In Episode 98, Chrissy Schneider, DVM, DABVP (Equine) brings you 2022 podcast highlights from Disease Du Jour. You can go back and listen to any of these podcasts on EquiManagement.com or your favorite podcast network. She also talks about Merck Animal Health’s support of the veterinary and equine industries.
In this podcast, Schneider covers key highlights from the following 2022 podcasts:
- Episode 74 R. equi Pneumonia in Foals with Dr. Macarena Sanz
- Episode 76 Merck Animal Health/AVMA Veterinary Wellbeing Study with Drs. Joseph Hahn and Schneider
- Episode 85 EIA and Piroplasmosis with Dr. Angela Pelzel-McCluskey
- Episode 92 Donkey and Mule Care with Amy McLean, PhD
- Episode 96 Equine Sarcoids with Professor Emeritus Derek Knottenbelt
Episode 74 Podcast Highlights
Schneider pointed out that foaling season is just around the corner. In this podcast, Sanz gave an overview of R. equi in foals with research-based prevention and treatment updates.
Schneider said Sanz did a great job in communicating cutting edge progress made in treating R. equi in foals. And with foaling season right around the corner, this podcast will be a great refresher for listeners.
Episode 76 Podcast Highlights
Hahn is the Executive Director of US Companion Animal and Equine Professional Services at Merck Animal Health.
One of the unfortunate facts from this recent study was that 50% of veterinarians said they would not recommend pursuing a career as a veterinarian. However, studies such as this and others specifically for equine are pointing out not only the problems the equine veterinary industry is facing, but guiding the industry toward solutions.
Schneider said this survey and ones before it pointed out the attrition and effects on equine veterinary wellness that today’s industry is facing. She said Hahn outlined concrete actions that could help with these issues in the podcast.
(Editor’s note: You can find more veterinarian resources on Merck’s vetwellbeing.com.)
Episode 85 Podcast Highlights
“EIA and piroplasmosis—these are diseases we learn about in vet school,” said Schneider. “EIA is here, and piroplasmosis is a foreign animal disease that we don’t want.”
Schneider said she didn’t realize the huge problem that bush track racing and illegal importation of horses posed on the U.S. horse industry. “There is widespread, unsanctioned racing,” she noted.
“There are a lot more horses crossing illegally from Mexico,” said podcast guest Dr. Angela Pelzel-McCluskey. “Those horses are coming from a lot of different countries in South American and Europe.” Countries where EIA and piroplasmosis are endemic. There is a significant population of USEF horses with piroplasmosis.\ Those horses can be hunter/jumpers, dressage competitors or jumpers.”
Schneider said veterinarians need to recognize that natural an iatrogenic transmission of these diseases are occurring with these illegally imported racehorses. Warmblood-type horses that come from known piroplasmosis-affected countries in Europe are being imported illegally through Mexico to avoid long and costly testing and treatment.
Veterinarians also need to be aware of “second-career” racehorses showing up in their practices. It’s also possible that a warmblood was imported illegally in the past and current owners don’t know that.
That’s why Schneider said testing for EIA and piroplasmosis is so important.
Episode 86 Podcast Highlights
Schneider said Dr. Emily Schaefer gave her own step-by-step process for an equine neurologic exam in this podcast. “She described nose-to-tail what she does and what’s abnormal,” she said.
Schneider reminded veterinarians that a neurologic exam is a subjective test. She said veterinarians worry about “missing something” in those exams.
(Editor’s note: At the time of this writing, multiple horses had been made ill or had died from a possible botulism outbreak linked back to hay cubed. Just a reminder that there are many causes of neurologic clinical signs.)
Episode 92 Podcast Highlights
“Most vets have the majority of their caseloads as horses,” said Schneider. That made this podcast even more important for the veterinarian who has the occasional exposure to mules and donkeys in practice.
Schneider said she thought Dr. Amy McLean did a great job of describing how mules and donkeys are different from horses, and each other…”especially in behavior.” Schneider said the first meeting with a donkey or especially a mule can make or break how the rest of the interactions go between the veterinarian and the animal.
In the podcast McLean said, ““Mules are different, and donkeys are even more different. Their behavior is different from a horse. A horse is more forgiving. Donkeys and mules are more cognitive…that’s been proven by research. They are extremely cautious. They seem to ask, ‘Why do I need to do this?’ So you have to work with them and not try to be dominate”
Episode 96 Podcast Highlights
Schneider said Dr. Knottenbelt provided a wealth of knowledge in this podcast on equine sarcoids. “He has so much experience working with a tough disease,” she said. “And he’s the premiere expert on sarcoids.”
Schneider said on forums where veterinarians talk to other veterinarians, the topic of sarcoids comes up often.
“We’ve all had bad experiences with sarcoids,” she said. “No one treatment will take care of them all.”
Schneider reminded the audience that sarcoids are cancer.
About Dr. Chrissy Schneider
Chrissy Schneider, DVM, DABVP (Equine), left private practice to join Merck Animal Health as an Equine Professional Services Veterinarian. Dr. Schneider graduated from The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009, then completed an internship at Wisconsin Equine. She returned to Ohio State for a combined residency/Master’s program, and in 2013 she earned her Master’s degree in Veterinary Science and became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, specializing in Equine Practice. She then joined Bella Vista Equine, a private practice in the Columbus, Ohio, area, where her primary interests and duties included managing their Preventive Care and Wellness Program.
