Wellness
Wellness exams are the cornerstone to keeping your horse healthy and ready to perform. During a wellness exam, our veterinarian will check your horse over thoroughly to identify any potential problems. This includes listening to the heart for abnormal rhythms or sounds, listening to the lungs and the GI tract. We will check all the joints and lymph nodes and do a brief dental check. If you have any concerns, please bring them up during your wellness exam so we can discuss them.
Dentistry
Equine dentistry is an important part of a complete wellness program. By taking care of your horse’s teeth you will make them more comfortable, increase feed efficiency and avoid biting issues that decrease performance. We are proud to offer modern dentistry, using motorized tools, full mouth speculums and good restraint to get the job done quickly and safely.
The majority of horses will form sharp enamel points on the outside of their upper teeth and the insides of their lower teeth, which if left uncorrected, can lead to pain and ulcer formation on the tongue and gums. As horses age, the spaces between their teeth get larger, causing them to shift and sometimes be lost. Teeth can get cracked, get abscess or shift out of alignment making it difficult for the horse to chew food properly.
Horses in the wild spend most of their time grazing, which helps to wear their teeth down evenly. Modern horses have a very different diet and lifestyle, so it is not unexpected that their dental health is different as well.
Every horse should have a sedated dental exam at least once every two years, often more frequently. This should start as young as 2-3 years, prior to starting any training. As the teeth erupt, they have very sharp points that can cause discomfort, making training session painful and difficult. Sometimes, baby teeth are not shed properly and can disrupt the normal eruption of the adult teeth.
Don’t wait until your horse is dropping feed, head tossing under saddle, eating with a head tilt or losing weight – schedule your dental now!
Reproduction
Looking to get your mare in foal? We can help!
Breeding soundness exam – we will discuss your plans, what to expect from the breeding and foaling aspects. We will examine the mare for conformational issues, ensure the uterus is in good health and the ovaries are both working as expected.
Monitoring – we have a portable ultrasound to assist in monitoring where the mare is in her cycle so we can time her insemination properly. If your mare is predictable and well behaved, this can easily be done on your farm, otherwise we may request you bring her to us. After breeding, we will check several times to ensure the foal is “settled” and monitor for signs of placentitis or loss of fetal viability.
Surgical Care
We offer routine minor surgical procedures, including castrations, enucleations (eye removal), mass removal and laceration repairs. Cryptorchid (retained testicle) surgery and hernia repairs will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Diagnostic Imaging
We strive to provide state of the art animal care at an affordable price. We are pleased to be able to offer both digital radiology and ultrasound services. Both modalities allow us to immediately see lesions and evaluate your animal for health issues.
Digital Radiology – Crisp clear radiographic images that do not need any processing allow us to make a diagnosis and treatment plan right away.
Equine – radiographs can be an important tool in managing foot issues (founder, low heels, thin soles, chronic abscesses)
Senior Care
Poor haircoat? Loss of topline? Weight loss with a good appetite? Or maybe poor appetite for grain? More frequent hoof issues?
Senior horses have special needs and we are trained to help you manage them. For many senior horses, twice annual wellness exams and at least once a year sedated dental exams are recommended.
During these exams we will pay special attention to diet, work load, environmental factors and ageing factors that may be contributing to the issues your horse is having. We will likely recommend screening for PPID/ Cushing’s disease.
The fall exam is especially important if you have concerns about whether your horse can make it through another winter.
Pre Purchase
Looking for your next horse? Not sure the seller is telling the whole story? Let us help.
A prepurchase exam is not a guarantee of soundness or fitness for a particular job, but is an opportunity to get an unbiased opinion on your prospective horse – its a chance to look beyond the flashy color and pretty eyes and get a better idea what issues the horse may have.
During a prepurchase exam, the veterinarian will:
- get a thorough history, including dental care, vaccinations, deworming and previous health issues
- listen to the heart, lungs and gut sounds
- look for evidence of previous surgeries, including colic surgery and denerving
- check the feet carefully for soreness and conformation issues, including evidence of founder
- watch the horse move and look for signs of lameness or stiffness
- perform flexion tests as indicated or requested
If you plan to breed, a breeding soundness evaluation will be performed, which includes an evaluation of uterus and ovaries.
Depending on the intended use of the horse and exam findings, radiographs may be recommended to further evaluate the horse. The most common areas of concern are feet, hocks and stifles.
Medical Care
We are able to provide on farm medical care to sick horses as well as offer a haul-in clinic option for longer term treatments. If your horse is off – feed, lethargic or has a high fever, please call us immediately to arrange for treatment. For the majority of these horses, we will request you bring them to us so we can treat with intravenous antibiotics.
We offer a full range of medical diagnostics and treatments, including routine blood work to check for liver and kidney function, fecal egg counts, Coggin’s testing and lyme disease diagnosis and treatment.