Newsletter

August 2008

Welcome to Pacific Crest's new on-line monthly newsletter.  If you received a printed edition and would like to give us your e-mail address, we can send you electronic newsletters as well as other horse health-related information.  Please give us a call at 559-592-4753 or drop us a line.

Caring for the Geriatric Horse

The horses of today are living longer due to advances in medical care. The average lifespan of a wild horse is 15-18 years; today’s beloved horse companions commonly live into their 20s or 30s.

Once our horses reach a certain age the care they require changes. Their nutritional needs will increase as their gut becomes less efficient at converting food into energy. A previously easy keeper may start looking poor. There are excellent complete commercial feeds available for the senior equine. A vitamin and mineral supplement is also advised. Your veterinarian will be able to work with you to develop a nutrition plan for your geriatric horse and help with routine dentals to maintain their aging teeth.

Dental exams and floats continue to be necessary and should be carried out at least once a year. As horses age their teeth may loosen or fall out. This can disrupt the normal growth and grinding pattern of your horse’s mouth, leading to poor chewing and weight loss. Many of the commercial senior feeds are developed to dissolve into a mash for horses with difficulty chewing.

	Dental float
	Laminitis

Older horses are predisposed to a number of disease conditions; some of the most commonly recognized being Cushings, arthritis, tumors, allergic disease and organ compromise. Owners of geriatric horses on a veterinary Wellness program will be offered regular wellness exams as well as yearly blood testing to monitor organ function and detect evidence of disease early. This enables treatment to begin rapidly with greater success. Specific disease screening tests may also be carried out.

Horses develop Cushings disease at an average age of 20 years. The best-known characteristic is a curly coat. Cushings is a manageable condition caused by a benign tumor of the pituitary gland. Medications such as Pergolide have good success and with treatment these horse continue to live happy lives. Left unmanaged Cushings disease often leads to Laminitis and a weakened immune system.

Most old horses and ponies are able to lead a good quality life for many years after their working life is over.

Old horses and ponies should not be left to suffer and when they are no longer enjoying themselves, for incurable reasons, humane euthanasia should be discussed with your veterinarian, earlier rather than later. However painful a decision this may be, it will be a kindness to your friend.

 

	Best of America by Horseback in the Sierra foothills

Best of America by Horseback Features Pacific Crest

The RFDTv show Best of America by Horseback featured Tulare County and Pacific Crest in a recent show. After shooting at our hospital, the first equine veterinary clinic to be featured on the show, the camera crew had amassed over two and a half days of film! Tom Seay, host of the show, decided that it would be best to add small segments onto the end of future editions of the program to highlight various aspects of veterinary medicine, so look for Pacific Crest on future episodes of Best of America. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the program as it aired in August, contact the office at 592-4753.

 

Anne McDonald, DVM Joins Pacific Crest as 2008-2009 Intern

Anne McDonald, DVM a native of Sacramento, CA will be joining us as our intern for the upcoming year. Anne received her Bachelor of Arts in Italian from Stanford University and her DVM from the University of California at Davis in 2008.  Besides being super-smart and a total overachiever (2nd out of 113 in her veterinary class!), she is a wonderful person and a compassionate veterinarian and we are very fortunate to have her here. Our interns live at the hospital in the upstairs apartment and are responsible for the monitoring and treatment of all ICU and surgery cases. Dr. McDonald cares for our critical patients on site 24 hours a day allowing us to provide the best medicine possible. Please help welcome her to our practice.

 

Clients in the News

	Shyan Souza

Shyan Souza and her horse Brother Bear attended the National High School Rodeo Finals in Farmington, N.M. Shyan, 15, is a junior at Woodlake High School and is the daughter of JP and Tammy Souza. Shyan qualified for the nationals with a second place finish on Brother at the California High School State Finals in Bishop, CA in June.

Congratulations to Willy Arts, Merrie Velden, and Jackie Ahl-Eckhaus on their success at Flintridge Dressage. Willy and Valeska, a six-year-old mare by Crack C, won with a score eligible for Verden at the 2008 USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage Western Selection Trial for the FEI World Breeding Championships. Sandomere, a five-year-old Oldenburg stallion ridden by Merrie Velden, won the Selection Trials Five Year Old division, moving Sandomere up to first place in the USEF National Young Horse Rankings. Also placing well in the show were Willy Arts riding Woodwind and Jackie Ahl-Eckhaus riding Wisdom MVS, placing 2nd and 3rd respectively in the 5 year old division.

Willy and Valesksa		Merrie Velden

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