SUBMITTED BY JACKIE BELLAMY

Equine Guelph presented its first ever, Integrative Therapies workshop on May 19^th to a full house at the Ontario Veterinary College. Minds were engaged right from the start with Dr. Brad Hanna’s thought-provoking introduction. Entrenched in evidenced-based approaches, first impressions may have been this OVC professor was going to debunk the notion of integrative therapies all together! This initial reaction quickly turned into unanimous nods of agreement throughout the lecture hall, filled with horse owners eager to learn more about complimenting their horse health programs.

Hanna took everyone on a whirlwind journey through time which left the audience in no doubt of the need for best scientific practices and meticulously recorded statistics. Hanna explained, “The lesson of bloodletting is arguably the most important lesson in the history of medicine, yet it has been largely forgotten. This leaves us in the unenviable position of making the same mistakes, for the same reasons, and with the same unjustified sense of certainty in our beliefs, despite access to better information. Anyone who is genuinely interested in the well-being of their patients must take this lesson seriously.” Hanna also reminded the participants that many modern pharmaceuticals originated from natural sources, citing an example of aspirin’s origin from the willow tree.  By the end of his talk, listeners knew of many criteria to look for in valid studies.  Hanna set the tone to keep an open mind but gave the audience some tools to assess credibility.

Holly Barnett REMT CSF, explains the benefits of adding massage therapy to your horse health care team.

Bone cracking myths were dispelled as Dr. Scott Hie, D.C. Chiropractor, went on to educate the crowd about what an adjustment is, and when it is useful. Restriction and lack of motion were the symptoms Hie stated as reasons to see a Chiropractor? but not before seeing a vet. Hie laughs at some of the misunderstandings that often surround his practice and recommends, “If your horse has a bone out of place – call a surgeon!”  Hieexplained an adjustment as a high velocity, low amplitude thrust. The audience was encouraged to call their vets first and then seek out registered professionals from sites like www.veterinary chiropractic.ca. Hie reiterated the importance of teamwork between the vet, farrier, saddle fitter, massage therapist, nutritionist and chiropractor in addition to seeking out evidence-based knowledge. Feedback was resounding that more of this knowledge would be useful as listeners learned many of the examples of what not to do! Hie let everyone know chiropractic is not an option when there is severe heat, swelling, lameness or open wounds.  Participants interested in learning more about how the joints are connected were encouraged to check out Equine Guelph’s Anatomy course or seminars.

An exciting high level scientific talk ensued when Dr. Wendy Pearson of the University of Guelph took the stage, outlining the potential of a new breed of “super mint” to reduce inflammation and aid in the treatment of arthritis. The audience was shown the complexities of biochemistry through a vivid PowerPoint explaining how components within cells are interacting. The steps of Pearson’s intensive research using control groups and closely monitoring statistics were outlined in detail. Wendy’s enthusiasm and analogies helped everyone gain an appreciation of why best practices in scientific studies are so important in validating results.  Equine Guelph director, Gayle Ecker, summed up this lecture stating, “If my chemistry professor was this passionate, I might be in a different field today.”

The search for symmetry followed with a hands-on talk by Holly Barnett, REMT CSF, massage therapist. With over 80 modalities of recognized massage, this speech left the audience wanting to learn more about trigger points and how to relieve those pesky knots. Everything from chronic tension to muscle spasms and rehabilitation were covered as reasons to employ a registered massage therapist (info can be found on sites likewww.ifremt.org). Barnett also encouraged participants to utilize their health care team by seeking out the vet first and expanded upon the importance of a qualified saddle fitter as many muscular problems begin with incorrect saddle fit.  Barnett instructed horse owners to “look for symmetry” and gave many tips on how to palpate and stretch horses to help combat what can become a vicious cycle of pain and muscle contraction.

Lastly, and going into overtime, Jackie Vandenbrink, M.Sc. Equine Nutritionist, gave the audience food for thought.  No one was concerned about staying late when Vandenbrink started serving up sound advice for feeding your herbivore a forage-based diet.  Vandenbrink emphasized, “Good management should stimulate good digestion.”  Over-supplementation was discussed and cautioned.  Vandenbrink encourages horse owners to heed nutrient deficiencies and perform ration analysis.  Often an imbalance in one nutrient is a sign of deficiencies elsewhere. Vandenbrink stressed the importance of looking at the whole picture and not reaching for one magical powder.  If your vet/chiro/massage therapist finds a physical problem, talking to a nutritionist to improve your feed program can be an important part of the solution.

Good quality hay was discussed at length.  Vandenbrink went on to inform the audience that hay is not a balanced diet and does not mimic grazing in the wild.   Four-month-old hay does not contain the higher levels of Vitamin E that can be ingested on a well-maintained pasture.  She suggests turning horses out on pasture as a great way to buffer the gut, guarding against ulcers.  “A well functioning hind gut is a source of nutrients for the rest of the body not only in calories but also in B vitamins, electrolytes and fluids,” says Vandenbrink while discussing the importance of fibre.  The participants were given plenty of information to digest.  Feedback from the workshop, conclusively indicated horse owners are chomping at the bit for more of this valuable information.

The evening of integrative therapies was made possible through a memorial contribution by family members of Rosalie Logan.  This tribute honored a noted horsewoman and shared her love of the horse with other horse lovers.  Rosalie believed an ounce of prevention was worth a pound of cure and Equine Guelph was pleased to facilitate this workshop.  Equine Guelph thanks all attendees for their generous donations which help to develop future educational opportunities.

June 13th, 2011

An update on the EHV-1 situation in Alberta and Western Canada was obtained this morning via a conference call with Veterinarians from Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Participants of the conference call included the Chief Provincial Veterinarian, members of Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, faculty from the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine, Provincial Animal Laboratory veterinarians and local Equine practitioners.

There has been one new case of nEHV-1 reported since the last telephone conference call on June 8th, 2011.

To date the reported positive cases of nEHV-1 in Alberta are as follows (All reported in previous updates):

 One neurological case (now recovered) first found positive at the start of May

 Four cases positive, including the one newly reported case (We consider this a delayed testing scenario rather than a secondary spread of the disease). This new case and the 3 others are experiencing mild respiratory signs/fever and are all now recovered.

 Four PCR positive horses, showing no clinical signs

 One neurological case (responding well to treatment) that attended cutting events in Alberta

 One neurological case in Northern Alberta that was at the cutting competition in Lloydminster

To date suspect cases of nEHV-1 in Alberta are as follows (All reported in previous updates):

 One previously reported neurologic case. The mild neurological signs are almost resolved and the horse remains under quarantine. To date testing has been negative.

 The second suspect with mild neurological signs in Northern Alberta that was at the cutting competition in Lloydminster (reported in last update) remains in the suspect list.

 Neurological suspect case from Central Alberta was euthanized due in part to complications with previous, significant medical conditions. Testing remains pending.

 One suspect respiratory case is at the same premises as the new positive reported case (mentioned in the second bullet noted in the reported positive cases above.

The one confirmed and one suspect case both are from a cutting horse barn that had horses at the Ogden show.

No new cases have been reported by the Saskatchewan or British Columbia laboratories in attendance on the conference call. nEHV-1 cases are not required to be reported to the provincial government in these provinces therefore we have limited information on cases.

Releasing horses from quarantine:

It has come to the attention of the veterinarians that one of the horses that had mild respiratory signs and fever that initially tested positive for nEHV-1 was recently retested positive for nEHV-1 on nasal swabs prior to being released from the 21 days of quarantine. In light of the potential for prolonged shedding of the virus, it is now the recommendation of the veterinarians involved in the call, all horses that tested positive for nEHV-1 be retested (and confirmed negative) prior to release from quarantine regardless of the time spent in quarantine. This need for testing has been confirmed in the most recent conference call.

It appears that all of the cases and suspected cases remain in horses associated with the cutting horse industry. To address concerns for the upcoming cutting horse competitions, the group has created a list of recommendations for organizers of cutting horse competitions (see attached). All other disciplines outside of the cutting industry continue at this time to be considered low risk. The decision to cancel competitions and shows in other disciplines should be made in partnership with their associated veterinarian to develop a risk assessment of each situation. Biosecurity is a key component to limiting spread of any infectious disease and all individuals in contact with horses should remain mindful of appropriate procedures.

The next conference call is scheduled for Monday June 20th, 2011. If any local veterinarians would like to participate they can contact the office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian for further information.

As always we will continue to update our information as it becomes available.

Greg Andrews, DVM, Moore Equine Veterinary Centre Ltd.

Ashley Whitehead, DVM, BSc, DVSc, University of Calgary

An update on the EHV-1 situation in Alberta and Western Canada was obtained this morning via a conference call with Veterinarians from Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Participants of the conference call included the Chief Provincial Veterinarian, members of Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, faculty from the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine, Provincial Animal Laboratory veterinarians and local Equine practitioners.

No new cases of nEHV-1 have been reported since the last telephone conference call on June 3rd, 2011.

To date the reported positive cases of nEHV-1 in Alberta are as follows (All reported in previous updates):

 One neurological case (now recovered) first found positive at the start of May

 Three cases positive with mild respiratory signs/fever are all now recovered

 Four PCR positive horses, showing no clinical signs

 One neurological case (responding well to treatment) that attended cutting events in Alberta

 One neurological case in Northern Alberta that was at the cutting competition in Lloydminister

To date suspect cases of nEHV-1 in Alberta are as follows (All reported in previous updates):

 One previously reported neurologic case. The mild neurological signs are almost resolved and the horse remains under quarantine. To date testing has been negative.

 The second suspect with mild neurological signs in Northern Alberta that was at the cutting competition in Lloydminister (reported in last update) remains in the suspect list.

 Neurological suspect case from Central Alberta was euthanized due in part to complications with previous, significant medical conditions. Testing remains pending.

 Neurological suspect case (with atypical neurological signs) with mild fever from Central Alberta. Tested negative and will no long appear on the list of suspects after today.

No new cases have been reported by the Saskatchewan or British Columbia laboratories in attendance on the conference call. nEHV-1 cases are not required to be reported to the provincial government in these provinces therefore we have limited information on cases.

Releasing horses from quarantine:

It has come to the attention of the veterinarians that one of the horses that had mild respiratory signs and fever that initially tested positive for nEHV-1 was recently retested positive for nEHV-1 on nasal swabs prior to being released from the 21 days of quarantine. In light of the potential for prolonged shedding of the virus, it is now the recommendation of the veterinarians involved in the call, all horses that tested positive for nEHV-1 be retested (and confirmed negative) prior to release from quarantine regardless of the time spent in quarantine.

It appears that all of the cases and suspected cases remain in horses associated with the cutting horse industry. To address concerns for the upcoming cutting horse competitions, the group has created a list of recommendations for organizers of cutting horse competitions (see attached). All other disciplines outside of the cutting industry continue at this time to be considered low risk. The decision to cancel competitions and shows in other disciplines should be made in partnership with their associated veterinarian to develop a risk assessment of each situation. Biosecurity is a key component to limiting spread of any infectious disease and all individuals in contact with horses should remain mindful of appropriate procedures.

The next conference call is scheduled for Monday June 12th, 2011. If any local veterinarians would like to participate they can contact the office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian for further information.

As always we will continue to update our information as it becomes available.

Greg Andrews, DVM, Moore Equine Veterinary Centre Ltd.

Ashley Whitehead, DVM, BSc, DVSc, University of Calgary