VETERINARY NEWS LETTER  Fall/Winter Newsletter 2005

There are many new and exciting things happening at Kim Sergent DVM. First and foremost, we have a new name and logo! From now on, we can be referred to as All County Equine Services, or ACES. We can still be reached at the same phone, fax and address. Our hours of operation are: Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm with emergency service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including holidays. We also retrieve voicemail periodically throughout the weekend.

We are also working on our new website, acequine.com Our goal is to provide client education articles  and updates on equine medical issues.

Preventicare…….a darn good idea!

Enclosed in this mailing you will find a brochure regarding Pfizer’s Preventicare program. Preventicare is a health care program designed to provide financial help (up to $5,000!) in the event of colic surgery for horse owners that follow Pfizer’s health care guidelines. The best part about Preventicare is that many of you are already in compliance with the guidelines set by Pfizer. Dr’s Sergent and Zajac feel that this is an excellent program. We feel that the requirements set by Pfizer are very reasonable and help insure the overall health of your horse. To register and qualify for the Pfizer Preventicare program, you must do the following:

Have an annual physical exam, dental exam and dental “float” done by your enrolling veterinary clinic.

Immunize your horse according to your veterinarian’s recommendations

Use Strongid C 2X daily dewormer. This must be purchased through your vet.

Have your veterinarian deworm your horse twice a year with a Pfizer Ivermectin product.

Participate in nutritional counseling with your veterinarian.

In return for your compliance with these guidelines, Pfizer will pay up to $5,000 of your horse’s colic bill SHOULD IT REQUIRE SURGERY.

All County Equine Services requires that Preventicare customers pay for the yearly services (minus the second farm call) at the time of enrollment. By doing this, clients receive a free physical exam for their horse and a discount on Strongid C2X throughout the year.

Chiropractics/Acupuncture and Saddle fits Oh My!

You may or may not know that Dr. Sergent offers chiropractic, acupuncture and saddle fitting services, but how do you know if that is what your horse needs? This is not always an easy question to answer. There are many symptoms that may lead you to alternative medicine, especially if traditional treatments have failed.

These symptoms may include:

behavioral issues, i.e. bucking, rearing, resisting aids, refusing jumps

movement issues, i.e. poor transitions, poor movement in one direction, stiffness, difficulty with the canter.

Chiropractics can be beneficial when there is an increase or decrease in the range of motion of a vertebral complex or joint. The change in the range of motion influences the nerve endings in that particular joint as well as nerve impulses to the surrounding muscles and organs. When a horse is adjusted for the first time, there may be muscle contractures or stretching around the abnormal joint/vertebral complex. During the first adjustment, the horse may experience some mild discomfort. This discomfort is usually followed by relaxation, chewing, dropping of the head, heavy breathing and closing of the eyes. The length of time the problem has been present usually will determine the number of treatments necessary, and often the success of therapy.

One of the most important things to remember in choosing to use a chiropractor for your horse is to use either a veterinarian, who is a certified chiropractor, or use a certified chiropractor with a veterinarian’s involvement. It is actually illegal for a chiropractor without a veterinary license to adjust your horse without direct (on premises) supervision by a veterinarian in California. This is to protect you and your horse. Often I get called out for a chiropractic evaluation and it turns into a lameness issue. A human or lay Chiropractor does not have the years of animal anatomy, neurology and experience required to identify an issue that is a lameness. I have found that it only makes sense to adjust a horse if I have taken care of underlying problems first. These problems may include behavioral issues, foot balance, lameness, neurological issues, conformation as it relates to type of riding (suitability of horse), and girth/back pain related to saddle fit.

Saddle fit seems to be an area where many horses and owners can benefit from some expert advice. Additional training and knowledge of anatomy is important. Teaching you what to look for in a new saddle as well as evaluating your current saddle is included in the saddle fit service provided by Dr. Sergent.

Acupuncture again requires thorough knowledge of equine anatomy, physiology and neurology. Acupuncture must be performed by a veterinarian trained in acupuncture. Someone who is not a veterinarian may perform acupuncture only under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. Acupuncture is performed with acupuncture needles, which are much finer then what we use in everyday shots. The needles are placed into acupoints, which are real anatomical sites. Acupoints, microscopically, are structures with fine nerve endings and blood vessels that have been shown to have lower electrical resistance than other parts of the body. Stimulation of these sites affect neurotransmitter and blood flow which affect numerous structures in the body for example muscles and organs. A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in July of 2005 on electroacupuncture for thoraco-lumbar pain showed that three sessions of electroacupuncture can alleviate pain in the thoraco-lumbar region for two weeks where bute and saline (controls) could not. In acupuncture, the needle is left in place for 20-30 minutes during which time most animals exhibit the same signs of relaxation mentioned with chiropractic treatment. On occasion, a horse may become irritated by the placement of the needle, this is rare however.

The end goal of chiropractic and acupuncture therapy is to normalize body function to allow the animal’s body to heal itself.