HOME GENERATED SHARPS & PHARMACEUTICAL WASTE

So you have just completed a course of medication for your beloved steed as directed by your veterinarian and you find yourself with a small quantity of pharmaceutical drug, say trimethoprim sulfa antibiotic, that is left over. You happen to notice that on the tack shed shelf next to that container of medication is a bottle of Bute pills that expired in March of 2002!  Also on the shelf you spy a dusty, zip lock sandwich bag containing three, 20 gauge needles  and syringes you used last spring. So what do you do with this "medical waste"? Dump it in the garbage?  NO!   Flush the drugs down the toilet??  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  Neither of the above are legal in the state of California.

OUTBREAK ALERT WEBSITE

Visit this interesting site, enter your zip code, and view equine related health outbreaks.
OUTBREAK ALERT

WHAT'S IN AN EQUINE OPHTHALMIC EXAM?

Biomicroscope Exam

Test Question:
What simple observation is often the very first sign that a horse's eye is experiencing the earliest, subtle stages of discomfort?
(see below for the answer!)

As many of you are aware, I have a  special  interest in equine ophthalmology,  the branch of equine medicine concerned with the study and treatment of disorders and diseases of the horse's eye. Last month I attended the  first AAEP  "Focus on Ophthalmology" meeting, held in Raleigh, N.C. This focus meeting offered two days of in-depth sessions with a hands on wet-lab to allow practitioners to broaden their range of skills in evaluating and treating the horse's eye.

This meeting was led by equine ophthalmologists Brian Gilger, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVO,  Dennis E. Brooks, DVM, Dipl. ACVO, equine practitioner Ann Dwyer, DVM and

WEST NILE VIRUS UPDATE

 

Follow the link for the latest information from the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture. Call our office (805.344.2212) if you have any questions, to check on your horse's vaccination records, or to make an appointment to bring them up to date with this important vaccine.

 http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/wnv_info.html

SEX AND THE SINGLE MARE -Talk by Dr. Jensen

Need something fun to do on Friday evening, July 6th at 6:pm? I will be giving an informal talk for horse owners and friends about the intricacies of the mares reproductive cycle and the management and techniques of remote breeding. We will discuss the effects of artificial insemination on various breeds and why AI is not allowed in the thoroughbred industry. Finally we will touch on the genetic history of the thoroughbred breed and the endless debate about the influence of "nature vs nurture". Stop by for a glass of wine and join us for an interesting evening!  

 This event will take place at Babi's Tasting Room serving Casa Dumetz Wines in downtown Los Alamos, one block from the flag pole. The link below will take you to the invitation for all the

details.
Invitation - Sex and the Single Mare

HOW YOUR HORSE SEES | TheHorse.com

Dr. Jensen performing an examination of the
retina with a PanOptic scope.   photo by KG-J

Follow this link for a short video explaining the basics of how your horse views the world.
http://www.thehorse.com/Video.aspx?n=how-your-horse-sees-&vID=302

Equine ophthalmology, the study of the anatomy, medical and surgical treatment of horse's eyes, has been a passion of mine for many years. This short video by Dr. Sharon Spier of UC Davis, describes how horses see the world with a few hints about basic care and maintenance of the the equine eye.

This reminds me , I better get back to work on my  OPHTHALMOLOGY PAGE that is under construction on our website! Keep an "eye" out for it!!

EHV-1 CASE CONFIRMED IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

I was recently asked by a client about a case of EHV-1 induced myeloencephalitis (often referred to as Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) ) reported to have occurred in Santa Barbara County earlier this month. I was able to discuss this case with the veterinarian who performed the postmortem evaluation. It seemed an important topic which warranted an SMEquine Newsletter update. This is what I learned.

IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR APPROACH TO MANAGING PARASITES AND DEWORMING PROGRAMS

photo by KG-J

The spring and summer seasons typically inspire questions regarding the ideal parasite control programs. My assistant, Lisa is often asked the question by phone, "What are Dr. Jensen's current recommendations regarding parasite control?  I just read an article on the internet that suggests............".   We certainly have "changed our ways" in terms of how,  when and what to use to control parasites. Our shift over the last 5 years, has been towards more specific testing and environmental management with less reliance on drugs. Our approach is more individualized and focused, allowing us to greatly reduce the number of deworming treatments in most cases.

Lisa thought this would be a good article to help clients understand the reasoning behind a parasite-targeted program as opposed to a standard calendar program and I agree. This is one more step in our goal toward equine stewardship based on horsemanship and wisdom, not outdated dogma! You can also find an archived post in April, 2011 regarding parasite control and importance of  the fecal test.
The Evolution of Parasite Control | thehorse.com