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Volume
III, Issue I January 2007 IN THIS ISSUE — Current Events o Pet Adoption Day – January 30 o Free Dental Clinic for Dogs and Cats– February 13 o Goat Day at Virginia Tech – March 3 o Springboard – the first page for internet viewing — Conjunctivitis in Cats (reader requested) — Preparing for the Foal’s Arrival |
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Pet Adoption Day – January 30 Healing Click Images Below for Larger View
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Find pets up for adoption in your area at |
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Free Dental Clinic – February 13 Make an appointment for our free dental clinic for
dogs and cats on Tuesday, February 13.
The event will feature Dental
Exams Treat Samples Toothpaste Samples Food
Samples Coupons Demonstrations & Information Call
Today: (276) 236-5103 Or log into your pet portals account to make an
appointment online. Click Here. |
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Goat Day at Virgnia
Tech – March 3 Topics in Herd Health. 8:30 am – 4:00 pm. Goat
Day will offer some of the latest information to
help you manage your herd. Whether you have dairy goats, fiber goats, meat
goats, or just a pet or two, the topics covered can help you keep your goats
happier, healthier and more productive. The symposium will include some
of the most knowledgeable speakers in the Commonwealth, as well as Dr. Steve
Hart from For registration form or more information,
contact: Sue Benner Garvin of Bearly-Alpine
Dairy Goats (540) 987-7206 90 Rolling Rd / |
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How to Change Your Homepage View Springboard |
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Conjunctivitis in Cats
Herpes Virus: The conjunctiva
consists of membranes that line the eyelid and eyebulb. Feline rhinotracheitis
is a herpes virus that causes conjunctivial disease
and systemic respiratory disease. This
disease is a common disease of kittens and cats. Once this disease infects a cat, it becomes a lifelong problem. Once infected, eighty
percent of cats will carry the virus for life, but will only have occasional
flare ups. Most cats will only
be able to spread the virus while showing symptoms, but forty-five percent of
cats will spread the virus even while apparently healthy. Kittens and cats will experience clinical
symptoms during periods of stress and anxiety, such as new introductions into
the household, change of environment, and periods of sickness. The clinical symptoms of
feline rhinotracheitis are marked conjunctival swelling, red eyes, sensitivity to light,
increased blinking, and increased eye discharge that can be clear fluid or
pus. If the conjunctivitis is left untreated, the disease can progress to excruciatingly
painful ulcers in the eyes. The course
of the disease can last 2 weeks to three months if untreated or seven days if
treated. The treatment regimen
usually includes topical antibiotics, antivirals,
and treating the ulcer. Antiviral
drugs are expensive and are available in a topical and systemic form. Anti-inflammatories
such as Metacam can help reduce inflammation in the
eyes and the upper respiratory system.
Studies have shown that steroids and cyclosporine A can suppress
clinical symptoms, but they do not remove the virus. A cat’s or
kitten’s response to treatment will depend on its immune status and general
health. Chlamydia: Chlamydia psittaci is similar to herpes virus but is less severe in
clinical symptoms. The clinical
symptoms of chlamydia psittaci
are similar: conjunctival swelling, red eyes,
increased eye drainage, and squinting.
The symptoms can be seen in one eye or both
eyes. This disease can have a
respiratory component, or it can just cause symptoms in the eye. Typically, kittens acquire the disease from
their mothers. This disease can last
months if untreated or 3-7 days if treated. The treatment of choice is a
topical ophthalmic antibiotic tetracycline.
Doctors will avoid using steroids in the eyes if there is the possibility
of mixed infections or if the eye has an ulcer. If the kitten or cat has respiratory
symptoms, oral tetracycline is the antibiotic of choice. Anti-inflammatories
such as Metacam can help reduce inflammation in the
eyes and the upper respiratory system. |
Thinking of Cats
& Dogs During Cold Weather |
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Preparing for the Foal’s Arrival
Watch for Mammary Development: One needs to watch
the mare’s mammary glands for development.
At two weeks prior to foaling, if the mare does not have any milk
production, we can give the mare a drug called Domperidone. This drug breaks the fescue toxicity
effects and allows the mare to produce milk.
The quality and presence of colostrum, the mare’s first milk, is the
biggest factor in assuring a foal’s survival. Stall Preparation and Monitoring: Most mares foal at
night. A pregnant mare should be put in the barn at night when she is getting
ready to foal. A 12’ by 16’ stall with
straw used as bedding is the best place for a foal to be born. Mares should be checked hourly to watch for
foaling problems. Closed circuit and
internet cameras that are now commonly available prove helpful for monitoring
pregnant mares and for watching the foaling process without the risk of
interrupting the mare’s labor. Mares have considerable control over the foaling process and will
stop the process if there is much human interaction. Ninety percent of mares do foal uneventfully,
especially if the producer controls the mare’s fescue exposure. The signs that a mare’s
labor is impending are a relaxation of the mare’s hindquarters, a lengthening
of the vulvar lips, and “waxing” - small beads of
colostrum at the tips of the teats.
Once a mare commits to the birthing process, she should be done in
about 20 minutes. Newly born foals
should be on their chest in one to two minutes. The mare should still be lying down. Newborn foals can take up to two hours to
stand, but they should be making an effort in about an hour. Once the foal stands, that should break the
umbilical cord. At this point, the
mare should start getting up. The mare
staying down with the umbilicus still intact allows for an important transfer
of umbilical blood that helps establish the foal’s immune system. Within 2-20 minutes after birth, the foal
should have a suckle reflex. The
producer can stick his or her finger in the foal’s mouth. The foal should suck on the finger. After the foal has stood, its next instinct
is to nurse. The foal normally starts
by suckling on the mare’s body moving back toward the mammary glands. The foal’s normal time to nurse is 2-3
hours. If a foal takes longer than 2-3
hours to nurse, call Healing Springs for a farm visit that night. Dip, Enema, & Vaccinations: There are things mare
owners can do to ensure a healthy baby.
At birth, dip the navel in a betadine or
chlorhexidine solution and repeat at 4-6 hours after birth. This will help prevent navel ill. The foal has to pass meconium,
the first feces. This is a very sticky substance that is difficult to pass. A warm water enema or a “Fleet” enema will
help the meconium pass easily. Should you choose to use a warm water enema
it should be about 60-120mls in volume and given slowly and gently. If the mare
has not been vaccinated for tetanus thirty days
prior to foaling, the foal should be vaccinated with a tetanus
antitoxin. The foal can
be given a tetanus toxoid at six and twelve
weeks of age. Foal Checks: Even if there are no
apparent problems, a veterinary visit for a foal check may be
beneficial. Have the foal check
performed six to eight hours after birth.
However, foal checks on apparently healthy foals are not emergencies
and do not merit paying additional emergency fees. Simply make the appointment during the day,
Monday through Saturday. Healing
Springs can perform a physical exam and a foal check to test for colostral antibodies.
The foal check is a blood test that measures the amount of colostral antibodies the mare has absorbed. If any abnormalities are
found, they need to be dealt with swiftly to ensure the foal’s
survival. |
Care for Horses
in Cold Weather Square
Bales Better than Round Bales for Horses – But Cows Don’t Care |
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The Animal Health Bulletin is a FREE service of Healing (276) 236-5103 Visit our website at www.HealingSpringsAnimalHospital.com |
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Administrative: Request an article topic. Click
Here. To ask questions about a specific
pet, call Healing Springs at (276) 236-5103. You have permission to forward this bulletin in its
entirety to a friend. If you did not receive the Animal Health Bulletin
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update your e-mail preferences or unsubscribe. The Animal Health Bulletin is developed and
distributed with the assistance of Brazzell Marketing Agency specializing in healthcare marketing. © BMA 2007 |
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