Ask the Expert: Bill Ormston, DVM

Read Advice from a Renowned Veterinarian - Dr. Bill Ormston Below

DISCLAIMER: Ask The Expert is provided as a service for informational purposes only and is not intended as an endorsement of any product or as a prescription towards any condition. Ask The Expert is not intended to be a substitute for visits to your local veterinarian or other equine expert but rather the information contained within is the sole opinion of Ask The Expert. Answers given by Ask The Expert are not intended to treat or diagnose but rather as a general source of information about animal health care.

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The flower essences can last for at least 5 years if they are kept properly and not contaminated by things like saliva. If it does not smell strangely, taste off or have things floating, you should be okay. If you notice the old essences not being as effective as they may have in the past, then perhaps they have gotten diluted or altered in some way.

It is fine to use them straight out of the dropper, right in the animal's mouth. If you use them this way, please make sure to rinse the dropper and wipe clean before returning it back to the bottle. I am going to attach a brochure for you to read to see other suggestions for use.

Rescue Remedy is a great blend and has helped many. We have one that we call CrisEase which we feel is even better when dealing with stress and emotionally traumatic situations since it also has Arnica added into it. You can read about it here. CrisEase

A very common blend for horse shows and lessons is the Mellow Out. What people do is they use it a couple of days before the show and the day of the show 1/2-1 hour before needed and it lasts 4-6 hours long. Mellow Out Blend

Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with. We do have a distributor in New Zealand that might be able to get the items to you. I am not sure off the top of my head which items he actually carries at this given time.

Wishing you all the best.
Stacey Small

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Flower Essences work well with issues dealing with emotions. Sometimes it is difficult to know which one will work best for your horse. You should try and pinpoint what causes the attacks. I also recommend working with the horse and yourself when you feel one of these attacks coming on your horse. It is difficult for us not to feed off of our horse's panic attacks as we try to get them through them. Besides the traditional ways of using the flower essences, I recommend rubbing the remedy into the withers of your horse, right in front of the saddle as soon as you feel her beginning to get nervous. You can repeat as often as every 15 minutes if necessary. The first Flower Essences that I would start with would be Panic Attack, CrisEase, Mellow Out, or possibly Devil Be Gone. I would also recommend a balanced mineral supplement (ie, Four Hooves) to ensure the nervous system is balanced.

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Are you seeing any problems with your horse from using it? The reports sighted the feeding of massive amounts of garlic may be detrimental. It is doubtful that your horse could eat enough to be a problem. The suggested useage for this product is way below any amounts to be concerned about. I know of many race horses who lived on the product for many reasons, not only for immune support but lung support and other issues. These horses were always stressed and subjected to extensive traveling that race horses can face. At the track bloods get pulled routinely every few weeks so they were able to be monitored closely. Their bloods never showed any signs of the "claimed" anemia that garlic can produce. I think some of the information floating around on garlic is much more applicable to cats than to horses and the used amount was far greater than anything that would be normally given to a horse. If you are worried, have your veterinarian check a complete blood count (CBC) and check for an anemia.

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The first thing that I would recommend with a swelling in this location is an examination by a qualified equine dentist. If that doesn't show anything I would have the area x-rayed to insure that there is not a foreign body present in the sinus. If those avenues are both negative, I would continue to encourage drainage, do whatever possible to support the immune system of this horse. The history points to a system that isn't working totally. I would also add any natural antibiotics/antifungals that you like to use. These include colloidal silver, olive leaf extract and ozone to name a couple.

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Deworming is an issue for all animal owners especially ones that would like to do things in an alternative fashion. First let us look at parasites. They have the potential to hang around not doing much and then cause a life threatening crisis. They have been around for years, and for years we have been trying to get rid of them. They can and do develop resistance to dewormers. Viable eggs have been found in the soil 30 years after they were deposited in the soil. So the first thing to determine is the threat to your horses. Young and old will be more susceptible, as will animals that have problems with their immune systems. Horses that are in dry lots or small paddocks will be in more danger than horses that are in large pastures that can be rotated. Fecal samples may be done. A positive test is always indicative of infection. A negative test result may or may not be true as the animal could be infected with immature stages or if the worms are intermittent shedders they may not show up in the stool at any given time. Some worms don't shed eggs and the segments or live worms may be seen. When it comes to deworming I think a holistic approach is the best way to go. I like the bendazole wormers as I feel like they work well with limited side effects. How often you need to use a dewormer will depend on the level of threat to your horses.

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You describe a very common problem in horses that have suffered an injury to one leg. We have to remember that the whole body needs to be rehabilitated, not just the leg that was originally injured. Your horse has compensated for the lame leg for a year and a half and thus has a compensated gait resulting in uneven muscling and stressed joints. I would recommend that you start with an examination and evaluation by an AVCA certified chiropractor. Then I would begin a rehab program remembering that rehabilitation may cause some pain and discomfort at first. Make sure that this is acceptable and your horse is ready for this. Your certified chiropractor can help make that decision. During the process, you might want to use Equilite's Ani-Motion, a devil's claw/yucca blend and the Sore No More liniment topically to help decrease this stress and increase the range of motion. On the www.BotanicalAnimal.com website you can find a chart that lists exercises for strengthening and increasing flexibility in your horse. I am also recommending a book by Dr. Frick entitled Fitness in Motion.

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Sarcoids are wart like growths that may be caused by a virus. Any treatment option will work better the smaller the sarcoid is, so catch it as early as you can. Any treatment should include increasing the strength of the body's immune system. You did not mention what you have tried or for how long so not sure what to comment upon. Sarcoids may be treated with excision, cryosurgery, laser surgery, homeopathy, herbs, ozone therapy, and many other modalities. If you choose a "natural route", it is possible that it may appear worse, before it gets better, what is know as a "healing crisis". You should be in contact with your vet to notify them of any changes that may be occurring. You should also remember that if regrowth occurs it doesn't necessarily mean that the treatment is a failure.

After you chose the next method of treatment, I would recommend that you call the treating veterinarian as soon as you see that the tumor is coming back rather than waiting. Switching vets is probably not the best answer, a better route would be to find a vet you trust and then communicate and let them switch treatments if necessary. By switching vets you have eliminated some of the work that was done by vet before, a lot of times the failure of a treatment tells the veterinarian as much as a successful treatment about a patient.

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The answers to most of your questions depend on many variables. What was the condition of your mare prior to her getting pregnant? What are you feeding her now? Is she an easy keeper or does she require extra dietary care most of the time? Is your pasture fertilized and irrigated? I have seen mares that were capable of raising a baby on grass alone, and I have also seen mares that require extra nutrition throughout their entire pregnancy and lactation. Most states have an agriculture extension office would be an excellent source of information. Since they are local, they should be able to help you determine the condition of your mare and pasture. I would recommend that you keep her on a good mineral supplement like Four Hooves throughout the entire period. Plant based minerals are not only enjoyed by the mares, but also readily absorbed and assimilated since horses are herbivores.

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These are questions for a nutritionist not a veterinarian even though many vets will give advice. This is not even a question that can really be answered by me. What are the products to be used for, with what, age, sex and occupation of horse to be fed what else are we feeding, any pasture? What is the body condition of the horse and what is the goal? Thanks Bill

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Your question is a common one that competitors have had towards all topical liniments. There has been a recent clarification that was released by the USEF to all its members. I am attaching a copy of a Press Release that recently went out. Sore No More has been taken to the Olympics since 1996 for the competitors. It seems that capsaicin is the ingredient that is problematic to date. So you can continue to enjoy using the Sore No More on your horses. Please let us know if there are any other questions you may have. I hope this will clear things up for you.
All the best, Stacey Small - Equilite, Inc.

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I can't think of any reason that you would have to stop feeding the Pre-Probiotics. The ingredients in this formula are all aimed at aiding the body and helping the digestive process that occurs in your horse's stomach. There are a couple of other reasons for long hay in the manure. One reason would be poor quality hay that contains a lot of stems and has little nutritional value. Another reason for long hay in the manure could be that your horse is not chewing the hay properly. Make sure that your horse has all of his teeth examined by a qualified professional. This includes opening the mouth and looking at the back teeth with some form of external light source. I hope this helps .

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Sounds like a photosensitization problem to me. Certain chemicals circulating in the blood react when exposed to ultraviolet light. The irradiated chemicals cause a local inflammation. The reason that the white areas are affected is because of the lack of pigmentation in the white color. The ultraviolet light from the sun's rays are able to penetrate more easily to the areas of the blood vessels. Two things that I would recommend would be see if covering her with a sheet or keeping her indoors during the day may help alleviate the problems and secondly I would ask your veterinarian to check her liver function.

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Sore No More products are very safe. Unless your dog is sensitive to one of the ingredients in the products I see no problem with using the products. I would suggest that you part the hair as best you can so it gets down into the skin and does not just sit on the outside hair. This will also lessen the likelihood of ingestion due to licking. Because Sore No More is a cooling liniment you may wish to wrap the area, but that is entirely up to you. It is used under wraps all the time. You might also try using one of Back On Track's equine leg wraps to help increase blood flow to the area. If the area is painful then the products should work, some chronic injuries become non-painful and if this is the case you might not see the results that you may be desiring. The Sore No More Massage Shampoo is used all the time on dogs. They not only get the benefits from the Sore No More but the chemical free shampoo base is very soothing to their skin and leaves their coat silky and shiny.

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Citrus C/Q and Equinacea will both help support the immune system. I would look for a professional in your area that utilizes Ozone injections. Homeopathic remedy "carcinogen" might also help. Also keep having your vet check the tumor and have it removed if the size warrants it.

Equilite Addendum: There is some interesting research out there on "Ozone Therapy". Perhaps you can visit the www.holistichorse.com website and search for the information they have published in their magazine on it. If you need help finding a homeopathic practitioner in your area you can contact--American Holistic Veterinary Medical Assn. - visit their website; www.ahvma.org to find a practitioner in your area.

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Joints may click because there is a laxity in the joint biomechanics. This may be found in the muscles surrounding the joint or the ligaments of the joint itself. There may be a problem with the nerves supplying the joint causing the muscles to not function properly. If this is the problem then chiropractic care may help. Loose ligaments may respond to ice therapy and cold laser therapy. Another cause may be dryness in the joint or the start of osteoarthritis. In this case, Ani-Motion or other chondro-protective agents may help.

Equilite Addendum Perhaps you would like to look more into the "chondro-protective" agents like glucosamine and chondroitin sulfates. These help to protect the cartilage however, they are not anti-inflammatory and do not have the negative properties that the NSAIDS (steroids) have. The Ani-Motion that he mentions is a devil's claw/yucca blend that can be incorporated into your regime in conjunction with other modalities.

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The hyoid apparatus sits at the base of the tongue and is very integral in movement of the head and neck. This organ must move properly in order for your horse to move properly. I am not sure what the surgery was that was performed, but while the body is healing Citrus C/Q and/or Garli+C Blend should help. After everything is healed Ani-Motion should help maintain as much motion in the hyoid apparatus as possible. You may also want to find an AVCA certified chiropractor that understands how to adjust the hyoid to keep it as mobile as possible.

Equilite Addendum: You can contact the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association to fine a chiropractor in your area. Visit their website at www.animalchiropractic.org. Dr. Ormston has mentioned Citrus CQ and the Garli+C Blend, which both help to support the immune system. You can find more detailed information on them by visiting these links; www.equilite.com/product-citrus_cq.asp and www.equilite.com/product-garlic+c.asp. You can view the Ani-motion at www.equilite.com/product-animotion.asp

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The first thing I would do is test their thyroid function. It is a relatively inexpensive test that can be done by your regular veterinarian. If your horses have low thyroid function, then that needs to be addressed as hypothyroidism can be a predisposing factor in laminitis and founder cases. If their thyroid function is normal or borderline then the digestive enzymes in Pre-Probiotics may help them utilize the nutrition that they are receiving. Four Hoofs contains vitamins and minerals necessary for normal organ function.

Equilite Addendum: PreProbiotics is a comprehensive digestive support blend. It is a blend of direct fed microbials that is important to support healthy digestive processes. Crucial to an animal's gut are the "friendly bacteria" for microbial balance. Prebiotics (Fructooligosaccharides FOS) are added to this probiotic blend to help increase the nutrients needed for specific bacteria to survive. Digestive enzymes are used to help break down food for proper digestion and absorption. The Four Hoofs that he mentioned is a plant based mineral blend. Since horses are herbivores, they can best obtain minerals from plant sources as opposed to rock based minerals. This blend combines minerals from land and sea sources for the best blend of macro and micro (trace) minerals. Sea sourced minerals like kelp are often used in thyroid support protocols.

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I am sure that you make sure and keep the dust in the feed and barn as low as possible. This is important. The Equinacea Compound has been very helpful for this over the years. You may also want to try using the Citrus CQ it is an anti-oxidant blend and has the Quercetin which has some antihistamine properties to it. They can both be used throughout the year. Many people will incorporate it into their regime at the end of the winter and run through the fall. You can alternate between the two or use them both at the same time.

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Without looking at radiographs of her feet it is impossible to answer that question. Laminitis is an acute condition, inflammation of the sensitive structures of the feet. Founder is a chronic condition that includes rotation of the distant phalanx away from the hoof wall. The amount of rotation will determine the possibilities and what you need to do as far as shoeing and trimming in the future. I would put your mare on Four Hoofs to help with the health of the foot as it continues to grow. I would also have your horse looked at by a certified animal chiropractor. Anytime there is a problem with movement in any leg it will affect the way the entire body moves. This leads to subluxations in the spine which affects the nerves leaving the spine and going down to the leg.

Equilite Addendum: If you would like to learn more about the Four Hoofs that Dr. Ormston mentioned, please visit www.equilite.com/product-fourhoofs.asp. If you are looking for a natural alternative to make your horse more comfortable you might look to products that contain Devil's Claw and Yucca, like the Ani-Motion. You can read more about that by visiting; www.equilite.com/product-animotion.asp.

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The flower essence Obsess Less may help with obsessive compulsive disorder. Make sure she isn't bored and her mineral needs are being met. 4 hoofs may help with that. I would have her examined by an AVCA certified chiropractor as lack of motion in the region of the poll may lead to cribbing.

Equilite Addendum: To add to what Dr. "O" has said... Flower essences deal with emotional issues the animals may have like feeling neglected or bored. Her perception of things can be very different than ours. Once you rule out any physical issues with your local vet, you can try this direction. The Angel of Mercy addresses issues of abandonment and abuse, which you referenced in your question. The flower essence Obsess Less may help with obsessive repetitive behavior. The Independence Blend may be one if she does not do well when left alone. The Four Hoofs he mentions is an herbal mineral blend that the horses do very well with. Please contact the customer service girls at Equilite and they can discuss the mineral situation in greater depth and be happy to review the flower essences with you.

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I think that you should keep doing what works. You had him adjusted and it really helped for awhile. Get him re-adjusted. Chiropractic care is aimed at helping neurological problems. If it works why not continue that care. You would not have any problems giving a drug or supplement that worked for the rest of your horses life, why should chiropractic care be any different.

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I would use the Sore No More's The Sauce on his feet. The iodine will help keep the area drier and fungal free. I would recommend Ani-Motion (the devils' claw/yucca blend) as an anti-inflammatory as it has fewer side effects than Bute. If you must have him on Bute give it 5 days and off 2 instead of every day. I would also have an AVCA certified chiropractor examine and adjust him as this will help return his biomechanics closer to normal. Any time they change due to a lameness the whole body becomes affected.

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Any time there is an injury that encircles a limb in the horse you should get your veterinarian involved. There are very good chances that the blood and nerve supply below the injury may be compromised. There is not much tissue on the limbs of horses that can be involved in an injury of this type before the injury begins to threaten mobility. A lot of times the most important aspect of getting these injuries to heal is immobilization of the area. Stitches usually won't hold because of movement unless the area is placed in a cast or heavy splint. A lot of times stitches aren't necessary just immobilizing the area is enough. From an antibiotic standpoint; colloidial silver or olive leaf extract should work. Wound Away is a homeopathic ointment that can be applied directly on the wound. Supporting the immune system with products like Citrus C/Q will also help.

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I would place horse on Four Hoof from Equilite as cracks may be due to defects in the formation. Unfortunately every horse can not go barefoot. What is the substrate of the round pen? Does your saddle fit? What is the weight per inch of surface area on your saddle? Yes in the wild every horse can go barefoot but your horse does not live like a wild horse. You make no mention of how he is fed. What does he do when you are not riding him? Does he live in a stall or is he able to walk where ever he wants? Does he drink below the level of his feet or in an elevated bucket? How much grain and how much hay vs how much grass? If the crack is followed and enters the sensitive lamina or comes close to it than yes your horse may need to be shod for a while. It can take up to 2 years for a hoof problem to show up and up to two years for it to go away. Hope this helps.

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Teeth grinding could be a symptom of a dental problem. It could be anything from a malocclusion to an abscess or maybe even a problem with the temporalmandibular joint (TMJ). If there is nothing wrong in her mouth then It could also be a sign of a separation anxiety problem. I would start with Obsess Less or Mellow Out and see how she does. Most owners hate to hear this but most behavior problems stem from obedience issues and you might want to take her to a refresher course. Good luck.

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Photosensitivity is due to a reaction of a chemical in the blood when it comes in contact with UV light. This occurs in the non-pigmented area of paint horses. You can attempt to find the source of the chemical, there are several plants that can cause photosensitization, like St. Johnswort. Check with your local extension agent to help determine the ones that might be growing in your area. Remove your horse from sources of UV light. Limit turn out to night time and if this is not possible keep a sheet on her. The chemicals can affect the liver so you should support the liver with Pre Probiotics and possibly 4 hooves.

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Always feed according to the label direction. There is no reason that you can't leave your pony on PreProbiotics for an indefinite period of time. There is no way to determine the damage to the immune and digestive systems done prior to the pony arriving at your place. The product should help support body function.

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There are several things that could be wrong with your horse. I would start by having a professional check saddle fit on all of the saddles that are being used. Remember proper saddle fit is a function of horse, saddle and rider, so the fit must be checked with each rider especially the riders he is having problems with. Your horse could have a back problem that could be helped with an adjustment from a certified animal chiropractor. He also could be having some mental issues and you may want to try one of the Botanical Animal Flower Essence remedies such as "Ego Builder" or the "Clear Thinking" to help with his focus.

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Horses are herbivores so they are meant to be eating plants, not meats. Eating of herbs and weeds is actually more natural to them than the grains and pelleted feeds that we give them nowadays.

Every plant has it own set of benefits, some may have side effects, but not all do. You are asking a very broad based question here. There are many books and magazines published with this type of information. Perhaps you would like to visit www.holistichorse.com and search their archives for articles. If you have any specific questions regarding a specific herb, I would be happy to help you. I am also going to pass along your information to our wholesaler in the UK who might have some local information for you.

Kind regards, Stacey Small

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There could be quite a few reasons that your horse is biting herself raw. Allergies would be a major reason and the cause could be anything from an ingredient to the feed to the bedding that you use to something in the barn.

If an allergy is the reason for the intense itch them the Garli+C should help. It has the adaptogenic herbs; Astragalus and Schisandra, along with the Vitamin C. If it is the no see-ums that are causing the problem than you might want to use the Ricochet wipes. The feed through wormer should be doing a good job of keeping intestinal worms at bay but will not help with some of the skin parasites that might be causing a problem with your horses skin. There is a homeopathic product called Parasite HP that will help if that is the problem. As with most health issues you want to make sure that you are treating the problem and not just masking the symptoms.

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I will assume that you have ruled out a medical cause. Low grade infection, diabetes, parasites could all be causing weight problems. You don't mention the quality of the hay but a little alfalfa will go a long way in helping to put weight on most horses. The addition of PreProbiotics can be added to any diet, either one that is commercially prepared or one that you mix yourself. PreProbiotics contain prebiotics, probiotics and digestive enzymes to help support your horses digestive system. Let me know if you have any more questions.

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The PreProbiotics help support the gastrointestinal tract of your horse. This support allows the body to absorb nutrients from the feed sources that were previously passing thru undigested. Most animals on good probiotics and quality feed will gain weight. The best source of nutrition for most horses that need to gain weight is alfalfa hay.

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After an injury or any period of inactivity the muscles of the body may become weakened. Target exercises will help you strengthen specific areas of your horses body. If there is a difference in the right side and the left side of your horse the exercises need to be done to try and even out this inequality. Even in a mirrored gait (ie, walk ,trot) the inside legs will do slightly more work if the work is done in a small circle. In a non mirrored gait (ie, canter, gallop) the limbs on the lead side will be doing most of the work. You should work the horse two to three times longer to the weak side in an attempt to even the musculature.

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