Using Anti-Inflammatory Medications at USEF Competitions
For all those who have taken an Advil or an aspirin to make it through a weekend of athletic activity, the concept of giving a horse an anti-inflammatory medication to help ease the aches that certainly occur over the course of a multi-day horse show will come as no surprise.
Trailering On Long Distance Trips
There are several things to consider when transporting your horse for long periods of time and large distances. First, if you are crossing state lines you will need to have a health certificate.
Colic Risk Factors
Colic is the biggest cause of premature death in horses. It shows up unexpectedly. A horse can be fine in the morning and critically ill by evening. Several studies have looked at risk factors in cases of colic.
Treatment Approaches for Equine Melanomas
Melanomas are tumors that tend to be found in the skin of grey horses. Typically they are dark brown or black firm raised areas. They are the third most common skin tumors in horses following Sarcoids and Squamous Cell Carcinomas.
Ear Plaques and Sarcoid Tumors
Skin conditions are common issues in equine practice. Among those brought to my attention are Ear Plaques and Sarcoid Tumors.
Cribbing and Wind Sucking
During wind sucking or cribbing horses grab a fixed surface with the upper teeth, arch their necks, and suck in air. Cribbing and wood chewing are frequently the same.
Dental Care: Floating, Hooks, Loose Teeth, and Wolf Teeth
Dental problems are a challenging and important part of routine care and medical care in equine practice. Floating, the routine filing of horses' teeth every year to year and a half maximizes a horse's ability to chew his food and respond to the bit.
Hypothyroidism
Is your horse always a little lethargic. Does it have a cresty neck. Has it foundered? These are among the signs of a hormone deficiency known as hypothyroidism.
Keeping Weight on the Older Horse
This is a problem I never thought I would face as a veterinarian. A horse that won't eat enough? Come on. You must be kidding. Yet very frequently I am asked to look at an older horse who just cannot keep his weight up.
NARCOLEPSY - the Sleeping Disease
Narcolepsy is most commonly known in humans. Characterized by uncontrolled periods wherein the affected person falls asleep, the disease might appear comical if it were happening to someone else. Although extremely rare, it can occur in horses.
Skin Conditions - Understanding Sarcoid Tumors
Sarcoids are the most common skin tumors occurring in horses. The most common sites are the head (ears, eyelids, mouth), legs and the abdomen. I have seen them at many other sites including the tail, chest and neck.
What you need to know about Cleaning Your Horse's Sheath
When was the last time you cleaned your horses Sheath? Well, listen to this story! I was called out to examine a pony with a funny looking skin on its tummy. The pony had been out and the pasture most of the time.
Pyrantel Pamoate: A New Approach To De-worming
All horse owners have heard or been witness to equine colic. This broad term which means "abdominal pain" can range from any where from a little gas to a twisted intestine. It is the leading cause of premature death in horses.
Veterinary Advisory for Winter Horse Show Competitors
No one wants to go to a horse show only to have their horse get sick there or on the way. For Hunter/Jumper competitors as well as competitors in other disciplines getting ready to go a winter circuit there are a number of veterinary considerations.