I’m not a “horse person.” I can count my experiences with horses — prior to meeting Aimee (Dr. Eggleston) in Virginia seven years ago — on one finger. I grew up only miles from renowned thoroughbred farms in Maryland and I went to school in the midst of large and pristine pastures in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia — dotted everywhere with horses. Yet, till I met Aimee my only experience with a horse was on a camping trip when I was five. My family took an hour long guided trail ride from some two-bit operation in Western Maryland. My horse veered into the woods and stopped and wouldn’t move.

To me, horses are unknown and inscrutable creatures and the past seven years of dating and then marrying an equine vet have done little to change that fact. It may be little wonder, then, that Aimee impresses me with her knowledge of, and skill in handling, horses. I am more than simply impressed, though, as my feelings tend toward wonder and trepidation.

When I first saw Aimee handle a horse, I thought she was fearless. Being in a 10 foot square “room” with a half-ton animal scares me. Seeing Aimee work with a horse, as she positions it, as she whispers to it and sometimes shouts, as she gives and takes ground, all while she delicately finds a vein, is an exhilarating sight. That I have learned that this dance, if you will, is a tenuous proposition terrifies me.

Part of this fear surely stems from my love for my wife, but partly this fear is grounded in the realities of a 1200lb., somewhat unpredictable animal, of unwelcome (to the horse) medical treatments and the compromised positions they require of medical professionals, and of an inclination to imagine the worst. If it were up to me, my wife wouldn’t do stifle x-rays and she wouldn’t do standing castrations. Lacerations in the inguinal area would have to heal on their own. I could be sick with worry, but I pacify my fear with the knowledge that Aimee is skilled and she is smart.

Aimee is 32 and she has 20 or more years of practice remaining. She’s young and the finish line is far. Aimee will be injured by one of her patients in the coming years. She will be injured; the statistics are not on her side. I pray that this likelihood fails to pass and if it does that the injury is not severe. But I (we) plan for the worst.

Only a few months ago, I received a call that Aimee was in the hospital after a horse kicked her in the neck. Luckily the injury presented Aimee with no lasting disability, though we initially thought that her hand was broken. The scariest thing about the incident is that it occurred when taking a horse’s temperature during a routine health exam. Maybe I should add rectal temperatures to the list of “medical procedures” my wife should not perform. I joke because the underlying risk of injury to Aimee is both serious and omnipresent. After getting to the hospital, seeing Aimee bruised and swollen and smiling in the emergency room, I knew she was safe and I hoped that kick was her injury (that was her due) and that we were lucky.

Tim Ahearn

Ezra is a 20-year-old 2,000 pound European Belgian, with a heart as big as he is. Last January, Ezra lost his work partner of 12 years. He no longer had to work, however he still needed a purpose in life.

That’s when news of the Delta Society crossed our path. The Delta Society is a not-for-profit organization of pet owners, volunteers, therapists, educators, veterinarians and other health professionals. Their mission is to improve human health through the use of service and therapy animals. Registered pet partners bring the physical and emotional benefits of human-animal interaction to people in nursing homes, schools, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, group homes and hospices, just to name a few. After many years of doing hayrides, field trips, weddings and numerous other activities involving the public, it seemed that the Delta Society would be a perfect fit for Ezra.

After I completed the volunteer training program and Ezra completed his health screening, we had to pass a skills and aptitude test. The overall exam was to test how comfortable Ezra would be when examined by a stranger and how he and I would interact as a team in a public setting. I was to act as Ezra’s advocate and would help him become comfortable in different situations. You can imagine the over-exuberant, frequent and clumsy petting, the restraining hugs, the gesturing individuals, the noise and yelling, the inadvertent bumps and the crowds Ezra would have to face — in his new job as a therapy animal.

I am pleased to say that we both passed the exam with flying colors. I was a nervous wreck, but Ezra was a rock. He was his normal calm, cool and collected self. It was a funny scene when we pulled up to the RISPCA for our test. The volunteers were expecting to evaluate a little Shetland pony. When they saw the trailer pull in they exclaimed that there was no pony in there! You can imagine their surprise at 2,000-pound Ezra! Incidentally, we were told that Ezra is the first horse in RI to be registered as a Pet Assisted Therapy Animal. I bet he’s the largest therapy animal in RI as well!

With most Animal Assisted Activities/Therapies, it is customary to bring the animal to the hospital, school or other facility. Our intention is to have clients come to us at our farm — and enjoy not only Ezra but also the fresh air and change of scenery.

We welcome anyone interested to contact me at Chepachet Farms. Please call (401) 568-9996 or email me at chep.farm@cox.net.

For more information on the Delta Society, visit their web site at www.deltasociety.org. The RISPCA will be hosting two pet assisted therapy workshops at their facility in East Providence on March 4,2007 and August 5, 2007. For more information, please call Liz at (401) 438-8150 or email her at lvaughn@rispca.com.

Jody Esposito
Chepachet Farms
chep.farm@cox.net
(401) 568-9996

Question: “I read in Equus about the dangers of withered Red Maple leaves for horses. Is it true that just eating a few of these leaves can sicken or kill a horse? I have always let our horses graze in my back yard, surrounded by various maples and oaks. Should I stop? Are there times of year that are more or less risky? As far as I know, none of my horses have ever been sickened by this. Thanks for your advice.”

The question is excellent. Every year horses suffer from Red Maple Leaf Toxicosis.

Last fall, I was covering emergency “on call” for a local colleague. I received a page from a client of hers. The client reported that she had taken her young Haflinger out for an afternoon trail ride. On the ride, she noticed that her horse was not acting like “himself”. During the ride, the Haflinger stopped and urinated and the urine was a red wine color. Alarmed, she jumped off of him, brought him back to the barn, and called me. In the barn, he urinated a second time and again the urine was dark red wine in color.

After listening to the client, I asked her if there was any possibility that her horse had eaten withered red maple leaves. She did not know. I told her that it was imperative that she get her horse on a trailer and get him to a hospital for evaluation and emergency treatment. She did so quickly. We found out later that there had been red maple leaves, wilted, in the bale of hay fed to the horse that morning. If it had not been for the client’s quick actions, noticing the urine, taking the horse immediately to a referral hospital, the horse may not have survived.

From June through October wilted, or partially wilted, leaves of the Red Maple tree are deadly to horses. The older, drier leaves cause faster poisoning than the early summer leaves. The leaves remain toxic and deadly for three plus weeks once they dry and wilt on the ground. Horses that ingest even just small amounts of these leaves often die from a profound anemia that is caused by the destruction of the red blood cells in the horse’s system. Horses may die within as little as 18 to 24 hours due to a lack of oxygen delivered to vital organs.

Not all maples are Red Maples and we do not know the affects of all maple leaves red in color on our horses. However, because of the profound effects of Red Maple Leaf Toxicosis, and to be on the safe side, I would absolutely recommend avoiding the exposure of any horse to red colored maple leaves. If your horses have access to leaves from a Red Maple tree I would recommend:

• Simply do not allow your horse access to Red Maple leaves. Ensure that fallen leaves and branches are not allowed into horse areas. Fence off Red Maple leaf areas.

• It may sound extreme, but consider cutting down any Red Maple tree that could “contaminate” your property. Ensure the stumps are completely dead so that they do not sprout leaves and shoots.

Red Maple leaves can be toxic at just 1.5 pounds per 1,000 pound horse. Red Maple leaves can be lethal at just 3 pounds per 1,000 pound horse! Why risk any amount of red maple leaf ingestion?

Great question and rethink allowing your horses out in this area from late spring through the fall.

Question: “I recently had to put down my 16 year old Arabian due to Degenerative Suspensory Disease (DSD). Over the past few years we were told that his problem was arthritis (due to being a english pleasure saddle seat horse). Then we were told that his problem was that his hocks were still fusing (and they injected them). Then we were told it was DSD. What causes DSD? All we were told was that there is no cure and all we could do was make him comfortable. I just need to know if there is anything to do to prevent DSD?”

Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis (DSLD), also known as Equine Systemic Proteoglycan Accumulation (ESPA) is a serious disease. Horses afflicted with DSLD have a poor prognosis for continued athletic performace. DSLD is a condition that has been recognized in Peruvian Pasos, Peruvian Paso crosses, Arabians, American Saddlebreds, American Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, and some European Warmbloods.

Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Desmitis is a condition characterized by inflammation and “faulty” healing in the suspensory ligament resulting in a loss of structural support for the ligament. In DSLD, the suspensory ligament fails to generate new collagen for repairing tears and strains it suffers. Instead, cartilage is generated and replaces the collagen fibers. The result is a loss of elasticity and strength in the ligament. Over time the ligament lengthens and breaks down. As the ligament worsens we begin to see the characteristic sign of DSLD: a horizontal pastern and dropped fetlock.

DSLD is often bilateral in nature meaning it often affects both the right and left sides of the horse at once. Recently this condition is thought to affect not only the suspensory ligament, but other ligaments and tendons of the body as well as other organ systems of the body.

The cause of DSLD is largely unknown. There may be a genetic component, though a genetic basis for DSLD has not been proven. DSLD appears to be more prevalent in athletic horses — where tendons and ligaments are under higher strain. This increased strain coupled with the conformation of an individual horse may contribute to DSLD. But to your question – is there anything to do to prevent DSLD? Because the cause of DSLD is largely unknown, we simply don’t know how to prevent it.

Treatment of DSLD is multifaceted. Pain medications are often indicated. Supportive leg bandages may help a horse’s comfort level. Supplements (e.g. MSM) may also help a horse’s comfort level. Controlled and restricted exercise or outright rest is often indicated. Some veterinarians may recommend slow up hill walking in order to help the supporting muscles and tendons surrounding the suspensory ligaments. Corrective (and “creative”) shoeing may help a horse’s comfort level and help support the suspensory ligaments. Acupuncture may also be an avenue to explore. The bottom line, though, is that DSLD carries a grave prognosis for the continued athletic carrer of a horse. Most available treatments are aimed at improving the quality of life of the horse. Threatments are palliative, not curative.

I am sorry for the loss of your Arabian. I hope this post helps to shed some light on the basics of DSLD. It is an area where research and medcial breakthroughs are needed. Hopefully we will be able to offer our equine athletes more hope in the future.

Question: “My trainer thinks our gelding may be a bit back sore. He’s 6 years old. We are trying massage but she mentioned an injection of Legend. What do you think, or do you need more info to give an opinion.”

Without complete information about the horse’s exact clinical signs and without being able to personally evaluate the horse, it is difficult to definitively answer this question. Has a lameness, musculoskeletal or motion exam been performed? Have radiographs been taken or has an ultrasound been done? What were the findings? I will try to answer the question in a general way.

Back pain is a significant cause of poor performance in horses. A horse may experience back pain for a multitude of reasons including poor saddle fit, poor rider fit, arthritis of the vertebrae and strain of the ligaments and/or muscles of the back/vertebrae. Additionally, pain in the hocks, stifles, mouth, neck, and other areas of the horse’s body may contribute to back pain.

To figure out which, if any, of the above factors are contributing to your horse’s back pain, I would recommend that you have the horse evaluated by a veterinarian. Your veterinarian will perform a thorough musculoskeletal exam, including palpation of the limbs and back of the horse, as well as a motion analysis. Joint flexion tests are also often performed. In addition, a thorough oral exam should be performed as the mouth can be a cause of back pain and poor performance in a horse. After stationary and motion evaluation, your veterinarian may wish to add diagnostics such as radiographs and ultrasound. In some cases, thermography and/or nuclear scintigraphy (a “bone scan”) are also recommended in order to fully evaluate the horse. In addition and importantly, a fair number of horses that present with back pain are battling Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS). EGUS can result in referred or secondary pain in the horse’s back. If EGUS is suspected, scoping the horse’s stomach would be indicated.

The treatment for a horse’s back pain depends on its exact cause. However, there are some good and general recommendations. Properly and professionally fit your saddle to your horse’s back. Saddle fitting should be done by a qualified expert. Chiropractic care and acupuncture treatments can help a horse with a sore back.

Joint medications such as Legend, Adequan, oral glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM are recommended where joint pathology is suspected as a contributor to the back pain. Where back pain is related specifically to pathology of the back, and not a secondary clinical sign of joint pathology, such joint medications will likely not resolve the pain or the underlying pathology. It is important to understand the cause of your horse’s back pain to know if these medications are indicated.

Other treatments for back pain include time off, muscle relaxants, shock wave therapy, and low dose steroid injections. The exact treatment course will depend on the cause of your horse’s back pain — as determined by the examinations and diagnostics mentioned above.

I know that I have answered your question in a general way. However, back pain is a broad (but important) topic. It is difficult to talk in specifics without complete information on your horse. I would recommend that you not ignore your horse’s back pain now that you’ve identified it as an issue. Back pain is a significant cause of poor performance in horses.

Thanks for the question and good luck!