EVPN volume 1 issue7

ISSUE 7

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August 2014, Volume 1, Issue 7

Welcome to EVPN

This issue is far more editorially focused than the regular digital issue, so you can look forward to a selection of articles from some excellent contributors, many of whom will be exhibiting at Congress, poised to answer any questions raised by the articles we have published.

Publishing Director Scott Colman t. +44 (0)7595 023 460 e. scott@futurepublishingsolutions.com

At this years Congress, we’re looking forward to meeting up with old friends, and establishing new relationships with equine - specific companies, not to mention speaking directly to equine vets. If you are interested in editorial contributions, or have feedback for us, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. If you’d like to have a chat at Congress, please email me directly on ally@ vetsuppliesmag.com, or tweet me @Allygau - and lets do coffee!

Editorial Ally Gau t. +44 (0)7769 310 286 e. ally@vetsuppliesmag.com e. ally@futurepublishingsolutions.com

Circulation & Subscription Emma Colman t. +44 (0)7720 595 845 e. emma@futurepublishingsolutions.com Web and Digital Jonny Jones t. +44 (0)7803 543 057 e. jonny@futurepublishingsolutions.com Production Jo Ross t. +44 (0)7740 468667 e. jo@futurepublishingsolutions.com

but the publisher assumes no responsibility for safety of artwork, photographs, or manuscripts. Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy, but the publisher cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy of information supplied herein or for any opinion expressed.

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Many thanks to both contributors and readers - we couldn’t have done this without you, and we’re very keen to hear what you think of out special BEVA Congress edition - please don’t hesitate to get i touch!

SCAN HERE for a free subscription to EVPN In this months edition of Equine Veterinary Product News (EVPN) there are three usual segments & two spotlight features on Dentistry and Rhodoccocus Equi

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Stuart Mace t. +44 (0)7827 912 603 e. stuart@vetsuppliesmag.com e. stuart@futurepublishingsolutions.com

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elcome to the very first print edition of our equine veterinary specific magazine, which will be the first of four special print issues each year. We felt it fitting to introduce it at BEVA Congress, our favourite event in the veterinary calendar, and chose to present it between the pages of our main title Vet Supplies Magazine - which itself has a healthy equine section, as well as a Business Managemnt section, which is packed with stories that are often very relevant to equine vets.

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Advertising Sales Nicholas Catterall t. +44 (0)7730 762 136 e. nic@vetsuppliesmag.com e. nic@futurepublishingsolutions.com

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Equine Veterinary Product News (EVPN) is the magazine and web/digital resource for the UK community of veterinarians with purchasing authority for equipment, technology, pharmaceuticals and services.

Contents

The RacehoRse: a Veterinary Manual

Pieter h.L Ramzan august 2014 | 380pp | 9781482221916 | £79.00 £63.20 • Provides a comprehensive reference text for clinicians and industry professionals working with racehorses • Takes a practical approach to diagnosis and management of racehorse injuries and diseases • concisely summarises current approaches to treatment of orthopaedic and non-orthopaedic conditions, based on reviewed equine and human sports medicine literature as well as the collective experience of one of the world’s leading equine practices • supplies information relevant to all the major racing jurisdictions • Provides invaluable advice on rehabilitation periods and prognosis for orthopaedic injuries

eVPN readers SAVE 20% on all equine books when ordering online at www.crcpress.com, enter discount code GBN06 at the checkout.

FREE standard shipping worldwide. expires 31/12/2014

To view the collection, visit: http://bit.ly/crcequine

Nutrition A Forage Focused Mineral Journey!

Minerals out of balance with each other impact horse health This forage was high in both manganese and iron and low in copper and zinc. In 2014, after hundreds and hundreds of scientific analysis of forage, I now know that is a really common profile throughout Europe, and throughout Europe horses, many horses have the same niggling problems as mine did in 2008.

So why does this matter? It matters because minerals out of balance with each other in hay, haylage or grass have an enormous impact on the health of domestic horses that are unable to browse and select from a large variety of plants over a large geographical area. Horses evolved to eat on an unlimited range of land,

2006 Mineral Analysis Figures

Think minerals, think lottery machine, think ratios A complicated relationship exists between all minerals and the way they compete for absorption sites in the horse’s digestive system. A very simple way of looking at this is to use the analogy of a lottery machine. Where in the lottery machine you have both manganese and zinc balls competing to get down one shoot you have a problem if you have too many of one type of ball. Ideally the ratio between the manganese and zinc balls should be 1:1 (Nutrient Requirements of Horses –sixth revised edition - NRC 2007) but in reality it is usually very imbalanced and in my 2006 report it was 22.3:1. The ratio between iron and copper should be no higher than 10:1 and ideally hit the button at 4:1 but in my 2006 report it was 37.4:1.

Now I look at this report and wonder why the very helpful nutritionists who looked at the results in 2007/8 didn’t spot the obvious problems. Hooves and skin are keratin and zinc and copper are crucial for strong keratin formation and so my horses were in trouble.

Zinc is present in high concentrations in normal hoof tissue and is critical for a variety of functions. It is vital for the assembly of keratin and keratin is the major structural protein from which hooves and skin are made.

Zinc is also essential for a variety of enzymes that every metabolically active cell needs and is involved in regulating the rate of cellular division, cellular activity and cellular maturation. Think lottery machine, think ratios of manganese to zinc, which are regularly over 30:1 and it is not too difficult to see that zinc deficiency is showing in our

• slow hoof growth • thin hoof walls • weak hoof connections (white line) • weak flaky horn • abscessing • skin infections/mudfever • skin irritations/sweet itch The abscessing is not surprising because when the hoof horn and skin is weak at a cellular level, micro breaks in the structure make the keratin far more vulnerable to attack by organisms and or irritation, but there is more to it than just zinc. Copper is also vitally important for keratin health, as along with zinc, it enables a function, which prevents fats and oils from oxidising. Oxidative damage to the fats in the hoof structure, in particular, breaks the protective seal on the hoof, causing over drying (weak flaky horn) and weakening of the ‘glue’ between the cells.

Copper insufficiency leads to weak sulphur cross bridges Copper also enables important enzymatic functions required for anaerobic metabolism in rapidly dividing cells. The all important sulphur cross bridges that hold keratin strands together are often compromised because these enzymatic functions are affected due to copper insufficiency in the body.

The really surprising thing is that in cattle, deficiencies of copper and zinc have been linked strongly to: • soft feet • cracks • sole haemorrhages • abscesses • thrush (“foot rot” in cattle and sheep!)

• laminitis Supplementing extra copper and zinc reduces these problems and for years now the agricultural industry, have been formulating bespoke mineral supplements, for farmers, based on balancing to the mineral profile of the forage their stock are eating. The agricultural industry know that evaluation of trace mineral levels in the diet is critical for cattle with hoof problems, they also know that high iron and manganese interfere with trace mineral absorption. So why, you have to ask, has the horse feed industry been routinely adding iron and manganese to all their broad spectrum mixes for years, when the average profile of UK and European forage shows horses will be exposed to such high levels of these minerals from the day that they are born, that supplementing them will cause even greater problems and effectively cancel out the pitiful levels of copper and zinc added in those very same broad spectrum supplements?

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Fast forward 6 years and I still live in the same house and the horses live on the same land. My horses’ now have healthy skin, no skin infections and no abnormal skin itching. The Malaseb is gathering dust in the shed. They are bursting with sensible but limitless energy, my last hoof abscess was in 2011, white line infections and thrush are gone, getting them fit is a doddle and their coats are a rich colour with my once pale orange chestnut now sporting a magical, deep rich, mahogany, conker colour. Eyes are clear, bright and sparkling and I am now a Kellonite! I now understand completely the role of balancing the mineral’s available to my horses through forage so that the ratios are within suitable parameters. That 2006 forage report and wondering about copper changed my life because the Jack Russell in me found reference to a US vet called Dr Eleanor Kellon and what she taught me made a whole load of sense when you looked at my 2006 analysis of the forage my horses were eating.

horses’ hooves and skin in a number of ways. You might see:

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Horses! Flower arranging or knitting seemed more attractive The year is 2008 and for the past year, having moved to a house with 12 acres of land in 2006, my horses have been sick. This sickness is manifesting itself in a variety of niggling ways; skin infections, skin sensitivity in terms of itching, lethargy, hoof abscesses, white line infections, difficulty in getting the horses fit for hunting and endurance, thrush, dull sun bleached coats and weeping eyes. For a year I try many different feeds and supplements, some make no difference and some seem to make things worse. I am getting desperate, particularly as out of 4 horses I never seem to have more than one sound at a time, can never predict when the next hoof abscess might hit and they look dreadful. The thought of starting flower arranging or even knitting as a hobby seems pretty attractive as no one seems to have an answer to my problems, not my vet, not the nutritionists or other horse professionals. I have been using Malaseb shampoo, on the advice of my vet, for the last year in an attempt to control a strange skin infection, which results in boils and lesions on my horses’ skin. I start asking the farmers in our area whether they see problems in their stock and they mention copper deficiency. A quick look at a forage analysis I had done in 2006, when I first bought the land, reveals low copper, 5.8 mg/kg, ‘Bingo’ I think and ask my PhD holding organic chemist of a husband to buy me some copper sulphate. ‘Why?’ is of course his question and when I explain I want to feed it to my horses he categorically refuses to get me any saying I’ll poison them.! Well that slowed me up for a while, but those who know me personally will know that the Jack Russell in me seldom rolls over for long.

to eat many, many different species of plants growing on different soil types, with grass just being one of these.

They would have had access to salt deposits and roamed freely, selecting what they needed from a rich variety of plants. Domestication has placed the horse in very different arena, one where they often eat single species hay and live in a little micro-world of just a few acres. Our domestic environments ultimately lead to narrow feed, which results in deficiencies and imbalances that cumulatively affect the horse over time and little by little nutrient deficiencies take their toll.

There appears to be a direct relationship between the imbalance of minerals in some forages and the occurrence of many of the niggling issues I experienced with my horses.

The usual profile of our UK forage and also much of that throughout Europe is one where a picture of high iron and high manganese blocks the uptake of low copper and low zinc.

Where molybdenum is also high then copper absorption is further compromised.

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The Evolution of Forage Plus from founder Sarah Braithwaite

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Nutrition 4

Moo in May

Moo in June 2007

A new way of thinking about nutrient availability The trouble with a bag of compound feed is that the one size fits all approach just doesn’t help where you have a horse, which sniffs grass and gets fat. Many horses cannot be fed the recommended levels and even when given the most highly fortified feeds the broad spectrum approach takes no account of the common profile of the forage fed, no account of those minerals which might get down that lottery machine shoot because they are grossly in excess, making those which are deficient even more deficient.

millions into research to develop high phosphorous grasses) and needs careful supplementation for all horses and especially for lactating mares and growing young stock.

Magnesium is always pitifully low and when matched to calcium the ratio is usually way short of the ideal 2:1.

Potassium is high in all the forages we test. Sodium is usually low and often deficiency of this mineral accounts for unexplained lethargy in horses.

Supplementing around 5 grams of salt per day will provide enough sodium for maintenance needs.

Depending on a salt lick is a unwise strategy as getting enough mineral through licking takes too much time and some horses won’t touch a lick even though deficient. Where horses are sweating from exercise, a general rule of thumb would be to supplement around 20-30 grams per hour of heavy sweating. Table salt, rock or sea salt can be used, nothing special is needed but extra salt in the diet can often be like a miracle for a slow, lethargic horse or an endurance horse which keeps crashing out at rides.

Chloride is usually better supplied but horses in heavy work excrete large amounts of this mineral so again supplementation of salt is wise to replace the loss of this electrolyte.

Know what nutrients are commonly available in forage before supplementing Mineral levels in grasses vary widely even between different areas of the same field, and different types of plants have different profiles, but typically in the UK the common profile is one where phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, chloride, copper, zinc, selenium and iodine need supplementation. However the other minerals, calcium, iron and manganese are more than adequately provided for and block the uptake of the minerals needing supplementation. Calcium is usually adequately provided and where beet pulp, grass nuts or alfalfa is fed as a concentrate, calcium becomes even more abundant. Phosphorous is usually very poor (the dairy industry know this and are currently pouring

Are you seeing a nutritional light bulb in front of your eyes?

Trace minerals are those needed only in small, milligram amounts. While the requirement is

small, the impact is huge. These minerals are indispensable for enzyme functions, carrying oxygen to the tissues, energy generation, immunity, antioxidant protection, thyroid function, reproduction, pigment production – to name a few.

The nutritionally important trace minerals include iron, iodine, copper, zinc, selenium, chromium and manganese. Here in the UK full blown, life-threatening deficiencies are of course rare but scientific analysis of forage shows a pattern of low copper, zinc, selenium and often iodine which results in health issues which need not be tolerated and will respond well to balancing minerals to forage. Copper and zinc are needed at much higher levels than previously recognized. Iodine is highly variable but is usually slightly low unless very close to the coast. Selenium is almost without exception deficient and 1 mg per day for horses up to light work is vital, for horses in hard work 2 mg is a wise level according to our forage report statistics. Inadequate levels of some of these minerals can produce a variety of symptoms. Two of the most common are poor hoof quality/ abscesses, including a predisposition to thrush, and “bleaching” of the coat.

Immune system dysfunction includes allergies, exaggerated reactions to vaccines or insect bites, and exaggerated inflammatory reactions in general. Ability to maintain and repair tendons, ligaments and other connective tissues may also be impaired.

And so the list goes on and by now if you are anything like me when I started reading Dr Kellon’s work you should be seeing the mother of all big light bulbs in front of your eyes!

So the take home message has to be, that here in the UK and all over Europe, zinc and copper deficiencies, in particular, are extremely common and are not being addressed. Conversely iron and manganese levels are rarely low and usually very, very high but added into the compound feeds and supplements fed by owners. My 2006 report showed my horses were being exposed to around 8932 mg of manganese per 10 kgs of hay they ate each day, this was more than 20 times the daily recommended. Think lottery machine! Think …… now I know why

some horses move to an area and either get all sorts of problems or miraculously get better as if by magic!

How do I feed my healthy horses now?

So now my horses get a forage focused mineral supplement served up to them each day in a bed of something tasty like beet pulp, high fibre cubes, a chaff or grass nuts.

Each year I analyse the forage and check that the balancer I am feeding is matching the excesses and deficiencies as matched to ratios shown in the report. Commonly I need way more copper, zinc and magnesium than is generally found in any broad spectrum mineral supplement on the market. I no longer believe that for the majority of horse owners a broad spectrum supplement or vitamin and mineral premix is appropriate because this scatter gun approach does not seek to address the effects of the antagonist minerals which are commonly hindering the absorption of the correct levels of minerals in the horse’s diet. The ideal way to perfectly supplement and balance the horse’s diet is by having the forage, either hay/haylage or pasture, scientifically analysed. This allows for precise management of the ratios between minerals and is especially important for compromised horses.

However, horses in good health can handle some imbalances better and can do well with a well formulated supplement which contains only those minerals which are commonly deficient as matched to ratios.

The soil maketh the plant which maketh the animal And then there are the vitamins, the amino acids and the soil! Oh yes, the soil, now there is a can of worms, for the soil maketh the plant which maketh the animal.

However perhaps for now you need to digest just the mineral implications for horses and if you want to know more, and believe me there is more, then you can visit www.forageplustalk.com where I try to share the many things I am learning on my journey which started with forage focused minerals.

For further information… e enquiries@forageplus.com w www.forageplustalk.com

Improving hoof quality with Nettex

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hanging weather conditions and the stresses and strains of modern day life can take their toll on horses’ feet, which is why Nettex wants to help horse owners to keep their horses’ hooves in the best of health. Biotin + is a trusted feed supplement that provides 50mg of Biotin per feed, as well as a number of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

Nettex Biotin + aids the formation and strength of the protein Keratin, which makes up most of the hoof wall, helping to keep hooves strong and healthy and more able to

cope with the demands of exercise.

Easily absorbed into the blood stream, Biotin + is highly effective and takes the worry out of what to feed to keep hooves in top condition when fed on a regular basis.

New hoof growth takes between 8 to 9 months before cracks, splits and weaknesses start to grow out. Biotin + has added vitamins, minerals and nutrients that play a big part in hoof health. Methionine helps to give the hoof wall sturdiness and resiliency, zinc and manganese are vital for sustaining healthy skin, hair, cartilage, bone and hooves, lysine

aids energy metabolism, helping horseS to gain maximum benefit from food, vitamins A and D3 help with general health and tissue formation and MSM is an essential component of connective tissue to help prevent the onset of laminitis.

Nettex knows that healthy hooves are a result of what goes into the horse as well as what’s on the outside and that’s where Biotin + plays a vital part in helping to keep hooves strong and healthy all year round.

Part of the Nettex Hoof Care range.

To watch an exclusive interview with Francis Whittington on why he uses Biotin + follow the link: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=2g9KNTMckEM RRP: £14.50 for 1kg, £36.99 for 3kg For further information… t +44 (0)1634 257150 w www.nettexequine.com

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Management & Welfare 6

MSD Animal Health Keeping Britain’s Horses Healthy campaign

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e speak to Nicola Snowden, BVM&S MRCVS, Equine Veterinary adviser, MSD Animal Health Q1.

Why have you launched the Keeping Britain’s Horses Healthy (KBHH) campaign?

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The KBHH campaign is designed to help minimise illness and disease in the estimated one million horses we have stabled throughout Britain. We have made it our mission to reduce the risk of illness and disease for Britain’s horses by focusing on the benefits of preventive healthcare and encouraging its adoption amongst owners via vets.

For example, it has long been reported and acknowledged that insufficient numbers of horses are vaccinated against equine influenza to provide adequate herd immunity.

In fact, data calculated by MSD Animal Health indicates that fewer than 50% of horses are vaccinated, and independent experts suggest that at least 70% of the UK equine population need to be vaccinated to provide herd immunity.

MSD Animal Health will address the issue of preventive health care, including that of under vaccination through the KBHH campaign.

KBHH will address other infectious diseases and in partnership with equine veterinary practices set targets for improvement by disease.

The long term goal is to identify and protect “at risk” horses from disease.

KBHH recognises the vet as pivotal in delivering preventive health for horses and aims to support the vet in this task. By engaging nationally and locally with vets, owners and livery yards, we will celebrate and recognise the role our national stable continues to play in shaping the Britain we live in today.

Q2.

When did you launch KBHH and what are your targets?

We launched the campaign in May this year as an opportunity for the industry to collaborate in the improved protection and prevention of endemic diseases in horses in the UK. It focuses on the vet as pivotal in the delivery of preventive healthcare and builds on the opportunity that exists for broader and deeper discussions with owners covering biosecurity and herd immunity.

In spite of vaccination being one of the simplest and most effective ways owners can protect their horses against disease it is estimated that less than 50% of Britain’s estimated one million horses are vaccinated against influenza, while the figures for herpes and strangles are even lower. To prevent the spread of infectious disease such as ‘flu

however, the vaccination levels need to exceed 70% and effective biosecurity is essential.

We believe that every horse deserves to be protected from tetanus, and to that end our goal is for every horse to be protected.

More often than not the owner’s decision to vaccinate is driven by the need to demonstrate vaccination status in order to compete. KBHH will use a variety of media channels and work with equine practices to educate owners regarding the health benefits of vaccination with the aim of changing mind-sets so that their decision to vaccinate is based on the health benefits for the individual and the equine population.

Q3.

How long will the campaign run for?

We intend to run the campaign for at least the next two years as we believe we will need this amount of time to make a difference and potentially achieve herd immunity amongst Britain’s horses. Britain’s vets are highly skilled, passionate and caring and the campaign aims to harness the knowledge and experience of vets, owners and yard owners to improve the health of the nation’s horses.

Britain has always been seen

as a nation of horse lovers. We take pride in our standards of horse welfare. This is at odds however, with such low vaccination compliance. To date no industry figures are available that clearly establish British equine vaccination levels, so the success of any education initiatives have, to date, been difficult to measure.

Establishing data is therefore vital.

We will collect information on vaccination coverage at a national and local level, educate owners about the importance of herd vaccination levels and yards about the role of biosecurity, which will take time.

Q4.

Who is backing this campaign?

The KBHH campaign has been launched with the support of a number of horse-interested organisations which will make this an industry-wide campaign. The Animal Health Trust, Horse Trust, Vet Times, Bailey’s Horse Feeds and Horse & Rider Magazine have all agreed to support the goal of keeping Britain’s horses healthy and build on the opportunity that exists for broader and deeper discussions with owners.

We are very pleased to be welcoming these high profile

Management & Welfare organisations as part of the programme. It will allow us to communicate more easily with as many vets and horse owners as possible to further encourage support and make this a truly industry-wide campaign.

Q5.

What are you doing to encourage vets to participate and what are the benefits to them?

Until now vets have been largely unaware of actual vaccination rates and how they compare with desired vaccination rates, so in essence it all starts by calculating their vaccination rates and identifying the gap. This makes it real and relevant to their practice, and then it’s about creating an action plan to identify horses that would benefit from vaccination.

A wide range of educational material will be made available via the veterinary surgery and direct to owners. A national PR, advertising and social media campaign is planned to create a high level of awareness for the campaign supported by a dedicated website www.healthyhorses.co.uk.

The website, aimed at driving owners back to their veterinary

practices, will include a vet finder, exclusively for equine practices, and healthcare information. It will also feature a national competition to find Britain’s greatest horse, offering owners the chance to enter through the KBHH website (www. healthyhorses.co.uk).

Our equine team will work with participating practices to establish current vaccination rates and identify ‘at risk’ horses and yards.

The team will then partner with the practice to discuss, review and help create its vaccination policy and help them in communicating this to staff and clients.

Yards will be of particular focus and the campaign aims to create the opportunity for the profession to work with yard owners to establish yard policies, not just for vaccination but also regarding biosecurity, helping practices to build back the value into vaccination as a means of building a good reputation for their businesses.

By regularly monitoring and reviewing vaccination rates and disease risk the campaign aims to keep vaccination at the top of the horse owner’s agenda and establish

the true rates of vaccination compliance in the UK. Q6. so far?

What have you achieved

Recruitment for the campaign has been a great success with practices showing enthusiasm for the cause and campaign goals. Early activity from practices includes presentations at open days and widespread promotion through social media sites.

We have started to receive initial figures from participating vets which, while it’s early days, data from the first 66,000 horses seen by a vet in the last 12 months supports our calculations that less than 50% of Britain’s estimated one million horses are vaccinated against influenza, with a significant difference in vaccination rates between horses seen in the last 12 months and all horses on the practice database.

horse owners – raising the level of healthcare in Britain’s horses. We need their support and help to identify horses that would benefit from improved preventive care to improve the health of the entire equine herd.

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We would also like vets to encourage owners to be proactive when it comes to the control of infectious disease and not only think of their horses as an individual but also as part of the equine herd, which is important when it comes to managing infectious disease. To do this we would encourage practices to think about how they can communicate the health benefits associated with a preventative healthcare approach to owners.

We are encouraging vets to work with their MSD Account Managers to create an action plan which will support the practice in achieving their vaccination goals.

Q7.

What more would you like vets to do?

For further information… t +44 (0)1908 685685 w www.healthyhorses.co.uk.

We would like more vets to get involved and start collecting the necessary data. This way they can help their practices and help

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Management & Welfare 8

EquiSal – Tapeworm burden diagnosis straight from the horse’s mouth!

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orse owners face a dilemma tapeworm is an ever-present threat to health, yet resistance to worm control drugs makes routine medication unsustainable.

The solution is to medicate only when needed, but that depends on reliable detection of harmful tapeworm burdens.

EquiSal Tapeworm Test is a revolutionary, simple-to-use horse saliva test for detecting harmful tapeworm infections in horses. For the first time, it meets the need for a user-friendly tapeworm test, where the horse owners themselves are able to collect and return samples for testing. A simple non-invasive saliva collection device is supplied which is easily posted back to the laboratory and the result is emailed directly to the horse owner.

The problem with tapeworm

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Tapeworm burdens pose a significant threat to horse health as they are associated with various colics caused by intussusception, caecal perforation or rupture, thickening of the ileo-caecal junction and mucosa, intestinal obstruction, and ileal or caecal torsion. Even without these clinical sequelae, the presence of a tapeworm burden causes local chronic inflammation which can lead to severe lesions in the intestinal wall.

The most common tapeworm in the UK, Anoplocephala perfoliata, is flat and can grow to about 8

cm long by 1.5 cm wide. The body consists of numerous segments (proglottids) and the head (scolex) has four suckers (bothridia) which the tapeworm uses to attach itself to the gut wall. They mainly reside at the ileo-caecal junction and adjacent areas of the intestine and caecum.

Infected horses pass tapeworm eggs onto the pasture where they are consumed by the intermediate host, free-living oribatid mites. The eggs develop into larvae within the mite. When the mite is ingested by a grazing horse, the larvae are released within the horse where they develop into adult tapeworms capable of completing the cycle by releasing eggs. The proglottids mature into a sac of eggs (gravid proglottids) which breaks up, releasing the eggs whereupon the cycle begins again.

Worming and detection of tapeworm A consequence of the tapeworm’s egg release mechanism is that burdens cannot be reliably detected by faecal egg counts (FEC). Although tapeworm eggs can sometimes be detected in FECs, the true tapeworm burden can be substantially underestimated as eggs can only be counted if the segments break up and release the eggs uniformly within the faeces.

It has been common practice to “blanket worm” every horse with tapeworm wormer, regardless of whether the horse has a tapeworm burden or not. Frequent use of wormers puts tremendous selection

pressure on the worms to adapt to survive this continuous medication onslaught. The result is a relentless, steady emergence of resistance. There are increasing reports of resistance in small redworms (cyathostomes) to various wormer drugs, which serves as a warning for the management of tapeworm burdens. Widespread resistance in tapeworms would have devastating consequences, especially as there are only two effective drugs (praziquantel and pyrantel embonate) for the control of tapeworm in horses.

During our research, only 12% of the horses tested were found to need tapeworm treatment, so current practice obviously results in gross over-treatment.

The EquiSal Tapeworm Test The innovative EquiSal Tapeworm Test was developed at Austin Davis Biologics Ltd by a team of experienced scientists (one of whom was an inventor of the Clear Blue pregnancy test). The test measures specific anti-tapeworm antibodies in saliva by means of a combination of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Each sample is analysed with integrated tests of the saliva, to account for variations in saliva flow and impacts of diet. Saliva is collected by the horse owner using a unique saliva collection swab. An indicator zone turns pink when the required volume has been collected.

Within the laboratory, saliva samples are handled by a state-ofthe-art automated (robotic) liquid handing system to ensure very high accuracy, as well as high-fidelity sample tracking throughout the EquiSal Tapeworm Test procedure. A complex algorithm is applied to deconvolute data from the integrated ELISA tests to deliver an EquiSal diagnosis of tapeworm burden.

Rigorous statistical analysis and validation of the EquiSal Tapeworm Test has been carried out using saliva samples taken from horses in which the level of tapeworm burden had been identified macroscopically at post mortem. Tapeworm burdens were classified into 3 levels; low having no detectable tapeworm present at the ileo-caecal junction and adjacent areas, moderate having 1-19 tapeworm present, and high having 20+ tapeworm present.

During the statistical analysis, the moderate and high burdens were grouped together to form a

moderate/high group. Saliva samples from a total of 104 horses were statistically analysed using a number of different methods, including sensitivity and specificity. The EquiSal Tapeworm Test is capable of identifying horses with a low burden, or a moderate/high burden with a sensitivity (correctly identified positives) of 83% and specificity (correctly identified negatives) of 85%. A borderline result can also be assigned according to the statistical analysis.

Treatment is recommended for both borderline and moderate/high diagnoses. A sensitivity of 83% means that 17% of horses identified with tapeworms at post mortem were misclassified as negative by the test.

It’s important to emphasise that the “misclassified” 17% had a burden generally considered not to be pathogenic, amounting to no more than 20 tapeworms (in most cases, much less). The evidence shows, therefore, that the EquiSal Tapeworm Test correctly identifies all pathogenic burdens, ensuring that treatment is recommended for all cases where control measures are imperative.

The statistical evidence shows that the EquiSal Tapeworm Test has an appreciably higher accuracy than seen with previously reported blood tests for tapeworms.

The take-home message is that, at last, a reliable tapeworm testing service exists that allows horse owners to collect samples themselves.

EquiSal Tapeworm Testing can be simply and easily incorporated into targeted worming strategies to determine whether individual horses need treating for tapeworms. Users can be confident that treatment will be recommended when needed. An EquiSal Tapeworm Test and kit includes delivery and return postage, the EquiSal saliva collection kit, laboratory processing, and the EquiSal Tapeworm Test result. The test kit is also available at trade prices to SQPs, retailers and veterinary surgeons.

If you are interested in finding out more detailed information on the EquiSal Tapeworm Test, including trade prices and the scientific validation paper For further information e enquiries@equisal.com w www.austindavis.co.uk / www.equisal.com

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Management & Welfare 10

Equine communication and stress A

s a prey species in the wild the ability to communicate effectively within a herd of horses could literally mean the difference between life and death. Although this is not often the case for our domesticated horses they do remain highly sensitive to their environment and surroundings. Changes in body language and posture are some of the most obvious signs we pick up when watching horses communicate. For example, a horse with ears flattened back, tail swishing and the facial muscles tensed is likely to be showing signs of aggression.

It is therefore of little surprise that horses become stressed on a day-to-day basis, particularly when they encounter new environments and surroundings. These can include new and troubling situations such as loading and travelling, clipping, changes in routine, exposure to loud noises, as well as dentist, farrier and veterinary visits.

A stressed horse can be more difficult to handle, it can behave erratically or develop bad habits that others may copy. Horses express stress in a number of ways including: weight loss (in extreme cases), box walking, weaving, cribbing, tooth grinding, licking, trembling, chewing and biting.

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Equine communication Horses will also use their senses to communicate which are well adapted to allow immediate recognition of potential threats.

Horses’ large eyes are positioned on the side of their heads allowing wide panoramic vision of almost 350 degrees. They can see over a good distance while also rapidly picking up small movements which is why sometimes a horse has spooked before we’ve even noticed what was about to emerge from the undergrowth! When one horse reacts it is seen by the others in the herd and informs them of the potential threat.

Horses are also well equipped to hear faint noises, being able to respond to sounds up to 4400 metres away.

With sixteen muscles in each funnel shaped ear they are able to move them in unison or independently as well as rotating them 180 degrees to pick up sound. Although sound is used in communication, because horses are social prey animals they limit vocalisation to avoid attracting the attention of predators, finding other ways to organise themselves as

a group. However, they will neigh to keep in contact and additionally use sounds such as nickering, snorting and squealing for various different reasons.

Touch and smell Touch and smell are also involved in sensory perception and communication. A horse’s whiskers are very sensitive as you may witness when they ‘test’ the electric fence. It has been suggested that if whiskers are trimmed, horses are more at risk of injuries to the face when travelling as they lose the ability to detect what’s fixed around them. Another area of increased sensitivity is the neck and withers, there are more touch receptors over this area which makes sense when you watch them groom each other. This allo-grooming is a comfort behaviour and helps reduce social tension. High ranking individuals within the herd will both groom more, and also initiate more grooming. It has been suggested that by mimicking this action by gently scratching/stroking the withers you can help calm nervous horses. In addition to smelling and sniffing when greeting, horses use their nostrils to take in pheromones (a chemical message produced by the horse). Equine pheromones can be secreted through sweat glands, sebaceous glands and in their urine.

The pheromones are detected by a special organ called the vomeronasal organ (or Jacobson’s organ) which is located in the front of the head, between the nose and an area called the nasal fossa. To help the pheromone reach the vomero-nasal organ, horses may perform a special movement called the Flehmen response. This is where the horse will curl its upper lip back whilst extending the neck. People are usually most familiar with this happening when a stallion or gelding is around mares in season. It’s not just horses that produce pheromones, in most animal species there are a variety of pheromones which convey different information including; to signal an alarm, give information about the sexual cycle or to provide reassurance. This information triggers specific behaviours in animals of the same species.

It can either be a message to others or it can be picked up again by the same animal that produced them, almost like a little memo to themselves. This is useful if they have felt alarmed somewhere, they know

to avoid it, or in contrast if they felt relaxed in an environment they know it is safe.

situations by horses of all ages.

When do they learn this behaviour?

ConfidenceEQ is an exact copy of this equine appeasing pheromone.

A horse will recognise and respond to pheromones throughout its life.

In adult horses, the presence of this equine appeasing pheromone is a signal that the environment is safe and secure which can help with learning, as learning new things can be stressful. Although an extreme analogy, if a hungry lion wandered into a room where you were sitting and trying to learn something new, your ability to pay attention and absorb that information would rapidly diminish! In the same way minimising stress will help a horse be in the right frame of mind to learn. Also, horses are adapted to react in order to survive so although it is normal for a horse to react to something it is fearful of, it’s not always helpful or safe for us as riders and handlers when this happens. Rearing when the clippers are turned on or when trying to load a horse onto a trailer are perhaps understandable but can be extremely dangerous. Fear can be managed by working with horses to help them cope with situations they find worrying which is where using ConfidenceEQ can help.

The ideal time to use ConfidenceEQ is when owners anticipate that their horse will be exposed to something new which they may find stressful, alongside appropriate training. An example would be helping a horse to learn how to load calmly and safely. ConfidenceEQ could be used in addition to the normal steps applied to gradually allow a horse to become accustomed to a trailer or horse box. It

Learning about how to interact socially and communicate within a herd starts as soon as those wobbly little foal legs hit the ground.

Having mum close by helps with this education by directly teaching the foal but also by providing the security needed. Nursing mares, like many mammalian species, naturally produce an appeasing pheromone which provides reassurance to their new foal. This pheromone helps to allow the foal to feel safe, secure and more confident when encountering new situations and unknown environments helping them learn about the world around them. The first maternal appeasing pheromones were identified in dogs and pigs by the IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology) in 1999. The dog appeasing pheromone (commercially available as Adaptil®, Ceva Animal Health) has been widely and successfully used since 2002. Current scientific thinking is that maternal appeasing pheromones activate a hormone called oxytocin, which is involved in milk production and maternal bonding (including stress reduction) amongst other things. IRSEA looked for the existence of these pheromones because it was noticed that young animals seemed more peaceful when they were exposed to objects which had been in contact with their mothers. Since equine appeasing pheromone was identified, numerous studies have been conducted confirming its efficacy in controlling stress in commonly encountered

ConfidenceEQ

Management & Welfare can help horses accept loading as not anything to be concerned about and leave them with a positive experience for the future, but it’s not a substitute for appropriate training. If a problem has already been established, e.g. the horse already has an issue loading, then ConfidenceEQ can be helpful alongside appropriate behavioural therapy in resolving it.

It is always best to prevent an issue arising in the first place though.

ConfidenceEQ can be used to help build confidence in a variety of situations such as; loading, travelling and recovery after arrival, environmental changes (moving to a new yard, turnout or stabling, new owner or groom), training events (introducing new exercises), social situations (foal weaning, meeting new horses), farrier, vet or dental visits and dealing with loud noises (large crowds, thunderstorms, fireworks, gunshots, motor vehicles).

How ConfidenceEQ helped the wild Przewalski’s horses Finally, an extreme example of where the equine appeasing pheromone has been used to great effect is IRSEA’s involvement with the transportation of Asian Wild Horses (Przewalski’s horses) from France to Mongolia. This ancient breed of

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horse has become endangered due to hunting resulting in the need for conservation projects to be set up to preserve the breed. These projects wanted to enable the horses to learn to eat for themselves and cope with the rigorous climate, allow natural mating selection and for a natural herd to be built. Once fully prepared to go back into the wild, the horses faced an epic and stressful journey from where they were reared. The stress from such a journey was immense. Sedation to try and help them cope had detrimental effects on orientation and social bonding, with the combined result leaving the horses bewildered and exhausted on arrival which in turn left them vulnerable to natural predators. The great news is by using equine appeasing pheromone strategically throughout the journey, the horses arrived much calmer and better able to adapt and resume the herd behaviour so essential for their survival.

For further information… t +44 (0)1494781510 w confidenceequine.com

Identifying owner-reported frequency of, and modifiable risk factors for, equine laminitis – The CARE about laminitis initiative

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How commonly does laminitis occur?

Anecdotally, laminitis is a common disease. A systematic review based on published evidence on the frequency of laminitis found the range to be between 1.5% and 34%, while also highlighting the general lack of large-scale, high quality laminitis frequency studies both worldwide and in Britain1.

Due to different study designs used and populations studied (variations in geographical location, breeds, etc.), direct comparisons between these estimates and the national population are difficult.

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methods to accurately describe the frequency of the disease in a representative sample of the equine population, and further investigating risk factors which are modifiable and could reduce its impact, are of great importance.

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aminitis is a debilitating disease of the equine foot and poses a considerable threat to the global equine population. The pain associated with inflammation and/ or degenerative changes in the foot often results in long-term loss of performance or euthanasia on welfare grounds. The serious and crippling effects of this disease, and the fact that clinical signs herald potentially irreversible damage within foot, makes laminitis a disease where prevention is far better than ‘cure’. Due to its complex nature, research into finding the direct cause of laminitis in a naturally occurring setting has been difficult. A lack of extensive knowledge into the frequency of occurrence of laminitis, and the risk factors associated with it, has been identified. The ability to predict and prevent the development of laminitis is essential in reducing its occurrence. Using epidemiological

Management & Welfare 12

A study of veterinarydiagnosed laminitis in Britain between 2009 and 2011 found the prevalence of laminitis to be 0.5% and the incidence to be 0.5 per 100 horse-years-at-risk, indicating that nearly 1 in every 200 horses visited by the veterinary practices participating in the study were diagnosed with laminitis2. While data gathered from first opinion veterinary practices is considered to be the most accurate reflection of actual disease occurrence, it does limit the study population to those owners that are registered with the practice and live in the nearby area, and to cases that are veterinary-attended. In human medicine, reporting of disease via general practice has been shown to be an under-estimate of true disease frequency within that registered community and it may well be that similar underestimation is present in veterinary medicine. The use of owner-reported laminitis, confirmed by a veterinary practitioner where possible, may give a better prediction of true disease frequency than veterinary-attended cases alone.

Providing owners with a list of potential clinical signs, including questions relating to management and health history of their animals, as well as the owner’s previous direct experience with the disease, should increase confidence in the accuracy of owner-reporting of laminitis cases.

Identified risk factors for laminitis

at set time intervals during the study period. A cohort study allows researchers to examine associations between exposure to a potential risk factor and the development of the disease over time; and whether the exposure precedes the disease rather than being a consequence of it. For example, a timeline of events will help to determine if box rest in the previous week contributed to laminitis developing or if the animal was placed on box rest because it had suspected laminitis. Another strength of this study design is that it can accommodate a dynamic cohort of animals – meaning that horses or ponies can leave or enter the study at any time.

• weight gain in the previous three months • new access to grass in the previous month • box rest in the previous week • lameness or soreness after shoeing or trimming • existing endocrinopathic disease - disease due to hormonal dysregulation such as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (Equine Cushing’s Syndrome) or Equine Metabolic Syndrome/Insulin Resistance • previous history of laminitis • increasing time since last anthelminthic treatment

The CARE about laminitis project

Two novel factors which seemed to reduce the risk of laminitis included the feeding of additional supplements and transport in the previous week. The significance of the association between these newly identified risk factors and laminitis requires further investigation. The logical next step would be to carry out a cohort study.

In a cohort study, individuals are followed over a period of time and risk factors and/or health outcomes are monitored repeatedly

The launch of the ‘CARE (Creating Awareness and Reporting Evidence) about laminitis’ study is finally under way. Information about, and registration for, this large webbased cohort study can be found on the dedicated website: www. careaboutlaminitis.org.uk The four-year study, being undertaken by the Animal Health Trust, in partnership with the Royal Veterinary College, and generously funded by World Horse Welfare, will take a closer look at management factors which may contribute to the development or recurrence of laminitis within the British horse and pony population.

The study team require the active participation of over 3,000 horse and pony owners throughout Britain, in order to provide highquality scientific evidence regarding risk factors that are associated with laminitis. Owners of any horse or pony, irrespective of age, breed, use, clinical status or laminitis history, can register by completing a detailed baseline questionnaire regarding one or more of the animals in their care. Sections covered in

the initial baseline questionnaire will include details about signalment, management and health of each enrolled animal.

Monthly follow-ups will detail changes in the animal’s health or management over time.

Specifically, the reporting of active episodes of owner-recognised and/ or veterinary-diagnosed laminitis if and when they occur, will allow direct owner-involvement in disease frequency collection. The timeline of events will provide strong evidence that exposure to certain factors is associated with either an increased or a decreased risk of laminitis developing. The registered cohort of animals will be followed for up to two years.

The main aims of this study are to: • Estimate the frequency of ownerreported laminitis • Further investigate factors which increase or decrease the risk of an animal developing laminitis, especially focusing on factors relating to management that can potentially be changed • Provide evidence-based guidelines that will reduce the impact of laminitis nationwide.

It is essential that a large amount of data is gathered on individuals that will and will not develop laminitis. A comparison between the two groups will establish whether the laminitic animals were more or less likely to be exposed to certain factors when compared to those that never developed the disease.

Any help, in reaching as many horse and pony owners in Britain as possible and encouraging them to participate in this exciting research, would be greatly appreciated.

If you would like any more information about the CARE about Laminitis project, please contact Dee Pollard at danica. pollard@aht.org.uk or 01638 751000 (Ext: 1506).

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Multiple risk factors have been linked with laminitis development. A risk factor can be described as a characteristic of an animal or their environment which may increase or decrease the likelihood of developing a disease.

A risk factor may not necessarily directly cause the disease but may be an important facilitator of its

occurrence. However, very few high quality epidemiological studies have been conducted and published work has mainly concentrated on nonmodifiable factors that are relatively easy to measure. Non-modifiable factors which have been associated with laminitis include age, breed, gender, height and season.

A recent case-control study in a sample of veterinary-registered horses and ponies in Britain identified potentially modifiable risk factors associated with laminitis3.

Factors which increased the risk of laminitis occurring, which have potential to be changed at an ownerlevel through, for example, modified management included:

Image courtesy of Dr S.N. Collins

Pain Management & Performance 14

Intralesional injection

Veterinary Regenerative Medicine – where are we today?

Greg McGarrell, Nupsala Veterinary Services

W

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hilst the basic mechanics of regenerative medicine have been around since the 1970s, regenerative medicine really came to light in 2001 when Professor Roger Smith from the Royal Veterinary College treated the first horse in the UK using its own stem cells. This was the start of this exciting and emerging field in the treatment of equine and canine orthopaedic injuries. The rationale was simple - ‘mimic the process that occurs during embryonic development where tissues are built from scratch and use this same process to regenerate any damaged tissue’. The aim is to heal the injured tissues back to original quality as efficiently as possible and ideally without any scar formation. The key to this lies in isolating the specific cell type from which the damaged tissue is derived and using those cells to facilitate the repair.

Whilst some tissues in the body have excellent powers of repair such as bone, others, such as tendons and cartilage, have limited abilities to heal fully without intervention, which is unfortunate given that they are often subjected to cumulative fatigue damage. Standard treatments often include anti-inflammatory therapy, rest and controlled exercise to give the body a chance to heal itself.

However, with standard treatment the ability to repair the tissue to

normal function is often hampered by the healing process producing scar tissue. It’s this scar tissue that predisposes the horse to reinjury at the site of the original injury as scar tissue doesn’t perform as well as the original tissue. In the case of dogs we see a compounded effect as the pathology progressively gets worse.

This lack of regenerative capability, especially for tendon injuries, is what became the driving force behind the development for regenerative technologies.

The basic principles of any regenerative medicine are to try and provide a scaffold for repair, to provide cells for the healing process and to provide growth factors to stimulate this healing process. Over the past 13 years, several different types of technology have been launched claiming to provide some, if not all of the component parts needed for regeneration. Whilst these products and processes hold great promise, there is often little evidence or research to back up the claims. Added to this, most of these technologies differ in action and vary in therapeutic potential depending on when they are used during the body’s healing timeline. It has now become incredibly confusing for veterinary surgeons to understand where and when you should use regenerative medicine and which treatment is most appropriate for

that injury, at that time in its healing progression.

Stem cells are the archetypal model for regenerative medicine, with the original thought being that the cells would differentiate into any type of tissue, for example producing new tendon cells when injected into a tendon. We now know today that they have a modulatory role, overseeing the construction of the tissue rather than doing the job themselves. The supernatant into which stem cells are re-suspended contains growth factors that are instrumental in attracting migrating cells and helping cell proliferation and differentiation, thus providing the required cells and scaffold for healing. Stem cells are regarded as the gold standard when it comes to treating tendon injuries and have been shown to improve the prognosis of returning to performance and staying injury free to 74% (Godwin et al. 2012). However, timing is often the drawback as the optimal window for treatment may have passed if the veterinary surgeon, owner or insurance provider takes a long time to make a decision. It takes approximately 3 weeks to culture the cells so delays with initial diagnosis or bone marrow aspiration can lead to the optimal treatment time having passed (21-28 days post inflammatory phase). This is because the fibrous tissue starts to

form within the lesion early on in the reparative phase and once formed cannot be removed, highlighting the need to use these treatments at the right time.

Deciding on the mode of action required (stimulatory or modulatory) calculating the timing within the injury progression and choosing the method of delivery are critical in achieving optimal therapeutic outcome. Recent studies on cells derived from different tissue sources now adds another dimension to the equation indicating that harvesting cells from bone marrow, adipose tissue or cord blood can influence the outcome where the cells are finally used (Brehm 2013).

Notwithstanding their ability to form tendon tissue in vivo, in vitro, bone marrow derived cells have been shown to be more osteogenic, whilst cord blood derived cells are shown to be more chondrogenic. It is hardly surprising with this complex set of options, that surgeons are turning to more conventional treatment strategies, however, used at the right time with the right biological, regenerative medicine offers a real chance to restore the damaged tissue back to its full potential.

Of the commonly-used treatments at the current time, principally we use stem cells to modulate tissue repair and growth factors to stimulate

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Pain Management & Performance 16

Mixing the bone marrow in the lab (Image courtesy of Biobest Laboratories) tissue repair. The three main choices of biological to achieve this are stem cells derived from bone marrow or adipose tissue, bone marrow aspirate concentrate or a nucleated cell fraction from adipose tissue and platelet rich plasma (PRP) or platelet concentrate.

Stem cells can be used for core lesions in equine tendon injuries and canine osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease). The most common place for harvesting them is from the sternum in the horse and subcutaneous fat in the dog. The tail head in the horse is used for harvesting adipose tissue.

The bone marrow or adipose tissue is sent away to a laboratory where the cells are cultured ready to be injected back into the area of injury.

Following implantation the patient then undergoes a controlled period of rehabilitation, the duration of

which depends on the severity of the injury.

Bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) allows us to harness the modulatory capacity of the stem cells contained within the aspirate and growth factors. The chief benefit being the ability to use this without a culture phase, processing the bone marrow patient-side, albeit with fewer stem cells than in a cultured sample. Evidence shows that using BMAC in the treatment of moderate tendon injury has a beneficial outcome (Crovace et al.

2010). Used when time does not permit the use of stem cells or where there are financial considerations, BMAC is proving to be an efficient alternative to stem cells. In the most severe cases BMAC is often used at the initial point of treatment and then followed up with a stem cell implant three weeks later.

To create an adipose-derived nucleated cell fraction the adipose tissue is harvested, the cells are released by tissue breakdown using an enzyme such a dipize and then the product is used in very much the same way as BMAC. This is not to be confused with a ‘stem cell’ treatment. To an extent, the small number of stem cells and growth factors do attract migrating cells to the damaged area but not in the same quantities as a cultured cell implant. Several studies support the use of an adipose-derived nucleated cell fraction in the treatment of canine OA. PRP is obtained by processing a simple blood sample to concentrate the platelets, which act as a source of growth factors. PRP is also being used in increasing frequency in tendon injuries and is currently the treatment of choice for the majority of ligament injuries. In a recent study using PRP in dogs, results suggested that a single intra-articular injection of autologous platelets resulted in significant improvements at 12 weeks in cases of osteoarthritis involving a single joint (Fahie et al.

2013).

Autologous Conditioned Serum or IRAP is a biological whereby whole blood is cultured to produce the Interleukin 1 antagonist protein with its mode of action being to

block the deleterious effects of the inflammatory cytokine Interleukin 1. ACS or IRAP is often used successfully in a number of joint injuries and for injuries such as collateral injuries of the foot where there is soft tissue damage adjacent to the joint. PRP, and occasionally stem cells, are also used to a small degree in joints.

Which treatment?

The most appropriate treatment for an individual horse or dog depends on a number of factors, such as the duration of the injury, the severity of the injury, the nature of the damage, the future plans for the animal and the economic factors. When treating dogs we may have to consider other conditions contributing to the overall lameness or discomfort that require surgical intervention or are untreatable. As there are so many considerations, every case needs to be assessed on an individual basis.

When used correctly, regenerative medicine offers a real solution to degenerative or traumatic induced pathology. 13 years on, after thousands of patients have been treated and hundreds of publications published, our understanding of how and when to use these technologies is improving. In the future we hope to see technologies that can upregulate the production of these cells or encourage cells to migrate to the site of injury without the need for harvesting the material and injecting it into the injury. Until then, processing the patient’s own cells and implanting them directly at the site of injury is proving to be very effective.

For further information… t +44 (0)7979 646765 e info@nupsala.com w www.nupsala.com

A glimpse of a new tool in the pain management toolbox?

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njectable biologic drugs now worldwide best-sellers for human patients may become adapted for animals including horses, according to biotechnology company Nexvet.

The company has developed a technology called PETization™, which it says can rapidly translate monoclonal antibody therapies between species in a single step.

Currently 5 of the world’s top 10 best-selling human drugs are monoclonal antibodies; specialised proteins designed to disable specific disease-causing targets in the body.

In dogs and cats, Nexvet has reported that its “PETized” antibodies have provided long-term pain relief after a single injection, with a degree of pain relief equal to commonly used non-steroidal anti-

inflammatories (NSAIDs). In dog studies, therapeutic effects have been observed six weeks postinjection. Nexvet says PETization renders an antibody completely ‘native’ to the target species’ immune system, minimising the risk of immune rejection often seen when introducing ‘foreign’ protein into a patient. In keeping with this idea, in multiple feline and canine safety, efficacy, pharmacokinetic and dosing studies, Nexvet has not observed any adverse side-effects.

As in dogs and cats, NSAIDs are the dominant class of drugs for pain management in the horse.

They are largely effective, and horse owners and practitioners alike are accustomed to the rhythms of treatment courses to manage both acute and chronic pain, most often

caused by lameness or osteoarthritis.

Tolerability is however a concern with the NSAID class, particularly in the chronic setting. As with dogs and cats, horses display a spectrum of NSAID-related symptoms including loss of appetite, diarrhoea, lethargy and gastrointestinal ulceration to varying degrees.

Some owners also find current formulations or modes of administration inconvenient or difficult to adhere to (e.g. bitter oral formulations, or those that require frequent dosing that may be difficult for owners to maintain).

An effective, injectable product administered by practitioners, with a therapeutic window on the order of weeks, without side-effects, would be a welcome addition to the pain management toolbox. Only time

will tell. Nexvet’s company website and clinical work indicates the company is currently focusing on the development of three lead products: NV-01 for chronic pain in dogs, NV02 for chronic pain in cats, and NV08 for chronic inflammation in dogs.

However, the company has often referenced, both on its website and in press releases, that horses are a potential target for future therapies, particularly in the area of pain management.

We’ll be sure to keep an eye on Nexvet, and share any developments of the horsey kind.

For further information… t +61 3 9610 4400 e info@nexvet.com w www.nexvet.com

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Spotlight – Dental 18

Dearson’s Innovative Instruments make Equine Dentistry Safer, More Efficient customer requested - but it also sparked an idea. As time went on, the same client would return to have the blades sharpened again and again. It prompted Roy Grimes to consider how the blades might be made sharper during the process, as well as be able to retain their sharpened state for a longer period of time.

Experimentation with different types of carbide and form angles to assist in this capacity resulted in Dearson producing their very own line of disposable blades. These innovative blades are lighter and less brittle than typical blades; they also stay sharper for longer periods of time.

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earson is a leading manufacturer and supplier of top-quality equine dentistry equipment worldwide. The company was founded by brothers Roy and Arthur Grimes over 45 years ago and has generations of loyal, satisfied clients. They are a family-run cutting tool and engineering enterprise based in Birmingham, UK with close to five decades of experience.

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Before contributing to the well-being of horses and those who care for them with innovative and helpful advancements in equine dentistry, Dearson’s main emphasis was designing and manufacturing intricate components and cutting tools for demanding industries such as aerospace, nuclear and automotive. Despite great success over the years, the company had felt the effects of the recent recession just like most other businesses.

They chose a dynamic and proactive response: diversifying their business by making a contribution to the equine market and moving the company forward stronger than ever.

Dearson has close to five decades of experience, manufacturing cutting tools and intricate parts for some of the UK’s most demanding industries.

Sharpening Perspectives Dearson’s foray into the equine dentistry field began several years ago when a customer brought in a few small tungsten carbide rasp blades to be sharpened. As usual, Dearson Engineer and Director Roy Grimes was ready to assist; he sharpened the blades as the

56mm Disposable Blade: Dearson blades are designed to stay sharper for longer periods of time.

Engineering Feats The company’s creative approach to problem-solving along with their extensive engineering background and experience combined to develop a line of equine dentistry products has already changed the way equine dentists do their work. By building upon the positive elements of existing equine dentistry tools while solving key problems that have been faced by equine dentistry professionals for years, Dearson has forged a reputation as one of the world’s top quality producers of equine dentistry instruments.

Over the years, they’ve received invaluable input from some of the leading equine dental technicians and veterinarians.

As a result, their equine product line has undergone continual improvement and refinement.

One particular equine dental practitioner and Dearson client, Geoff Turnbull reported that the Dearson blades in his equine dental equipment stay sharp for four weeks, allowing him to service 240 horses. He has purchased blades from many other companies, but hasn’t

had any other blades that last that long. Geoff has been using Dearson blades for over four years now and is grateful for the positive impact the products have had on his practice.

He has since bought the Dearson 8000 motorised system and states that it’s the best piece of equine dental equipment he has bought in the last 16 years.

In addition to a substantial customer base in the UK and Europe, Dearson now has customers all over the world in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, United States, Mexico, Japan and South Africa.

Product Pieces

Features: Multi-Head

Hand

Dearson’s Multi-Head hand pieces enable the dental professional to easily change the head and inner cable themselves, minimising hand piece down time and eliminating the need for sending the entire apparatus in to be serviced if a head needs attention.

The lock nut on both the Uni Disk and the Apple Core easily unscrews for efficient replacement of the head. A spare head can be changed out on the spot within minutes, and then the worn head can be sent out for repair. The result is a

significant reduction in the amount of stress, inconvenience and down time endured when a hand piece breaks down in the middle of a busy day of dentistry.

The innovative quad position pull and turn head of the Uni Disk effectively allows for a full 360 degree rotation. The diamond disc is easily changeable. This flexibility allows the veterinarian to effectively address every part of the horse’s mouth.

Dearson’s Multi-Head hand pieces enable the veterinarian to change the head and inner cable themselves, eliminating the need to send the whole hand piece in for repair.

A Solution for Corrosion Corrosion of internal parts, caused by accumulation of dirt and tooth fragments inside its moving parts, is an all too common cause of hand piece malfunction and breakdown. Dearson has taken steps to help minimise the corrosion effect, thereby increasing the hand piece lifespan. Dearson Multi-Head hand pieces are custom fit with a grease nipple on the side, resulting in easy lubrication of all internal moving parts. The user can grease the hand piece as needed with a standard grease gun; the burr or disk

Spotlight – Dental

The powerful, lightweight Dearson 8000 Li motorised system was the first of its kind and remains one of the leading models on the market today. It features a specially sourced 24V DC motor mounted in the controller unit and a 5-speed bi-directional selector switch. The motorised system is also quiet, which helps reduces stress and trauma to the horse during treatment. A builtin electronic torque trip-switch is included, which protects the horse as well as the motor.

The system is powered by a 24V DC Lithium Phosphate rechargeable battery that can be charged as many as 2,000 times. Lithium Phosphate is the most safe and stable of all lithium chemical batteries; it will last longer and require fewer charges while providing optimal power to the motorised system.

Melissa Emson, co-owner of Emson Equine Veterinary Surgeons in North Yorkshire, has been using Dearson Equine motorised equipment for more than 4 years.

“After using my Dearson motor unit daily for the last 4 years, I have recently treated myself to the new Dearson 8000 Li base unit complete with 20” multi disk head, apple core multi head and various burrs. I am absolutely astonished at the efficiency of this equipment, it has significantly reduced the time & effort required to perform routine treatment and makes reductions and diastema widening a joy. I would urge all equine veterinary practices to have one of these machines, train your vets and enjoy the results.”

Water Irrigated Hand Pieces Bring Increased Safety Dearson Equine has also developed an innovative, lightweight water irrigation system along with two water irrigated hand pieces.

These items are designed to help reduce dust and debris levels while dental work is being performed.

This improves visibility for the dental professional, makes working conditions safer and helps keep the disk clean whilst keeping both the

Diamond Grit Burrs Ensure Longevity and Performance Dearson’s line of burrs are coated with a hard synthetic diamond that allows the burrs to stay sharp for longer periods of usage. Popular burrs include the 18mm Canine Burr, the Apple Core collection, a new Parallel Apple Core and the latest Dual Apple Core-Canine Burr. This novel burr, pioneered by Dearson engineers, was the first of its kind and is ideal for bit seating as well as removing sharp points and rough edges from the canine teeth. It is available in two sizes, 13mm and 18mm. There’s also a selection of Diastema burrs, each with a 1/4” UNF thread plus a variety of forms to choose from. The ball nose and ball end Diastema burrs as well as the short tapered style are all popular burrs in this range.

This 18mm Dual Apple Core Canine Burr was pioneered by Dearson engineers Comfort and Quality Guaranteed Dearson products are artfully designed with both the user’s and the horse’s comfort in mind: FLOAT BLADES: A chamfered blade ensures that the horse has minimal soft tissue damage, and the vet benefits from its lightweight aluminium construction.

A quiet MOTORISED SYSTEM reduces stress and trauma to the horse during dentistry and allows the vet to treat more than one horse per battery charge.

WATER IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT keeps the hand piece and horse’s teeth cool, improves visibility for the vet, and minimises their exposure to harmful enamel dust.

Other Dearson Equine product features and benefits include: * The company has a foundation of over 45 years creating intricate components and cutting tools for demanding industries such as aerospace, automotive and nuclear. * The majority of their equine dentistry

equipment is manufactured by an expert in-house team of engineers in a state of the art Dearson facility in Birmingham. * Hand piece, float handle and other customisations and modifications are available to Dearson Equine products.

Dearson Equine has several motorised systems that are currently available on a trial basis for a limited period of time. These will be made

available to interested parties on a first-come, first served basis.

For further information t +44 (0)121 773 4100 w www.dearsonequine.co.uk Dearson Equine will be located on Stand C42 at BEVA Congress.

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The Dearson 8000Li Motorised System is supplied with a 24V rechargeable Lithium Phosphate battery

The Water Irrigation System and two Water Irrigated hand pieces reduce the risk of inhaling harmful enamel dust whilst improving visibility and performance.

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The Innovative Dearson 8000Li Motorised System

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hand piece and the horse’s teeth cool, which is very important.

The water irrigation system easily attaches to the user’s belt and can hold up to 1.3 L of water.

It is low voltage, powered by 4 AAA batteries. This highly innovative system can be paired with the 20” Apple Core Multi-Head and the 20” Uni Disk Multi-Head, which are supplied with water irrigation when ordered.

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can then be moved manually, or the hand piece can be run at slow speed until the grease is distributed evenly.

All hand pieces come with Foredom Key Drive as standard with other drives available upon request. Modified or custom created components and tool sets may also be available upon request via Dearson bespoke design service.

Spotlight - Rhodoccocus Equi 20

Transfer of specific antibody in Managing Rhodococcus equi disease

One of the most extensive uses of specific antibody transfer of passive immunity in foals is against Rhodococcus equi. From limited field studies there is a trend of reduced incidence and severity of R.equi disease and a reduced requirement for intensive antibiotic treatment with the use of Hypermune RE by the recommended schedule

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Introduction R h o d o c o c c u s (Corynebacterium) equi was initially described by Magnusson (1) as a causative agent of primarily purulent pneumonia in foals and represents a serious risk worldwide accounting for greater than 3% of foal deaths.

The disease affects foals, usually less than six months old, causing a suppurative bronchopneumonia and lymphadenitis. A decline in maternal antibodies coincides with the typical age of onset of R.equi infection in foals, thereby providing some evidence for a role of antibodies in protecting against R.equi disease.

This is the basis for considering administration of Hypermune-RE which contains specific antibodies, as part of an overall preventive management strategy on endemic stud farms. This has prompted many authors to report apparent success using plasma in reducing foal morbidity and mortality (2, 3, 4, 7, 8), particularly as recent attempts to develop a dependable protective vaccine have failed (9, 10).

The discovery of virulence associated antigens and plasmids have allowed the virulence of R.equi strains to be classified. The surface expressed Virulence Associated

Protein A (VapA) has been shown to be an essential virulence factor of R.equi (13), and therefore only strains that contain this protein are considered capable of causing disease. It has also been demonstrated that the effective specific antibody is likely to be against VapA (14, 15), and therefore important for opsonisation of the bacterium. Consequently, Veterinary Immunogenics Ltd uses a vaccine, comprising European strains of virulent R.equi, specially made under the approval of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for use in its donor horses which stimulates antibodies to the VapA protein as well as to other specific R.equi antigens. The application of assays in both this company and in an independent laboratory in California of the plasma subsequently harvested, Hypermune-RE, showed strong reaction to VapA proteins and demonstrated a measurable potency of titres. In addition, research in England (5) has demonstrated antibody present in Hypermune-RE to another R.equi cell envelope component, lipoarabinomannan (LAM). This may provide additional benefit in reducing the immunosuppressive effect of the bacterium in the foal lung by allowing white cell function.

A recent review of R.equi disease (11) has been published and provides a more detailed account of the pathogenesis of the bacterium including virulence mechanisms, which has been greatly facilitated by the recent R.equi genome project (12).

Developments Veterinary Immunogenics Ltd has created its own on site laboratory and Quality Control ELISA test which has enabled analysis of samples from field studies during the 2003, 2004 and 2005 foaling seasons the results of which support the observations documented by customers in the company’s pharmacovigilance questionnaires of the efficacy of Hypermune-RE. Furthermore, an efficacy study conducted in 2006 provided the largest sample population analysed to date (n=90). Results confirmed that administration of HypermuneRE significantly increased specific

antibodies in recipient foals and markedly reduced the incidence of disease, requirement for antibiotic treatment and mortality rate, compared to foal groups that received “normal” plasma or no prophylaxis.

Plasma Usage The lower specification limit for R.equi antibodies in Hypermune-RE has been validated at ≥40% of VIL Standard. It is very important, however, to appreciate that high quality specific antibody plasma can only achieve the best prophylactic results when the timing of its administration is optimised.

Knowledge of the particular seasonal pattern of foal exposure to R.equi in a specific geographic setting is required. When a normal healthy foal is administered plasma too early, it may experience a decline in antibody or other unknown protective plasma factors and may not therefore have protection at the time of environmental challenge. Failure of Passive Transfer or Partial Failure of Passive Transfer foals are likely to be even more vulnerable. While routine testing of foals at 24 hours of age for satisfactory IgG levels may be helpful in devising strategies for individual foals, in general it is considered not particularly advantageous, as it has been reported that there is no correlation between total serum IgG levels and the amount of R.equi specific antibody, and that colostrum derived specific R.equi antibody is not as protective as when R.equi antibody is administered via plasma (2). Each stud farm may well devise different strategies even in a similar geographic location, but preventive protocols for plasma must be based on the predicted foaling pattern, the predicted R. equi challenge period and any notable abnormal weather influencing risk during the foaling season.

In order to comply with these, equine veterinarians have devised their own schemes for preventing this disease. For example, in the most challenging situations in the USA, the administration of one litre intravenously at birth and a second litre at 30 - 45 days is reported to be 100% successful. On the other hand, a prophylactic programme recommended in another part of the world is to vaccinate mares prior to foaling, but still administer one litre of plasma at 25 days of age and again at 45 days of age to the foals to try to ensure immunity from birth to at least 70 days. In California, R.equi plasma is used just as the

high risk dust period commences in March (6). Such a strategy has also been used successfully in the Middle East in 2004.

Taking these factors into account and in the absence of local epidemiological knowledge, it is essential to emphasise the importance of timing administration in relation to the period of challenge.

For example, Figure 1 demonstrates the influence of weather patterns on occurrence of R.equi disease in foals on an endemic farm in 2006.

The majority of foals were born in April-May, but the highest incidence of disease occurred in September, which coincided with an unexpected very warm and dry period where pathogenesis of the bacterium was probably facilitated via inhalation of contaminated dust particles from well worn pastures. This demonstrates that a natural decline in passively acquired specific antibody from either early season plasma or satisfactory colostrum transfer, coupled with an immature adaptive immune system in 4 month old foals may lead to a late season episode of clinical disease in high challenge situations.

Therefore, effective preventive protocols should be devised to suit unique local conditions by considering: 1. Predicted foaling pattern.

2. Predicted R. equi challenge period.

3. Abnormal weather influencing risk during the foaling season.

Hypermune-RE should then be administered to provide and sustain the key protective antibodies in the susceptible foal during its most vulnerable period, bearing in mind that the half-life of transfused antibodies is around 3035 days (7). Finally, it should also be pointed out that the success of prophylaxis using plasma is greatly enhanced if it is part of an overall management strategy for the control of Rhodococcus equi infection (4).

Hypermune-RE is licensed in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

For further information… t +44 (0) 1768 863881 e office@veterinaryimmunogenics.com w www.veterinaryimmunogenics.com

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Spotlight - Rhodoccocus Equi 22

Vaccine developments in Rhodococcus equi Philippa Burgess

R

hodococcus equi is the cause of an aggressive bacterial pneumonia in young foals which is traditionally known as “rattles”. This pathogen is of considerable economic detriment to the horse breeding industry, and causes death or debilitation of infected foals. Though R. equi infections can often be treated successfully, this is a costly and lengthy undertaking.

Furthermore, foals which survive R. equi infection are less likely to race successfully in later life. Although R. equi infection is more common in arid, temperate climates, this pathogen remains endemic to stud farms across the UK.

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R. equi primarily causes a severe pulmonary infection in foals under the age of six months, which manifests clinically with respiratory distress, pyrexia and lethargy.

Concurrent ulcerative colitis is observed in approximately 30% of foals infected, while rare atypical presentations include septic physitis and osteomyelitis.

Radiographic and ultrasound analysis of the thorax can be helpful during investigation, but bacterial culture from transtracheal wash remains essential for a definitive diagnosis. Mortality rates in untreated foals are as high as 80%.

Interestingly, R. equi is not an obligate equine pathogen; in addition to survival and growth within the soil, which is the bacterium’s main method of persistence and transmission within an environment, R. equi infects a variety of other species. Pulmonary infections in humans, most notably in immune-compromised individuals, are increasingly well documented.

R. equi also causes submaxillary lymphadenitis in swine and tuberculous-like lesions in cattle. Indeed, 4% of bovine TB cases in cattle were estimated to result from R. equi infection after pathological examination of culled cattle thought to be suffering from TB (Flynn et al., 2001). Interestingly this similarity of pathology between M. tuberculosis and R. equi infection is mirrored in the genetics, pathogenesis and metabolic capabilities of these two species.

Infected foals are routinely treated with antimicrobial therapy, though this is limited predominantly to the combined use of rifampicin

and erythromycin or clarithromycin.

The choice of antimicrobial drug is limited by the innate resistance of this species to many classes of antimicrobial including, but not limited to penicillins, sulfamides and tetracyclines. Antimicrobial therapy is often required over a prolonged period to successfully combat infection.

Survival rates after a timely diagnosis and rapid, appropriate treatment are estimated to be between 70 and 90%. However these surviving foals are less likely to race successfully as adults. Resistance to rifampicin and erythromycin has been described in this species, with around 3% of isolates exhibiting decreased sensitivity to rifampicin in one recent study (Reisenberg et al., 2013).

Furthermore, reports of multi-drug resistant strains (Liu et al., 2014) highlight the need for a safe and effective vaccination strategy rather than the current reliance on antimicrobial treatments.

Historically, vaccination trials using dead or avirulent strains of R. equi have failed to demonstrate protection against bacterial challenge in vaccinated foals. Therefore, a plethora of live attenuated strains of R. equi have been studied as potential vaccine candidates. These strains contain mutations within genes which encode for virulence factors thought to be essential during infection. The generation and characterisation of these mutant strains has been potentiated by the recent publication of the R. equi genome (Letek et al., 2011). However, frequently strains which appear attenuated in common infection models (cultured macrophages and mice) were found to be capable of causing active disease in young foals.

For example, a strain containing mutations in two key metabolism genes, involved in cholesterol catabolism and acetate assimilation, was found to cause active infection in foals challenged during one study. This strain had been previously shown to be attenuated in macrophage and mouse models of infection, and was incapable of causing disease in more mature foals (Pei, 2007). This discrepancy was attributed to the naïve immunological status of the one week old foals used during this trial, suggesting that vaccination may

not be feasible in the target population of foals. A recent study using the Mycobacterium bovis BCG strain has shown, however, that foals as young as four days old are capable of mounting a robust antibody and cell-mediated immune response after infection (Sturgill et al., 2014).

Cholesterol metabolism genes were also targeted in an unrelated vaccine trial using eight foals aged between two and five weeks (van der Geize et al., 2011). The attenuated strain was administered twice orally, with two weeks between initial administration and the booster. Four weeks after initial vaccination, foals were challenged with R. equi by trans-tracheal injection. The results of this trial were more encouraging, with reports of significant antibody titres and reduced pulmonary bacterial counts, in the small vaccinated cohort used.

This vaccine strain appeared to offer partial protection against infection, with two foals developing mild infections. With further optimisation of the prospective vaccine strain, this research may yet form the basis for future vaccination strategies.

Several other strains have been tested as vaccines and were found to be safe for use in immunologically naïve foals, but failed to offer protection against subsequent infection. For example, a riboflavin auxotrophic strain which was attenuated in mice (Ashour and Hondalus, 2003) and foals did not offer significant protection against R. equi infection (Lopez et al., 2008).

Although vaccine strategies based purely on expressed proteins have been trialled, none have been successful to date (Becu et al., 1997; Prescott et al., 1997). These vaccines have been based on the immunogenic secreted R. equi virulence associated protein, VapA. Indeed, expressed VapA protein appeared to cause a paradoxical increase in infection in foals, though this may be an artefact of the small cohorts used in this trial. Using a live attenuated bacterial strain (Salmonella enterica Typhimurium) to deliver and express R. equi VapA in situ has been shown to produce a heightened cell-mediated response in mice, though this has yet to be replicated in foals.

Alternative

protection

strategies include the use of hyperimmune plasma transfusions from adult equine donors which have been inoculated with heat killed R. equi cells to produce an immune response. Three studies during the 1990s reported protection using this method (Madigan et al., 1991; Higuchi et al., 1999; Becu et al., 1997).

Dam vaccination programmes, which utilise the transfer of maternal antibodies in the uterus and colostrum, have shown variable success in a number of studies during the 1990s. An Argentinian study demonstrated a significant fall in foal mortality (from 3% to 1.2%) after use of a VapA-based vaccine in over 800 mares (Becu et al., 1997).

A VapA-based vaccine combined with a water-based nanoparticle adjuvant was also shown to offer protection from R. equi infection in foals from vaccinated dams (Cauchard et al., 2004).

The themes of dam vaccination and hyper-immune plasma transfusion were combined in a study published this year (Erganis et al., 2014). The programme involved the use of the VapA and water-based nanoparticle mineral oil adjuvant vaccine in pregnant mares, and the administration of hyperimmune plasma to infected foals. Severity of infection, assessed by clinical, serological and pathological analysis, was decreased 3.54-fold when compared to the control group in this study, suggesting that this may become a useful strategy in disease prevention.

To date, R. equi remains a significant issue for the horse breeding industry, with no licensed vaccination strategy currently available. The reliance on the limited antimicrobial therapies available may be seen to be “closing the stable door after the horse has bolted”, so to speak, since even those foals which survive R. equi infection are less likely to perform well as adults and as such, by the time disease has developed, the racing prospects of that foal are already diminished. Prevention of R. equi disease with an effective vaccination programme is the subject of considerable research which may yet yield a practical and affordable means to minimise the losses caused by this pathogen in the horse breeding industry.

Custom Optics Ltd www.customoptics.co.uk A family business specialising in supply, service & repair of new & second user Veterinary equipment We pride ourselves in providing a personal, high quality service at a price that can be afforded. We keep our costs and your prices as low as possible.

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BEVA Congress 24

Beaufort Embryo Transfer: Experts in Equine Reproduction Beaufort Embryo Transfer is now the UK’s largest and most up to date embryo transfer centre. It is also the UK’s first ever DEFRA Approved Embryo Collection, Embryo Export and Semen Collection Centre all under one roof. With a team of specialist equine reproduction and clinical vets, laboratory technicians, stallion handlers and stud grooms, it achieves some of the UK’s best results in non-surgical embryo

transfer and broodmare AI using all semen types, as well as the highest levels of livery and equine husbandry.

Some equine practitioners choose to manage the donor mare insemination themselves then opt for a walk in flushing and transfer. Other equine practitioners prefer to flush the donor mare themselves but do not have recipient mares to transfer into. In this case, practitioners are

able to send the chilled embryo to a recipient herd unit for transfer into one of their synchronised recipient mares.

Beaufort Embryo Transfer offers a Chilled Transported Embryo Service.

Clients can have their donor mare inseminated and flushed by their own vet, and the chilled embryo is then sent to Beaufort Embryo Transfer to be transferred into a suitably synchronized recipient

mare.

Visit them on Stand B66 at BEVA 2014, where they will be happy to answer any queries regarding equine breeding, embryo transfer or our chilled transported embryo service.

For further information. e Info@beaufortembryotransfer.com t +44 (0)1666 880236

Zamar offers 25% discount for BEVA Congress Z

amar is delighted to be exhibiting at the BEVA Congress once again (stand number A2), where they will be demonstrating the benefits of Zamar’s Therapeutic Temperature Therapy, as well as organising individual trials after the event, with their specialist equine team.

using form fitting wraps/boots. No water or ice required.

Zamar Therapy is a simple non-invasive therapeutic method providing Cryotherapy and Thermotherapy, plus compression massage using the same machine.

Each body part is precisely treated

For further information…

Zamar is delighted to offer a promotion exclusive to BEVA delegates featuring 25% discount off orders placed between 10th September 2014 and 10th October 2014.

e sales@centralmedical.co.uk t +44 (0)1538 399541 w www.zamaruk.co.uk

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Dearson Equine to exhibit at BEVA Congress

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earson Equine is a leading manufacturer and worldwide supplier of top-quality equine dentistry equipment. With over 45 years’ experience in manufacturing cutting tools for some of the UK’s most demanding industries, including aerospace and automotive, and through working with leading equine veterinarians and dental technicians, we have developed our own range of high quality, superior performance float

blades and a unique range of motorised equipment - all built with our customers’ convenience and comfort in mind. As the majority of our equipment is manufactured in our factory in Birmingham, we are able to cater for hand piece and float handle modifications and custom made items. The Dearson 8000 Motorised System was the first of its kind and remains one of the leading motorised systems on the market today. Our 24V rechargeable Lithium

Phosphate battery will deliver power even in the most challenging of temperatures and can be charged up to 2000 times. Multi-Head hand pieces enable you to change the head and inner cable yourself, eliminating hand piece down time.

If you carry a spare with you, you are able to replace the head on the spot in minutes. These are foredom key drive as standard, but as with all of our hand pieces, they can be adapted to fit other flexible cable

systems. Our water irrigation system and two water irrigated hand pieces help keep dust levels down, improve visibility and keep the horse’s teeth and hand piece head cool. All blades are made to a standard size to fit all standard size floats. www.dearsonequine.co.uk +44(0) 121 773 4100 Stand C42 at the BEVA Congress

• Over 125,000 horse passports issued • One of the largest Defra approved PIO • Passport & microchip package available • Passports issued within 10 days • 24 hour Fast Track service available • Amendment fees kept to a minimum • Authorised by Defra to use the 826 073 prefix • Our team is always up-to-date with the Defra regulations

0844 8911200 horsepassports@petidequine.net

www.petidequine.net

OIE People Quarterly Focus Industry SPECIFIC CONTAINS

RICHMOND/07

STRAIN

CLADE 2

2 014

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NEW

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PRECISELY RICHMOND 1/07 FULLY OIE

New ProteqFlu® contains a Richmond 1/07 flu strain, and is the first and only licensed vaccine to do so. Richmond 1/07 belongs to Florida Clade 2, the group of antigenically related viruses responsible for almost all equine flu outbreaks in Europe since 2011.1 Containing both Florida Clade 1 and Clade 2 virus strains, new ProteqFlu® will be the only vaccine fully aligned with 2014 OIE recommendations.1

Reference: 1. OIE Expert Surveillance Panel on Equine Influenza Vaccine Composition, OIE Headquarters, 4 March 2013. Available at: http://www.oie.int/our-scientific-expertise/specific-information-and-recommendations/equine-influenza/ (accessed August 2014).

OIE = World Organisation for Animal Health

Use Medicines Responsibly

Merial Animal Health Ltd CM19 5TG, UK. ProteqFlu® and ProteqFlu®-Te are registered trademarks of Merial Ltd. © Merial 2014. All rights reserved. Legal category UK. POM-V , IE- POM .

New ProteqFlu®–Te contains Influenza A/eq/Ohio/03, Influenza A/eq/Richmond/1/07, Clostridium tetani toxoid. New ProteqFlu® contains Influenza A/eq/Ohio/03; Influenza A/eq/Richmond/1/07 Read packaging before use. For further information call the Merial Customer Support Centre on 0845 6014236

®