Please Note Change of Phone Number

We now have a new telephone number 0161 643 7724.

STRANGLES VACCINE IS BACK!

Intervet / Schering Plough Animal Health, the European market leader in equine vaccines, has announced the re-introduction of Equilis Strep E, the only strangles vaccine for horses in Europe.

The first re-introduction of the vaccine took place in the Netherlands in May 2010, whereas additional re-introductions are scheduled for Italy (September 2010), United Kingdom (October 2010). Further re-launches in European countries are scheduled later in 2010 and beyond.

Strangles is a highly contagious infectious disease in horses worldwide and it is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi subsp. equi. It is one of the most common bacterial equine respiratory infections and may cause major economic losses to the equine industry due to its prolonged course, recovery period and associated complications. It is accompanied by fever, purulent nasal discharge and abscesses in the head and neck regional lymph nodes. Mortality is rare, but up to ten percent of recovered animals become chronic carriers of the bacteria and subsequently can spread the disease.

We will be writing to all those clients to who previously had their horses vaccinated against strangles to make them aware of the re-launch and we will also feature an article in our next newsletter due out September / October 2010.

At our next client educational event due to be held in the Autumn 2010 we will have a representative from Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health available to answer any questions that you may have regarding strangles or the vaccine itself.

Strangles Vaccination website: http://www.equine-strangles.co.uk/

If you have any questions or concerns, please telephone the practice for advice on 0161 643 7724.

Staff Changes

Veterinary Staff

Due to the continued growth and expansion of the practice, we are in the process of recruiting an additional vet to join us towards the end of Summer 2010. We will announce full details of the successful candidate in our next newsletter.

In December 2009 vet Caterina Termine BSc (Hons), BVSc MRCVS left the practice to pursue an opportunity at the Hong Kong Jockey Club with whom Caterina had remained in contact with since being a member of the veterinary team at the 2008 Olympic games. It is an amazing opportunity for Caterina and we wish her every success for the future.

Caterina’s replacement is Holly Davidson BVM&S MRCVS. Holly joined the practice in February 2010 having graduated from Edinburgh University in Summer 2009. Holly has a developing interest in equine medicine, especially cardiology and management of respiratory disease. Holly has worked with many different types of horses over the years from M&M's and riding school ponies to racehorses and eventers. Holly is looking forward to getting back into riding in Manchester, but in the mean time is keeping busy finding her way around the Trafford Centre!

Office Staff

In June 2010 Emma Parkinson joined the practice as a part time administrative assistant. Emma is currently doing A-levels with a view to becoming a vet herself.

We are also in the process of recruiting an apprentice office assistant who will work full time in the office along with Diane and Charlotte.

Seasonal Reminders

Castrations - We stopped doing castrations in May 2010 and will begin booking them in again in October 2010. Castrations are only undertaken by the practice during the cooler months when flies are not prevalent between October and May each year. The risk of infection is much higher in the summer months so we do not perform this surgery until the weather cools down again in autumn.

Sweet Itch – A frustrating condition is Culicoides Hypersensitivity, more commonly known asSweet Itch.  The disease is a delayed hypersensitivity to insect bites and results from an over-vigorous response by the animal's immune system. In the process of repelling invading insect saliva (which actually contains harmless protein) the horse attacks some of its own skin cells 'by mistake' and the resulting cell damage causes the symptoms described as Sweet Itch. Anybody who has owned a horse or pony susceptible to sweet itch knows how difficult it is to manage but there is hope with a new product called Cavalesse.  

Cavalesse is a fairly new product introduced in 2009 that is now available for the treatment of summer skin allergies such as sweet itch. It has been designed to make the surface of the skin more resistant to allergies and to reduce the production of histamine. Histamine is produced by the immune system in response to skin allergies and results in itchy skin. A pack of Cavalesse consists of an oral solution, which must be given on a daily basis, and a topical gel. A single pack will provide 3 months treatment for one horse. Cost-wise it works out to be about 80p a day to treat!

As always prevention is best – so action is required immediately as it is best to begin using Cavalesse prior to the flies becoming prevalent. We have had a lot of success with Cavalesse to date and clients are happy to provide testimonials to this effect.

Laminitis – Beware of laminitis and remember prevention is best. Ensure turnout is limited and your horse / pony is exercised regularly. Remember field turnout is not exercise! If you suspect your horse/pony has laminitis it should be treated as a clinical emergency and seen immediately. The sooner treatment for laminitis begins – usually the better the prognosis.

Worming – Don’t forget to ask for a free worming programme. Controlling the worm burden is an essential part of your yearly management programme. Faecal examinations / worm egg counts are an excellent non intrusive way of assessing the levels of common worms in your horse. Also consider that tapeworms are not detected in a faecal examination so these should be routinely tested for separately with a blood sample or wormed accordingly at the correct time of year using the correct product. A worm burden can lead to lack of performance, weight loss, colic, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, anaemia, dullness and respiratory problems. Discounted annual worming packs are available for the practice which will save you 20% on the individual wormer price. For more info tel: 0161 643 7724 and speak to Diane or Charlotte.

Special Offers

5% DISCOUNT AVAILABLE TO ALL CLIENTS – ON ALL TREATMENTS

We are offering all clients a 5% discount if payments are made at the time of the visit / consultation / treatment. By doing this clients will be assisting in reducing the costs to the practice which means we can pass this saving onto our client. It will also help from an environmental point of view, as invoices will not need to be printed and mailed out. Payment can be made by cash, cheque, credit or debit card.

DISCOUNTED WORMING PACKAGES

SAVE 20%

Discounted worming packages are now available from the practice. The packages contain a 2 year rotating worming programme, all the wormers you will need for the year for your horse and a weigh tape. This will ensure you are worming correctly at the right time of the year, with the correct type of wormer and using the correct dosage. If you buy an annual pack you will also save 20% on the individual wormer price!!!!

********** NEW for 2010 *********

Recommend a Friend and receive a half price visit voucher

Plus Buy One – Get One Free on Vaccinations

for currently unvaccinated horses

For every client who recommends a friend to register with the practice we are offering a half price visit voucher, which can be used within 12 months from receipt. Vouchers are not limited to one per recommendation so this means the more new clients you recommend to the practice the more half price visit vouchers you will receive!

It is the policy of this practice that all horses registered are vaccinated at least for tetanus. If the horse is currently up to date with vaccinations then all we need to do is take the details of when the horse was last vaccinated as part of the registration process.

Not up to date with vaccinations???

If the horse is not up to date with vaccinations – no problem! We can offer a buy one get one free on vaccinations in order to get your horse fully up to date. This will help with the cost of getting the vaccinations re-started.

Our usual visit charge will apply. You may be able to reduce the vet visit fees by clubbing together with other horse owners at the same place and time.

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NEW CHEWABLE WORMER

Syringe handling, horse acceptance and the tendency to spit out some or all of the paste are common problems reported by owners when worming their horses. The launch of Vectin chewable tablets means that help is finally at hand for owners who may end up wearing most of the product following a stressful worming session.

Vectin Chewable Tablets are a novel approach to equine worming. Horse owners like to give treats and horses love to recieve them. New Vectin Chewable Tablets allow owners to simply hold out their hand for a novel approach to equine worming. Vectin Chewable Tablets provide an effective and enjoyable worming experience for both horses and their owners.

Used as part of a strategic worming plan, Vectin chewable tablets control potentially fatal parasites including small and large strongyles (also known as redworms), and stomach bots, which can cause colic. Field studies showed more than 70% spontaneous acceptance by horses and the simple calculation of one tablet for every 110kg of a horse or foal’s bodyweight helps to reduce wastage as unused tablets can be stored away for future use and is more cost effective.

NEW SUPPLEMENTS FOR HORSES – NOW IN STOCK

SERAQUIN GLME JOINT SUPPLEMENT

Seraquin GLME is a natural feed supplement, specifically developed to support the natural function of cartilage, joint capsules, tendons and ligaments and is recommended for use in horses with arthritis and joint stiffness.

There are many supplements available on the market and it can be difficult to know which to choose for the best. Seraquin GLME is the only one to contain Green Lipped Mussel Extract (GLME). The New Zealand Green-Lipped mussel - Perna Canaliculus - has been used in humans for many years as an important source of nutrients essential for healthy joint metabolism. The mussel contains a combination of essential fatty acids and other nutrients including glucosamine and chondroitin found nowhere else in nature. Importantly, some of these essential fatty acids have been demonstrated in published studies to have a measurable effect on enzymes involved in joint inflammation . All these components can combine to lubricate joints and support normal joint function – the elasticity of ligaments, and the shock-absorbing properties of cartilage. When choosing a GLME product, the manufacturing process is critically important in preserving nutrient levels and quality.

EQUITOP MYOPLAST – MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT

Equitop Myoplast is a unique supplement scientifically designed to support muscle development.

Packed with 18 key amino acids, these ‘power pearls’ support lean muscle growth, not bulk, giving your horse the power to win.

If you are considering using feed supplements for your horse, we can point you in the right direction. Please call the practice to discuss the options and products available 0161 643 7724.

Educational Evening 2010

During 2010 we will be continuing to hold educational evenings. Registered clients and clients registered elsewhere are all welcome to attend and the evenings are free of charge. Following the educational evenings in 2009 a number of topics were identified which people would like to see covered, these included Dentistry, Farriery, Nutrition and Feeding and Colic. Please email the practice with any preferences you may have and also any other topics you would like us to cover either at the educational evenings, in the newsletters or on the website.

Our newsletters are issued Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter and are sent to all registered clients. They are also available at certain feed merchants and show events and in addition are placed on the website (back copies can be downloaded from the website too). We run a competition each issue so keep an eye out for the next one! Remember – you’ve got to be in it to win it!

The next educational evening will be held in October/November 2010. The date will be placed in the newsletter and on the website so again look out for the date and contact the practice to book your free place. We look forward to seeing you all at the next event!

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****************** COMPETITION WINNER ******************

Congratulations to Kay Bruce from Bolton who is the winner of our recent competition.

Kay, who stables her horse Jake up at Moorview Equestrian Centre in Blackburn, is the lucky winner of the following prize valued at £200!:

HORSE MAGAZINE – VETS CASEBOOK – COULD YOU BE A FUTURE STAR!

The vets from the practice have recently been asked to write articles for Horse Magazine, a national publication for horse enthusiasts that is issued monthly. The articles written have featured some of our clients in the Vet Casebook section of the magazine, and detail some of the problems encountered and the treatments provided. Look out of next months issue!

www.horsemagazine.co.uk

We also continue to write for Gallop Magazine as part of the Health Matters feature. This is a bi-monthly publication issued throughout the North West.

Other News

BEVA - EMERGENCY SERVICE PROTOCOL LAUNCH

The practice has signed up to the British Equine Veterinary Association’s Emergency Services Protocol.

The protocol sets out a national standard with procedural guidelines for police and fire services with large animal rescue. Its creation was triggered by the number of horses dying slow, painful deaths in widely reported accidents on the roads and elsewhere. The aim of the new code is to minimise delays in injured animals receiving veterinary care, to maximise the chances of a positive outcome for the animal and to ensure the safety of all those involved.

We have agreed to be available to work with the emergency services in the event of an accident / incident involving horses within our area.

Update on Baby"Chewy"!

1 week old in first head collar	12 weeks old with Peter	Chewy at the Cheshire Show

Chewy aka Dizzee Rascal!

Chewy was 2 years old on 25th May 2010. He is doing really well and is long reining and is out and about doing some showing in hand (and practising standing still!). He did well at Rochdale getting placed 1st out of 25 in the youngstock class and 6th at Cheshire Show in the 2 year old class. He will hopefully be at Mottram show in August.

Update on the other practice horses

Lulu

Lulu is doing well. Peter has managed to qualify for the Veteran Horse Society regional finals for Olympia . We are still having problems slowing her down but have been having lessons with Paul Stenson from PGS Equestrian.

Chief

Chief is back on top form. Despite having very bad arthritic joints he remains sound and is back out competing locally doing coloured classes and working hunter. He loves his jumping!

April

April continues to have immunotherapy treatment for her allergy to grasses. Charlotte has been able to manage April’s allergy really well throughout the year with the help of the immunotherapy injections and also by using Cavalesse.

Charlotte had just returned April to full fitness when a jumping accident resulting in a broken collarbone for Charlotte brought an end to competing for this year! Thankfully April was fine, Charlotte has repaired and they will be back on track later this year.