Newsletter with schedule 2016

The Equine Clinic at OakenCroft
Winter Newsletter 2016
New & Improved
In an ongoing effort to offer our clientele the best
care possible, we have upgraded and expanded our
diagnostic equipment this past year. The biggest upgrade
is that we have purchased the newest digital radiology (DR)
system offered by Cuattro. This system is entirely batterypowered and delivers amazing, crisp images stall-side. This
acquisition expands our fleet of radiology equipment to
three DR systems and multiple computed radiology (CR)
systems available for use on your horse.
Additionally we have replaced one of our power
floats with a new Swiss Float. We have noticed that this
new float is lightweight, very quiet and has less vibration
along the teeth. We may also bring with us a new dental
headstand to balance your horse’s head while being
floated. This aids us in keeping you, your horse, and us as
comfortable as possible while providing this essential
service for your horse’s overall health.
Also in the dental equipment area, we have
acquired a hand held endoscope that can allow us to better
examine the nooks and crannies of your horse’s mouth.
Finally, the other key diagnostic tool we’ve
acquired is a Serum Amyloid A reader (SAA), which is an
inflammatory protein that circulates in the horse’s blood
when they are sick. Monitoring this protein allows us to
tailor a more specific treatment regimen for your horse so
that s/he can recover and return to work more quickly.
Acupuncture
ECO is excited to offer acupuncture services again
to our clients. Drs. Jen McDonald, Calsey Grant, and Alli
Linn are all certified in acupuncture. This allows us to be a
more thoroughly comprehensive practice, integrating
state-of-the-art medical approaches and holistic
treatments.
Acupuncture has proven to be beneficial to horses
with lameness issues, back pain, and to help athletes
perform at their best. In addition, reproduction, chronic
medical ailments, and major illnesses can also be helped by
acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture can sometimes be
used as a sole therapy but is often used in conjunction with
traditional medical treatments.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, disease is
understood as an imbalance in the body, and diagnosis
proceeds through identifying the underlying pattern of
disharmony. While a patient’s primary issue is evaluated
and addressed, a treatment geared toward supporting and
balancing the entire body to help heal itself is the goal. This
approach stems from the belief that the body is as an
interconnected system, not just specific organs, so that
disease and disharmony must be examined with respect to
the whole patient.
Treatments consist of an examination of your
horse, discussion of health and behavioral concerns,
techniques to localize areas of sensitivity, and finally
treatment using strategic needle placement to stimulate a
specific response. Points are chosen to improve circulation,
nourishment, and energy through channels related to the
problems faced by the patient.
Please give us a call to talk with one of our
acupuncturists or to schedule an appointment for your
horse today.
Anaplasmosis
Anaplasmosis (also known as Equine Granulocytic
Ehrlichiosis) is a tick borne disease caused by the bacteria
Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The disease tends to occur
in late fall, winter and spring. The time from when a horse
is bitten by a tick to the time clinical signs are seen (the
incubation period) can vary from 1 day to almost a month.
Presenting clinical signs are typically a sudden onset of a
fever, which can be very high (102-106). The horse may
also be depressed, have a lack of appetite, have swollen
legs, generalized weakness, or even a reluctance to walk.
When treating for the disease your vet will often
take a blood sample for a CBC (complete blood count). The
disease will typically show some characteristic changes on
this test such as a low white blood cell count (leukopenia),
low red blood cells (anemia), and low platelets
(thrombocytopenia). An Anaplasma-specific blood test
(PCR) can also provide a positive or negative result. As the
disease is the result of a tick bite, and those ticks may carry
Lyme disease as well, it may be recommended to test for
both diseases.
Treatment is with the Tetracyline class of
antibiotics. Typically oxytetracycline will be given IV
initially. Then, based off blood work changes and clinical
response, it may be repeated in subsequent days. Oral
administration of doxycycline may then be administered
for 7-14 days. Fever and other signs usually resolve quickly
within 24-48 hours of treatment. Often a response to
treatment confirms the presumptive diagnosis.
While the disease is self-limiting, meaning it can
resolve in a few weeks without any treatment, signs tend
to be more severe and can persist. Secondary
complications from fever can occur as well, such as colic.
An existing infection can also be made worse. The disease
is usually not fatal and complications are rare if treatment
is prompt. When diagnosed early and treated
appropriately, the prognosis for a full return to health is
excellent.
Tick prevention is the key to disease control as
there is no vaccine for Anaplasmosis. Check your horses
daily. Ticks tend to like less haired, warm areas such as the
armpit, groin and under the jaw. Ticks must typically be
attached for 24 hours in order transmit their infection.
Keep long grasses and shrubbery trimmed and out of your
pasture. Try to limit exposure to tick carriers such as barn
rodents and deer. Remember to keep using your fly and
tick spray (one that contains permethrins) through the
winter. Even though the flies are gone the ticks are not.
Other topical products or even some canine products may
be helpful. Vectra-3D, a current canine product, is in the
works for equine labeling. Current dosing for a 1,000lb
horse would be 3 of the largest dog doses distributed down
the back from pole to tail-head. Guinea hens and chickens
are also great natural tick predators.
Meet the Intern: Dr. Alli Linn
Hello, loyal OakenCroft client base! Although I’ve
met a number of you in the first six months of my
internship, I would like to formally introduce myself and
say that I am (still) incredibly excited to be with OakenCroft
for my first exciting year as a veterinarian.
I am a Midwestern girl all the way. I grew up in a
small town in Iowa called Pella, population 10,000 (this is
actually quite large for Iowa). Pella is best known for
windows and our Dutch heritage. We have a yearly Tulip
Festival in the spring where tourists flock to see us dressed
in wooden shoes and Dutch costumes, scrubbing the
streets before twice daily parades. “Dutchness” is so
pervasive in Pella the “V” section of the phonebook is the
largest one. Although not Dutch by blood, I consider
myself “adopted Dutch” and appreciate the hints of Dutch
heritage sprinkled throughout the capital region.
For ten years prior to moving east I lived in
Minnesota. Yes, the accent comes out every now and
again, “dontcha know.” I completed my undergraduate
education at a small liberal arts school called Gustavus
Adolphus College and my veterinary education at the
University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine.
Between these two undertakings, I spent 2 years managing
a local coffee shop, loving nearly every minute of that
caffeine-addled whirlwind. I consider Minnesota my adult
home state and still have many friends and colleagues
there.
The next most common question I get asked is, “Do
you ride?” And I do. I have a giant, dopey OTTB named
Bristol Bomber. We pleasure ride and occasionally do
“Dressage.” (I use the term loosely...we are really not very
fancy or advanced.) He is equal parts stress creating and
stress relieving, and I adore him. He raced until he was a 7
year old, retiring from the track at Canterbury Park in
Shakopee, MN. Bounced around to a few rescues, he was
placed for 3 years in a home before being taken back in
poor body condition. That’s when I found him. Now he’s a
sassy 1,300 lb. doofus who I plan to dote on for the rest of
his days. My menagerie is rounded out by two incredible
cats, Cadenza and Voce. They really are the most social
cats in the world. They run to greet guests at the door and
can usually be found within 5 feet of wherever I am in the
house. They are clicker trained and know “up,” “sit,”
“jump,” “down,” and “high five.” Maybe it’s weird that I
have clicker trained cats....but I just call myself a crazy cat
lady in training. They make my little cabin a home.
Other than animals, music has always been a huge
part of my life. I wanted to be a percussionist as far back
as I can remember. As a very small child, I used to march
around my house to “The Little Drummer Boy” pretending
to play the drums. Whenever we watched a parade, I
would count the number of girls in the percussion section of
a band (back then, there weren’t that many). My dream
came true in 5th grade and I was consistently a
percussionist in a music ensemble through the end of my
undergraduate education. I was even bass drum #3 in a
drum and bugle corps one summer after undergrad. In
addition to percussion, choir has had a huge impact on my
life. I was in children’s choirs as a youngster and sang alto
in the top mixed voice choir at Gustavus. Nothing can
compare to singing with 60+ trained voices in 8 part
harmony. Nothing. It is absolutely the part of college I
miss most. Over the years, music has brought me to New
York City, Seattle, Toronto, the UK, France, Germany,
Austria, Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and China.
Although my days with touring ensembles are likely over, I
plan in the future to ensure music remains an integral part
of my life.
Many of you know that I am certified in veterinary
medical acupuncture and maybe I’ve had the pleasure of
treating your horses. I finished my certification while still
in veterinary school and have had a great time stretching
my complementary therapy “wings” during my internship.
I am hoping to one day complete chiropractic training to
add to my repertoire of complementary and rehabilitation
techniques. The other area of equine medicine that I get
far too excited about is dentistry. It is amazing to think
about how much one preventative technique affects not
only a horse’s daily life and nutrition, but also their
happiness and compliance in their work and relationship
with humans. I also enjoy reproduction, ophthalmology,
and sport horse care. I’m excited to see where the next six
months of my internship take me and what other areas I
may develop a particular interest in!
All in all, I’m excited to be here and hope to meet
many more of you in the coming months!
Mark Your Calendars!

Client Education Clinic – Sunday 4/2/16
o Topics: Acupuncture, Emergencies, Farrier, Saddle Fit, Wound Care, Vaccines
o Formatted for adults, we encourage children of all ages to attend our Youth Day
 Northeastern Student Avenues Weekend– Saturday 9/10/16 & Sunday 9/11/16
 Youth Day – Saturday 9/17/16
 The Castration Project – Friday 10/7/16 (Applications open August 1st)
 11th Annual Farrier Conference – Thursday 10/13/16 & Friday 10/14/16
Check our website frequently for the most up-to-date details on each event. Youth, 4H, Pony Club, and rescue groups are
offered special pricing. We ask that you please register beforehand so we can plan attendance and refreshments accordingly.
You may do so by calling the clinic at 518-767-2906 or through email at equineclinic@oakencroft.org.
The Equine Clinic at OakenCroft
880 Bridge Street
Ravena, NY 12143
PH: 518-767-2906
FX: 518-767-3503
http://oakencroft.org
Visit us on the web at http://oakencroft.org for upcoming events, current information, directions,
and to access our convenient online pharmacy http://oakencroft.vetsfirstchoice.com
Please update ECO with your email address for prompt and paperless communication, updates, and coupons!
Things to know when travelling with your horse this year!
-
-
State law requires horses to have a yearly rabies vaccine, and a current coggins test. Coggins are good within NYS for 2
calendar years (not 24 months).
You will need a health certificate to travel out of state. Most interstate travel requires a coggins within 6-12 months.
Keep in mind that they are only valid for 30 days from the exam date! Horses traveling to Canada require special
paperwork that must be approved by the state and takes about 10 days to process. Call us early on so we can be sure
you’ve got everything you need to travel.
We recommend that all horses traveling on/off the farm get vaccinated for Flu/Rhino and Strangles, as those are both
contagious.
Some horse shows have very specific vaccine and health certificate requirements, even within the state! Always check
with the place you are going, specifically horse shows held at the Saratoga Race Track, and any USEF event.
Given the large number of non-traveling horses in our client-base, we do not send vaccine (rabies) certificates unless
they are requested. Ask your vet at your appointment to have one sent, or call the office any time to request one- be
sure to mention if you need a specific name/registered name added to it
Our Year in Review…
Spring Preventative Health Clinic
Once again the clinic will offer smaller stables and individual owners’ preventative health services by geographical region (see below). By grouping clients in this
fashion we will be able to keep the call charge at $15/client. In order to provide these services to you as economically as possible, we will require that this routine
work be paid at the time the service is provided.
For those of you who wish to schedule for one visit with vaccines only, feel free to choose from any
of the dates listed. For those getting multiple vaccines and other services, you may choose multiple dates.
Because of the large number of animals we will need to see in a very short time the dates in May and
June are for vaccinations only. If you need any dentistry, initial vaccines, and Coggins, these will
be performed in the earlier clinic dates. Remember that it is advisable to limit the number of vaccines
given at any one time to reduce adverse reactions.
The number of diseases and possible vaccines that are available seems to increase every year, and we
at The Equine Clinic at OakenCroft would be happy to help you determine which vaccines are appropriate
for your horses. Most horses will have digital Coggins Tests which are available to you for downloading online should you need replacement copies (very handy for those last
minute moves when the papers are nowhere to be found)! Horses with pictures on file will not require a new one, but all others should be mud-free so that adequate images can
be obtained. And don’t forget the parasite control and dentistry needs!
County
Eastern Greene
Central Greene
Southern
Greene
Northern
Schoharie
Southern
Schoharie
Fulton
Montgomery
Northern
Albany
Southern Albany
Local
Early Dates
3/7, 3/22, 4/4
3/18, 4/11, 4/27
3/1, 4/21
3/14, 4/14
3/24, 4/20
3/15
4/22
3/16
3/21, 4/8, 4/25
3/29, 4/19
3/30, 4/6, 4/21
3/1
3/23
5/5
3/17, 3/28, 5/2
3/3, 3/22
3/9, 4/1, 4/29
3/11, 4/18, 4/28
3/8, 4/26
3/2, 4/7, 5/4
3/25, 4/5
3/10, 5/6
4/12
Doctor
Serk
Grant
Jones
Serk
Grant
Jones
Serk
Grant
Serk
Jones
Grant
Serk
Grant
Jones
Serk
Jones
Grant
Serk
Jones
Grant
Serk
Grant
Jones
Later Dates
5/26, 6/6
6/16, 6/22
5/17
5/16, 6/17
6/10
Doctor
Serk
Grant
Jones
Serk
Grant
6/17
5/27
6/3, 6/20
5/24
5/19, 6/9
5/23
6/2
Serk
Grant
Serk
Jones
Grant
Serk
Grant
5/17, 6/13
5/25, 6/24
6/7
5/24, 6/27
6/14
6/8, 6/23
5/31, 6/28
6/21
6/1
Serk
Grant
Jones
Serk
Jones
Grant
Serk
Jones
Grant
3/3, 5/5
4/8, 5/3
4/5
4/14
5/6
Serk
Grant
Jones
Jones
Linn
5/20, 6/24
6/6, 6/15
Serk
Grant
6/28
6/14
Jones
Linn
Northern
Berkshire
Southern
Berkshire
Eastern
Berkshire
Northern
Rensselaer
Western
Rensselaer
Eastern
Rensselaer
Southern
Columbia
Northern
Columbia
Eastern
Columbia
Saratoga
Schenectady
4/22, 5/2
4/6
3/ 4, 3/30
4/20
3/21, 5/5
4/20
4/15, 4/29
4/12
4/18, 5/4
3/7, 4/8
3/9
3/22
3/17
3/7, 4/27
3/10, 4/5, 4/21
3/11, 4/1
3/11, 5/2
3/1, 3/28, 4/12, 4/25
3/9
3/25, 4/1
3/28
4/4
4/28
3/16
3/31, 5/3
3/18, 3/24, 4/4, 4/18
3/8, 4/6
4/8
4/14
4/7, 3/3
3/23, 4/13
3/15
3/2, 4/20
3/14, 4/11
4/25
4/1
4/19
4/26
3/10
3/ 4, 4/12
3/31, 5/3
3/24
Safford
Naile
McDonald
Linn
Safford
Naile
McDonald
Linn
Naile
Safford
McDonald
Linn
Linn
Naile
Safford
McDonald
Naile
Safford
Linn
McDonald
Naile
Linn
Safford
McDonald
Naile
Safford
McDonald
Linn
Naile
Safford
McDonald
Linn
McDonald
Safford
Naile
Linn
Grant
McDonald
Jones
Grant
Serk
Jones
5/26
6/15
Safford
Naile
6/13
6/29
Safford
Naile
6/1
6/20
Naile
Safford
5/27
5/18
6/27
Linn
McDonald
Safford
6/7
6/2, 6/30
6/22
McDonald
Safford
Naile
6/6
6/21
Safford
McDonald
6/28
6/3
6/10, 6/16
Naile
McDonald
Safford
6/8
5/27, 6/23
6/14
Naile
Safford
McDonald
5/31, 6/24
6/9, 6/17
McDonald
Safford
6/29
5/25
Grant
McDonald
6/7, 6/30
5/18, 6/20
Serk
Grant
We remind both those that are scheduling during the clinic format as well as those larger stables that wish to schedule at other times to provide the office with a
current list of your boarders when you make an appointment. Most stables find it easier for the management of the stable to make appointments for all their
boarders at once, and we recommend that a sign-up sheet be placed in those stables to help owners define their preventative health care requests. No work will be
done for boarders unless they confirm with the office.