Keystone Equine Associates, P.A.
The following represents various pieces of equestrian information that will apply to you and your horse during the summer/fall of 2008:
Florida
2008 Confirmed Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) Cases
| County | Status | Vaccination Status | Date of Onset of Clinical Signs |
| Putnam | Euthanized | Current (Past 6 - 8 mos.) | 1/8/08 |
| Volusia | Euthanized | No Vaccination | 1/4/08 |
| Volusia | Euthanized | None within the past 6 mos. | 1/26/08 |
| Lake | Euthanized | over 16 mos. post vacc. - 10/06 | 1/28/08 |
| Volusia | Euthanized | No vaccination | 2/11/08 |
| Polk | Euthanized | None | 2/14/08 |
| Clay | Euthanized | None | 2/27/08 |
| Volusia | Euthanized | None | 2/26/08 |
| Columbia | Euthanized | None | 3/10/08 |
| Marion | Euthanized | 6 months | 3/14/08 |
| Volusia | Euthanized | None | 3/25/08 |
| Columbia | Dead | Vacc. on 3/24/08 | 3/26/08 |
| Volusia | Euthanized | Within last week | 3/28/08 |
| Baker | Euthanized | Unknown | 4/7/08 |
| Columbia | Euthanized | None | 4/8/08 |
| Osceola | Euthanized | Greater than 1 year | 4/11/08 |
| Volusia | Euthanized | None | 4/20/08 |
| Jackson | Dead | Unknown | 4/18/08 |
| Alachua | Dead | None | 5/3/08 |
| St. Johns | Euthanized | None | 5/8/08 |
| Marion | Euthanized | None | 5/14/08 |
| Santa Rosa | Euthanized | Unknown | 5/16/08 |
| Jackson | Euthanized | Unknown | 5/22/08 |
| Washington | Euthanized | None | 5/25/08 |
| Osceola | Euthanized | Unknown | 5/30/08 |
| Volusia | Euthanized | 2 days prior to clinical signs | 5/28/08 |
| Bradford | Euthanized | None | 5/24/08 |
| Bradford | Euthanized | Unknown | 5/26/08 |
| Walton | Euthanized | Greater than 2 years | 6/1/08 |
| Baker | Euthanized | None | 5/26/08 |
| Baker | Died | None | 5/30/08 |
| Holmes | Euthanized | None | 6/5/08 |
| Orange | Euthanized | None | 6/7/08 |
| Washington | Euthanized | None | 6/6/08 |
| Washington | Euthanized | None | 6/9/08 |
| Palm Beach | Euthanized | Old/Incomplete | 6/11/08 |
| Osceola | Euthanized | None | 6/6/08 |
| Flagler | Euthanized | None | 6/11/08 |
| Washington | Euthanized | Unknown | 6/18/08 |
| Jefferson | Euthanized | Unknown | 6/18/08 |
| Walton | Euthanized | Greater than 2 years | 6/19/08 |
| Holmes | Euthanized | Unknown | 6/19/08 |
| Holmes | Euthanized | Incomplete | 6/21/08 |
43 total confirmed cases of equine encephalitis as of June, 2008!
Confirmed West Nile Virus Case
| Madison | Alive | Incomplete (within 2 weeks of CS) | 4/15/08 |
The above tables are courtesy of the Florida Association of Equine Practitioners (FAEP) as submitted on June 5, 2008, by Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner of Agriculture.
Please ensure that your horse is vaccinated according to the protocol as set forth on the "What You Need To Know" page of our site!
Hurricane Season is Here!
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Preparedness
If winds are under 40 miles per hour, keep horses in a reasonably-built wood or concrete block and relatively new (built since 1992) barn stall. If the barn is at all "rickety" or is characterized with loose metal, turn horses out.
If winds are up to 80 m.p.h., keep horses within a concrete-built barn stall. Otherwise, turn horses out.
If horses are turned out, they are safest in a cypress head that does not significantly flood. If they are standing in 1' of water, that is acceptable.
Pick up and secure all loose lying debris!!
If you think your fencing will not withstand the force of the winds, use wax or cattle crayon to identify you and your horse (perhaps with the accession number which can be found at the top of your coggins test form) upon the rump area. A crayon of this type may be purchased at a feed supply store.
We would recommend a microchip prior to the next significant storm. It is quick, relatively painless, inexpensive, has a lifetime registry and helps to ensure that your equine is returned to his rightful owner in case of an "escape" emergency. KEA offers this service throughout the calendar year.
Please be certain that your coggins are always up-to-date and with you. If you ever plan to evacuate with your horse to a different state during a mass evacuation, it is necessary to have at least a current coggins result form with you to show to the Florida agricultural officers upon crossing our state line. If you have the appropriate paperwork, you will also have a better chance of re-entering Florida once the storm has passed. Keep in mind that the State may also require a health certificate (we would provide this form) as required documentation. Please remember that standard coggins results turn-around time is typically three weeks. Plan ahead!!
Monthly "Horse Bits:"
*Ask Dr. Garcia to check your horse's teeth for wear at least once every year (during your 6-month vaccination appointment is an opportune time). There is no charge for this service and he can show you how to improve your horse's nutritional intake as well as his performance.
*Ask us about our 1-gallon sized Horseman's Dream Flygone 7000 fly spray. It is a citronella and oil-based product that stays on your horse's skin during our climate's rainy, summer days. This is a very popular item with some of our clients who have tried numerous other mosquito/fly prevention products. Due to Florida's mosquito/flying insect population, most keep this product on hand year-round. In most cases and for your convenience, Dr. Garcia carries gallons of this product on his truck or it can be picked-up from our office. No on-line shipping fees!
*Does your horse start to itch at the onset of the fall season? Is your horse suffering from tail-rubbing, neck-rubbing or an unsightly skin disease? Ask us about a RAST (radioallergosorbent test) test which measures specific allergic antibodies in your horse's blood. We can determine whether (s)he is allergic to certain feeds, plants, insects and/or pollens. We suggest this test if conventional skin therapy has not solved your problem.
The following represent valuable resources for the Florida equestrian:
American Association of Equine Practitioners - www.aaep.org
Florida Association of Equine Practitioners - www.faep.net
Fort Dodge Animal Health - www.fortdodge.com
Pfizer - www.pfizerah.com
KEA's First Free Equine Health Seminar Attended By Over 100 Horse Enthusiasts! Thank you so much, Ft. Dodge, for making our first horse health seminar so successful! We will see everyone again next year...
October 9, 2008 - Odessa, FL
Dr. Gary A. Garcia of Keystone Equine Associates, P.A. along with Ft. Dodge Animal Health hosted their first equine health seminar at the Keystone Recreation Center at Keystone Park in Odessa. Well over 100 horse enthusiasts attended to learn about such topics as Vaccinations, Deworming, Nutrition and General Horse Health. KEA's special guest speaker was Linda Morehouse who has been a Sr. Equine Territory Manager with Fort Dodge for the past 11 years. She related to the audience with knowledgeable enthusiasm while she and Dr. Garcia fielded questions and offered interesting visual aids to make her points memorable. Attendees gnoshed on heavy hors d'oeuvres provided by The Brunchery restaurant and enjoyed receiving numerous equine-related door prizes during a drawing at the end of the meeting.
Our attendees told us: "I really enjoyed the seminar you put on. Just wanted you to know what a great time we all had. Thanks for the education, food and fellowship."
"The presentation with Linda Morehouse was very informative. My guest and I had a very nice time."
"Gee, I could go to one of those every month!"
Photos by KathyPix.com
