Equine Elders holiday feed drive

Helping Every Animal Live (HEAL) is hosting a holiday feed drive for the residents of Traveller's Rest Equine Elders Sanctuary (TREES.) Visit the HEAL FB page to see how you can participate.  (Then be sure to "Like" and follow the HEAL page to keep up with future projects to help all animals in the area!)

From HEAL's info page:

"Helping Every Animal Live - (HEAL) is a newly forming non-profit. (501(c)(3) status is pending). Founded by an executive with experience in veterinary medicine as well as a former non-profit and governmental entity auditor, HEAL was formed to answer a much needed void in the community. We look forward to introducing our non-profit to the local community and aiding those animals in need.Mission:The mission of Helping Every Animal Live (HEAL) is twofold:

Give animals access to critical and quality veterinary care by providing financial aid and fundraising assistance to those in need.

Educate animal owners, caregivers, first responders, and veterinary professionals in order to improve the health and welfare of all animals through program resources.

Through fundraising efforts, community support, and innovative programs, HEAL will:

• Provide financial assistance for veterinary care to families who qualify for assistance

• Provide veterinary care to treat and rehabilitate sick or injured animals within local municipal animal control facilities in order to return them to a healthy and adoptable state

• Contribute veterinary assistance to animals in custody of local rescue groups, foster programs, animal sanctuaries, wildlife parks, farms, and zoos

• Track euthanasia rates within veterinary settings to reduce medically unnecessary deaths

• Maintain cancer resource center for animals in need of cancer treatments

• Conduct educational seminars to raise public awareness of key topics in veterinary medicine and other important issues as well as offer continuing education to veterinary professionals

• Offer first responder training in animal oxygen administration, CPR, first aid, and restraint and provide all local fire departments with pet oxygen masks and first aid supplies

• Offer CPR and first aid training to the general public

 Provide support to research institutes specializing in emerging veterinary treatments and procedures

• Run a wildlife triage center

• Maintain a Senior Center for aging animals, including access to in-home hospice care

• Provide access to specialized products and services for animals with disabilities

• Sponsor various animal support groups

Through long-range planning, HEAL will:

• Provide a state of the art non-profit veterinary center for specialized and critical care for all species, including wildlife and exotic animals

• Partner with the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine to improve educational standards and requirements for successful completion of a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine

HEAL web site

Things Can Go South Fast!

We're going to preach a little  - again - on the importance of frequent dental exams in Equine Elders.  Twice a year is recommended, more often is not overdoing it if your horse is prone to dental problems.

As an example, Freddy, our self-cleaning dancing Arab gelding was examined seven months ago.  With no major problems, he had a few sharp edges and points addressed, with everything functioning pretty well afterward.  He dropped a few quids here and there if given coarse hay, but that was not new, and not alarming at the age of 26.

However....a few days ago, we noticed Freddy having noticeable problems chewing.  He had no other obvious sypmtoms, but since the dentist/vet team was in the area this weekend, we asked them to stop by and take a peek.

On the initial exam, it was noted that Freddy had a bit of a "fat face."  Not any one lump, bump or swelling, just sort of puffy all over.  A quick look at his teeth didn't bring up anything obvious, except that he seemed to be biting his cheeks because of the edema in the tissues.

Next up: x-rays.  And there is was.   A tooth infection that had moved into his sinus.  Alarmingly, three other teeth looked like they were headed in the same direction.  They had to come out.

Here, Freddy receives a "nerve block," both to keep him comfortable during the extraction and to prepare for flushing the sinus to knock out the infection.

The tooth causing the biggest problem is removed first.

Because there was very little of the roots left, all four teeth came out easily, with little discomfort to the patient.  Here are two of the four teeth removed.  The larger tooth on the left was the one causing the sinus infection.

Next, the sinus cavity itself was flushed out, to be followed up with two weeks of antibiotics. 

With that, Freddy should be good as new!  He may have fewer teeth, but he'll have fewer health problems and less discomfort as well.

Infections, abscesses and dental-related sinus problems are not at all uncommon in older horses.  Nip them in the bud.  Watch for any signs of chewing difficulty, and schedule exams earlier rather than later.