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Our banner picture this month was taken of staff working in the clinic when Jude from the Central Western Daily called in to take a photo for the Banjo Business Awards feature - the missing faces were hard at work in the field!

Orange Vet Hospital are happy to have been nominated for Excellence in Small Business (less than 20 employees) - the finalists are chosen by public voting so if you think we provide great service and would like to support us you can vote by logging on to www.orangechamber.com

Contents of this newsletter

01  Equine winter special ending

02  Great numbers at Seminar

03  Tips for calving cows this spring

04  PREgCHECK™ - same great quality assurance scheme, different name

05  Keeping control when your horse is wounded

06  Remember ewes suffer from mastitis too

07  Colic - what are we going to do about it?

08  That's so lame

01 Equine winter special ending
Pony open mouth web

The WINTER EQUINE WINTER SPECIAL offer finishes on 31 August. Make the most of this package and book a physical check, routine dentistry, tetanus/strangles boosters, a faecal egg float and worming with Equest gel and a vet report on all of the above for your horse this week.

All of this for $220 (+ travel at normal rates if not done at the Hospital and payment on the day).

 

 

02 Great numbers at Seminar
LA seminar 2 Aug 15

An attentive audience..

Thank you to those clients who came along to our first Large Animal seminar in the new reception area. We comfortably hosted over 40 people for this occasion.

Mark from Bayer explained the history of the development of tri-solfen - not many of us knew that its development was conceived and driven by a paediatrician 'farmer' from the central west - and the many benefits that it provides to lambs at mulesing time. 

OVH vets Genevieve and Andrew talked about all things bovine and answered many questions from clients. We plan to hold more seminars in this space so if you have topics you would like us to provide information on please let us know.....

03 Tips for calving cows this spring
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It is important to understand the normal calving process to know when to intervene. The normal calving process is divided into three stages of labour, as follows:

Stage 1Where the soft tissues of the birth canal, including cervix and vulva, dilate in preparation for calving. Signs typically seen when a cow enters stage 1 include frequent sniffing of the ground, licking at the hind end, increased vocalisation, raised tail, softening of the vulva and restlessness.

Stage 2 – This is the stage where the calf is expelled out of the cow. In this stage the cow will lie down and abdominal contractions can be seen as the calf is delivered. This stage takes an average of 70 minutes in a normal calving (measured from first appearance of the water bag/amniotic sac). Progress of calf coming out should be seen every 15-20 minutes.

Stage 3The expulsion of the placenta, which normally should be completed within 24 hours of calving.

Signs of trouble calving/when to intervene:

  • Slow progress of expelling the calf in stage 2 i.e. no further progress after 20 minutes
  • If 2 hours of labour has passed without complete delivery
  • Presence of the water bag or feet without any further progress of calving
  • Where it can be seen that the calf is not in the correct position. Examples of this include if only one leg can be seen outside the vulva, or if the bottom of the feet are facing up

Tips for assisting a cow that is having trouble calving:

  • Always clean the vulva and perineum before having a feel inside
  • Use plenty of lube – no such thing as too much!
  • Do not try to pull the calf out unless you are SURE it is in the correct position!
  • When using mechanical calf pullers, force should never be excessive – the calf will come with steady traction providing it is not too big and in the correct position

When is it time to call the vet?

  • If you have tried for 30 minutes and the calf is not out
  • If you can feel that the calf is not in the correct position and you are unable to correct it
  • If the calf is not progressing out despite using steady pulling/traction with the calf in correct position – this likely indicates too big to come out without veterinary intervention
04 PREgCHECK™ - same great quality assurance scheme, different name
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Ensure an accurate diagnosis, every time

Reproductive management is a pivotal driver of a herd's profitability. Knowing pregnancy status is fundamental to having control over the calving pattern, and facilitates strategic decisions within the herd.

We know there is wide variability in the accuracy of pregnancy testing services. In many states of Australia, anyone can buy an ultrasound and become a ‘preg tester’. Given the importance of accuracy, it is imperative to find someone with a proven track record. This is why the Australian Cattle Vets developed PREgCHECK™ (Professional Reproductive Examinations). This scheme has taken over from the National Cattle Pregnancy Diagnosis scheme. This is the only pregnancy diagnosis scheme in Australia which assures you an accurate diagnosis, every time. Only accredited vets can perform a PREgCHECK™.

The PREgCHECK™ scheme is your guarantee of quality as it is:

  • Accountable
  • Audited
  • The only system that allows for use of the highly recognised PREgCHECK™ tail tags

More information is available at mycattlevet.com.au

05 Keeping control when your horse is wounded
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Even seemingly minor wounds over joints can have serious consequences if left untreated

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A clean wound about 5 days old beginning to granulate. Wounds at this stage are cleaned and bandaged.

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Rule #1 in an emergency

Wounds are one of the most common reasons horse owners call us. Knowing basic first aid, how to assess a wound and when to get us involved, can help maximise your horse’s chance of a good outcome following injury.

In times of emergency it is imperative not to panic.

Simple things first: catch the horse. Call a friend for help if necessary. Try to move the horse to a safe and well-lit area to assess the wound. Applying a temporary firm bandage can help stop bleeding and keep leg wounds clean. Dirty wounds should be cleaned with clean running water and a dilute antiseptic solution if available. Bandaging wounds on the body is often not practical. Only treat a wound when safe to do so - wounds of frightened or unhandled horses are best examined by a veterinarian after sedation.

The main features of any wound should be described to us over the phone. They are:

Where is the wound located? Leg wounds of any size near joints or tendon sheaths, must be carefully assessed by a veterinarian. Any penetration into a joint or tendon sheath can result in serious infection, which is often difficult and expensive to treat if left undiagnosed. Uncomplicated wounds on the upper body usually heal very well when managed properly.

What is the size and depth the wound? Accurately describing the wound is important and will help us make preparations to attend your horse. Good quality images may also be useful.

Is the horse lame? Even severe leg wounds requiring veterinary attention may not make the horse lame initially. Lameness following injury must be carefully assessed to determine possible damage to important structures of the limbs. 

We will often need to sedate your horse to thoroughly examine wounds and allow more careful cleaning of the area. Not all wounds can be stitched closed. Wounds older than about 12 hours, infected wounds, or penetrating wounds are often left open to allow drainage and healing. Strong sedation, or even an anaesthetic, will occasionally be needed to stitch a wound.

The process of wound healing is complicated and dynamic. Topical treatments such as creams, ointments and sprays should only be applied under veterinary instruction and must be appropriate for the wound’s stage of repair. Many wounds do not require antibiotics either, especially those on the upper body and superficial wounds. 

Proud flesh is caused be the excessive production of healing tissue known as granulation tissue. Granulation tissue begins forming at around 4-8 days post-injury. In the granulation stage of healing, a combination of bandaging, and leaving the wound unbandaged but applying a moistening agent such as KY jelly, is best to minimise the production of proud flesh. Trimming proud flesh is preferred over the application of harsh chemicals that can damage surrounding normal tissue and prolong healing.

You should let us know how important the final cosmetic appearance of the wound will be. The way a wound is managed will influence the final appearance. A show horse may require more intensive wound care then a companion horse or a broodmare.

We hope your horse is not wounded - but you can sleep easy now you know the principles of wound management, and knowing we're here to help.

06 Remember ewes suffer from mastitis too
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Mastitis is a word or disease we normally associate with cows through our learned colleagues in the dairy industry. However, in the MLA’s priority list of endemic diseases for the red meat industries, it was rated 8th, costing Aussie sheep producers $52 million a year.

In sheep, mastitis commonly occurs in a gangrenous form. Often the first signs of mastitis present as a lameness. Producers may also notice that the ewes go off their feed and the lambs may appear hungry from the ewe not allowing them to suckle. There is overt pain and the teats may appear to be swollen and hot, then cold and clammy to touch. If there is any damage to the teat end this allows bacteria easy access and often leads to the expression of the clinical disease.

Cases can be seen before lambing, especially in high milk producing breeds. Most commonly cases occur after lambing and are often associated with udder lesions including scabby mouth and dermatitis. In these cases the lambs carry the organism orally or in their respiratory system and can act as a source for cross-contamination through cross-suckling. Spectacular outbreaks can occur at 4-6 weeks of age when the feed supply is dropping. Dusty conditions predispose animals to nasal infections and the aggressive suckling of the lamb on a diminishing reservoir sets up the right conditions for infection.

Early treatment of any mastitis case is imperative as most ewes left untreated for three days will die. Both organisms normally involved in mastitis are susceptible to the most commonly used antibiotics.

So - watch out for uncomfortable ewes with swollen udders post lambing. Remove these ewes with their lambs from the flock and treat immediately with antibiotics (and preferably an anti-inflammatory). Spread any feeders as much as possible as Mannheimia in particular can survive well in the environment. Match your feed supply to milk production. Overfeeding can result in excess milk production leaving the teat open and susceptible to infection; underfeeding can lead to more vigorous activity from the hungry lamb.

Sheep producers don’t have the luxury of twice daily animal and milk examinations.

If you have ewes dying or affected by mastitis contact us ASAP for information and directions on treatment.  Be alert for any signs of clinical disease.

07 Colic - what are we going to do about it?
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Frequent rolling is a typical sign that a horse has a painful abdomen

If you keep horses then you’ve probably had one ‘colic’ on you, but what is it, what causes it, what are we all going to do about it?

Colic simply refers to the set of signs we commonly associate with abdominal pain. There are over 70 recognised causes of colic in horses. These range from the mild, such as rapid ingestion of large volume of water, to incurable abdominal cancer. The most common causes of colic seen in practice today include blockage of the digestive tract with dry feed, known as an impaction, or an overactive or inflammed digestive tract.

Horses with colic may paw at the ground, roll, get up and down frequently, kick and bite at their abdomen, or just lay flat out on the ground. They may be excited and agitated, or dull and reluctant to move. If any of these signs persists for more than a few minutes, or come and go over a period of time, call us immediately.

Learning how to take your horse's heart rate and being familiar with the usual colour of the gums will enable you to relay this important information over the phone. The time on onset and duration of the colic signs, age, breed, exact symptoms being exhibited, rectal temperature and any recent medication or management changes should also be mentioned when speaking to the vet.

Being careful handling a horse with colic is important. Our instinct may be to rush in and try to comfort them but a horse in pain can be unpredictable and dangerous. Walking your horse may be useful in calming them prior to our arrival. A well-lit area, ideally with horse stocks, will allow safe and efficient examination of a colicky horse.

Many cases of colic can be managed medically - that is, with appropriate sedation and pain relief. Other veterinary treatments such as electrolyte solutions and/or laxatives given by stomach tubing may be useful in some cases.

The importance of a timely veterinary examination of a horse with colic cannot be emphasised enough.

A ‘wait and see’ approach is strongly discouraged. Speculating as to the cause of your horse’s pain is not useful and may unnecessarily prolong their discomfort. Occasionally colic-like signs may not be originating from the abdomen at all.

Early recognition of surgical causes of colic and prompt referral to a surgical facility is paramount to maximise the chance of a good outcome. Colic surgery in horses is a significant undertaking and can only be performed at certain specialist facilities.

So, if you're worried that your horse might have colic, it's best to give us a call right away to talk it over.

08 That's so lame
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Rain, beautiful rain, leads to wet pastures that lead to wet feet that lead to sore feet that lead to lameness. And lameness is the bane of all sheep farmers!

Lameness is one of the most significant and widespread welfare problems in the southern states and is a major source of economic loss to the sheep industry.

An animal suffering from lameness is less able to graze and compete for feed. The consequences of lameness include:

  • Loss of weight and condition
  • Lower lambing percentages
  • Lower birth weight and hence reduced lamb viability
  • Reduced growth rate in lambs
  • Reduced milk production
  • Lower fertility in rams
  • Reduced wool growth
  • Costs associated with the treatment and control of the disease

Already this year we have seen a number of cases where the effects of lameness have been quite severe and this is before warmth adds a complicating and accelerating factor to the equation! We have seen lame rams with poor testicular tone and therefore lower fertility leading to poor conception rates, and poorly performing ewes that have been limping away from their poorly performing lambs.

Lame sheep need to be examined to exclude footrot. This is imperative as footrot is a notifiable disease and any suspicion of the disease needs to be investigated. Luckily most lameness we see is foot abscess, either toe or heel and the ubiquitous scald. Foot abscess can be confused with footrot as both develop from scald (or interdigital dermatitis) and both can cause severe lameness; and they love it when conditions are wet.

Again, if you are in any doubt as to the reason for your lame sheep, call us and we can work out a diagnosis and treatment plan.