Vet Q&A-BackyardFarm

racehorse blood test always showing very low PLT reading 25-40, i know normal reading >100. what is reason? what to do to help raise PLT. HGB 16 PCV 45

First, you need to make sure the low platelet count is real by having a blood smear performed by your veterinarian. Blood clots leading to platelet clumping and can result in falsely low platelets. If the manual count done using a blood smear is normal, then I would not worry as this means the blood machine results were inaccurate. If the platelet count is low on the manual count, then you need to have him tested for causes of a low platelet count including infections such as equine piroplasmosis. If he is currently on any drugs such as phenylbutazone or banamine consider stopping them. If the aforementioned plan fails to identify the cause, you should have your horse evaluated by an equine veterinary specialist for further diagnostic testing.

I have a foal that is 2 days old. She has really light eyes, I think they're blue. Does that mean that she's gonna have health issues (like blindnes)?

Not necessarily. It is a matter of genetics. Horses with light colored coats typically have light or blue eyed foals. You may see a darkening of eye color as the foal ages but this doesn't always happen.

My horse is lame in her back right leg what should I do? Ice? Wait?

Poor Gigi! If she is non-weightbearing on the affected leg, I would recommend calling out an equine vet right away for an emergency visit, as this is often a sign of a serious injury such as a fracture. If she is bearing weight and acting normal otherwise, you could try stall rest for the next few days with lots of soft bedding to see if the lameness resolves. You can certainly try icing or cold-hosing the hoof, but it's hard to say if this will be helpful or not without knowing what is causing the lameness. If there is no improvement in the next 3-5 days, or if she isn't eating or having any other symptoms, she needs to be seen by a vet right away to find out what's wrong. Your vet can take x-rays or do other testing if needed to help diagnose the problem and see what can be done to treat it.

My barrel racing horse is refusing to eat. She stands with her butt against the stall wall and rests her hocks. She usually stops this when I exercise her. What is going on?

If she's not eating, she's eating painful, colicky, or both. Take a heart rate if you know how to do this--normal is 20-40 beats/minute. If it's higher than this, she's painful and needs to see a veterinarian. If she is rolling, looking at her sides, or not passing manure, she needs to see a vet as these are signs of colic. If you really think she's resting her hocks, then they are sore, and she needs xrays to see what kind of arthritis is going on and what steps you need to take to make her more comfortable. Hope that helps!

Hi Dr I have some goats with udder disease, it develops over a period of a year I tried several treatments but nothing has worked. I don't whether it's infectious or not but it appears in white udder only. Please find attached photos of the udder

There are many diseases that can cause something like this. I do not know what common diseases you see in Oman so it is difficult for me to comment. You are better off trying to get a vet to come to your farm and check the goats. We do not have enough information here to be helpful. My best guess is that this is papilloma virus warts. The problem can spread through the herd after purchase of an infected animal. Some self-cure at the end of lactation, some do not regress or will return the next year. A few transform into squamous cell carcinomas (cancer).

Drastic weight loss in horse just read about pin worms and adult strongyle are not easy to worm against as some workers are ineffective coupled with poor quality haylage which has been reported to yard owner could this be a reason to such drastic weight loss over such a short time?

Poor Jim! It's certainly possible for intestinal parasites to cause weight loss, and you're correct that they can be resistant to many dewormers - so it would be a good idea for Jim to have a fecal egg count done by your vet to determine if this is the problem. It's also possible that he may need to have his teeth floated, as this is another common reason for weight loss if he can't grind his food properly. Systemic illnesses like liver or kidney disease, cancer, etc. can also cause dramatic weight loss like this. I would recommend having an equine vet come and out and examine him when you are able to - he/she can check his teeth and do a fecal exam, and may also recommend blood work or other testing if needed to help determine the problem.

how mush does it cost to become a vet in college

Getting a veterinary medical degree in the United States requires an additional four years of education after college. The cost of vet school varies depending on a variety of factors including whether you are considered an "in-state" student, whether the school is public or private, etc. But on average, for most students, vet school ends up costing an average of $150,000 - 200,000 total. This would be in addition to whatever costs are accrued in college, prior to applying to vet school.

He stepped on a nail and is now limping very badly should I pull the nail out its been in there for about an hour my grandfather told me to pull it out and pour whisky on it my uncle told me to put Epsom salts on it there so many oppinions what should I do

If the nail is less than 1 inch i would pull it and soak the area with 3% hydroxide or an iodine skin disinfectant, salt water would be sufficient until you can source these if necessary. Contact your vet for tetanus shot if not up to date with vaccines or if nail longer than inch as antibiotics and xray may be required

I have a 2 year old female horse who was wormed last week and started gaining her weight back, but today can't stand up. Looks like she doesn't have the strength. She is still eating hay and drinking. what is the best course to take?

She needs to be examined by a vet if she doesn't have enough strength to stand. That is very concerning so please call your vet and have her seen as soon as possible. Your vet can run lab-work to help diagnose and treat her problem.