Lockwood EIA Lab
Mark Anderson, VT., Director
Show
me your horse and I will show you who you are. ~ English Proverb
LOCKWOOD
EIA LAB. Same day coggins tests:
For any Montana horse owners who need a quicker turnaround on
their coggins tests for traveling over state lines, we offer a
one day coggins test service by mail/fax. Your veterinarian can
pull blood from your horse, and overnight it w/ the proper EIA
paperwork to Lockwood EIA Lab in Billings Montana, where we can
run your coggins (ELISA) test and fax
by that day or the next business day (followed up with
mailing) the test results. As soon as your veterinarian receives
the negative coggins report from us, (he may or may not need to
see your horse/s again) and fill out the CVI. (Certificate
of Veterinary Inspection or, Health
certificate) Your vet will also need to get any other state entry
(import permits) and/or re-entry permits (for round trips) that
you may need for interstate travel. Most states accept a current
(within 12 months) negative coggins test (a few states require
it within 6 months), and with a negative tested dam, a suckling
foal 6 months or over can accompany her without a coggins test.
• Global
Vet Link's Import Regulations page... information
by state regarding animal admission requirements. A link to each
state’s official web site describing such regulations is
also provided.
• A central listing of all state veterinarians on the USDA-APHIS
site.
• USDA's
Area Veterinarian-in-Charge Listing (pdf 34kb)
• State
requirements and regulations to import an animal into each U.S.
state
Always contact (call) the State Veterinarian of the state of you
are heading to for current health certification requirements for
the import and export of animals and animal products. The information
on these websites are derived from each State Veterinarian, but
it may not reflect the most current information. Please
check with the appropriate State Veterinarian if you have any
questions concerning the information provided or on the legal
interpretation of the referenced regulations.
Overnight
the blood with the properly filled
out & signed coggins form to:
Mark Anderson, Director
Lockwood EIA Lab
3025 Old Hardin Rd
Billings MT 59101
Blood (with correctly filled out coggins forms) received on regular
business days will be ran and results can be faxed back to you
& your veterinarian by the next business day (Monday-Friday,
not including holidays). The cost is $33.50 /test. Payment (check
or MO) must be included or credit card payment can be made over
the phone. At this time we do not use electronic coggins test
forms, but we may in the near future. Email Mark
if you need any further information.
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Equine
Services include:
Ranch calls: Arrange 1-2 weeks in advance
Health maintenance
Vaccinations & worming
Castration (weather permitting; dry, above 50°)
Coggins & health certificates
Dental care: Floats, extractions, etc.
Nutritional counseling
Equine Acupuncture (for pain, injury, arthritis)
Chiropractic Work - Dr Sid
G Erickson, DVM of Helena MT monthly referral mobile clinics
Pre-purchase & Soundness exams
(WARNING; only for non-client-owned horses)
Reproductive Services
Foaling mares
Newborn checkups
AI (breeding mares with chilled or frozen semen)
Pregnancy checks
Ultrasound (pregnancy & diagnostics)
Orphan experience
Emergency Services
Sick & injured horses, wounds
Colic (colic surgery is referred)
Laminitis
Radiographs
Stalls with cameras
WEATHER:
(remember wet animals should not be injected)
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Lockwood
EIA Lab
Mark Anderson, VT.,
Director
Mailing:
As outlined above, we offer EIA "Coggins" testing
for traveling horses using the ELISA test. We are equipped
to perform this test twice a day M-F. Mail your horse's
blood tubes (must be drawn by a Veterinarian and accompanied
with signed coggins form) to us, and we can fax your coggins
results to your veterinarian by the next (business) day
after we receive it.
Our Coggins test schedule:
ELISA Test batches are regularly scheduled to run Mon-Fri
at 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. Results are then available at 12:00
pm and 5:00 pm respectfully.
Local horses coming here for a coggins
test & health: You do need an appointment and must have
your horses here at the clinic for blood to be drawn at
least 30 minutes before the next test batch is scheduled
to run. For example if you want your Coggins & Health
by noon, your horses need to be here by appointment no later
than 10:30 am. The blood must sit and coagulate before the
test is done, and we need enough time after the test to
do a health certificate, and call for entry and re-entry
permits. Thank you!
WE
DO understand that...
HOWEVER...
just to warn you in advance: If you need Coggins test results
sooner than the next scheduled test batch, during regular
business hours, there will be a rush fee of $20/horse.
Saturdays. (see schedule on homepage).
We do run Coggins tests on Saturday. The blood may be drawn
on a Saturday (with an appointment) for the regular fee.
But if you need test results
on a Saturday, or outside our regular business hours, a
tech fee of $35/horse will be assessed along with any applicable
emergency-after hour fees.
We want to accommodate all of our clients, and we try our
best to meet your needs. We are a same-day EIA Lab, and
yes we can have Coggins test results in an hour... but not
every hour; we do not keep certified EIA techs on call waiting
to run tests 24/7. So! - help us save you money & a
headache and plan ahead whenever possible! Thank You for
your help! 
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photo
by client, Jan Phillips
Equine Articles ~ Resources ~ Links
The muscles of the neck,
is where you give injections to horses.
photo posted by Hammour Cavalier, France
The American Assocation of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) recommends all
horses be vaccinated against West Nile virus, Eastern and Western sleeping
sickness, tetanus and rabies. These are called "core vaccines." If you
take your horse around a lot of other horses, vaccines such as influenza,
herpes or strangles may be warranted. These are known as "risk-based"
vaccines. While there is a cost associated with vaccination, preventive
care is much more cost effective than treatment of a disease. Our veterinarians
can help you choose the best vaccination protocol for you and your horse.
Core Vaccine Protection:
West Nile Virus
Eastern and Western Encephalitis
Tetanus
Rabies
Risk-Based Vaccine Protection:
Influenza
Herpes (Rhinopneumonitis)
Strangles
Potomac Horse Fever
EHV-1 – What Do
I Need To Know? © 16 May 2011 ~ Tanis MacDonald,
DVM
Horse Vaccination Basics (03-01-2011)
Learn how vaccines work, which ones your horse should have, and reactions
to watch out for with Dr. Dale Brown of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital
in Lexington, Ky. From there, link provided for part 2 on vaccinating
broodmares.
Foal
Vaccination Guide (03-03-2011) These AAEP guidelines will
help you make decisions on your foal’s immunizations. This foal
vaccination guide can also be found by going to AAEP.org. By Dr. Thomas
R. Lenz for The American Quarter Horse Journal.
Spring
Shots. Mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile can be prevented
by vaccinating in the spring. Protect your horses by getting their spring
shots. By Dr. Kevin Hankins, senior field veterinarian at Pfizer Animal
Health. Any preventative health program should begin with core vaccines,
such as those recommended for every horse in the United States by the
American Association of Equine Practitioners. The organization’s guidelines
state that eastern equine encephalitis, western equine encephalitis,
West Nile, tetanus and rabies are considered core vaccines for horses.
Horses in high risk groups, such as those competing and traveling may
benefit from vaccinations against risk-based diseases caused by equine
influenza virus and equine herpes viruses 1 and 4, which can cause serious
respiratory disease. “It’s very important that our horses are properly
vaccinated by a veterinarian with the core vaccines, as well as any
risk immunizations for their local area,” says Dr. Tom Lenz, senior
director of equine veterinary services for Pfizer Animal Health. “In
2010, we saw a rise in mosquito-borne diseases in areas across the county.
Horse owners can help protect their horses now by getting their spring
shots.” Unvaccinated horses can be at serious risk of contracting disease,
whether it is a mosquito-borne disease such as West Nile or eastern
equine encephalitis, or an infectious disease such as influenza. Vaccinations
through a veterinarian help offer the best protection in any preventative
health care program.
This'll
Only Hurt a Little. If your horse is properly prepared,
shots can be much less painful – for you and him. By Holly Clanahan
in America’s Horse. This may well be one of veterinarians’ least
favorite things to hear: “My horse is a little needle shy.”
Especially when that warning conjures up images of bodies being kicked
across a stall. And for many horses, who view a vet visit as nothing
short of an attack, it certainly isn’t pleasant for them either.
The good news is, it doesn’t have to be that way. “Five
minutes of preparation can give you a lifetime of easy shots,”
says professional horseman and clinician Brent Graef of Canyon, Texas.
Horses'
Water Needs. Eleanor Richards, an equine nutrition consultant
in Bulverde, Texas notes, “If a horse isn’t getting enough water in
their system, they’re not going to be able to utilize the nutrients
in their feed. Water is the most important nutrient and probably the
most neglected, too.” The average 1,000-pound horse should consume 5
to 10 gallons a day, depending on his individual constitution and the
temperature of his environment. Eleanor estimates that horses with grueling
exercise schedules can consume 15 to 20 (sometimes 30) gallons a day,
depending on how much they are sweating. Lactating mares must also drink
a large amount of water. The problem is that in many barns, water buckets
may go for a long time without being cleaned out properly, which discourages
water intake and can eventually promote a loss of appetite.
Aside from judging water intake by the number of times you change the
water in the water bucket, there are a couple ways to discern whether
your horse is getting enough water by analyzing his physical condition
– the old “pinching the neck” trick to see how elastic
the skin is the most popular. “You need to do that frequently
so that you know what your horse’s normal skin elasticity is,”
Eleanor says. “If you think your horse is dehydrated and you pinch,
but you don’t have anything to compare it to, then it’s
going to be hard to determine.” Pressing your thumb against your
horse’s gums to monitor capillary refill time (CRT) is another
way: Simply push your finger against the gum, hold it for a second and
then remove it. The gum should be white, but it should fill in within
one or two seconds. If the horse is dehydrated, his capillary refill
time will be slower.
Body Condition Score. This condition scoring system will
help you determine if your mare is in optimum breeding condition. Moderately
fleshy to fat mares cycle earlier in the year, have fewer cycles per conception,
a higher pregnancy rate and maintain pregnancy more easily than thin mares.
A condition score of 5 or less in lactating mares means they don’t
have enough stored fat to support reproduction. Mares in marginal or poor
condition are less likely to breed successfully.
For horses in general this is what to look for when assessing
its BCS:
Neck. The fat on the neck is a harder fat than on the
rest of the body; and sometimes the neck retains its fat. A fat or very
fat horse will have a cresty neck. A very skinny horse might appear to
have a disproportionately large head and body compared to his neck.
Withers. First consider the breed of horse. Thoroughbreds,
for example, have prominent withers. Feel for fat deposits along the withers,
indicating obesity.
Shoulder. The area behind the shoulder should be flush,
flat, and even. A bumpy fat pad equals a fat horse; a hollow indicates
a skinny one.
Ribs. Visually assess the rib area, then touch it with
your hands. Make allowances for long winter hair, which can obscure the
ribs. You want to be able to feel individual ribs.
Loin. Examine the area between the thoracic vertebrae
and the croup (where your saddle blanket would end). Fat horses have a
positive crease (which looks like a valley: two bulges of fat with the
spine running between them). A negative crease, or ridge, is indicative
of a horse with a low score of 2, 3, or 4. A level loin would receive
a 5 or 6. Check to see if you can feel vertebrae at the top of the back/hip
area.
Tailhead. This is where the tail inserts into the buttocks.
A fat horse will have fat deposits around its tailhead. A skinny horse
will have a bony, prominent tailhead.
Check Your Horses' Teeth. Maintenance and regular check-ups are
a must. If you ask a horse to back and he rears, it might not be disobedience;
it could be pain, says AQHA Professional Horseman Patti Carter: “Make
sure that your horse has a good dental program. The teeth are the first
thing I check on a horse when he comes to me for training. If you’re
finding resistance to backing, check the teeth to make sure there are
no sharp edges or that the bit fits correctly or that you’re not
asking a young horse to back up with wolf teeth. Horses go into pressure.
If their faces are sore, they will push on the bit. I have my younger
horses’ teeth floated twice a year and the older horses once a year
unless they have problems. Then I’ll have them done twice, too.”
 Lice!
The horse sucking louse feeds on blood and the biting louse feeds
on shed skin or scurf and on secretions from the skin. Both types of lice
reproduce throughout the year. However, these pests are most common during
the winter months. Many times you will see one horse in a bunch that show
signs, but they all have it. Even if you don't see lice deworm them all
with ivermectin and dust them all. It is inexpensive, won't hurt them,
and worth a try. You need to do both because it depends on whether they
are sucking or chewing lice which treatment will work. I find many infections
to be mixed. Most livestock supply places will have lice duster. Farnum
makes a pretty good one. I think the main ingredient is usually a pyrmethrin.
~Dr Jody
Horse Health Articles index page, American Association of
Equine Practitioners (AAEP). Check out this link - great articles and
information.
Equine Chiropractic: The Balancing
Act. We refer to Sid G Erickson, DVM of Helena MT. Dr Erickson
comes out about once a month in good weather and holds chiropractic appointments
here in Billings, Montana. If you have a horse with a mysterious pain,
gait, or unpleasant attitude, it is very possible it needs chiropractic
adjustment. The results are amazing in horses that need chiropractic care.
Dr Erickson also works on dogs.
Farriers that we know of in the area include: Jesse Turner
406-672-8051, John Cleary, 406-331-0050, John Buser 406-493-4913 and Jim
Rennie 406-698-4348.
10
Tips for Caring for the Older Horse, from Big Sky Equine
Veterinary Services, Dr Lisa Jacobson, Clyde Park, MT.
Recommended Equine Health program
What to keep handy in your horse barn
What to have with you on trail rides
What's the difference between "Banamine" and "Bute"
and when is one better than the other?
email
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