This year Quarter Horse Congress held at the Ohio State Fairgrounds in October will be requring a new blood test for entry onto the grounds.  A negative test for equine piroplasmosis will be required for all horses attending the 2011 All American Quarter Horse Congress. The horse(s) must be tested negative by the c-ELISA assay for both Theilerta equi and Babesia caballi. All horses entering the Congress shall be accompanied by an official laboratory report or certificate of veterinary inspection indicating the negative piroplasmosis result, laboratory and accession number. Testing shall completed on a blood sample collected within one (1) year prior to entry onto the Congress show grounds and have been conducted by a laboratory certified and approved by the USDA.Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease caused by the parasites Babesia caballi and Theilertia equi that affects horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras.The disease is transmitted via tick bites or through mechanical transmission by improperly disinfected needles or surgical instruments. Currently the equine piroplasmosis testing is taking over three weeks before we get results back.  You must tell your veterinarian now if you are planning to attended the Quarter Horse Congress.  Along with this blood work, a negative Coggins Test (Equine Infectious anemia) no older than a year and a current health certificate will be required.  If your horse does not have these test you will not be allowed to enter the grounds.   There have been rumors that Equine Herpes (EHV-1) testing is being required.  This is false EHV-1 testing will not be required, but you should have your horse  vaccinated.   Although the vaccine does not protect  your horse if it was to get neurologic strain, your horse should be up to date for all vaccines.  We have seen two possible cases of West Nile horses only 30 miles from the fairgrounds.   Please have your health certificate, Piroplasmosis testing and Coggins test for easy access into Congress as there will be increased trailer inspection this year!  

Well it is spring time today in Columbus Ohio.  I had the windows down while making my farm calls today saw lots of horses and put lots of miles on the truck today.  I drove from Millersport to Logan to Lancaster to Utica back to Johnstown and than back to Pickerington. Makes for a long day but very fun.  I am writing this blog after having to mow my lawn again because of all the rainfall we have had in Central Ohio over the past week.  So I thought I this would be a good time to talk about spring time grass grow and how it can hurt our four legged friends. It is well known that spring grasses may cause laminitis (Founder is an older term that has been replaced with laminitis).   Studies have shown that spring grasses are high in starch and sugars which may lead to high blood sugar levels that may then cause hyperinsulinemia and laminitis. 

So, how do we prevent our friends from developing this horrible condition?

First we start by allowing the horses to slowly adapt to the spring grass.  Feed the horses hay before turning them out so their stomachs are already filled before going out to pasture. This way horses are less likely to gorge themselves on the new spring grass.

(It is like candy to them!)

Finally, horses need to be limited in turn out time. Allot only 10 minutes once or twice daily, and then slowly increase their time on the spring grass by  5 minutes a day until the horses have a tolerance of 6 hours. 

Any horse with a history of laminitis or metabolic issue (Cushings, metabolic syndrome, hypothyroidism) needs to have a more conservative turnout regimen. In some cases these horses won’t be able to eat fresh grass and will have to be feed hay on a dirt lot all summer long or use a grazing muzzle.  You can buy them on line and usually will need two a three a season.