The Horse:Your Guide To Equine Health Care provides monthly equine health care information to horse owners, breeders, veterinarians, barn/farm managers, trainer/riding instructors, and others involved in the hands-on care of the horse.
Issue link: https://thehorse.epubxp.com/i/636486
8 TheHorse.com THE HORSE February 2016 Keep in touch! @TheHorse facebook.com/TheHorse TheHorseMag This small roadside menagerie was a fantastic real-life illustration of what freelancer Dr. Stacey Oke describes in our cover story this month—the vast potential different species have to intersect paths and swap pathogens (agents of disease) with each other and our horses. Yes, I know. As if there weren't enough oddball stuff happening in the news today, it doesn't help to know that our farm properties, our safe havens for enjoying our beloved horses and animals, could have their own little collection of threats. But before you label me the har- binger of doom, the good news is the majority of the diseases Dr. Oke de- scribes arrive via invading nighttime creatures, both winged and four- legged. In other words, we don't have to worry so much about the healthy herd of cattle next door or the happy goat that wanders the barn aisle and paddocks as we do the flying insects and lumbering varmints. More good news? Many of the common diseases are preventable with some forethought, planning, and prevention. Steps such as vac- cinating your horses against known disease threats in your area (both core and risk-based vaccines), repelling pests, and keeping barns neat and tidy can go a long way in preventing these diseases from rais- ing their ugly heads in your barn. It doesn't hurt to also have a frank conversation with your veterinar- ian and local Extension agent about what kind of interspecies diseases are common in your area, what stable and pasture management practices can prevent transmission, and any reasonable efforts you can make to keep certain wildlife away from your horses (or at least your horses' feedstuffs). Read more about the threats and how to mitigate them beginning on page 16. Despite our best efforts and how closely we manage our horses, there will always be that case that baffles us, be it a beloved horse with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis or Lyme disease that causes us to retrace our steps and wonder what we could've done differently to prevent infection. In those cases, we can be thankful that the veterinary research com- munity has been working hard to understand all manner of equine infectious diseases better, and diag- nostic methods, treatment modali- ties, and preventive approaches are improving year by year. h Furry Threats? VIEWPOINT STEPHANIE L. CHURCH Editor-in-Chief @TH_StephLChurch O n a windy, rainy morning drive here in Central Kentucky last week, something caught my attention in a roadside field: Calves and horses grazing together in a pasture. Now, even in here Lexington, long-known as the "Horse Capital of the World" and covered with manicured Thoroughbred farms as far as the eyes can see, it's not so unusual to spot cattle and horses pastured together. What truly caught my attention was that these apparently happy, healthy grazers were flanked by yet another creature: a fluffy little raccoon foraging for snacks. Publisher: Marla Bickel Editor-in-Chief: Stephanie L. Church Managing Editor: Alexandra Beckstett News Editor: Erica Larson Digital Managing Editor: Michelle N. Anderson Art Director: Brian Turner Digital Producer: Jennifer Whittle Brand Manager: Shawna White EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT The Horse, Editorial, 3101 Beaumont Centre Circle, Suite 100, Lexington, KY 40513 E-MAIL Editorial@TheHorse.com All letters must include the writer's name, address, and daytime phone number for verification. ■ Letters: Letters@TheHorse.com, or by mail. ■ Farm Call: FarmCall@TheHorse.com, or by mail. ■ Across the Fence and Behavior Columns: Editorial@TheHorse.com, or by mail. ■ New Products: Products@TheHorse.com, or by mail. EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Scott Anderson, DVM Jerry Black, DVM Anthony Blikslager, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS Tom Brokken, DVM Ann Dwyer, DVM Benjamin Espy, DVM, Dipl. ACT Margo Macpherson, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACT; Kyla Ortved, DVM, Dipl. ACVS Debra C. Sellon, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM Debra Taylor, DVM Educational Partnership Disclaimer: The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), one of The Horse's partners in equine health, has no involvement regarding editorial management or advertising content within this publication and thereby does not endorse any editorial or advertising content unless so acknowledged within the individual article or advertisement. ADVERTISING SALES AND SERVICES advertise@TheHorse.com West Coast Advertising Executive: Yvonne Long, 859/276-6701 ylong@TheHorse.com East Coast Advertising Executive: Leigh Walkup, 859/276-6710 lwalkup@TheHorse.com Sales Support: Kelly Stephens, 859/276-6740 kstephens@TheHorse.com PUBLISHED BY THE HORSE MEDIA GROUP LLC For up-to-date news, in-depth horse health articles, and more, go to TheHorse.com