Trichobezoar, What is that?!

Ah, your finally laying down in a cool dark room, your head comfortably resting on a pillow, and your all snuggled up in a warm fluffy comforter.  It’s been a long day at work, and an even more hectic evening running errands.  After you finally get to sleep, and begin to dream peacefully, you hear a wretched sound!

Somewhere nearby, an animal seems to choking, hacking, and coughing up something horrendous!  Do you get up now and take care of the lovely gift your feline friend has left you, or get comfy again, only to pick it up in the morning, provided you don’t forget about it and place a sleepy foot right on it.

For all of us who have been chosen as the servants of select feline friends, we know these to be hairballs, or a trichobezoar, as we call them in the veterinary industry.

So how do these wonderful presents develop and find their way to your carpet?

While your cat is happily grooming during the day, a certain amount of hair is caught in her rough tongue and swallowed.  They more she grooms, the greater the chances for a hairball to develop.  In most cases they are harmless, though, not so fun to discover.  If your cuddly kitten seems to leave these for you often, you may need to help her with grooming and the management of her trichobezoar. 

Most hairballs are around an inch long, and about ½ inch wide.  They can be longer, and I have assisted one of my Veterinarians in the anesthetized removal of one that was over an inch thick and 7 inches in length!

What predisposes my cat to Trichobezoar?

·         Long haired breeds

o   Persians, Maine Coones

·         Excessive grooming

·         Mature cats, who spend more time grooming, and less time playing.

·         Seasons that involve shedding

o   Spring is in the “hair”!  J

Remedies?

Absolutely, there are gels, pastes, mineral oils, and laxative based.  Doesn’t that sound appetizing?!  Or you could try the newest launch from Vetri-Science® Labs. 

Feline Furball Plus

·         Convenient and very palatable treat

·         Available in a 60ct. bag

·         Give 4 treats once or twice daily for about 2 days if you suspect a hairball

o   The Papain in here will help break up the mucous holding the hairball together.

·         Give 2 treats a day for maintenance and general coat health

o   Omega 3&6 fatty acids combine with Biotin and Zinc for healthy hair coat

Where do I find these awesome treats?

Your fluffy feline friend will be so happy with you, as you jump in your car, drive to your local veterinarian and request a bag of these treats.  You know who else will be excited?  Your significant other, or whomever is charged with cleaning the carpet!

Thanks for reading, and good luck with your newest product from Vetri-Science®.

Equipedic Saddle Pads

We recently attended The Equine Affaire in central ohio as a family.  I try to go every year, and on numerous days, if I can. 

While perusing the booths, I wanted to make sure that I stopped in to Equipedic, and finally got a chance to meet with Richard.  I needed to thank him for the results his Equipedic pads have yielded for my horses and countless others.

Last year at Equine Affaire, a very close friend of mine discovered these pads, and filled me in on thier unique science.  I was instantly intrigued, and tried her newly purchased western pad on my quarter horse, Ginger.  Within the first 20 minutes, we noticed a remarkable difference in the way she moved, lifted her back, and tracked quite bit more under herself than she had before.  SOLD!

So I gave Richard a call, and made a decision that not would not only benefit my horses, but many others in the past year, I became a local dealer.

While Gingers improvement is what sold me on the pads, my 20 year old thoroughbred, Skitz, is who truly impressed all of us.

Skitz was unfortunately retired at the age of 9, after a back injury that we were unable to rectify.  There is a veterbrae in her lower lumbar that the chiropractor can adjust, but it won't hold.  After trying everything that I could afford, I had to retire her, and just pleasure ride once in a while, as I would never sell her.  Along came the reason that I would switch from Eventing to AQHA.  My dad had quarter horses.

So, after ordering my first couple of saddle pads, I decided to try them on skitz.  To say that I was happy with the results, is a serious understatement.  In the first ride, I was able to sit her canter for the first time in 11 years!

Now, a year later, I can ride whenever I want, exercise her for as long as we decide, and not worry about her getting sore.  Quite the opposite, she has built her topline to a respectable level in the past year, gotten stronger, and fitter than she has been years.  Last summer, we even competed at a local show over fences.  I cried when we placed 2nd, and will cherish this picture forever.

A lot of thanks goes out to Richard and Equipedic, as well as Vetri-Science, and the Glyco-Flex 2 Eq pellets that keep her joints feeling well.

I love my horses, and do what I can to keep them feeling well!

The Healthy Equestrian
healthyequestrian@gmail.com

To order an equipedic pad, and have it dropshipped, get a hold of me on facebook or email.  I would be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.

Dental Health Month

Did you know that February is Pet Dental Health Month?  Many Veterinary clinics extend this focus through January and February each year.  As much as I appreciate this short term focus on the number 1 health concern afflicting our pets, it is really a yearlong need.

 Let’s take a quick look at the why’s and what to do’s for this important animal health sector.

All of us can see the beautiful smile our pets give us, and while those front teeth may look nice, the root of the problem is much deeper, and more apparent if you lift the lip and look at their premolars.  It has been recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association, that 80% of pets under the age of 4 have periodontal disease, and 100% of pets over the age of 4! 

 Why is that?  There are four different grades of periodontal disease.  These range from a mild combination of gingivitis and tartar build up, to an excessive amount of calculus (a hard, thick crust), on the tooth enamel, and potentially ulcers or abscesses affecting the gums and roots.

 Small breed dogs and Brachycephalic (flatter faced) pets, such as pugs, are at a greater risk.  These pets have a crowded mouth if you will.  All of their teeth are trying to fit into a small space.  This crowding gives bacteria a really nice place to hide and grow. 

 Signs and symptoms to watch out can vary from the extremely obvious to very subtle.  Pay attention to your dog’s breath.  Doggy breath is not necessarily a good thing, and if it smells like “dragon” breath, there may be a real problem in there.  Are your pet’s teeth a pearly white with a light pink gum tissue?  That would be a healthy mouth.  If not, what do you see?  Do you see a brown or black buildup on the enamel?  Do you see red, inflamed tissue surrounding the gums?  Is there an oozing spot?  What about a loose or seemingly missing tooth?  If you see or smell anything that concerns you, call your local veterinarian and ask if they can see you’re pet for a dental exam and estimate for home care options or dental cleaning.

Brushing is best!

Okay Okay, now we’re talking home care, does that mean I have to brush my dog’s teeth?!  While brushing is the best option, it’s not always the most practical.  Some pets love to have their teeth brushed, it feels good, and they will sit patiently while you do this.  Many others are distracted easily, and you may find it to be a challenging task, SQUIRREL! 

 Water Additives

If you’re not able to brush your dog’s teeth, take a look at some of the other options for home care.  There are water additives that you can mix into your pets bowl.  Products like Aquadent and Breathalyser are available in these formats.  Make sure you are changing the water frequently though, and be sure that your pet is happily drinking as much water as he/she was before.  We don’t want to be worried about dehydration because we added something new.  One other word of caution, some water additives contain an ingredient called Xylitol.  This artificial sweetener encourages them to drink, but can be risky for some pets.  Check with your veterinarian before you use anything with xylitol in it. 

Food Additives

Another home care option is a food additive.  These are one of my favorites for the pets who have daily feedings in measured amounts.  Plaque off comes in a small container with a scoop, Perio-Support is available in two sizes, a smaller container with shaker top, and larger, more cost effective container with a scoop.  All of these are top dressed on the food.  In other words, store these in your food container, scoop out your pet’s meal, shake on the powder, done!  A food additive is typically very palatable, and a lot of dogs will wait for you to add it after using it for a few meals.  I also like that companies such as Vetri-science (Perio-support), offer a 100% guarantee on their product.  If your pet won’t eat it, or you don’t think its working, you can take it back to your veterinarian.  A word of caution, this guarantee does not apply if you don’t purchase from your veterinarian.

 Chews and Treats

There are a lot of chews and treats on the market that claim to support dental health, I’m sure that some do, but be careful in this area.  When it comes to rawhide type chews, you need to monitor your pet carefully, ask any technician, we have removed quite a few rawhide pieces from the throats of our patients.  Also, your pet needs to chew on this for an extended amount of time if they are to receive the full benefit.

Lean treats tartar control for cats, is another favorite.  These tasty, crunchy treats can be found a blue bag, and are only 1.5 calories per treat.  Cats go crazy for this treat, and it’s a great option for them.

Dental Sticks are another options for our furry family members.  Again, monitor your pet when they are chewing on any of these, you want to make sure they don’t chew off a big piece and either choke, or have it lodge in the intestines.  Greenies and Nutrident are available in pet stores, however, there is another great option coming this year through our veterinary clinics.  Perio-Plus Stix, and feline bites are a combination of a chew stick, and the wonderful ingredients in perio-support powder to help neutralize those particles that cause bad breath.  The ingredients found in these sticks will also help to support the gum tissue, and as we already know, most pets have gingivitis of some classification.  Again, the perio stix and feline bites are 100% gauranteed if purchased through your local veterinarian.  Who doesn't love a risk free option?!

Synthetic Chews I caution against.  Some of these, like the Kong toys are great for chewing and massaging the gums, but there are others on the market that may actually cause your pet to break a tooth.  As with all of these options, check with your veterinarian; ask them what they recommend for your pet.

Dental procedures

The last part of my discussion here, does my pet need a dental cleaning and what is involved?  Again, check with your veterinary clinic and ask them a few questions.  Each clinic does their procedures a little different.  So you want to know exactly what is included.  If you call around to get prices, you may find out later that a procedure at one cost at clinic A, only included a cleaning, while the cost at Clinic B included the cleaning, radiographs, pain management, and a home care item to go home.

Dental Cleanings are essential to the health of your pet.  If left unattended, periodontal disease will affect the health of your pets heart, kidneys, liver, etc...  Think about it this way, if we go twice a year for dental cleanings, how often should our pets be seen?  They are aging 7 times faster than we are, that would be 14 dental visits a year!!  Instead, take them in twice a year for their wellness exams, have the teeth checked then.  If you do just one wellness exam, go again 6 months down the road and have a technician take a look at your pet’s mouth.  They can let you know how things look in there, create an estimate for a cleaning if needed, and consult with the veterinarian if they notice a problem.

 I hope you learned something from this article, and will now pay attention to your pets beautiful smile.  After all, it’s not just the health of his mouth at risk here, its whole body support!

The Healthy Equestrian

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Riding Lessons

I was so excited this evening to go to my first riding lesson with an old coach.  Wayne was my coach in college, when I rode on the intercollegiate team for Columbus State.  It has been 12 years since I had a lesson from him, and sorta forgot how honest, and tough he can be.

Let's just say, I showed up for my lesson, after driving through a snow storm mind you, happy and ready to go.  Just awaiting my assignment, as there were many horses in the barn, all of them different from 12 years ago.  Wayne walks in, and tells me that I am to ride Irish, a big grey quarter horse, who looks like a lot of fun. 

I have been riding whenever possible, on my sweet Ginger, so I'm feeling pretty confident when he tells me that this horse can be tough.  I may not have been riding in my english saddle as often as I should be, but none the less, feeling like I am pretty riding fit.  :)

Ha, I was proven WRONG!  LOL, Irish has to be ridden completely opposite of how I ride Ms. Ginger.  When riding my sweet mare, it is on a long rein, maybe light contact, and she is very in tune to my body movements.

Irish on the other hand, wants contact, short rein, keep my arms a little further up his neck, and close the angle of my body in relation to his neck.  Oh yea, and lean more forward when asking him to trot if I want any kind of forward movement.

This fealt so wrong, but I'm here to learn, and in my quest to learn as many disciplines as I possibly can, I sought out lessons from one of the best in our area.  The Hunter Jumper world is so new and strange to me, and evidently I have a lot to learn.

So at the beginning of our lesson, Irish was slow, and agitated, and charged a few fences with me.  By the end of our lesson, I was riding him the way he needed, and we had quiet, forward movement, and much better jumps.

The funny part though is when Wayne asked me how I handle things when Ginger is too fast?  I just had to smile, and tell him, that she is never too fast.  I have certainly taken for granted how wonderfully predictable, quiet, and even tempered my red headed mare can be.  Irish was the perfect horse for me to learn on tonight, he reminded me what it was like to ride a horse that can be quiet full of himself, bucks and all!

So that brings me to my next fitness and riding goal.  My next lesson is on February 20th, and I need to try and ride at a rising trot, sans stirrups, for 15 minutes.  First step will be to try 5 minutes on Thursday when I ride Ginger next.

As for tonight, I'm headed to a warm shower so I can relax these muscles.  Goodnight!

The Healthy Equestrian
Twitter @hlthequestrian
Look for me on facebook; The Healthy Equestrian

Fiber, So good for all of us!

High Fiber

We have all heard it from our doctors and veterinarians.  It's good for you, don't worry about why!

The truth is, there are so many reasons why fiber is good for you.  Just one of those happens to coincide with many of our news years resolutions.  To get healthy, lean, and more confident in our own skin.

Did you know that just 1 gram of fiber will burn up 7 calories that you took in with your meals??  So 30 grams of fiber throughout the day will burn 210 calories!  Thats awesome!

Of course it will make you more regular too, which helps the GI tract to get into better working order.  Over 80% of your immune system lives in your gut, namely the beneficial bacteria, called probiotics.  Guess what these little friends use as food?  FIBER!

Of course there are certain types of fiber that more readily used by them, we will go into that during my prebiotic/probiotic post that I'm working on.

So here is the short list on why to eat more fiber;
1. Helps you to trim down that waistline
2. Keeps you regular, clears the waste
3. Helps prevent disease and illness
4. Feed the good bugs (Probiotics)
5. Reduce fluid retention and bloating

Now for a list of great, high fiber foods!

Visit this website, love the way they listed these awesome super foods!

http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/063008p28.shtml

From what I have read about the amount of fiber needed, a healthy individual needs to take in 25-35g of fiber per day.  On average, most of us consume around 15g. 

I liked the next part as well, from Web MD, explaining the differences between soluble and insoluble fibers.

Soluble and Insoluble Fiber

Fiber is present in all plant foods in varying amounts.
Most fiber is classified as soluble (meaning that it partially dissolves in water) or insoluble (meaning that it resists digestion and does not dissolve in water).

Soluble fiber is found in beans, peas, lentils, oatmeal, oat bran, nuts, seeds, psyllium, apples, pears, strawberries, and blueberries. Soluble fiber is associated with lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, regulating blood sugar, and a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur, wheat bran, nuts, seeds, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, celery, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, nuts, grapes, and tomatoes. Grandma called it roughage, and one of the benefits of insoluble fiber is that it helps keep you regular, prevents constipation, and reduces the risk of diverticular disease.
Total fiber intake of both kinds, studies show, can lower risk of coronary disease, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.
Foods high in fiber can also make you feel full longer and curb overeating. High-fiber foods are filling; they require more chewing and stay longer in your stomach, absorbing water, and helping you feel full.
Fiber is also associated with lowering risk of certain cancers such as colorectal cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers. Fiber works in concert with other nutrients in a healthy diet to provide the best cancer protection.


Thank you again for visiting my page!

The Healthy Equestrian

www.facebook.com/thehealthyequestrian
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Trot Rails, just a dressage exercise??

Trot and Walk Rails

How many of you use these in your exercise sessions with your horses??  I was first introduced to the idea of "rail work", not following the rail, but riding over them, shortly after I watched my first horse trial.

I immediately fell in love with the sport of eventing, but I had a green, OTTB, at home who was out of shape.  As for me, I was just an information hungry teenager, who didn't like most other sports, and needed something "horsey" to keep my own butt in shape.

As I learned then, and continue to share with everyone, walk and trot rails are not just for jump preparation.  Rather, the more important benefit, muscle building, and flexibility.

All horses, no matter the discipline, can and will benefit from working with rails on the ground, or even slightly raised, but please don't start there.  Instead of just shuffling along at a pleasure pace, or trotting without watching where their feet land, your horse takes on more responsibility, and has to actually work his/her muscles to LIFT, themselves and you, over the rails.




Ginger and Bert walking over the fan.

If you have a horse with a poor topline, this may be one part of the resolution.  Make sure to set your distances correct though.  About 1 large step, or 1 meter apart between the rails.  You may need to adjust the distance to fit your horses stride a bit.

Start with just one rail, then add the second.  You don't need to add a third until your horse is a little fitter, lifting over the rails, and rarely hitting them. 

Even with my western pleasure horses, I work over these rails at an extended jog, or nice forward long trot.  Rising in my stirrups to give my horse clearance, and the most benefit possible.  I also like all of my horses, irregardless of their job, to graduate to a minimum of a cross rail, low cross rail of course.  If they should ever do anything higher, it will be to their choosing.  My horses must be confident, willing, and ready physically to do anything more than a small cross rail. 

Look for other exercises online that you can do with two or more rails, and use your imagination to help your horse build muscle and elasticity throughout their entire body.

My favorites are fans with 2-3 rails, set at 1 meter on the inside (walk, trot length), and 3 meters at the furthest end (canter stride).  I also love boxes, you can trot corners, trot and lope through, trot into the box and stop, and turn a circle like in the trail classes.



Ginger and I working trail at AQHA Region 4, 2011

 Have fun, and happy riding!

The Healthy Equestrian

Breakfast Ideas

As promised, here are three of my favorite breakfast options.  All of them are healthy and fast.  My 3 year old son loves helping me in the kitchen, so they have to be easy too!  First, my little ones favorite.....

Protein Vi-Waffles

If you love waffles, and have a waffle maker in your kitchen, this recipe is an ideal replacement for you.  The traditional Belgian Waffle is around 500 calories!  Check out this nutritional content, it is an incredible savings, and incredibly tasty!!

Ingredients:                                                                Nutritional Content:
1/2 cup     Quick oats, uncooked                                  Calories          260
2               Egg Whites                                                  Protein            27g
2 Scoops  Vi-Shape Shake Mix                                    Total Carbs    34g
2 Scoops  Water                                                          Fiber               9g
1/2-1tsp.   Cinnamon                                                    Sugars            2g
                                                                                    Total Fat         4g
Mix all together and pour into your waffle maker. 
Enjoy with real maple syrup. (calories/sugar not included)


Protein Vi-Waffles



Buffalo Chicken Eggs

Love buffalo chicken wings?? 
Want them for breakfast without all the added fat and calories?? 
Here you go!

In a microwaveable bowl or over-sized coffee cup.
Mix all of the following ingredients, except the cheese.

Ingredients:                                                                                    
2  Egg Whites
1-2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/2 can (1serv.) of chicken breast
Franks Red Hot to taste, I typically use about 1 1/2 tablespoons.
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese

Mix with a fork and microwave for 2-2 1/2 minutes, covered.
Drain any excess liquid into sink (from almond milk and chicken)

Add Cheese to the top, back in the microwave for 30seconds and enjoy!

For more ideas like this one, check out Hungry Girl.  I love her cookbook, 300 under 300.


Buffalo Chicken Wing Eggs

Nutritional Content:
Calories     162.5
Protein       27.2g
Total Fat    7.6g
and 36% of your daily recommended calcium!

Last, but certainly not least.....

Mocha Vi-Shake
Love this one when I need something super quick, and I don't have time to wait on the coffee pot.

Ingredients:
8oz.                 Unsweetened Almond Milk
2 scoops          Vi-Shape Shake Mix
1 Tablespoon   Instant Coffee Granules
4-5                  Ice Cubes

Put all ingredients into your blender, turn on for 15seconds, pour into travel mug, enjoy on the road.



ViSalus Iced Mocha Ingredients

Nutritional Content:
Calories        130
Protein          14g
Total Carbs   11g
Dietary Fiber  8g
Sugars            1g
and 75% of recommended calcium, 40% of your Vitamin A,
and 30% of your Vitamin C!!

No excuses with recipes like this one, I'm on the road, traveling through 3 states each month.  I can stop at any coffee shop for a cup of soy milk.  Take my Shake mix with me, and a couple flavor packets or pudding mix.  My small, travel sized, ninja blender goes with me everytime I leave the house.  Don't have an outlet adapter in your car, go to any health food store, and purchase a protein shaker cup.  With the ball inside, you can add your ingredients, shake, and go!

The Healthy Equestrian
healthyequestrian@gmail.com
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