RAIN, RAIN, HAS IT GONE AWAY????

Well, I am no predictor of weather, but can give you some helpful hints. Concerning horses, I advise you GET THEM OUT OF THE MUD!! The sun is shinning so let’s get them moving into a dry area! Horses are known for foot abscess after a good rain storm. Why? The ” pores” of the white line on the bottom of the foot, that joins the sole with the hoof wall, opens. This would be the same as if you sat in a bathtub–your pores open, even more if the water is warm. When the pores open, bacteria goes in. When the rain stops and the sun comes out, the pores of the white line close WITH THE BACTERIA INSIDE the whiteline. Wether this occurs at the toe or the quarter, the laws of physics allows the bacteria to migrate to the area of least resistant, the HEEL. So, many a heel bulb abscess. It is of utmost important to pick all four feet daily, rain or shine! Horses standing in mud can also “FOUNDER”, also known as laminitis, but this is another topic.
Often dogs refuse to go outside to urinate and defecate. I have seen in my own dogs, a resulting bladder infection from holding the urine. In Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, stagnation, of urine in this case, can cause heat. Heat in the bladder is recognized in Western Veterinary Medicine as inflammation. We all know this as a bladder infection.
So if asked “WHO LET THE DOGS OUT (on a leash , of course), or” WHO MOVED THE HORSE TO A DRY AREA”, just tell them Dr. Joan D. Winter!!! Enjoy today and all your tomorrows!!!!