Preventative Medicine in Preventative Medicine in the Older Horsethe Older Horse

Frank M. Andrews, DVM, MS

Diplomate ACVIM

Professor of LA Medicine

The University of Tennessee, CVM

Vaccination and Deworming

Activities of the Older HorsesActivities of the Older Horses

• Equestrian Sports

• Reproduction– Broodmare, Stallion

• Pleasure Horses

Demographics of the older horseDemographics of the older horse

• Increase in geriatric horses presented to veterinary hospitals (4 to 6 fold, up 55%)

• NAHMS*-7.5% of horse population is ≥ 20 yrs– 75% between 20-29 years (old horse)

– 25% ≥ 30 years (very old horse)

• Average age = 25 years (71 human years)– 1 horse year 2.85 human years

*NAHMS=National Animal Health Monitoring System, 1988, USDA

Demographics Demographics (as of January 1, 1999)(as of January 1, 1999)

• Equine population in US: 5.32 million– ~400,000 old horses and ponies in the US

• Tennessee 3rd in horse inventory behind Texas and California, 190,000 (7th in value of horses sold)– 14,250 old horses in Tennessee

• 10,688 old horses

• 3,572 very old horses

• Economic impact: $189.3 million ($2,711/head)

Changes with Advancing AgeChanges with Advancing Age

• Decline in body condition

• Decreased muscle tone

• Decline in immune system

• Increased susceptibility to infections

– Decreased antibody production

– Decreased immune response to vaccines

– Vaccine failure rate ~50%

VaccinationVaccination

Variation in Vaccine ResponseVariation in Vaccine Response

• Genetic variation with age

• Health status– Parasitism

– Equine Cushings Disease

– Dental disease

– Arthritis

• External stress factors– Weather

– Nutrition

Vaccination – General Vaccination – General

• No vaccine offers absolute protection

• Lessen the effects of disease– Shorten duration and signs of disease

• Good vaccine will stimulate immunity while minimizing secondary reactions– Swelling at site of injection– Injection site abscesses– Anaphylactic reaction– Fever and illness with loss of appetite

Vaccine Older Horses and PoniesVaccine Older Horses and Ponies

• Relative risk of exposure– What diseases will your horse be

exposed to?

– Pastured horse vs. Stabled horse

• Use attenuated vaccine products– Inactivated and killed vaccines

– Likely to be safer in older horses

Important DiseasesImportant Diseases

• Tetanus

• Rabies

• Influenza

• Eastern and Western Encephalitis (EEE, WEE)

• West Nile Virus

• Rhinopneumonitis (Equine Herpes Virus 1)

TetanusTetanus

• Caused by Clostridium tetani

• Abundant in environment, manure

• Often fatal

• Infection through wounds

• Yearly booster– New study suggests that yearly booster is

essential for protection in horses

RabiesRabies

• Caused by a virus

• Always fatal in infected horses

• Humans can get disease from horses

• Infection from bite of infected animal– Skunk, raccoon, bats, etc.

• Yearly booster-Pastured horses??

InfluenzaInfluenza

• Caused by a virus

• Endemic in the US, stabled horses?

• New horses brought onto premises

• Respiratory disease, 3 day incubation

• Booster every 6 to 12 months– Depending on exposure

– Killed vs. Modified live vaccine

Eastern and Western Equine EncephalitisEastern and Western Equine Encephalitis

• Caused by a virus-”sleeping sickness”

• Spread via mosquitoes

• Regional areas– WEE-West of Mississippi

– EEE-East of Mississippi (2003 outbreak in SE US)

• Fatality- EEE=75-100%; WEE=25%-50%

• Boosters every 4-6 months during mosquito season in endemic areas

Eastern Equine EncephalitisEastern Equine Encephalitis

• Over 200 cases reported this year in ten US States– Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North

Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Virginia, Indiana, and Wisconsin

– Florida outbreak = 66% fatalities

– All have residual neurologic deficits

West Nile VirusWest Nile Virus

• Caused by a virus

• Spread via mosquitoes

• Throughout the US– 2003 – over 4,000 cases in horses– 2002 – over 14,000 cases in horses

• Fatality-30%, 40% may have lasting deficits

• **Horses over 18 years had a 2.8X greater likelihood of dying or being euthanatized

West Nile Virus Transmission Cycle

West Nilevirus

West Nilevirus

Mosquito vectorIncidental infections

Bird reservoir hosts

Incidental infections

Incubation period -- 3 to 15 days

Incubation period -- 3 to 15 days

Spread of West Nile Virus: BirdsSpread of West Nile Virus: Birds

EpidemiologyEpidemiology

• Horses cannot spread West Nile Virus to other horses, people, or pets

• Dead-end Host

Prevention of West Nile VirusPrevention of West Nile Virus

• Client Education a must– Not just a source of vaccine and meds

• No stagnant water– 4 days required for mosquito breeding– Old tires--and other Redneck landscaping materials– Gambusia fish eat larvae in tanks and

ornamental pools

• Topical spraying on horse—permethrins

• Mosquito Magnet (www.frontgate.com)

• Stalls at night– fans in stalls Mosquito Magnet

West Nile Virus Vaccines West Nile Virus Vaccines (USDA Approved)(USDA Approved)

“Innovator vaccine is 92% effective”

New Vaccine

RhinopneumonititisRhinopneumonititis

• Caused by a Equine Herpes Virus 1

• Respiratory disease is most common

• Neurologic, abortion, and weak foal forms

• Latent infections in horses– May be reactivated by vaccination in older horses– May precipitate neurologic disease

• Not recommended in older horses because most horses have been exposed to virus

• **Broodmares should be vaccinated during pregnancy to prevent abortion

Vaccine Protocol: Older HorseVaccine Protocol: Older Horse

Spring: (March 15-31)• 4 – Way Vaccine

– Tetanus– Eastern Equine Encephalitis– Western Equine Encephalitis– Influenza

• Rabies

• West Nile Virus

Summer: (July 31-August 15)• Eastern Equine Encephalitis

• West Nile Virus (most cases in Sept. and Oct.)

Vaccine Protocol: Optional for Older HorseVaccine Protocol: Optional for Older Horse

Spring: (March 15-31)

• Potomac Horse Fever– Pastured horses on endemic farms

– Questionable effectiveness

Summer: (July 31-August 15)

• Influenza– Stabled horses with new arrivals

DewormingDeworming

Deworming-General Deworming-General

• Resistance-Many of today’s parasites are resistant to some dewormers

• Adaptation: faster reproduction, environmental changes, to dewormers

• Parasites must pass into environment to complete life cycle

• Infection in related to quantity of parasites in environment that horse is exposed to!!

• Older horses are more susceptible to infections

Parasites-Parasites-What problems do they cause?? What problems do they cause??

• Colic

• Diarrhea

• Poor hair coat

• Weight loss

• Suboptimal performance

Deworming-General Deworming-General

• Minimize environmental contamination of the parasite offspring

• Treatment vs. Prevention

• Preventing infection of larval stages is key

• Killing adult parasites important because it prevents them from laying eggs

Specific Parasites Specific Parasites

• Large Strongyles

• Small Strongyles

• Bots

• Tapeworms

Large Strongyles (blood worms)Large Strongyles (blood worms)

• Strongylus vulgaris– Most common large strongyle

– Larva stages lodge in main blood vessel that supplies the small intestines

• Strongylus equinus

• Triodontophorus spp.

• Discovery of avermectins (Zimecterin®, Equvalan®, Quest®) have pushed to near extinction

Bots Bots

• Gastrophilus intestinalis

• Gastrophilus nasalis– Larva stages live in stomach and small intestine

– Larva released in manure in spring and become flies

– Flies lay nits (eggs) on front legs of horses

– Not a big problem in horses

– Associated with ulcers?

Small Strongyles (most important) Small Strongyles (most important)

• Cyathostomum spp.– Affect all grazing horses

– Infections are acquired from pasture only not stalls or dry lots

– Eggs hatch at temperatures 45 F to 85 F

– Temperatures > 85 F larva die

– Horses are safe from infection during summer in Southeastern United States

– Eggs resistant to freezing

– Encyst in large intestine

Small StrongylesSmall Strongyles

Encysted Stage

Normal Large Intestine wall

Inflamed Large Intestine Wall

Tapeworms Tapeworms

• Anoplocephala perfoliata– Most common tapeworm

– Can reach up to 3” in length

– Ileocecal junction

• Anoplocephala magna

• Paranoplocepha mamillan

Tapeworms Tapeworms

• Life Cycle:

Tapeworms Tapeworms

• Clinical signs, What to look for in your horse?– Colic

• Spasmodic – 22% associated with tapeworms

• Ileal impaction – 80% associated with tapeworms

• Intussusception – blockage associated with telescoping intestines

– Weight loss

– Abnormal hair coat

Tapeworms: Where are they found?Tapeworms: Where are they found?

Tapeworm TreatmentsTapeworm Treatments

All are FDA approved

Specific Deworming Agents Specific Deworming Agents

• Benzimadazoles– Fendbendazole (Panacur®) - Resistance

• Pyrantel pamoate (Strongid®) - Resistance

• Avermectins– Ivermectin (Zymecterin®), moxidectin (Quest®)

• Cestode dewormers– Praziquantel (Contained in Zimectrin Gold®, Quest

Plus®, and Equimax®)

• Daily dewormers– Pyrantel tartarate (Strongid-C®)

Don’t be fooled – Read the label!!Don’t be fooled – Read the label!!

These all contain Ivermectin and PraziquantelGet all parasites including Tapeworms

Suppressive DewormingSuppressive Deworming

• Deworming should be based on:

• Egg Reappearance Period (ERP)– Length of time in which the eggs appear in

the manure after deworming• Panacur and Strongid = 4 weeks

• Ivermectins = 6 to 8 weeks

• Moxidectin = 8 to 10 weeks

– Scheduling deworming based on ERP

Protocol for Strategic DewormingProtocol for Strategic Deworming

• September 1st

– Ivermectin + Praziquantel (Zimecterin Gold)

• October 24th – Moxidectin (Quest)

• December 17th – Ivermectin (Zimecterin)

• March 1st – Ivermectin + Praziquantel (Zimecterin Gold)

Protocol for Strategic Deworming Protocol for Strategic Deworming (cont)(cont)

• May 1st through August 31st

– Limited exposure to develop immunity

– Parasites cannot live on pastures in summer

• Fecal egg counts can be done to determine resistance of parasites– Egg count before treatment

– Egg count 7-10 days after treatment

– Deworming can be adjusted based on egg counts

Strategic Deworming-Alternative 2Strategic Deworming-Alternative 2

• September 1st

– Moxidectin + Praziquantel (Quest Plus)

• November 1st – Ivermectin

• December 25th

– Strongid Paste

• January 20th

– Panacur

• February 15th

– Ivermectin + Praziquantel (Zymectrin Gold)

Strategic Deworming-Alternative 2 Strategic Deworming-Alternative 2 (cont)(cont)

• March 1st through August 31st

– Limited exposure to develop immunity

– Take advantage of summer heat

Strategic Deworming-Alternative 2Strategic Deworming-Alternative 2

• September 1st through August 31st

– Strongid C daily dewormer

– Colic protection policy by Pfizer

Farnham

When horses dream??When horses dream??

I am vaccinated and I have

no parasites