The Case:

Regional Animal Services of King County Sgt. David Morris gives the following account: On Thursday, Regional Animal Services animal control officers working closely with Washington State Animal Response Team located and captured a Bay Thoroughbred mare and a red roan Appaloosa gelding about two miles up Fire Service Road 5510. Neither horse had any form of halter, brand, microchip or other identification.

The horses were taken to a nearby farm where they were examined by an equine veterinarian. It was determined that the mare was roughly 100 pounds underweight and suffered from severe sores on all four hooves. The gelding was about 250 pounds underweight and had severe abscesses on both of his front feet. Both horses suffered from dehydration and had several minor abrasions. They are expected to make a full recovery.

Animal Cruelty:

Getting the serious attention of law enforcement, prosecutors and the community in cases involving allegations of cruelty to animals is an essential step in protecting the community. The connection between animal cruelty and human violence is well documented. Studies show a correlation between animal cruelty and all manner of other crimes, from narcotics and firearms violations to battery and sexual assault.

“Being a horse owner is a choice, one that comes with the responsibility to provide humane, competent care for your horse at all times,” said Dan Paul, Washington state director for The HSUS. “Horse owners who can no longer keep their animals have many humane options available to them. Abandoning horses is animal cruelty and cannot be tolerated in Washington state.”

The Investigators:

Regional Animal Services of King County is investigating. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Sgt. David Morris at (206) 296-3939.

Resources:

The HSUS Animal Cruelty Campaign raises public awareness and educates communities about the connection between animal cruelty and human violence while providing a variety of resources to law enforcement agencies, social work professionals, educators, legislators and families.

The HSUS offers rewards in animal cruelty cases across the country and works to strengthen laws against animal cruelty. To see our journalists’ animal cruelty resource guide, which includes information on statistics, trends, laws and animal cruelty categories, go to: humanesociety.org/crueltyresources.

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Veterinarian John Madigan, an expert in emergency veterinary medicine and director of the Veterinary Emergency Response Team said, “Loose cows or horses in crowded public places can threaten public safety. We must ensure that our animal handling procedures are designed to minimize the risk of animals escaping into public areas and that plans are in place for an effective and humane emergency response in the unlikely event that a large animal does escape.”

Madigan, who is also associate director of the teaching hospital’s large animal clinic, noted that a July 4 parade incident in Iowa, in which horses pulling a carriage stampeded and killed one person and injured more than 20 people, is an example of the risk and potential for injury that can result when livestock and horses are loose in public places.

The call for a procedural review is also in response to the tragic July 27 shooting death of a cow at the California State Fair.

Wilson has also requested that the Veterinary Emergency Response Team at UC Davis develop a plan and training module to help prepare public-safety officials at the fair and other large, public venues for incidents involving unrestrained large animals in public places or roadways.

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While each horse needs to be considered as an individual, these basic guidelines may help to answer many questions.

How much protein does a horse need?

A horse’s requirement for protein is determined by the animal’s stage of development and workload.

Some general recommendations are listed below (please note, intakes mentioned are merely for the purposes of illustrating what is needed to meet protein requirements alone, but will likely not meet requirements for other nutrients).

• A mature horse (average weight of 1100 pounds) needs about 1.4 pounds of protein a day for maintenance, early pregnancy, or light work. The horse usually ingests at least this much protein by grazing or eating grass hay (dry matter intake of about 22 pounds).
• A mature horse doing moderate to heavy work needs about 2 to 2.15 pounds of protein a day. An owner could feed 22 pounds of grass or hay and add 2 to 4 pounds of fortified feed to meet the protein requirement.
• A broodmare in late pregnancy needs high-quality protein to build placental and fetal tissue. Forage with a moderate percentage of alfalfa may provide this protein, but mares on marginal grazing benefit from the addition of 2 to 4 pounds of concentrate containing 13 to 16 percent protein.
• A broodmare in the first three months of lactation requires about 2.75 pounds of protein each day. Besides grass or hay, she might need up to 7 pounds of fortified feed to ensure this much protein in her diet.
• Protein needs are lower for broodmares in late lactation (after three months). Grass or hay and 2.5 pounds of fortified feed would supply a requirement of about 2 pounds of protein.
• Weanlings weighing 550 pounds need about 1.6 pounds of protein. Because these younger horses eat less grass or hay, grain can be increased to 7 pounds a day.
• Yearlings weighing 850 pounds eat more grass or hay and require about 4.5 pounds of concentrate to bring protein intake to 1.75 pounds a day.
• To meet the protein demands of young horses in training, owners may need to feed as much as 7 pounds of concentrate along with 14 pounds of hay to provide the 2 pounds of protein that is required.

What is meant by high-quality or low-quality protein?

All horses need protein, but not all protein is the same. Protein is made up of different amino acids, some of which can be synthesized within the horse’s body. Amino acids that cannot be synthesized are called essential amino acids and must be supplied in the feed.

High-quality protein is that which supplies the essential amino acids in the proper ratios. It is possible for a horse to eat enough low-quality forage to meet its crude protein requirement and still not be properly nourished.

Why is protein so important for young horses?

Lysine, methionine, and threonine are the most important amino acids that must be provided in equine rations. Diets for young horses need to include sufficient lysine to support growth and development.

The protein in mare’s milk is a rich source of lysine, as is the soybean meal included in some concentrates. Legumes such as alfalfa also provide significant amounts of lysine, while grasses and most cereal grains contain lower percentages of this important nutrient.

Do older horses need protein?

Adult horses need protein only for repair and maintenance of body tissues, so their total requirement is fairly low. Many mature horses get all the protein they need (about 10% of the diet, on average) from grass or hay. Owners can confirm that this need is met by having pastures and hay analyzed.

If analysis shows that the protein level is below 10%, an easy way to boost protein consumption is to offer some alfalfa hay along with, or instead of, the low-quality forage that has been provided.

Heavily exercising horses have a somewhat higher need for protein than maintenance horses, and the protein requirement is highest for late-pregnant broodmares and those in the first three months of lactation.

If these horses also require extra energy, the addition of concentrated feed to the diet can increase the intake of both energy and protein.

Is there a low-calorie way to provide protein to overweight horses?

Many people are faced with the problem of trying to provide easy keepers with good nutrition while preventing excessive weight gain. Increasing the horse’s exercise is often helpful, but this method is not always practical. For example, it might be difficult to apply this plan to an unridden broodmare that needs the nutrients in a concentrate but tends to gain weight easily. This dilemma can be solved with the use of a balancer pellet (often available directly from your feed manufacturer).

These products are designed to deliver protein, vitamins, and minerals without significantly increasing caloric intake. With protein percentages from 14% to over 30%, these supplements are fed in small quantities to fortify the horse’s diet without providing unnecessary calories.

How do I know what feeding program is best for my horse?

There are multiple ways to meet a particular horse’s protein requirement by selecting from the various types of forage and the wide variety of available feed products. To ensure the proper amounts of protein and energy in equine diets, begin with high-quality forage and then supplement as needed with a balanced concentrate designed for the type of horse you are feeding.

Reprint courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research (copyright holder). For more health articles like this one, visit www.ker.com.

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Weaning is a stressful event in a foal’s life. Changing from the easily digestible nutrients in milk to the grass and grain diet of a more mature horse almost always leads to a temporary lag in feed intake, weight gain, and skeletal development.

The immediate negative impact on growth is generally less pronounced when foals are weaned at six months of age or later in comparison to weaning at four and a half months of age. This study examined the long-term effect of earlier or later weaning on weight gain, withers height, cannon circumference, and bone density.

How was the study conducted?

Fifteen foals (seven Quarter Horses and eight Thoroughbreds) were placed in two groups. Foals in the first group were weaned at 140 days of age, and foals in the second group were weaned at 182 days of age. Each group was balanced for breed, gender, and birth month, factors that have been shown to affect growth parameters.

Prior to weaning, mares and foals grazed for 22 hours a day. The horses were stalled for two hours each morning and mares were given pelleted feed. Foals were not fed separately but had access to the mares’ feed.

After weaning the foals were pastured in groups with an older “baby sitter” horse. They were allowed to graze 22 hours a day and also had free access to alfalfa hay. They were stalled each morning and given the same pelleted feed the dams had been fed.

Pellets were again offered in mid-afternoon in individual feeders placed in the pasture. This feeding program was designed to produce a moderate growth rate.

The foals were weighed and measured at three-week intervals before weaning, at weaning, a week after weaning, and at 3-week intervals after weaning. Rate of gain, bone density, and skeletal growth were recorded and analysis of variance was used to determine the effect of weaning age.

What results were found?

Average daily gain was depressed in both the early-weaned and late-weaned groups, but had returned to pre-weaning rates six weeks after weaning for both groups. The amount of depression was similar for both groups. A strong positive correlation was found between pre-weaning average daily gain and growth depression in the early-weaned foals, but this correlation was not seen in foals in the late-weaned group.

Quarter Horse foals were heavier and had higher daily gains than Thoroughbred foals before weaning. This trend was not obvious after weaning. Fillies tended to be somewhat heavier than colts before and after weaning, but daily gains were similar between the sexes.

Wither height did not seem to be affected by weaning, either early or late. Increase in cannon bone circumference was somewhat depressed by early weaning but not by late weaning. By the age of seven months, this rate was the same for both sets of foals. Cannon circumference increase was not influenced by sex or breed in this study.

Bone density did not appear to be influenced by weaning time, breed, or sex. Differences were found in density of the third metacarpal between the left and right legs across treatments, and the authors suggest measurement of both forelimbs in studies to assess the effects of diet or exercise on bone density.

What do the results tell us about management of foals at weaning?

Although this study found slight differences in some measurements immediately after weaning, no significant long-term differences were found between foals weaned at four and a half months or six months of age. These data indicate that there is no growth advantage for foals allowed to nurse until six months of age, and likewise no growth disadvantage for foals weaned at four and a half months.

At least one other study has shown that foals confined to stalls during the weaning period had some loss of bone density. Foals in the present study were kept on pasture and did not show a similar loss.

From these data it would seem that late weaning carries no advantage over early weaning in relation to growth and bone density of foals kept on pasture the majority of the time.

This paper was published in the proceedings of the Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society Annual Symposium, Fort Worth, Texas (1997), pp. 335-341

Reprint courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research. For more health articles like this one, visit www.ker.com

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Live and online, Equine Guelph’s new and improved Biosecurity Calculator, sponsored by Vétoquinol, is a tool designed for horse owners to generate a report that grades them on their biosecurity management practices on their farms.

Today, the equine industry faces a high biosecurity risk –especially given the high rate of movement of horses between farms and other venues. Caretakers need to take every possible step to decrease their biosecurity risk.

What is Biosecurity?

Management practices which reduce the chances that infectious disease will be carried onto or spread from or within a farm is known as biosecurity.

What is the most common way infectious diseases are spread in the equine industry?

When new horses are introduced into the resident herd.

The Biosecurity Calculator will assist in developing management practices which will reduce the chances of the spread of infectious disease.

Upon launching the online tool, you will be asked to complete a series of questions that will give you a report on the areas in which your farm scored well and the areas that need improvement. The calculator is a series of 33 questions in 9 sections including:

1. Your Farm

2. Horse Movement

3. General Protocol

4. Feed Storage

5. Isolation/Quarantine

6. Cleaning/Disinfection

7. Vaccination

8. Deworming

9. Veterinary Care

Please click here to check out the risk on your farm.

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Attendance by racetrack representatives contributed to fulfilling the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance requirements for safety training and continuing education. Dr. Robert E. Holland Jr., DVM, PhD, Associate Director, Outcomes Research at Pfizer Animal Health participated on a panel of experts to discuss equine wellness, injury prevention and track renovations.

The event – sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health – featured two days of discussions and demonstrations on the latest technologies affecting track maintenance.

There were two panel discussions featuring such speakers as noted veterinarian and UC-Davis researcher Dr. Sue Stover; track surface expert Dr. Mick Peterson of the University of Maine; Dr. Robert Holland of Pfizer Animal Health; Ed Bowen of The Jockey Club; New York Racing Association (NYRA) blacksmith Joe Campbell; John Seib of All Pro Horticulture; and Roch Dold, Dwight Ange and Kent Hughes of John Deere. The group discussed the theory and practice of injury prevention.

“Pfizer Animal Health is honored to be part of the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance’s efforts to improve track safety and education for the wellness of race horses,” said Dr. Holland. “Initiatives such as the Track Superintendents’ Day that bring the industry together for the benefit of the horse are critical for the future of horse racing.”

Pfizer Animal Health partnered with NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance in 2009 in an effort to help the organization intertwine education and the importance of equine health and wellness with their messages of Safety and Integrity. The NTRA and Pfizer Animal Health have a similar mission in that the safety and well being of the horse must be protected, understood and improved.

“Pfizer Animal Health and the NTRA share a commitment to ensuring the health and safety of racing’s horses and riders and upholding the sport’s integrity,” said Alex Waldrop, President and CEO of the NTRA. “We are proud to have them as a partner of the Safety and Integrity Alliance and the Barbaro Fund for Equine Health and Safety Research.”

The NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance is a standing organization of the NTRA whose purpose is to implement safety and integrity standards on a uniform, nationwide basis. There are national safety standards that are implemented through mandatory member reporting, on-site inspections and continuing education.

It serves as the certification or accreditation body for member racetracks and works cooperatively with state regulators. Currently, the alliance is made up of more than 55 racetracks, horsemen’s organizations, horse owners, breeders, trainers, veterinarians, jockeys, fans and others.

To date, 17 race tracks have been fully accredited, with a similar number of accreditations expected in 2011. The alliance has six areas of focus –medication and testing; injury reporting and prevention; research; a safer racing environment; aftercare for retired racehorses; and wagering integrity.

Information on the Alliance, including the Alliance Code of Standards, can be found at www.NTRAalliance.com.

Pfizer, Inc, the world’s largest research-based biomedical and pharmaceutical company, also is a world leader in discovering and developing innovative animal vaccines and prescription medicines, investing an estimated $300 million annually.

In the first quarter of 2010, Pfizer Animal Health generated revenue of $846 million, and for full-year 2009, $2.8 billion, including revenue from Wyeth/Fort Dodge since Pfizer’s acquisition in October. The Pfizer Animal Health industry-leading U.S. equine product portfolio now includes a wide range of biologics, parasiticides and sedatives/analgesics.

In addition to helping assure a safe, global food supply from healthy food animals, Pfizer Animal Health also helps dogs, cats and horses to live healthy longer. For additional information on Pfizer’s portfolio of animal products and services, visit www.PfizerAnimalHealth.com.

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These deformities, referred to as angular limb deformities (ALD), may be congenital and present at the time of birth, or develop within the first few weeks of life.  In some cases, foals need treatment because some deformities can worsen over time.

In these cases, early intervention is important due to the limited time frame of bone growth, usually within the first couple of months or first year of life, depending on the location of origin. But in most cases, correction may occur naturally without treatment.

“Foals are very rarely born with a conformation that is expected for an adult horse, and some experts believe that overzealous attempts to have a straight conformation in a young foal will result in an adult with deformities, due to the natural correction that will occur,” said Dr. Stavros Yiannikouris, a Washington State University equine clinical instructor who recently completed a three-year equine surgical residency at WSU.

“The key to a good outcome is to have a veterinarian perform an initial early assessment of the problem. It is important to recognize and manage foals with ALD because, depending on the horse’s potential use, any change in the bone alignment around a joint will affect the health of the joint.  Misalignment of bones above and below a joint may predispose the joint to arthritis and limit the extent of the horse’s athletic function. It may also affect tendons and ligaments in a limb due to uneven forces placed on them, also resulting in damage to these structures and limiting the use of the horse. ”

Deformities are classified as being either valgus or varus, in which a foal’s limbs bend either outward or inward, respectively, using the bone above the joint as a reference to describe the direction of deformity.  One common deformity is when a foal’s legs bend outward at the knee or carpus (carpal valgus), which gives the foal a knock-kneed appearance.

Another common deformity is when a foal’s feet grow inward at the fetlocks (fetlock varus).  ALD occurs in the back limbs especially the fetlocks, but it is much less common in the hocks.

“The exact mechanism that causes this condition in not completely understood,” Dr. Yiannikouris said.  “There is a lot of speculation about what causes ALD, but it seems that in the majority of cases, the reasons are complex and involve several factors.  The positioning of the foal in the uterus, nutritional factors, placentitis or inflammation of the placenta, trauma, and infections are some of the factors suspected to cause ALD in foals. “

“Trauma to another limb or any other reason causing uneven weight distribution sometimes also leads to ALD,” he said.  “This is comparable to adult horses that develop laminitis due to uneven distribution, whereas foals most likely will develop ALD.”

A veterinarian must determine the location of the deformity in order to provide an accurate diagnosis, which will determine the appropriate treatment, if one is possible.  A diagnosis can be made through observation while the foal is standing, with the veterinarian positioned directly in front of the area of the suspected deformity.

The veterinarian will watch the foal in motion, walking towards and away, to determine patterns of movement, and manipulate the limb to determine potential laxity of joints, or sensitivity at the growth plate. Radiographs of the affected limbs are also useful in determining the degree of deformity and localizing the site of angulation (pivot point).

Owners can also aid a veterinarian by providing photos or video images of the limb growth. This gives the veterinarian more information about the natural correction taking place and how the foal is adapting.

“Some degree of deformity may be acceptable depending on the intended use of the horse,” Dr. Yiannikouris said.  “It is worth noting that some very successful horses did not have ideal geometrical conformation but were still able to perform well without known complications.”

A veterinarian usually will decide to intervene if the deformity is too severe for natural correction, if there is slow natural correction that will not finish before the end of the growth period, and if the ALD is causing a secondary deformity or injury to another part of the foal’s anatomy.

“An example would be deciding to treat a deformity in the fetlock.  Cannon bone growth is known to occur in the first four months of life, so any fetlock deformity should be addressed in the first 1-2 months of life,” Dr. Yiannikouris explained. “In contrast, the growth around the carpus and hock usually occurs within 8-12 months of age, which gives a veterinarian a longer period to observe the foal – about 4-6 months – and determine if natural correction is sufficient.

“There are various treatment options available, depending on the degree of deformity and stage of the bone growth,” he said.  “Some are as simple as daily manual manipulation of the limbs and making some changes in the hoof trimming to promote different force on the limb.  Others are as extreme as complete reconstruction of the “bend” bone, which involves surgical cutting of the bone, realignment, and plate fixation.”

Some of the most common surgical treatments include procedures that are thought to increase the growth on a slow-growing site, called periosteal transection and elevation (PTE ), or retard the growth on a fast-growing site, called bridging.

“The main advantages of the PTE procedure are that overcorrection, or deformity in the opposite direction, almost never occurs and it is a one-time procedure,” Dr. Yiannikouris said. “Correction is slow, however, and in order for a better outcome, it should be performed as early as the decision to intervene is made.”

“Bridging entails placing either a screw and wire around the physis (growth plate), or a single screw through the physis. The main advantage of bridging is that the rate of success is usually higher, more predictable, and can be performed at a relatively later time, allowing more time to observe for natural correction. The main disadvantage is that a second surgery is usually required to remove the surgical implants.  More importantly, close monitoring is also necessary since the implants need to be removed before overcorrection develops.”

“Some horses with ALD are treated with splints, braces, or other external devices.  While these treatments may be indicated or successful in some cases, it should be noted that these treatments are not indicated for the common deformities and can be very detrimental for the foal if not used properly,” he said.

“In most foals, secondary severe complications occur, including pressure sores and open wounds and/or laxity of the tendons and ligaments in the limb. A veterinarian should always be consulted before any attempt is made to splint a foal, since appropriate case selection – usually deformities originating from the joint – and very close monitoring and observation is key if a good outcome is to be expected.”

“As with other aspects of life, keeping the end in mind, as well as a measured approach toward that end, is key when dealing with growing foals,” he said. “Observation of growth, veterinary inspection of conformation, good nutrition, and proper hoof trimming are all important in growing a strong future equine athlete.”

For more information about ALD, talk with your veterinarian or contact Dr. Stavros Yiannikouris at syiannikouris@vetmed.wsu.edu, or the Equine Medicine or Surgery Services at WSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital at 509-335-0711.

Reprinted from the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine Equine News Summer 2010 issue

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Summary

Tansy ragwort, common groundsel and fiddleneck, weeds commonly found in California, are extremely toxic to sensitive species such as cattle and horses due to their content of toxins called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) and can cause significant economic loss to cattle producers and horse owners.

Repeated exposure to PA-containing plants in hay, alfalfa pellets or silage results in chronic liver failure, poor-doing and non-productive animals, and, eventually, death. Clinical signs often do not occur until many months after cessation of exposure to PAs and diagnosis of poisoning can be difficult.

There is no effective treatment for affected animals, so preventing exposure is essential. Based upon the insidious and cumulative nature of the poisoning, there is no safe consumption level.

Due to the potential for PAs to contaminate milk, any forage contaminated with PA containing plants should not be fed to lactating dairy cattle.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are pyrrolizidine alkaloids?

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are potent liver toxins that have been identified in over 6000 plants worldwide. Most PAs occur in 3 different plant families: the Boraginaceae, (examples include Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia or common fiddleneck and Cynoglossum officinalis or hound’s tongue), the Compositae (primarily Senecio species included S. jacobaea or tansy ragwort and S. vulgaris or common groundsel) and the Leguminosae (especially Crotalaria spp. or “rattlebox”).

What PA-containing plants are of most concern in California?

The most commonly found PA-containing plants in California associated with poisoning are fiddleneck, tansy ragwort and common groundsel. The PA content of these plants ranges from less than 0.5% up to 1.2% dry weight.

Plant parts ranked in decreasing concentration of PA’s are: flowers and seeds > leaves > stems > roots. PA’s are present at all stages of growth. While there is some degradation of PAs in silage, the PA content of hay remains constant over many months. Also, PAs are stable to high temperatures.

Most PA-containing plants are not considered to be highly palatable when fresh, but incorporation into hay, pellets or silage decreases the ability of an animal to selectively avoid them. Thus, most cases of PA intoxication documented by the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System have involved ingestion of one of the aforementioned types of feed.

What species of livestock are affected by PAs?

Pigs and chickens are considered to be the most sensitive livestock species; cattle and horses, while still considered to be sensitive species, are less sensitive. Sheep and goats are the least sensitive livestock species due to detoxification of PAs by rumen microbes and the liver.

Under some conditions, sheep can consume up to 20 times the dose of some PA-containing plants known to kill cattle. Although sheep and goats have been used to control stands of PA-containing plants, the long term consequences to their health are not well known. Young animals of all species are more sensitive than adult animals.

How do PAs damage the liver?

PAs themselves are not toxic but become toxic following bioactivation or conversion in the liver to the toxic form known as pyrroles. In tissues, pyrroles are highly reactive and bind to adjacent nucleic acids or proteins.

The resulting pyrrole-tissue complexes (called adducts) result in loss of liver cell function. Chronic damage to the liver results in significant scarring (termed fibrosis) and ultimately liver failure.

What are the clinical signs associated with poisoning?

While ingestion of very high concentrations of PAs can result in rapid and significant liver damage, the more typical problem in livestock is exposure to lower concentrations of PAs over time which results in chronic and insidious liver damage.

Typically, clinical signs do not become apparent until months after an animal has begun eating a PA containing plant and, in many cases, up to a year after exposure ceases.

In horses, the onset of clinical signs is often sudden and is associated with a build-up of waste products normally eliminated by the liver.

Signs are typically neurologic and include head pressing, aimless walking or pacing, persistent chewing, yawning, drowsiness, rectal straining and incoordination. Other signs include fluid build-up in the abdomen, diarrhea or constipation.

In cattle, early clinical signs associated with poisoning are generally more subtle and often include loss of appetite, decreased milk production, weight loss, rectal straining and weakness.

Nervous system signs similar to those reported in horses can occur prior to death. Affected animals are often noted to “do poorly”. Pregnancy, lactation, transport, poor nutrition or other forms of stress can precipitate onset of disease-related signs. Unfortunately, animals that “recover” often have residual effects such as exercise intolerance or a permanent decrease in productivity.

How is PA-poisoning diagnosed?

Identification of PA-containing weeds and detection of PAs in forage are important for preventing exposure or establishing a diagnosis of poisoning. However, due to the prolonged delay in onset of clinical signs the affected forage that was eaten weeks or months before may no longer be available for evaluation.

Unfortunately, there is no good way to detect PAs or their breakdown products in tissues. However, liver damage generally results in a characteristic appearance to the liver when examined microscopically. Thus, when there is concern about PA poisoning, it is critical that a postmortem examination be conducted on any dead animal.

A liver biopsy can be obtained from live animals to demonstrate the presence of characteristic liver damage.

Can affected animals be treated?

Although a number of treatments have been tried, to date, none are effective once an animal develops clinical signs. After the onset of clinical signs, the prognosis is poor. Thus, prevention is the best approach.

Is there a “safe” level of PAs that can be fed to sensitive species such as horses and cattle?

Safe PA concentrations have not been determined for sensitive species such as cattle and horses. Little is known about what levels and durations of exposure are damaging or what the long term effects of “sub-clinical” exposures (exposures not causing obvious clinical signs) are on long term growth and productivity.

Because of the variation in PA content of plants and in animal sensitivity, almost any daily exposure must be considered a risk to health if continued for a sufficient period of time.

Is there a potential for PA residues in the milk of lactating animals?

Low-level exposure may occur in people through the presence of PAs in foods, such as honey and milk, but no reports of human poisoning caused through ingestion of these foods are available. Even at levels of exposure that cause clinical signs in animals, resulting concentrations of PAs in milk are relatively low (reportedly 1 ppm or less).

However, in view of the established ability of some PAs to cause cancer in rats, human exposure to PAs should be minimized. Thus, any PA-contaminated forage should not be fed to lactating diary cattle or goats.

Additional Information:

Livestock Poisoning with Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid-Containing Plants (Senecio, Crotalaria,

Cynoglossum, Amsinckia, Heliotropium, and Echium spp.) by Bryan Stegelmeier, Dale

R. Gardner and T. Zane Davis, http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.2111/1551-501X-

31.1.35.

IPCS International Programme on Chemical Safety, Health and Safety Guide No. 26,

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids Heath and Safety Guide,

http://www.inchem.org/documents/hsg/hsg/hsg026.htm#SectionNumber:4.1.

Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Toxicity by John R. Elliott, Perry J. Bain, and Kenneth S. Latimer,

http://www.vet.uga.edu/VPP/clerk/elliott/index.php.

University of California, Cooperative Extension, Environmental Toxicology Newsletter,

Vol. 1 No. 4 April 27, 1981, Toxic Plants II by Art Craigmill,

http://extoxnet.orst.edu/newsletters/n14_81.htm.

Robert H. Poppenga, DVM, PhD and Birgit Puschner, DVM, PhD, California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, West Health Science Drive, Davis, CA 95616, phone: 530-752-6322.

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This hands-on research experience will expose these students to research early in their careers, hopefully affecting their lives and the lives of the animals they study.

“This [research] experience is invaluable in attracting veterinarians into biomedical and clinical research careers. The Veterinary Student Scholars program of the Morris Animal Foundation is an important initiative that will help advance our profession and benefit the well-being of animals,” said Dr. Harm Hogenesch, associate dean for research at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.

From horses in Finland to grizzly bears in Montana, animals around the world are benefiting from the major advances in animal health and welfare achieved by passionate and creative veterinary student scholars.

Since its inception in 2005, the VSS program has given more than 250 grants to students from more than 50 colleges and universities in 12 countries. Through the program, veterinary students or non-veterinary graduate students receive stipends of up to $4,000 to participate in clinical or basic animal health and/or welfare research.

Here are just a few highlights of the studies VSS program awardees will be doing this summer:

-    Analyzing microbial pathogens infecting cats through mucous membranes to improve vaccines that better prevent feline infectious disease

-    Studying whether the emotional experience of grief exists in dogs and cats

-    Examining how contaminants  are affecting marine mammals like seals and walruses

The 2010 Veterinary Student Scholars award recipients are:

Auburn University: Bradley Johnson, Heather Weaver

Colorado State University: Lindsey Eby, Marcia Hart, Greta Krafsur, Erin McQuinn, Karla Penman

Cornell University: Elizabeth Craig, Eva Oxford

Emory University: Michele Parsons

Iowa State University: Matt Brewer, Megan Bullis

Louisiana State University: Jessica Trischel

Makerere University (Uganda): Rachael Mbabazi

Michigan State University: Olenka Bilyk

Mississippi State University: Gail Moraru

Murdoch University (Australia): Gunn Kaewmongkol

National University of La Plata (Argentina): Mercedes Abeya

North Carolina State University: Lexxy Jay, Emily Medlin, Laura Stoeker

Ohio State University: Bonnie Harrington, Katherine Onasch

Oregon State University: George Ballard, Heather Broughton, Melissa Wilberger

Purdue University: Vanessa Hale

Ross University (St. Kitts): Glynis McCorkle

Texas A&M University: Crystal Eng

Tufts University: Luke Jandreski,  Jennifer Mahon

Tuskegee University: Kyla Beguesse

Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (Peru): Jesus Lescano

University of Calgary (Canada): Nicole Rose

University of California, Davis: Josephine Bryk, Hanie Elfenbein, Denise Gonzalez, Wendi Jackson, Nili Karmi, Jennifer Kwan, Ryan Sadler, Allison Tarbell

University of Florida: Carla Bernal

University of Georgia: Kerrie Anne Loyd, Michaelle Purdee, Daniel Regan, Mason Savage University of Guelph (Canada): Vanessa Choy

University of Helsinki (Finland): Isa Immonen

University of Illinois: Jamie Reichert, Brittany Way

University of Minnesota: Jonathan Clayton, Felice Cuomo, Jaimi Johnson, Anna Rauk

University of Pennsylvania: Benjamin Golas, Mariam Kamal

University of Queensland (Australia): Karen Kerr, Jessica Walker

University of Tennessee: Eliza Ruffner

University of Utrecht (Netherlands): Marja de Jong, Jeroen Vis

Washington State University: Nicole Zuniga

Western University of Health Sciences: Bradley Ahrens, Eric Fish, Lindsey Porterfield, Kursten Roderick

*The number of students awarded per school varies depending on matching funds from the school.

“The research I was able to accomplish thanks to the Morris Animal Foundation was wonderful,” said former VSS program participant Marike Visser from Auburn University. “The exposure to the research field helped me decide to pursue my PhD. Also, I am hoping that my research will help improve the quality of care provided to all our animals.”

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A naturally occurring mutation of the OAS1 gene has now been confirmed as increasing the vulnerability of horses to the West Nile virus, thanks to a study led by Professor David Adelson (University of Adelaide) and conducted by PhD student Jonathan Rios (Texas A&M University).

The results of the study were published last month in the online peer-reviewed science journal PLoS One.

West Nile virus causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, resulting in paralysis and death in humans, horses, birds and other species.

“Horses have been seriously affected by the West Nile virus, especially in North America where vaccinations, treatments and the loss of horses have cost countless millions of dollars to horse owners, industry and the community,” says Professor Adelson, who is Professor of Bioinformatics and Computational Genetics at the University of Adelaide’s School of Molecular & Biomedical Science.

“The OAS gene cluster in horses most closely resembles that of humans. Because previous research had already identified mutations of OAS1 as playing a key role in the vulnerability of mice and humans to the West Nile virus, we felt it was worth investigating this potential link in horses.

“These genetic mechanisms seem to be playing a similar role in humans and horses in terms of allowing the West Nile virus to take its hold on the body.

“We believe this discovery will be of great interest to horse owners and those involved in controlling the spread of the virus. Knowing that a mutated OAS1 gene is playing a key role in this problem, valuable horses could be screened to check for the presence of the mutation and therefore susceptibility to the virus,” Professor Adelson says.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Infection, in 2009 there were 720 reported human cases of West Nile virus across the United States, including more than 30 deaths.

The virus has been found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania as well in North America. Australia remains free of the virus at this stage.

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