa hay produced and shipped from these states.
Preventing Infestation The clouds of doom are parting, however, thanks in large part to conscientious hay growers who recognize the blister beetle as the lethal threat that it is, especially when it comes to their clients buying forage for horses. With close monitoring of the blister beetle’s life cycle and its behavior, coupled with specific forage harvest practices, it is possible to substantially relegate their threat to nominal levels. The first step in moderating blister beetle infestation is to scout the grasshopper population. Most of us know from 66 10
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PHOTO: JARI HINDSTRÖM/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
NOW AVAILABLE
The best way to keep your horse safe from blister beetle poisoning is to inspect his hay.
KILLS
REPELS
WORKS ON
MORE THAN JUST FLIES
Protect Your Horse. Unleash the Force. When it comes to protecting your horse, it’s a never-ending war against flies and pests. Give yourself a leg up against even the nastiest offenders with Pro-Force® Fly Spray, specially formulated to kill, repel, and knockdown bugs. With Pro-Force, you have the power to fend off over 70 species of pests — including ticks, biting flies, stable flies and no-see-ums. Pro-Force Fly Spray also kills fleas and ticks on dogs, and is available in a 32 oz spray and gallon size. It’s time to kiss your fly problem goodbye. (R)
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PHOTOS: (TOP) STEVE EVERTS/ISTOCKPHOTOS.COM; (BOTTOM) BUGWOOD.ORG
experience that grasshopper infestations are cyclical, and their expansive presence is influenced by climate and food-source dynamics. If you have grasshoppers, you can count on the blister beetle’s harmful presence. The grasshoppers’ eggs easily overwinter in many soils and produce foliage-eating pupae in late spring. Mature grasshoppers lay their egg masses into the same soils they hatch from, and these eggs are a premium incentive for blister beetle colonies as a rich food source for the There are steps that can be taken in the hatching beetle larvae. Insecticide cutting and baling process that can applications might plausibly come decrease blister beetle contamination. to mind, but application timing is critical for very important reasons— the adult blister beetle is still viewed as favorable, since they are viable in controlling the ravages first preeminent strike is practicing a stringent weed manageof crop destruction caused by grasshoppers. Any approach ment program that keeps flowering plants and, in particular, to controlling blister beetles by impairing the symbiotic relaweeds, within and on field borders, from blooming. Weed-free tionship of these two dissimilar insects should be carefully hay is a major step in reducing blister beetle colonization by analyzed. Additionally, insecticide should never be applied eliminating that attraction. during a peak bloom, as it will kill bees. A second and clear-cut step is to cut hay well in advance of Blister beetles are attracted to flowering plants. They feed the bloom stage. Beetle populations spike during mid-summer on the flower pollen and nectar. This means that they are far harvest, when the colonies are rummaging for new blooms. more attracted to alfalfa than other forages, but flowering By cutting alfalfa prior to flowering, beetle infestations are weeds within a hay field, as well as neighboring crops with decreased due to the absence of the attractive blooms. blooms, are also very attractive to beetle swarms. With this In addition to scouting their fields for blister beetle infesbasic understanding of their dining preference, a hay grower’s tation, the most diligent and admirable hay growers are employing extra steps to ensure that their harvested forage is free of the deadly insect. Many growers utilize modern THE LIGHTNING BUG mowers that lay down the hay without crushing it. By laying If you find the appearance of the firefly or “lightning bug” to the hay down more gently, they avoid crushing the beetles in be similar to the blister beetle, you’re on track. While nonthe process, which can leave the deadly cantharidin residue lethal to horses and livestock, the firefly is actually in the clinging to leaves and stems. When a hay crop is disturbed, beetle order of Coleoptera. They are a winged beetle known the blister beetle will fall to the ground and relocate. It is very for their use of bioluminescence to attract mates or prey. important that windrows are not driven over once the hay But, these bright bugs have a dark side: fireflies produce is downed—especially if it was cut during bloom—as it will lucibufagins, which are deadly certainly crush beetles into the curing forage. to many lizards and frogs, as Perhaps the most critical measure is to avoid the learned the hard way by zoouse of conditioners and crimpers, especially during keepers and pet owners. These summer cuttings; these are hay cuttings after mid-May self-defense toxins are not through early-September. The risk is especially high the bioluminescence chemithat blister beetles will be processed into the crimped cals that make the fireflies or conditioned hay. As a general rule, to be absolutely glow, but rather, are a certain that it is at the lowest possible risk for blister beetle class of steroidal pyrones contamination, crimped hay should always be avoided. that have a similar Always inspect the hay you buy, and if possible, molecular structure develop a good relationship with a local grower. to the venomous skin If you feed alfalfa to your horses, a pre-bloom secretions of toads. The ingestion first cutting before mid-May is your safest choice; of a single firefly can kill a lizard. late cuttings after September are usually just as safe. When hay growers and horse owners engage these conscientious measures, forages are much more likely to be blister beetle-free. Considering that there is SMALL BUT MIGHTY no specific antidote for cantharidin poisoning, prevenMisused for centuries as an tion is the paramount key to protecting your horses. aphrodisiac, the Spanish fly If you suspect cantharidin poisoning, emergency veteriis an emerald-green beetle nary care is a must. Symptomatic therapy currently includes in the blister beetle family. The beetles were dried and calcium and magnesium supplementation for prolonged crushed, and then ingested by mixing the powder in liquid. periods, as well as evacuation of the GI tract with repeated It’s a dangerous chase of adventure: only 10 milligrams can dosing of mineral oil. Activated charcoal has been useful if be fatal to humans. administered promptly, as well as fluids, diuretics, and electrolyte concentrations.
WHAT’S
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Equine Magazines FOR THE PROFESSIONAL, HOBBIEST & NOVICE.
BY KAREN ELIZABETH BARIL
PLAYING
OPOSSUM
Tips to prevent EPM and new treatment options.
PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/MAWEAR
EPM (Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis) is a diagnosis that strikes fear into the heart of every horse owner. The symptoms are hard to miss: incoordination, spastic or stiff movements, lameness, muscle atrophy, head tilt, or facial droop. Some horses might have difficulty swallowing due to a loss of sensation along the face, neck, and body. Abnormal sweating can also be a sign of EPM. Nonetheless, EPM is known as the “master of disguise” and there’s good reason for that; its symptoms mimic dozens of other neurological diseases and syndromes, leading to—in many cases—a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. The only way to know if your horse has EPM for sure is to perform blood testing and a laboratory analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid. Successful treatment will depend on how long the horse has harbored the parasite, the extent of infection,
where in the brain, brain stem, or spinal cord the parasite localizes, and whether or not the horse is stressed. In fact, stress plays a significant role; competition horses tend to suffer more acute symptoms and sometimes respond less well to treatment. All that being said, the latest research is promising; we have better and more accurate diagnoses, better treatment options, and targeted prevention practices, all of which go a long way to keeping our horses healthier. 2018 Pest Control e-book
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HOW IS EPM TRANSMITTED? EPM is not transmitted from horse to horse. Instead, it relies on the protozoal parasite, Sarcocystis neurona, or less commonly, Neospora hughesi to infect the horse. Scientists classify protozoa as single-celled organisms that show animal characteristics, namely motility and predation. Sarcocystis neurona, the main culprit of EPM, fits that job description well. Treatment is challenging; Sarcocystic neurona is an expert in avoiding immune system attack. Sarcocystis neurona is transmitted directly from the definitive host, the opossum, to the horse. The horse comes into contact with infected possum feces usually as the horse is grazing or through exposure to contaminated water or feed. The opossum acquires the organism from cats, skunks, raccoons, and even armadillos. The parasite is so common that researchers estimate more than 70 percent of horses may have been exposed. Most of those horses will never show clinical signs of the disease. Once the horse ingests the parasite, it migrates from the horse’s intestinal tract into his bloodstream, and may thereby cross the blood/brain barrier. Once there, the parasite attacks the horse’s central nervous system. At this early stage, a speedy diagnosis and treatment plan is essential.
PREVENTION Not all horses exposed to S.neurona or Neospora hughesi will contract EPM. In fact, the majority of horses will never show clinical signs of the disease. Interestingly, horses under stress (particularly from excessive travel as in competition horses) are at greater risk and tend to succumb to the disease faster than those horses that are not stressed. Prevention of EPM includes knowing a little bit about the lifestyle of the opossum. According to Laura Simon, president of the Connecticut Wildlife Rehabilitators Association and wildlife ecologist with the Humane Society of the United States, the best way to discourage opossums from taking up residence is to keep a tidy barn. “The best way to change their behavior is to change ours,” says Simon. “That means we can’t leave a bowl of food out for the resident barn cat. That’s like putting out a blinking neon buffet sign to wildlife. Sweep up stray bits of grain and keep a clutter free barn. Critters 16
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love soft, tucked-away things like saddle pads, blankets, leg wraps, and cushions to sleep on.” But, Simon says it’s important to note that the opossum is not all bad. In fact, according to a recent study by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY, opossums are tick magnets and because they’re fastidious groomers, they swallow almost all of the ticks they host. They also love to gobble up ticks they find on the ground. The study found that in a single season, one opossum could eat as many as 5,000 ticks. Some counties are now using them in their tick control program. “The opossum is not the enemy. He’s just the poor guy who gets the bad rap. Opossums are the only marsupial (mammal with a pouch) in North America,” points out Simon. “The female opossum carries her young, which are born tiny and helpless (as virtual embryos), in her pouch until they’re around two months old, after which, they ride on her back. And most horse owners don’t realize this—opossums are nomadic, usually staying in one place for only a few days at a time.” Still, the fewer critters, the better when it comes to EPM prevention. Never leave cat food out free-choice, and if you do feed grain, choose a heat-treated cereal grain or extruded feeds as these treatments seem to kill most of the sporocysts. Be sure your horse’s water sources are clean and fresh. Decrease stress, especially in the performance horse, through breaks from intensive training, as much turnout as possible, and by providing your horse with an equine buddy.
TREATMENT OPTIONS EPM is now considered a highly treatable equine neurological disease, though treatment is often expensive. Still, once a strong presumptive diagnosis has been made, horses that receive quick and aggressive treatment boast a higher chance of recovery. Many horses even return to their previous level of performance. Ponazuril, trade name Marquis™, is an antiprotozoal and has traditionally been the drug of choice for treating EPM caused by Sarcocystic neurona. Horses often show improvement with the drug, but it should be noted that progression of the clinical signs of the disease may continue and success depends on many factors, including the prior health and
condition of the horse as well as the duration of infection prior to the start of treatment. Dr. Siobhan Ellison DVM, research scientist and founder of Pathogenes Inc. in Reddick, FL, tells us that EPM is actually the name given to a syndrome and not the disease, itself. “The syndrome describes the infection with a protozoa and the inflammation associated with the infection. Strictly speaking, the infection alone is sarcocytosis. The difference between EPM and sarcocytosis, while it may appear to be semantic, is that EPM describes the syndrome (inflammation and disease signs included) while sarcocytosis describes just the parasite’s presence in the animal.” The distinction is pivotal in Dr. Ellison’s research and has led to significant strides in diagnostics and targeted treatment. Consider that the level of antibodies (as reported in a titer) is directly related to the duration of the infection and not necessarily to the number of parasites present. That distinction has led to new treatment options. “Our treatment addresses the inflammatory component of EPM,” says Ellison. “An anti-protozoal does not do that. Also, our treatment is proto-cidal (kills them) rather than other licensed treatments that are proto-static, which don’t kill the parasite but rely on the immune system to eliminate the infection. “This new research requires a paradigm shift in the definition of EPM,” says Ellison. “When a veterinarian realizes the disease is really one of inflammation, a specific type of inflammation that won’t respond to NSAIDS, they see the advantage of testing (a test for antibodies found only in the blood of horses that have been exposed to EPM) and the use of our inflammatory markers to identify the cause of inflammation.” Ellison’s work has been published in peer-reviewed literature and is available to all veterinarians. Her website pathogenes.com offers more information and she or a representative is happy to share findings. “We consult on many thousands of cases a year,” says Ellison, “and teach veterinarians what we’ve learned from other cases.” While EPM is still a frightening diagnosis, new treatment options, better prevention, and more accurate diagnoses are helping many horses make full recoveries.
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