Mice, mice and more mice....

Are you dealing with a mouse plague at your house?
There are no signs of numbers reducing any time soon and unfortunately as we attempt to control the mice and rats in our sheds, feed stores and homes with baits, as careful as we are, we are seeing dogs affected by rat bait poisoning. 
A question we are often also asked is 'What if my dog is eating mice that have been poisoned?' Vet Georgia has written our first newsletter article this month to address those concerns & advise what to do if you think your pet has ingested rat bait - thanks Georgia. 
Other articles this month include for horse owners the importance of first aid wound management and having your own basic first aid kit at home or in the float, for our sheep producers the impact of cheesy gland in our sheep meat industry, and cattle producers the importance of vaccinating your bulls for herd health.  

With the mouse plague across NSW, veterinary clinics across the state are seeing many pets that have been affected by the poison. Rat bait poisoning can occur if an animal has directly eaten rat poison, or has eaten rodents that may have ingested the poison (secondary poisoning).

How many poisoned mice are too many? It is difficult to predict how many mice need to be eaten to cause secondary poisoning in another animal. It is influenced by the size of the mouse/rat, and the size of the other animal, as well as when it was eaten and what sort of poison was eaten in the first place. There is no safe number, but we can check blood tests to see if your pet has been affected.

Rat bait can come in a number of colors (blue, green, red, tan) and formulations (blocks, pellets, granules). There are also a number of different forms of poison used in rat bait, and each of them affects the animal in very different ways. This means that the veterinary team will treat your pet most appropriately if we know the exact form of poison eaten. Unfortunately, the poison cannot be identified by the color or formula, so if you are concerned that your pet has eaten bait bait, please bring the poison, the packaging, or a photo of it so that the veterinarian can best tailor treatment for your pet.

If your pet has recently eaten rat bait, often we can cause vomiting and eliminate the poison. This is best done as soon as possible, and ideally within 4hours. Your veterinary team will also be able to run a blood test to determine if your pet's blood clotting ability has been compromised by an anticoagulant poison. Some pets will require medications to reverse effects of the rat bait, like Vitamin K, or x-rays to see if there is blood accumulation internally. In severe cases, blood transfusions can be required. If your pet needs intensive care after rat bait poisoning, be prepared to give them time off intensive work like stock work, or agility, for a few weeks and until they get the all clear from the veterinarians.

But how to deal with those pesky mice? Mouse traps and enclosed bait stations can make it safer for other animals while you try to manage mouse infestations. Remember that pets can be very sneaky in how they can get to rat bait, and rat baits are made to be tasty! Rats and mice can also move poison out of bait stations, but the waxy blocks make that considerably more difficult.

Be honest with the vet team if your pet is scheduled to have surgery and may have had access to rat bait prior- we can do simple blood tests and checks to minimise the risk of major complications. (Image credit Wagwalking.com)

If you suspect poisoning 

• Please call the clinic immediately. We offer a 24 hours emergency service if you need us.
• Let the team know if you are concerned about your pet eating rat bait or poisoned rats.
• Bring in the rat bait packaging - this can be extremely helpful to your veterinary team if you suspect ingestion. 

African swine fever (ASF) and foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus fragments have again been detected in pork products seized at Australia’s international mail centres, highlighting the significant risk these products pose for the nation. These findings do not change Australia’s FMD or ASF-free status.
Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, David Littleproud, said FMD was considered the biggest animal disease threat to Australia’s agriculture.

“An outbreak of FMD in Australia would lead to the closure of major livestock, beef, lamb, dairy and pork export markets with serious economic and social effects in other sectors, including tourism,” said Minister Littleproud.

“Studies have estimated a large multi-state outbreak of FMD in Australia could result in economic losses of $50 billion dollars over 10 years and an outbreak of ASF could cost Australia $1.5 to 2.03 billion dollars over five years.

“Pork products were seized at international mail centres in Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne over two two-week periods over recent holidays.

Overall, 24% of samples tested positive for ASF virus fragments and 1% tested positive for FMD virus fragments.

If you see anything unusual in your livestock (no matter how insignificant it may seem) or if you have a number of sudden deaths in your herd, call us for advice, or alternately report it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Cheesy gland is a bacterial disease of sheep that causes large abscesses in the lymph nodes of the body and internal organs, especially the lungs.
Australian abattoir surveys have shown:

• 97% of flocks studied in NSW were infected with cheesy gland!
• Victoria was not far behind at 91%
• WA had a little less at 88%

The main costs of the disease are in the reduced-on farm production of meat and wool. Soon after the initial infection, sheep develop a fever and the abscesses form. In the first year of infection sheep on average lose 0.2-0.25kg of wool or 4-7% of clean fleece weight as they attempt to fight the infection off. Further losses then occur due to condemnation and trimming at the abattoirs. It’s estimated that 75% of a meat inspectors time on the sheep chain is spent checking and removing cheesy gland.

The main method of spread is thought to be from sheep with infected lungs who cough over other sheep while yarded. Pus from abscesses cut open at shearing, and contaminated dips are also a source of infection.

The disease is well controlled by vaccination, however to be effective a complete vaccination program must be undertaken (one single dose of the vaccine is not effective). An Australian survey showed that farms which followed a recommended vaccination program reduced the prevalence of the disease to 3% compared to 29% in other partially vaccinated or unvaccinated flocks sampled. For previously unvaccinated sheep, the primary course of vaccine, Glanvac, consists of two doses ideally given four weeks apart. This should be followed by a booster dose every 12 months.

Even seemingly minor wounds over joints can have serious consequences if left untreated.

Wounds are one of the most common reasons horse owners call us. Knowing basic first aid, how to assess a wound and when to involve us can help to maximise your horse’s chance of a good outcome following an injury.

Rule #1 in an emergency: In times of emergency it is imperative not to panic.
Simple things first: catch the horse. Call a friend for help if necessary. Try to move the horse to a safe and well-lit area to assess the wound. Applying a temporary firm bandage can help stop bleeding and keep leg wounds clean. Dirty wounds should be cleaned with clean running water and a diluted antiseptic solution, if available. Bandaging wounds on the body is often not practical. Only treat a wound when it is safe to do so - frightened or unhandled horses are best examined by a veterinarian after sedation.

When your horse is wounded, the main things to communicate to us over the phone are:

1. Where the wound is located. Leg wounds of any size, near joints or tendon sheaths, must be carefully assessed by a veterinarian. Any penetration into a joint or tendon sheath can result in serious infection, which is often difficult and expensive to treat if left undiagnosed. Uncomplicated wounds on the upper body usually heal very well when managed properly.
   
   
2. What the size and depth of the wound are. Accurately describing the wound is important and will help us make preparations to attend to your horse. Good quality images may also be useful.
   
   
3. Whether your horse is lame. Even severe leg wounds requiring veterinary attention may not make the horse lame initially. Lameness following injury must be carefully assessed to determine possible damage to important structures of the limbs.

We will often need to sedate your horse to thoroughly examine wounds and allow more careful cleaning of the area. Not all wounds can be stitched closed. Wounds older than about 12 hours, infected wounds or penetrating wounds are often left open to allow drainage and healing. Strong sedation, or even an anaesthetic, will occasionally be needed to stitch a wound.

The process of wound healing is complicated and dynamic. Topical treatments such as creams, ointments and sprays should only be applied under veterinary instruction and must be appropriate for the wound’s stage of repair. Many wounds do not require antibiotics either, especially those on the upper body and superficial wounds.

‘Proud flesh’ is caused by the excessive production of healing tissue known as granulation tissue. Granulation tissue begins forming at around four-to-eight days post-injury. In the granulation stage of healing, a combination of bandaging and leaving the wound unbandaged but applying a moistening agent, such as KY jelly, is best to minimise the production of proud flesh. Trimming proud flesh is preferred over the application of harsh chemicals that can damage surrounding normal tissue and prolong healing.

You should let us know how important the final cosmetic appearance of the wound will be. The way a wound is managed will influence the final appearance. A show horse may require more intensive wound care than a companion horse or broodmare.

We hope your horse is never wounded, but you can sleep easy now knowing these basic principles of wound management - and remember, we're always here to help!

Several transmissible diseases can cause a drop in fertility of both dairy and beef herds.

Vibriosis

Vibriosis is probably the most widely known and is still very common both throughout beef and dairy herds Australia-wide. Vibriosis is asymptomatic in bulls but causes a 30-60% drop in reproductive rate in cows and heifers. This is by conception delay, irregular oestrus, embryonic mortality and even the occasional abortion. It is easily spread - one stray animal jumping a fence could cause a herd infection.

Pestivirus and Leptospirosis

Pestivirus and Leptospirosis are both implicated in poor production, both reproductive and in general production terms. They may be present at low levels causing unexpectedly poor returns. The naïve or closed herd is most at risk - one portal of entry may lead to a significant breakdown. If a bull contracts Pestivirus during joining, he may excrete virus in his semen. The infection can also damage sperm production and result in damaged sperm for several months which has disastrous effects on the conception pattern of the joining.

Vaccination recommendations

In light of this, we advise vaccination with 7-in-1 Vibrovax and Pestigard. This will also confer immunity to the clostridial diseases. Bulls not previously vaccinated should receive two injections four weeks apart, with the second injection being given more than two weeks before joining. Annual boosters are then needed and should be given at least two weeks before joining.

Given the autumn joining is just around the corner, are your bulls vaccinated?

There is nothing worse than being away from home, at a rally or competition, travelling, not near veterinary care and needing some basic first aid for your horse. A first aid kit doesn’t need to be elaborate. Provided that you can do some basic first aid yourself, this is often enough to get by until a vet is available if necessary.

Here are a few things to consider for your basic first aid kit:

• A digital thermometer - rapid read thermometers can be purchased from a chemist
• An antiseptic wound cleaner, such as Hibitane or Betadine
• Clean leg wraps for emergencies - these should be separate to your everyday leg wraps
• Gamgee - an absorbent padding for wounds to be placed under leg wraps
• Self-sticking bandages like Vetwrap can help keep bandages in place
• An antiseptic cream or ointment like Septicide
• A torch
• A pair of scissors
• A notepad and pen
• A card with emergency contact details (like our number!)

A first aid kit should not become a medicine cupboard. If it becomes too large, it will get left behind rather than travelling with your horse.