P1 / PREVENTIVE HEALTH

Caring for Your Horse in 

Cold Weather

P2 / PET BEHAVIOR

The Human Animal Bond – 

The many ways animals can 

help people

P3 / PET BEHAVIOR

Excessive Barking in Dogs

P4 / FOOD SAFETY

What do the dates on your 

food products really mean?

2019 News about Animal Health, Food Safety, and One Health

Army Public Health Center

Veterinary

WINTER EDITION

Approved for public release, 

distribution unlimited.

The cool days of autumn have passed and 

winter has arrived! Along with stockpiling 

firewood, winterizing the house, and 

staging snow shovels, this is the time 

to make sure your horse is ready for the 

change in temperature. Cold temperatures 

can negatively affect your horse’s health 

if you are not prepared. The following are 

some important equine care tips for horse 

owners.

Feed, Water, & Exercise 

Monitoring your horse’s diet, water intake, 

and exercise is important to avoid health 

problems during the winter. Impaction 

colic is a health concern more common in 

colder months. It is caused by a blockage 

of the large intestine when feed material 

builds up in the narrowed areas of the 

bowel. Providing free access to quality hay 

versus increasing grain during very cold 

temperatures is highly recommended, 

especially if your horse is pastured. Feeding 

hay is the best way to keep your horse 

warm. Hay is digested in the large intestine 

which generates heat and helps to increase 

the horse’s core temperature. Feeding 

high quality hay that is easier to digest 

also decreases the chance for colic. Water 

intake is especially important in avoiding 

impaction colic during the winter since 

dehydration can alter normal digestion. 

Make sure an ice-free water source is easily 

accessible at all times. Keeping outside 

water sources in sunny locations or using 

a warming device helps keep it free of 

ice and encourages horses to drink more. 

Do not rely on snow as a water source for 

your horse! Snow never provides enough 

water and it actually causes your horse 

to expend more energy to consume. 

Exercising your horse is also beneficial to 

preventing colic because physical activity 

aids in the movement of food within the 

digestive tract. Including mild to moderate 

physical activity in any horse’s cold weather 

routine is recommended. If your horse does 

not need shoes for performance reasons, 

consider removing them in the winter 

season to allow better footing on snow 

and ice. 

Blankets & Appropriate Shelter

Horses pastured outdoors on a routine 

basis will grow a winter coat capable of 

keeping them warm. Outdoor blankets 

should be made of breathable, waterproof 

material and should only be used for horses 

that have short, clipped coats or have 

been recently worked in cold weather. 

Keep in mind that stable blankets are not 

appropriate for outdoor use during the 

winter. Also, using blankets on horses 

that have grown winter coats can actually 

decrease their ability to stay warm. 

Caring for Your Horse in Cold Weather

> Content contributed by MAJ Jessica J. Huwa, DVM, Army Medical Department Center & School

>> CONT. ON PAGE TWO
P2

>> CONT. FROM PAGE ONE

Caring for Your Horse in Cold Weather

The Human Animal Bond 

The many ways animals can help people

> Content contributed by MAJ Taylor Opel, 64B Public Health Cadre, Fort Benning FYGVE

Providing appropriate shelter is far more important 

to keeping your horse warm and dry! Rain, sleet, 

snow, and windy conditions will disrupt a horse’s 

natural insulating layer, leading to decreased body 

temperatures and a reluctance to move around. 

Ensure your horse has an available shelter that is 

enclosed on at least three sides with a leak-free 

roof, which will provide a barrier to wind and any 

precipitation. 

Foal Care in the Cold

Although many mares foal (give birth) in the late 

spring and summer months, some mares may 

foal in the winter. If your mare is due in the winter 

months, ensure they do not foal outside where 

frigid temperatures can be deadly to a newborn. 

Foaling stalls should be heavily padded with straw 

and any wet or soiled bedding should be removed 

each day. Once your foal has arrived, they will 

greatly benefit from fresh air and exercise, even if 

it’s cold outside. Make sure they are kept warm with 

a foal or calf blanket during all cold temperature 

outings (calf blankets may be cheaper and more 

available in your area). If your barn is not heated, 

consider using a stable blanket while indoors. 

Make sure the blanket is monitored for wet or 

soiled areas and remove it to inspect the foal 

several times a week.

Following these helpful tips can keep your horse 

healthy and keep you both riding all year long.

Animals can be used to enhance therapy for a variety of medical and emotional purposes. There are many different ways that an animal can help, from 

simply providing comfort to a child to helping a patient recover from a stroke. Knowing the different definitions of Human Animal Bond interactions 

can help determine if an animal and what type of animal may be useful in a particular setting. 

Types of Animal Interactions

 Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) 

Informal interactions that provide comfort 

and help relieve the stress of participants. 

Children’s reading programs, college visits 

during finals, and visits to shelters after 

a disaster are all AAAs. In the military, 

activities can include visits to veteran’s 

nursing homes and military hospitals.

 Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI)

Intervention that intentionally includes an animal as part of the therapeutic process. They 

are goal oriented and structured. Those conducting AAI must be trained on using animals 

with their patients.

Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)

Structured intervention with deliberate 

use of an animal in a treatment plan. AAT 

involves a licensed therapist who guides 

interactions between a patient and an 

animal to reach specific goals. In the 

military, AAT can be used to help those with 

PTSD during counseling sessions, and can 

assist physical therapy goals of wounded 

warriors.

Animal Assisted Education (AAE) 

Conducted by a qualified teacher in an 

educational setting. AAE is formal, goal 

oriented, and structured. This intervention 

assists in improved cognitive functioning, 

academic goals, and social skills. In the 

military, AAE can be used to help Service 

member’s children who have learning 

disabilities.
P3

Barking is a normal communication tool for dogs and can occur for 

a variety of reasons. The behavior becomes problematic for owners, 

however, when it becomes excessive, easily triggered, and difficult to 

stop. A few reasons why dogs bark include:

• Alert or Territorial Barking

• Attention-Seeking, Soliciting

• Fear or Anxiety-Induced Barking

• Learned or Conditioned Barking; Working Behavior

• Lack of Physical and Mental Stimulation

• Medical or Behavioral Illness 

• Play Barking

Take these steps to manage excessive barking:

1. Determine the triggers for the barking by writing down the 

details of the situations in which your dog will bark excessively. 

Dogs can hear and smell much better than humans, so there may 

be triggers that we cannot easily detect. Also annotate when 

the barking began, because recent changes in daily schedule or 

environment may be a cause for barking too. 

2. Discuss the details of the barking with your veterinarian. A 

veterinarian can determine if a medical issue could be causing 

the barking, or making it worse, and can ensure that canine- and 

breed-specific needs have been addressed. Pain or illness can 

reduce your dog’s tolerance and cause changes in behavior, as 

can a lack of exercise, or environmental enrichment, so this is an 

important step! Keep in mind that barking is only a symptom. 

Although the cause may be relatively simple (e.g., learned 

behavior, alert barking), it can also be one component to a more 

complex behavioral disorder, such as separation anxiety, fearbased aggression, noise phobias, and cognitive dysfunction. These 

disorders must be addressed and treated before focusing on 

managing the barking.

3. Management of excessive barking includes removing triggers 

and any associated reinforcement for the behavior. As the owner, 

your response (such as yelling) can inadvertently reinforce and 

increase barking, even when you think you are punishing the 

behavior. Removal of or avoiding triggers will depend on where 

the barking occurs (e.g., at home or in public). Examples can 

include: preventing visual access to windows at the front of the 

house; using music or white noise to mask trigger noises; and 

going on walks during low-traffic times of day. If triggers cannot be 

removed in certain situations, pair a high-value reward with them, 

such as a treat or toy, to create positive associations. 

4. The next step is to desensitize your dog to the triggers and 

reward quiet behavior. Desensitization is using the trigger at a low 

enough volume (e.g., soft knocking at the door) or at a far enough 

distance (e.g., from people or dogs), so that you can reward the 

dog for not barking. Provide a distracting activity, such as a foodcontaining toy, for positive association and to make the act of 

barking more difficult to perform at the same time. Gradually, the 

intensity of the trigger can be increased (i.e., increasing sound of a 

door knock, or decreasing the distance between people/dogs), if 

the dog continues to offer quiet behavior and is not distressed.

5. The final step is to teach a new behavior, also known as counterconditioning. Teaching your dog to go to a mat when there is a 

knock at the door, to sit or ‘target’ an object when people/dogs are 

walking by, or to work on a food puzzle during storms, will provide 

your dog with a positive and predictable activity to rehearse 

instead of barking.

Remember that although the 

barking may be a nuisance, your 

dog is barking to communicate 

a need. Be patient with your dog 

and with yourself during the 

process of identifying triggers, 

modifying the environment, and 

teaching new behaviors. Consult 

your veterinarian or veterinary 

behaviorist for more information 

or assistance.

Excessive Barking in Dogs

> Content contributed by MAJ Desiree R. Broach, MS, DVM, DACVB, Veterinary Medical Center, Europe

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Veterinary Connections 

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There are many misconceptions about what the 

date on your carton of milk, jar of mayonnaise, 

and most other food products really means. The 

average American consumer often checks the 

date on foods in their kitchen and looks at the 

calendar only to realize that it is past the “use 

by” or “best before” date. Your initial instinct is 

often to immediately throw it away. However, 

the reality is that you could be wasting perfectly 

good food and your hard earned dollars. Foods 

older than the product dating may lose quality 

factors, such as color and flavor, but still remain 

safe for consumption. There is a distinct difference 

between the safety and quality of a food product. 

What is a safe food? The U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) states that a safe food is 

one that has little to no potential to cause a 

foodborne illness if consumed. Quality refers to any 

characteristics of a food product, such as color or 

flavor, which does not result in illness. 

Food product dating is not required by federal 

regulations, with the exception of infant formula 

and some baby foods. The dates on products 

are in place to assist retailers and consumers 

in determining when the product is of optimal 

quality. The chart below provides a brief 

explanation of some of the industry terms you may 

see on food products that you purchase at the 

base commissary or your local supermarket.

Just following the dates on food products is not 

good enough. Food products require proper 

handling and storage to prevent rapid growth of 

naturally occurring spoilage organisms such as 

bacteria, molds, and yeasts. Following instructions 

on the manufacturer’s label, such as “Refrigerate 

after Opening”, will ensure the product meets or 

exceeds its intended shelf-life. The most important 

practice is to make certain that refrigerated 

or frozen foods are properly stored as soon 

as possible. At the end of the day, a good old 

fashioned smell test can be a reliable indicator of 

whether food is spoiled. If it doesn’t look, smell, or 

taste right, don’t eat it! When in doubt, throw it out. 

What do the dates on your food products really mean?

> Content contributed by WO1 Evan Lund, Food Safety Officer, Veterinary Services and Public Health Sanitation Directorate, Army Public Health Center

“Best if Used 

By/Before”

Indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or 

safety date. 

“Sell-By” Tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management. It 

is not a safety date.

“Use-By”

The last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not 

a safety date except for when used on infant formula or some baby foods.

“Expires On” It is recommended that the product not be consumed after this date is exceeded. 

This label is not used commonly but may be seen on infant formula and baby foods.

(www.fsis.usda.gov)

If it doesn’t 

look, smell, 

or taste right, 

don’t eat 

it! When in 

doubt, throw 

it out.