Signs that your horse may have contracted JE are,

Poor appetite

High Temperature

Difficulty swallowing

Neurological issues

With JE, prevention is the key. If you live in a high mosquito area, it is important to be mindful if you live in areas with dams or water where birds frequent. Replacing water in troughs and buckets helps reduce the reproduction cycle.

Keeping your horse covered will strongly reduce the possibility of being bitten by mosquitoes. Insect repellent rugs and fly veils will keep your horse covered from mosquitoes. The best rugs and fly veils for prevention of biting insects are the Wild Horse Australia brand. You can also cover legs and ears. Check out our range of Wild Horse Australia rugs and combos here.

Remember, to always consult a veterinarian if you are concerned or your horses symptoms persist.

Check out our first class here-

https://studio.youtube.com/video/rfsFXZbXZF0/edit

I am so sick of trying to decide what rugs to put on my horse. Nor rug and they end up with rain scald along their back . Rugs that are too hot causes them to sweat . Its raining one minute and sunny the next. The midgies are biting and there is ticks everywhere.

What I need is a light combo made from a combination of mesh and 600 denier waterproof top. This unique design would be specially created for horses that require a rain sheet in wet, warmer weather but struggle to stay cool underneath. The airmesh bottom would allow more ventilation underneath the rug but at the same time keep the horse dry in wet weather in the places they need it most along the top of their spine and neck. I also need Quality buckle fittings, adjustable leg straps and chest with nice shoulder darts. 

But wait Aussie Saddlery has one .......

Mesh Rain sheet combo

"At Ranvet we pride ourselves on being Australian Owned, Operated and Made. After all, supporting local business is great for the economy and the country, it provides jobs for the community, and supports local manufacturing- a win for everyone, from larger businesses to the small family-owned enterprise!

The journey of a single Ranvet product supports a multitude of local jobs and Aussie businesses!

The journey of a Ranvet Product…

All of Ranvet’s powder and liquid products are manufactured on site at our Sydney Headquarters, whilst our injectables, pastes and pellets, are produced locally for us by fellow Australian Family-Owned businesses.

Whether it be to or from our Sydney Warehouse, Ranvet products travel nationally on Australian owned transport companies- to as far south as Tasmania, to as West as Perth.

From our warehouse, most of these products next stop on their journey is one of our trusted Australian Distributors. It is from these distributors that your local produce store, saddlery, or rural supplies can source their Ranvet goods from their most local supply. This approach supports the 1000’s of national jobs in distribution and transport, whilst giving your local store greater accessibility and faster access to the products they need for their shelves! It also provides equality of opportunity, from the many small family business run by Mums and Dads in rural towns, to larger franchises in suburbia, they are treated with the same high-quality service that give their business the best tool to succeed. As these stores succeed, so do their local employees and communities.

It is then from these stores that you, the customer purchase, your product! Whether it is one small tube of White Healer or a large bucket of Salkavite, you can be assured that you are getting a product of the highest quality, and, as an added bonus, you are supporting local manufacturing, local jobs and local business"

It is possible that you will not be able to eliminate all of the bot flies if you deworm your horses too early in the autumn. Bot insects are frequently present far into the autumn, and they lay their eggs on the coats of the horses. If you deworm your horse on March 1st, there will be bot flies, and following that, there will be bot eggs and larvae that arrive after the treatment and will live within your horse for the entire year.

Consequently, if your horses are in good condition, you should postpone the deworming that is performed in autumn for a little bit longer. Before beginning the deworming process, you should wait until the evenings become cooler and the bot flies vanish. Additionally, you should make sure that the dewormer you purchase is effective against bots; otherwise, your efforts will be useless. If your horses require treatment at this time, you should do so; nevertheless, you should be sure to target bot flies once again in the early winter. When it comes to the "first frost" approach, it simply implies that the temperature is low enough for the bots to be done. The frosts that occur in Australia are not cold enough to kill any worms that are buried in the ground; in order to do so, they require days that are consistently below zero degrees (think of winters in Northern Europe or the United States).

What causes Summer Sores?

Summer Sores are caused by an infestation of the Habronema spp. larvae in the sensitive tissues of the horse or pony. Luckily, they do not affect humans. The migrating larvae cause irritation and inflammation of the mucous membranes and skin tissue. The larvae are deposited on mucous membranes or wounds on the horse by common stable or house flies. If ingested by the horse, the larvae will migrate to the stomach and become fully mature. This takes about 8 weeks. They will then pass eggs into the manure and the life cycle is complete when they are ingested by flies or fly larvae. The adult larvae are around 6-25mm long and rarely cause any problems for horses if they follow their normal lifecycle in the digestive system. Because they are small, they can be difficult to diagnose via fecal egg count or gastric endoscopy.

How do I treat Summer Sores?

Treat by following the prevention method first. Your veterinarian may recommend topical and or intravenous corticosteroids and anti-inflammatories to control the itching and promote wound healing. They may also have to surgically remove or debride the wound of any granulation tissue or if there is an excessive amount of larvae present. Antibiotics may also be recommended for any secondary infections. If possible, wounds should be bandaged to prevent reinfection by flies. You may notice that the lesions seem to get worse before they get better. This happens because the larvae are agitated by the treatments and become more active before they die causing the tissues to become even more inflamed and itchy. Anti-inflammatories should help prevent this from happening.

How do I prevent Summer Sores?

Treating with a “mectin” (macrocyclic lactone) based wormer can kill the Habronema worms that are present in the stomach and prevent eggs from being picked up by flies or their larvae. Ivermectin is the most common, but Moxidectin or Abamectin is also effective. Some horses are predisposed to getting Summer Sores. These horses may need to be treated more often. A general guideline is to treat in the spring before flies become a problem to break the life cycle. Older or horses that get Summer Sores easily, may even be treated again a week later. Your veterinarian may even suggest a third treatment.

You can also break the cycle by reducing the fly population as much as possible. This can be done by:

• Keeping paddocks and stables clean and free of manure.
• Keep feed bins clean.
• Compost manure and food scraps. The heat created will kill the larvae.

Care should be taken to keep your horse or pony as fly-free as possible. This can be the trickiest part. Fly repellents, fly masks, fly boots, and fly sheets are all options to consider to help prevent flies from depositing the larvae on your horse or pony. Older horses and ponies should have regular health checks to make sure their immune systems can cope. 

Laminitis is a painful and potentially debilitating condition in horses that affects the tissues (laminae) connecting the hoof wall to the coffin bone within the hoof. It can have various causes, and while it doesn't have a single cause, it can be triggered by a variety of factors. Founder is a term often used interchangeably with laminitis, but strictly speaking, founder refers to the more severe, advanced stages of laminitis where the coffin bone has rotated or sunk within the hoof.

Causes of laminitis can include:

1. Nutritional Factors: Overeating, especially on lush, rich pasture or excessive grain consumption, can lead to an overload of carbohydrates, which may contribute to laminitis.
2. Metabolic Conditions: Horses with conditions such as Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) or Cushing's disease (PPID) may be more prone to laminitis.
3. Concussive Factors: Repeated trauma to the hooves, such as excessive road or hard surface work, can contribute to laminitis.
4. Systemic Illness: Infections or illnesses elsewhere in the horse's body can trigger laminitis.
5. Endotoxins: Certain conditions, such as colic or severe infections, can release endotoxins into the bloodstream, potentially leading to laminitis.

Preventing laminitis involves several key strategies:

1. Proper Nutrition: Provide a balanced diet appropriate for the horse's age, weight, and activity level. Avoid sudden changes in diet, and monitor grazing on lush pasture.
2. Weight Management: Maintain a healthy body weight for your horse to reduce the risk of metabolic issues.
3. Regular Exercise: Regular exercise can help improve circulation and maintain overall health. Be cautious with intense or prolonged work on hard surfaces.
4. Proper Hoof Care: Regular hoof care, including trimming and shoeing by a skilled farrier, is essential for preventing laminitis.
5. Monitor for Health Issues: Be vigilant for signs of illness or infection and address them promptly.
6. Veterinary Care: Regular veterinary check-ups are important to monitor the overall health of the horse and catch any potential issues early.

If you suspect laminitis or notice signs such as lameness, reluctance to move, increased digital pulses, or changes in hoof temperature, it's crucial to seek immediate veterinary attention. Early intervention can significantly improve the outcome for a horse with laminitis.

Prevention is always better than cure. So we have 3 suggestions

1. Trim 

2. Grazing Muzzle

3. Founderguard

WHAT IS TRIM?

Trim

Weight Management Supplement for Overweight or Good-Doer Horses Kohnke’s Own TRIM is designed to help normalise the metabolism in ‘good doer’ horses and ponies who may be at risk of laminitis and founder.

Owners often struggle to reduce weight in these horses and ponies, even during periods of sparse grass or reduced feeding. While a trip to the ‘Jenny Craig’ paddock is a popular way to begin weight loss, it may not be successful if the horse or pony is an ‘easy-keeper’.

TRIM can be used before the horse is at risk of laminitis or founder, but it can also quickly soften and reduce cresty necks and tail butt fat which are the common signs that body condition of a horse or pony is well above the healthy range. 

Grazing Muzzle

A Grazing muzzle allows your horse or pony out to wander around the paddock without being able to ingest large quantities of grass. They can still drink and it prevents them from being locked up all the time which results in a much happier pony.

 FOUNDERGUARD is not a treatment for horses that have already got laminitis and founder it can however be used to prevent further bouts of laminitis in the future or from it occurring at all.

WHAT IS FOUNDERGUARD®?

FOUNDERGUARD is a clinically proven preventative supplement for feed induced laminitis and founder. It has been formulated to ensure delivery of the active drug to the hind gut and proven to control the build up of lactic acid in the hind gut. A small daily dose of the palatable granules allows high grain diets to be fed safely. It is recommended for 

• Horses on high grain diets e.g. gallopers, pacers, eventers and show hacks
• Young horses being prepared for sales e.g. high grain/low exercise animals
• Horses that have suffered laminitis or founder in the past
• Horses undergoing a change in diet

• FOUNDERGUARD controls the build-up of lactic acid from this fermentation process, preventing damage to the gut lining and therefore laminitis.
• FOUNDERGUARD can be added to the daily feed as an effective daily management tool of horses at risk of founder and low-grade laminitis.

Founder Guard is an anti-biotic, Virginiamycin. It is designed for horses that are risk of developing laminitis from grazing pasture or on a high grain diet.

Flies can be a nuisance for horses, causing irritation, stress, and potential health issues. Fortunately, there are several strategies you can employ to help prevent flies from bothering your horse:

Fly Sprays:

Storage

IM Medications are to be stored as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions as directed on the labelling.

Preparation

• Ensure the horse is being held by a competent handler who is standing on the same side as the injection will be given. Do not have the horse tied up.
• Be in a calm, quiet environment to reduce risk of horse moving/fidgeting
• Wear disposable gloves
• Ensure injection site is not grossly contaminated e.g. muddy
• Use a freshly opened, new needle and syringe for every injection. We recommend using individually packaged needles and syringes. Never reuse either the needle or the syringe, as a contaminated needle/syringe could introduce a dangerous infection to your horse.
• Make sure that you are about to administer:
  • The correct drug
  • The correct amount of drug (correct dose)
  • The it is definitely supposed to be given IM (correct route)
  • That you are giving it at the correct time of day
  • To the correct horse

Choosing an Injection Site

• Select location for injection (neck or hindquarters and left or right)
• Try to alternate between locations especially if injecting a large volume (i.e. greater than 10mls)

The Neck

• The land marks for injecting in the neck muscle are:
  • The scapula (shoulder blade) – at the base of the neck (behind the red line)
  • The cervical spine (neck vertebrae) – at the bottom of the neck (below the green line)
  • The nuchal ligament – at the top of the neck (above the white line)
• You should inject in the triangle approximately a hands width above the shoulder blade, about half way between the nuchal ligament and cervical vertebrae

Hindquarters (Gluteals)

• The aim is to inject into the large muscle mass of the hindquarters
• Only inject in this area if the horse is of suitable temperament for you to do so safely
• Feel for the three bony prominences of the pelvis (the tuber coxae, tuber ischium and tuber sacrale) as illustrated by the green arrows
• Imagine a triangle using these three points and inject approximately in the centre of this triangle (as far from the bony prominences as possible)

Technique

• Make sure area is clean
• Select the appropriate site for your injection
• Stand in an appropriate and safe position in case the horse reacts to the needle being inserted
• Quickly and decisively, insert the needle perpendicular to the skin. A fast stab is less painful for the patient. The entire length of the needle, up to the hub, should be inserted into the muscle
• Attach your syringe and pull back on the plunger (draw back) to check for blood
  • If blood is seen in the syringe:
    • Detach your syringe
    • Pull needle half way out
    • Change direction of the needle by a few degrees
    • Re-insert needle
    • Draw back again to check there’s no blood
  • If no blood is seen inject medication slowly over a few seconds
• Once syringe is empty the needle and syringe should be removed together in one smooth movement

Disposal of equipment

• Needles and syringes should be stored somewhere safe e.g. in a small box where there is no risk of someone injuring themselves on them
• They should be returned to your vet or the practice dispensary once the course is complete

Courtesy of the Royal Veterinary College , University of London