Ask the Vet - Shivers, Sheath Cleaning, Vitamin E, and more! - July 2016

You asked, we answered! In this episode of our monthly series, Ask the Vet, Dr. Lydia Gray and SmartPaker Sarah answer your questions about Shivers in horses, is sheath cleaning necessary, feeding grain before and after workouts, Vitamin E for horses, and scratches.
Have some of your own questions? Ask away! If your question gets selected to be in one of our Ask the Vet videos, you win a SmartPak Gift Card! How awesome is that!? All you have to do is submit your question on this video before July 1, 2016, using #askthevetvideo.
If your question was answered in this video, reach out to us at [e-mail] and let us know! We'll get your gift card out to you as soon as we can!
You can also ask your questions on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or our blog, where you can read all of Dr. Lydia Gray's Ask the Vet articles ( www.smartpakequine.com/blog/c... )!
Make sure to SUBSCRIBE so that you know when the next episode comes out - your question may be featured!
Additional reading/watching material mentioned in the video:
Ask the Vet individual topics playlist: • Ask the Vet individual...
Horse Health Library Videos: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
How to Manage A Horse With Shivers: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
Horse Health Library - Shivers: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
The Down And Dirty On Horse Sheath Cleaning: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
Ask the Vet - Why Do Horses Need Vitamin E: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
Vitamin E Supplements For Horses- Benefits, Uses & Sources: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
Vitamin E For Horse Without Access to Pasture: www.smartpakequine.com/learn-...
Questions answered in this episode:
1. I am adopting a draft horse with whom I've worked with for several years. He is a 10-12 year old Belgian gelding who has a slight "wobble" in his head when he's standing at liberty or while tied as well as stringhalt-like symptoms in his right hind. I've been told that his condition is called "shivers" though to the best of my knowledge it's never been officially diagnosed by a veterinarian. He appears to be otherwise workably sound and happy to do his job around the farm with his teammate; it's been something we've learned to work around. From my understanding of the condition, it's degenerative so I'm anticipating a lot of time over the next few years making sure his quality of life is the best it can be. Are there any exercises, feeding programs or supplements that will help his shivers symptoms?
2. My horse's sheath gets dirty very quickly, and I can give him baths and clean it in the late spring, summer, and early fall, but when the weather turns cold I can't clean his sheath without getting him cold and wet. Is there a way I could keep his sheath clean without a bath?
3. Going along with the water after work question from last month…what about feeding them grain? When is it safe to feed our horses after or even before riding? I was always told 30 minutes, but is that true?
4. My vet has recently been pushing for all her clients’s horses to get more Vitamin E. What is Vitamin E used for in the horse? How much should a horse be getting per day? And should you use a natural or unnatural supplement? What's the difference?
5. How do you treat and prevent stubborn cases of scratches?

[@sammieemery5967]

why is smartPak so awesome!that's my question

[@kelliedoyle6119]

I am so excited! Lol definitely going for at least a new pair of piper breeches! I love them so much!

[@musikkofthenight]

Thanks, Sarah and Dr. Lydia! Between when I submitted the question and the video, we did take the Belgians to the vet clinic and got the official diagnosis of shivers. According to our vet he's in as good a shape as he can be expected to be, but we're starting a feeding plan to best support him. Thanks for your help and I hope this question also helped other SmartPak fans!

[@ladyfarrier5949]

I agree not needing to use soaps for cleaning the sheath. But i think geldings should still be cleaned out..... just gently pulling out the excess and clumps and expelling the "beans". Studs tend to keep themselves clean due to breeding. But geldings get a buildup that studs don't.

[@xxmichelle.m4777]

Love you guys!!!

[@michelekanefsky7511]

Good info on Vit E thank you! Wondering if it’s beneficial feed flax & Vit E? What would be the pros & cons?

[@leahh1077]

When our older horses trot and/or canter their backs make a weird noise. I can't really explain the noise, but it kind of sounds like a swoosh. It happens every stride and it sounds weird and it concerns me. This might be normal, but it doesn't sound normal because it's really loud. Does anyone know what it is?

[@ayslin3631]

Do some more of the funny videos like short rider problems not all vet questions and showing clothes and stuff

[@ayslin3631]

I didn't mean don't do these things but can u do more fun stuff

[@jessicalee6026]

I've been told previously that when rinsing a horse, you should start at their legs and rinse all 4 legs thoroughly before moving to the rest of the body. I understand starting at the ground and working up to their body to prevent the horse from spooking. The reason I was told for rinsing the legs first was to prevent a heart attack from cold water on the body right after work. Aside from the horse spooking, is it ok to rinse the body before the legs? #askthevetvideo

[@abbychilds7087]

How do you get rid of rain rot or fungus fast?

[@jacqueline_8443]

how big is a stall opposed to be

[@gracegochnauer7395]

#askthevet With the clover in my pasture my horse is slobbering everywhere! Is there any way to fix this "clover mouth?"

[@paigemallory6219]

#askthevetvideo My horse is about 200 pounds underweight and I have heard multiple things from different people about solutions like rice bran oil or other supplements. I was wondering if full time pasture will help or not make me have to give him as much supplement. Do you think pasture will help or do you have any other suggestions?

[@dakotasauve661]

I have a 10 year old mare, she has been bred two times and both times she showed all the signs of a healthy pregnancy but when it comes to birth she has trouble and unfortunately has still born foals... she's is a great healthy horse with great bloodlines and I'd love to pass down her genes but I'm afraid next time I breed her it will happen again.. I've taken her to the vet multiply times but they can't really tell what is causing her to pass the foals. thanks for your help smartpak

[@xxmichelle.m4777]

What should I do when my mare is not feeding her filly.

[@suttonm7102]

#askthevetvideo I have heard a lot of different things about bathing in the western riding world, how often should I give my horse bath, I have heard that horse have oils on there coat and it's bad and you wash them off so people say to only give a bath ones a year but I have heard also to give a horse a bath once a week or so. Is a good bath once a year better or once a week or so?

[@AutunmsDay]

baby Destin works on my horse starches

[@ameliamarciniukkk3385]

My question: In my riding school we 28-29 horse and ponies all together. Most of them are working a few hours a day, and some don't even work at all some days. The thing is that they all get haylage 3 times a day and I heard it's unhealthy in large amounts at a time (they get it 3 times everyday). Also some horses don't get feed at all even though they did lots of work and some get LOADS of feed and they were in a stall for the whole day. Can you tell me how both these things can affect these riding horses? #askthevet

[@susanwareham6170]

Dont agree with the sheath cleaning, I have just heard stallions don't need it because of the breeding it gets cleaned that way, Gelding however need it cleaned I have a gelding that when he is bad it the stuff actually gets on his back leg. I can not imagine leaving that go.

[@faithamundson9883]

My horse gets very dirty in her hind legs below the hock from laying in the rocks what are ways that i can can clean her legs they had rain rot without washing them every day and scrubbing them with stiff brushes. #askthevet #askthevetvideo

[@mariahmcabee649]

Why we use polos??

[@kassidilynn9506]

How do i know if my horse needs supplements? #askthevetvideo

[@maria-laurah5716]

How often would you clean a horse's sheath especially if bits are falling out naturally? Or would you let nature take place and let it all fall out?

[@sticksgreen3740]

safes kinds of flystrays

[@fonjadidi]

What about the Bean in geldings? if you dont remove that they cause SERIOUS problems because youre horse cannot pee!

[@neza.kotnik]

Do you also have to clean a stallions sheth ? #askthevetvideo

[@em71988]

My horse doesn't "drop" when he pees, can this cause problems? His belly near his sheath is nasty and he won't let me clean it #askthevetvideo

[@jumpereqx1461]

Are there any tips you guys can give me about my horse? He has a hard time building muscle, are there any specific diets or training I could do to help build muscle especially in his neck and hindquarters, thanks!

[@jumpereqx1461]

#askthevet

[@AutunmsDay]

My qeustion is with squamous cell I have a horse that had squamous any recommendations for supplements he also has uveitis

[@AutunmsDay]

*has

[@gracegochnauer7395]

#askthevet My 6yr old miniature is overweight. I feel it is effecting his joints , so is there any way I can help his weight loss move along? He isn't on much grain or hay, and he is exercises daily.

[@sandyelliott3350]

Weigh his feed every feeding. My mini gets 3 pounds of grass hay per day.

[@suemcfarlane4199]

Black beauty really set the no giving a hot horse cold water idea in stone you never race a horse after a large feed

[@em71988]

My trainer thinks my horse may have Tourette's. what can I do to help him? #askthevetvideo

[@gracegochnauer7395]

#askthevet My miniature horse is cremello and on his muzzle and around his eyes he gets sunburnt. Is using regular human sunscreen safe, or are there horse safe alternatives to use?

[@katarinafatur]

Grace M i know i'm late but you can use human sunscream.. it ok.. maybe better the kids version 😉

[@sandyelliott3350]

Fly masks

[@sammieemery5967]

#askthevet

[@amberboston3154]

But the mustangs sheaths don't need to be cleaned because it is naturally cleaned through reproduction.

[@MrHorsepro]

AMEN, AMEN!!!! aaep.org/horsehealth/why-and-how-do-i-clean-my-horses-sheath Why And How Do I Clean My Horses Sheath? By Ben Espy, DVM, DACT Question: I just bought my first horse-a gelding. My fellow barn mates tell me that I need to clean his sheath several times a year. Do I really need to do that, and, if so, how? A. Contrary to popular belief, cleaning a horse’s penis and the sheath containing it (the prepuce) is rarely necessary. In fact, the aggressive cleaning methods promoted by many well-meaning horse people often do more harm than good. Here are some myths commonly used to justify this practice: Myth #1: Accumulation on the penis is dirty and unhygienic. This is a typical anthropomorphic assumption that male horses have the same hygienic needs as male humans. As with most things we do to horses to make them align better with our lifestyles, we’d be better off letting horses be horses. When a stallion or gelding extends or “lets down” his penis, the accumulation you see on it is smegma, not dirt. This material is continually -secreted from the penis for a very specific purpose: It provides lubrication and a protective covering for the penis. Some horses produce dry, flaky smegma, while others produce moist, goopy smegma. Both are perfectly normal. The amount produced varies widely among individuals. For example, horses with white pigmentation on their penises seem to produce more smegma than horses with dark penises. Excessive smegma accumulation is extremely rare and usually associated with skin conditions or lesions, like herpesvirus or squamous cell carcinoma-a common tumor found on the penis-that need to be diagnosed by your veterinarian. Myth #2: All male horses require routine sheath cleaning. The best proof that sheath cleaning is completely unnecessary is the reproductive health of stallions observed in the wild. These horses, who obviously have never had their sheaths cleaned, have documented conception rates approaching 85 percent. Domestic stallions, on the other hand, who do frequently have their sheaths cleaned-sometimes as often as three to four times a day-often average only a 70 percent conception rate. Some instances in which sheath cleaning may be medically recommended are when a horse has suffered a laceration in the area has undergone surgery to remove a cancerous growth, has a skin condition from equine herpesvirus or has squamous cell carcinoma. Myth #3: Swelling in the sheath and tail rubbing are signs that a horse’s sheath needs cleaning. When a sheath swells, it has nothing to do with the accumulation of smegma inside it. -Because of its location on the underside of the horse, it is simply a natural low point where excess fluid is drawn by the force of gravity. For example, an older horse with low protein levels in his blood or liver disease may experience fluid buildup, called edema or pitting edema-swelling that holds a depression when you press into it with your thumb-in the sheath area without exhibiting any other clinical signs. In such cases, the swelling likely will disappear if the horse is turned out or exercised, just as it would from the legs of a horse who stocks up when stalled for long periods of time. Another common cause of sheath swelling is parasites. Parasites also make horses’ tails itchy. So if you notice your horse rubbing his tail and he has a swollen sheath, the latter condition isn’t causing the former. Both can be cured by deworming with an ivermectin-containing product. Myth #4: An unusually large smegma “bean” can block a horse’s urethra. Smegma can accumulate in the depression at the end of the penis, called the urethral fossa. Commonly known as the “bean,” this smegma plug can vary from about the size of a small eraser to a lima bean. When male horses stand “camped out”-with their hind legs stretched behind them and their backs hunched in an uncomfortable-looking stance-some people worry that they’re having trouble urinating. But the force of a horse’s urine stream is far too strong to be inhibited by any amount of smegma. In fact, the “camped-out” stance is usually a sign of abdominal pain caused, for example, by ulcers or colic. Not only is sheath cleaning unnecessary, it can often be harmful. The traditional method of poking a hose up into the sheath and scrubbing it and the penis with sponges and antibacterial soap removes the natural protective covering and healthy bacteria population, potentially causing microabrasions and sores. If you feel absolutely compelled to clean your horse’s penis for cosmetic reasons before a show, follow a quick, efficient, soap-free procedure. To -encourage him to let down for cleaning, try bathing him on a warm, sunny day. Then stand by his front legs to avoid getting stepped on if he sidesteps during the process. Wearing disposable gloves, gently grasp the end of his penis with one hand and run the other hand up the shaft, knocking off the smegma. You should be able to clean the penis adequately this way without using water. If necessary, though, you can run a small stream of warm water over the penis-but avoid scrubbing with towels or sponges. Then pat the penis dry with paper towels. If your horse doesn’t relax enough to let down or refuses to stand still for the procedure, don’t resort to more forceful restraints, such as a twitch. This will just stimulate his fear mechanism, making it harder to clean his sheath in the future. Instead, ask your veterinarian to sedate him and perform the cleaning for you. Expect whatever cleaning you do to be short-lived. Normal smegma production will restore the accumulation to your horse’s regular level within about a week. A specialist in equine reproduction and infertility, Dr. Benjamin Espy has practiced veterinary medicine in Texas and Kentucky and is board certified in equine reproduction and licensed to practice acupuncture. He recently served on the AAEP Board of Directors and the Board of Directors for the American College of Theriogenology (www.theriogenology.org). Dr. Espy is also the liaison for the Texas Equine Veterinary Association and is a veterinarian for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association during the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Reprinted with permission from the Practical Horseman magazine. Reviewed by original author in 2016.

[@user-hk8oo9ve1z]

I would say first but no

[@coolwomabat7897]

Why not?? Then I'm second but no

[@user-hk8oo9ve1z]

Cuz im not about that life

[@coolwomabat7897]

+ivoco kaal ah I see

[@autumn9969]

but you did say first