Conditioning And Feeding Horses
Horses confined in stables are being kept under artificial conditions, and in consequence skill is required to maintain them in good health. Living under natural conditions the horse eats grass; he eats for a very considerable number of hours each day and during the night; he feeds in small quantities at frequent intervals, and he drinks whenever he feels inclined. He has a very small stomach for his size. These facts should be borne in mind when horses are in the stable, and the less the natural conditions are disturbed the better.
Horses intended for hunting during the season should be brought in from grass during July or, at the latest, August. During July the grass begins to lack the nutritive qualities which it had in May and June, and the horse will come up in less soft condition if he has been given a feed of 5 lb. oats daily the last few weeks at grass. This extra condition is due partly to the hard food and partly to the fact that the oats give the horse more energy and that he therefore takes more exercise on his own.
Great care must be taken when the horse is brought in that he does not take cold and start coughing. During the first week in the stable he should not be made to sweat, and the door of the stable should be kept open night and day to give all possible air. Nothing is more likely to start a cough than a stuffy stable.
During the first week in the stable the horse should be given damp bran and hay with little or no oats. The change from grass to dry food is likely to cause indigestion and diarrhea. If at the end of the first week the diarrhea persists, the horse should be given bran mashes for twenty-four hours, and then physicked with an aloes ball or 1 1/2 pints of linseed oil. If the horse comes up from grass in poor condition, worms should be suspected, and he should be treated accordingly.
When the horse has got well over the physic the oat ration may be raised gradually as the exercise is increased. Plenty of walking exercise is essential at this time, and the owner need have no fear of giving too much of it. The horse when out at grass takes slow exercise during the larger part of the twenty-four hours in a day, and is better for plenty of slow exercise when stabled. He probably enjoys it as confinement is unnatural.
The longer that slow work is continued the better for the horse. Fast exercise when in gross condition is liable to affect a horse’s wind, damage his legs and work irreparable harm.
As the horse becomes fit slow trotting exercise should be given and steady trots uphill are excellent for muscling up the quarters. With this exercise about 8-10 lb. of oats a day should be sufficient with 2 lb. of damp bran added and about 14 lb. of hay. The corn should be given in three feeds, a little of the hay given after exercise and the bulk of the hay last thing at night.
If this treatment has been followed your horse should be in first-rate condition when he is called upon for fast work at the end of the cubbing season. He will require about 14 lb. of oats, 2 lb. bran and 12 lb. of hay daily. The quantity of corn should be varied with the work that is being expected from him, his size and his appetite. The food should be given in at least three feeds a day and may with great advantage be divided into four meals.
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Vestibular Disease in Dogs and Cats
The vestibular system controls balance and prevents an animal from falling over. It does this by holding and constantly adjusting the position of the eyes, head and body in relation to gravity. When there is disease affecting this system, though it is seldom life threatening, the symptoms caused can be particularly distressing for a pet owner. Animals may tilt their head to one side, circle either clockwise or anticlockwise, fall over repeatedly, roll to one side, be generally wobbly and display abnormal pupil movement in their eyes. Here we look at the physiology of the vestibular system in dogs and cats, what can go wrong and how a good veterinarian will diagnose and treat it.
What exactly is the vestibular system?
The vestibular system is a sensory system consisting of a receptor organ within the inner ear, the vestibular nerve itself, and a balance control centre at the back of the brain. The receptor organ in the inner ear detects the position and movement of the head in space, both when the animal is resting or moving. Information on the position of the head is converted into electrical signals, which are transmitted via the vestibular nerve to the brain. The balance control centre in the brain then processed this information, and sends motor signals to the muscles controlling the positions of the eyes and limbs according to the movement of the head.
What is vestibular syndrome?
Vestibular syndrome is a general term describing disease of the vestibular system. The term alone does not provide any information on which part of the vestibular system is affected, and what the cause is.
What are the signs to look out for?
Animals with vestibular disease may display any or all of the following signs:
1. Head tilt
This is rotation of the head so that one ear is lower than the other. It occurs due to loss of antigravity muscle tone on one side of the neck.
2. Circling
Circling often occurs with vestibular disease, but can also occur with forebrain tumors. Generally, tight circles mean vestibular disease while wide circles mean a brain tumor.
3. Nystagmus (wandering pupils)
This means involuntary rhythmic movement of the eyeballs. The pupils tend to drift to one side (the slow phase) and then jerk back to the middle (the fast phase). Usually the slow phase is toward the diseased side.
4. Strabismus (squint)
This means abnormal position of the eyeballs, rather like the condition commonly known as a squint.
5. Ataxia (wobbliness)
This means walking in an uncoordinated fashion, and is seen with a wide range of diseases other than vestibular disease, such as those affecting the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves. Animals can adopt a broad based stance, exhibit swaying of the head, and leaning, falling and rolling to one side.
Peripheral vs Central Vestibular Disease
Vestibular disease is categorized as either peripheral or central, according to where in the system the disease originates from. Peripheral vestibular disease is where the disease is located in either the receptor organs in the inner ear or the vestibular nerve. Central vestibular disease is where the disease is located in the balance control centre in the brain (to be precise, either in the brainstem vestibular nuclei or in the cerebellum).
The first task for the veterinarian is to identify whether he or she is dealing with peripheral or central vestibular disease. This is done by looking carefully for all of the symptoms described above, and further characterizing them by direction and nature. It is beyond the remit of this article to go into the exact way of differentiating them clinically, and though it can usually be achieved by a competent vet by examination alone, sometimes further tests are necessary to do so.
Causes of peripheral vestibular syndrome
1. Middle or inner ear disease (infection or tumor)
2. Nasopharyngeal polyps
3. Head trauma
4. Drug toxicity (e.g. gentamycin)
5. Underactive thyroid gland
6. Congenital (present at birth)
7. Idiopathic (cause unidentifiable)
Causes of central vestibular syndrome
1. Brain hemorrhage or infarct
2. Infectious encephalitis (bacterial, viral or fungal)
3. Meningoencephalitis
4. Head trauma
5. Drug toxicity (e.g. metronidazole)
6. Brain cyst
7. Brain tumor (primary or metastatic)
8. Thiamine deficiency
9. Neurodegenerative disease
Making a diagnosis
First, the veterinarian must distinguish between peripheral and central disease based on clinical signs. If there is doubt, diagnostics for both should be done. If the veterinarian suspects central disease, he or she may choose to rule out peripheral disease with various tests first because the tests for central disease are expensive (e.g. MRI or CT scan).
The following procedure is what is most commonly done when looking for causes of peripheral vestibular disease. If drug toxicity has been ruled out (no metronidazole, aminoglycoside antibiotics or topical chlorhexidine recently) then the external ears are examined using an otoscope (illuminated and magnified inspection device with a rigid conical end which is inserted into the ear canal). Ear infections, tumors and polyps may be detected this way. Middle ear disease is suspected if the ear drum appears to be ruptured, bulging, cloudy or red in color. Thyroid levels are usually measured by a blood test at this stage to rule out hypothyroidism.
The next step of the investigation is taking xrays of the skull. Several views are required but the most important one is that which shows the tympanic bullae in the middle ears most clearly. This requires general anesthesia to allow correct positioning.
If the tests at this stage have all come back normal, many cases will be given a presumptive diagnosis of idiopathic vestibular syndrome. This is usually because a) it is by far the most likely diagnosis, and b) further specialized tests are costly. If however further tests are to be carried out, MRI or CT scanning, electromyography and nerve conduction studies are a possibility in some referral centers.
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Iguana Temperatures In The Habitat
Iguanas are very delicate in the way that the iguana temperature in the habitat is of the utmost importance. This is due to the fact that in the wild, iguanas get their vitamins and nutrients from basking in the hot sun and although it looks like they are being lazy and lethargic, they are actually gathering life-sustaining nutrients.
It is also true that an iguana can actually see the UV rays that are emitted from the sun, which is something that humans cannot do to demonstrate how imperative sunlight and heat are to the iguana. In order to understand how to properly regulate iguana temperature in the habitat, lets examine the essential needs of the iguana in captivity.
Proper Heat & Light For Captive Iguanas
There are a number of products available to help regulate the iguana temperature rates inside of the habitat but first, lets outline a few of the misconceptions that are common among new iguana owners.
The fish tank lights that are typically a part of the package comes with a fluorescent UVB light that fixes to the top of the tank is far from the adequate lighting for an iguana. These are very weak and do not give the iguana temperature much difference as they are basically ‘cool’ lights. The type of UVB light that an iguana requires to maintain proper iguana temperature is typically an incandescent light that is round in structure for heat as well as the UVB fluorescent light that will supply adequate lighting for the iguana.
The fish tank lights are not sufficient in creating the kind of atmosphere that an iguana is comfortable in or can thrive in so be sure that you have proper lighting. Again, the iguana temperature is a direct correlation with the health of the iguana and is incredibly important to the well being of the iguana. It should also be said that the fluorescent UVB light should be placed at least 8-14 inches from the area that the iguana spends most of its time in.
Many first time iguana owners also believe that the entire habitat needs to be the same temperature and this is a complete falsehood as iguana temperature varies just as it would in the wild. The iguana is not only in need of a hot spot to gather UV rays that are imitated by the heating lamps; it is also in need of a cool area.
The cool area as well as the nighttime iguana temperature should be around 74-85 degrees Fahrenheit while the basking area for the iguana should always be a balmy 90-94 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Killing Animals and Attacking Children
Dogs have not traveled far along the evolutionary road since the time they hunted and killed for food. In fact, some breeds are still selectively bred for their tendency to chase or stalk prey and at least capture, if not kill and/or eat them.
Notable among these are the Terriers, Dachshunds, sighthounds and various hunting breeds. It is no wonder then, that pet dogs occasionally succumb to their ancestral tendency, even without special training.
Dogs are often inadvertently trained to kill. For example, many dog owners have urged their pets (sometimes playfully) to chase cats, squirrels and stray dogs, and are often horrified when their dogs bring home the neighbor’s Teacup Poodle as a trophy of the chase.
Sometimes other animals, usually cats, have “trained” dogs to become killers. These animals do this unknowingly by sitting on fences, rooftops, in trees or beyond fences, tantalizing the dog from a safe vantage point.
After enough of this teasing, the dog becomes sufficiently frustrated to attack an animal when the opportunity presents itself.
Dogs that kill other animals are usually, but not necessarily, of the excitable type and react aggressively or dominantly to other species or smaller dogs.
The killing of smaller dogs or cats by larger dogs is usually the case in urban areas. However, when dog packs operate as hunting groups, much larger animals become the prey, sometimes even people.
Most dogs that have killed people, either by themselves or in packs, select children as their prey. Child killings (especially those committed by lone dogs) have usually occurred at or within the dog’s “territory,” or have involved a child who screamed shrilly when first approached or knocked down.
A small percentage of dogs appears to be stimulated in the most primitive way by the screaming of any animal: their reaction is to kill that animal. Wild canines have killed members of their own pack that cry out after they have become trapped or are injured.
Dogs that kill other animals should be differentiated from those with a fighting problem. Most dog fights end before either of the combatants is seriously injured.
These episodes rarely result in the death of either dog. Predatory attacks aimed at killing the prey animal are deliberate, with the fangs aimed at the base of the prey’s neck just above the shoulders. If the prey is on its back, the soft flesh of the throat or belly is attacked.
A predatory attack also usually includes violent shaking of the victim. Rarely does a domestic dog actually eat its kill, though some that prey on chickens and other fowl tend to do so more often that cat or dog killers.
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The Spiny Tailed Iguana
There is relatively little known about the mysterious spiny tailed green iguana and only a handful of subspecies. They are generally located in the Yucatan Peninsula through to Panama however their presence is largely located in Mexico.
The intriguing iguana that thrives on the Atlantic coast there can typically grow up to 24-34 inches in length and are often mistaken for an alligator when they are spotted in Florida. They love to lay and soak up the sun and are often found around heat retaining objects such as stones and brick walls.
Specific Traits
The most noticeable difference between this iguana and its close relative the green iguana is that the spiny tail is very aggressive and usually doesn’t do well in captivity. They rarely ever become tame and continue to act aggressive towards the owners and other people as well.
It is hostile and angry in a way and is best left to thrive in its natural environment as this just doesn’t make a good pet as the owner is always feeling like an inferior pet owner and the common spiny tail is in distress because of its captivity.
It has a few distinct traits such as the tail being ringed with very specialized spiny scales that run the length of the tail. Most of the iguana relatives have a dorsal crest that are very short generally however the spiny tailed iguana has a very long dorsal crest.
Captivity
If you already own one of them and you have to house it, there are a few considerations to know before setting up its home. In general this iguana prefers a woody habitat and it is imperative to remember that the spiny tailed iguana thrives on digging and you should provide him with the material to suit it. Pine and aspen shaving and even some bark litters that you can buy for reptiles are not suitable for this type of iguana so be sure to steer clear of those.
Alfalfa is a wonderful product to use to provide your iguana with digging material. Always make certain that your spiny tailed iguana has a fresh bowl of water at all times and it is sometimes suggested for this specific type of iguana that you allow ice cubes to melt over an enclosure into the water bowl.
So if you are thinking about getting yourself one of these amazing creatures, make sure you take into account all the variables discussed above.
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