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Tuesday, December 26 2017 / Published in General

Vet Talk with Dr. Richard Wheeler

Richard Wheeler, DVM, was born in the U.K. and graduated from the Royal Veterinary College, London, in 2002. Dr. Wheeler then completed a two-year internship at Greenwood, Ellis and Partners (now Newmarket Equine Hospital) in Newmarket. In 2005, he moved to Wellington, Florida, to join Palm Beach Equine Clinic and he became a partner in 2009. Dr. Wheeler’s primary concentration is equine sports medicine. He is an FEI Veterinary Delegate for Show Jumping and Dressage and has authored several published articles on the topic of equine sports medicine. Dr. Wheeler has served on the board of the USHJA Horse and Rider Advocates Committee. In 2016, Dr. Wheeler became a founding director of the Sport Horse Research Foundation. Dr. Wheeler and his wife, Jessica, have two children. Do you have a question you want Dr. Wheeler to answer? Send questions to editor@sidelinesnews.com.

One of the most valuable aspects of working at a large specialty equine clinic is that we have a diversity of skill sets and knowledge, including sports medicine, surgery, radiology, internal medicine, dentistry, reproduction and alternative medicine. It’s very valuable for a practitioner to be able to seek other opinions, and this month I’ve called upon some of my colleagues at PBEC to help get you the best answers!

We purchased my mare 12 years ago. She is an amazing horse, but is now at a retirement facility. One morning, the retirement facility let us know that my horse wasn’t eating and that they thought she had been experiencing toothaches. We had it checked out and she was diagnosed with a rare tooth disease known as EOTRH. What causes this? Is there a cure to the condition? Are there signs to look for so that we can prevent this in my other horses?

Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis (EOTRH) is a dental disease characterized by the dissolving of incisor and canine tooth roots. This is a condition mainly seen in horses of 15-plus years, and predominantly seen in warmbloods, Thoroughbreds and Arabians. I discussed the condition with PBEC’s Dr. Tyler Davis, who has a keen interest and experience in the field of equine dentistry.

Dr. Davis said that the disease has likely been present in the equine population for many years, but has only recently been recognized as a specific disease since horses are living longer and we’re paying closer attention to what’s going on inside their mouths.

We don’t know what causes this disease, but there are theories, including insufficient time spent grazing, age-related change, dental trauma and stress of mastication (chewing) on the teeth. Endocrine conditions like equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and Cushing’s disease can increase the likelihood for EOTRH.

The cure for the disease is extraction of the affected teeth. Since we do not know what causes the disease, there currently is no preventive treatment.

Diagnosis is based on both a good oral exam by a veterinarian and oral radiographs of the incisors. Often the owner does not recognize the disease until it has progressed greatly. At this time, the owner may notice the horse has difficulty eating, or more commonly, will not take hard treats such as carrots. I had a patient that continued to eat carrots, but would only grab with its lips and then bypass its incisors to chew with its molars. It may simply be that a horse seems more irritable than normal or becomes difficult to bridle. We’re unable to prevent EOTRH, but with early detection, we can reduce any pain or eating-related issues associated with this disease. Early detection can be especially important with teeth affected by hypercementosis, as these roots become bulbous, which can destroy surrounding tissue and in my experience, make extraction more difficult.

There has been a lot of chatter recently about a common anticoagulant drug that is said to help prevent a life-threatening neurological complication of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EVH-1) infection. What are your thoughts?

There have been a few recent papers evaluating the role of coagulation in the neurologic form of EHV-1, and subsequently the potential use of the anticoagulant, heparin, as a treatment. This is very exciting, as there are currently limited treatment options for this rare but very dangerous strain of the disease. In one study from 2016, a Swiss research group administered heparin to approximately half of 61 horses infected with EHV-1 during an outbreak. The group that received the medication showed a lower incidence of neurologic signs (one out of 31) than the untreated horses (seven out of 30).

I discussed this topic with PBEC’s Dr. Peter Heidmann, who is board certified in large animal internal medicine.

Dr. Heidmann said that as with many scientific studies, there are limitations, and this is further complicated given the rare and unpredictable nature of the neurologic strain of EHV-1. The study does, however, suggest a possible benefit for the use of heparin and if low-molecular-weight heparin is used, the risk is minimal. While we need more studies to investigate the full potential of the drug for this indication, given the severity of the disease, it is certainly a treatment option to consider.

My horse suffered an injury to the foot, and after an MRI examination, a surgery called navicular bursoscopy has been recommended. Have you seen good results with this procedure?

I think this is a very useful procedure and one that is routinely performed at PBEC, so we’ve seen a good number of outcomes.

The procedure involves the insertion of an arthroscopy camera (think key-hole surgery) through the bottom of the digital flexor tendon sheath in the pastern region. A hole is then made between the tendon sheath and navicular bursa, giving the surgeon a good view of the navicular bursa, flexor surface of the navicular bone and adjacent deep digital flexor tendon. Given that only a small incision is required, the technique is relatively noninvasive and usually does not take a long time under general anesthesia. The navicular bursa is a small structure, and one limitation of the procedure is whether the specific injury is easily visualized. Often we can predict this from the MRI results.

My advice would be to make sure you select a surgeon who has plenty of experience with such procedures and make sure they have a chance to evaluate the MRI images prior to surgery. PBEC’s head surgeon, Dr. Brusie, has been performing this procedure for more than six years and has seen good results. In his experience, complications are rare.

As with most surgical procedures, there is rarely a quick fix; several months of rehabilitation and careful veterinary supervision, as well as good farrier care, will be important for success.

While each case is different, I am happy to say that since this procedure became available, I have seen many successful results with the horses returning to a similar level of training. In one study out of the U.K. in 2012, 61 percent of horses undergoing navicular bursoscopy returned to work sound, with 42 percent returning to their previous level of performance.

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Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Gre Lisa Goldman-Smolen and Ivaro N strike gold in Great American $300,000 Grand Prix at HITS Ocala!! 🏆🥇

Crowds filled the stands at the HITS Ocala Grand Prix Ring on Sunday afternoon to watch the world’s top athletes compete in the Great American $300,000 Grand Prix. The day concluded with a thrilling five-horse jump-off featuring athletes 
representing four countries. In the end, it was Lisa Goldman-Smolen (USA) and Ivaro N who produced the only double clear effort of the day, claiming one of the biggest wins of her career. Scott Keach (AUS) and Noble De La Chapelle earned the second-place prize with the fastest 4-fault jump-off, while Aaron Vale (USA) and Obi Wan placed third as the day’s pathfinders.

“I'm still on cloud nine, I still can't believe it – I’ve used up all my luck for the year,” smiled Goldman-Smolen after her win. “I've been knocking on the door a long time in these bigger classes. I am so proud of my horse – he gave every ounce of effort.”

Sunday’s Great American $300,000 Grand Prix marked the conclusion of the 2023 HITS Ocala circuit. HITS CCO Joe Norick concluded, “We are so excited about the new HITS, with 2023 as the launch. New footing, many new arenas here, and a lot of our facilities across America are getting a lot of love and new footing. Our partnerships with Worldly Martin and others across America including our footing leader Bart Poles overseeing our operations – it really makes a big difference for us. Today is about Ocala and these three riders sitting next to me who supported us this entire winter. We want to be a proud destination for our exhibitors and our friends. We know we have to provide them a beautiful showplace to work from that's horseman friendly, and that's our go goal. 

Congratulations to all of the riders, horses, owners, and groom who participated in this prestigious class!!! 🎉
📸 @esi_photography 
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It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is. It's #STUDSunday and today's featured stallion is...

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Diarado-Diamant de Semilly- Chacco Blue
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You can find ALL of the stallions featured towards the back of the magazine in the equestrian gallery. Keep a look out EVERY Sunday for a new handsome STUD muffin🧁 and don't forget to subscribe to get your very own edition of Sidelines Magazine, the magazine for horse people, about horse people 🦄

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
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