EEVS Monthly Newsletter

January 

2015


Thank you to everyone who came out for our Client Education Night! It was a huge success!

Spring Considerations for Horse Care 

by Dr. Amanda Wilson

 

 With the arrival of spring comes many considerations for your horse's health and readiness for upcoming competitions! Here is a checklist to help you get started:

 

Vaccinations

Every horse should receive the core vaccines at least once yearly, and in many cases twice yearly is recommended. Core vaccines include: Rabies, Tetanus, West Nile, and Eastern & Western Encephalitis. Because West Nile and EEE/WEE are transmitted by mosquitos, spring is the best time to vaccinate for optimum protection. Horses in competition or that travel may need additional vaccines such as Flu/Rhino.   

 

Deworming

To determine whether your horse requires deworming, your veterinarian can run a Fecal Egg Count (FEC) from a fecal sample to determine an appropriate deworming program.

 

Coggins and Health Papers

Coggins renewals are required on an annual basis, so be sure to check if your horse is due for a new Coggins test. Health papers are valid for 30 days, and are required for interstate travel, or for entrance to certain facilities/events. Be sure to check requirements for travel well in advance of when documentation will be needed to ensure enough time for us to process your requests.

 

Blood Panels

Consider having basic bloodwork tests run on your horse before the start of a busy season to ensure that his organs are working their best and your horse will have stamina for increased exercise demand. This involves a simple blood draw that can be performed at the same time as the blood draw for Coggins. 

 

Dental Health

Most horses should be evaluated on a yearly basis to assess their oral health and if dental equilibration is required. Younger horses may require more frequent assessment since their mouth is changing at a faster rate.

 

Nutrition Program

Talk to us about your horse's nutrition program and if any changes should be considered, particularly if your horse's exercise intensity and frequency increases with the warmer weather. Also important to keep in mind: as grass gets greener, it becomes rich with nutrients. Horses prone to laminitis, such as those with Cushing's or horses that have foundered in the past, should be monitored closely and most likely will require limited intake of rich, green grass.  

 

Performance 

If your horse has had light to no workouts over the past few months, it is critical to GRADUALLY re-introduce them to work. It takes about 30-60 days to get horses back in shape, and it only takes about a week or two of inactivity for them to get out of condition. By slowly building their workload over time, your horse is less likely to sustain injury, which could set them back for long periods of time. If your horse seems sore at any point, have a veterinarian evaluate them as soon as possible to prevent further soreness or injury. Lameness issues are best handled early on, an accurate diagnosis at the beginning can help minimize the amount of "off time" your horse may require.

Also remember that if your horse still has a winter coat and gets sweaty after an intense workout, take extra time to cool him off afterwards! 

 

Wishing you a successful and FUN season of riding and competition for you and your horse! Give us a call if we can help your horse be at their peak health going into the spring season! 

 
Dr. Wilson recently went to the American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah and learned about the latest advancements in equine medicine.


Rudy

At EEVS, we believe that everything happens for a reason. On January 2, we received a call from Oklahoma City Animal Welfare to evaluate a horse with wounds. When we got to the shelter, we saw the horse shown in the picture, who we now affectionately call "Rudy." Rudy's entire face and head was caked in dried blood, he was missing both ears and lots of skin, the eyelids of his right eye were gone, he had a maxillary (upper jaw) fracture, and multiple lacerations on his limbs. We are not entirely sure of the events that led to these injuries, but it appears as though he was caught in fence and was unable to get out and animals, possibly dogs, attacked him. Despite his injuries, Rudy perked up at the sight of us and whinnied. We cleaned his wounds thoroughly and bandaged them, and started him on pain medication and antibiotics. Rudy was then taken by Natalee Cross to Blaze's Tribute Equine Rescue, where we oversee the veterinary care of their rescue horses. Blaze's received many generous donations to Rudy's care and he continues to receive daily care for his healing wounds. Rudy has a lot of spirit and has captured the hearts of everyone he comes in contact with for his positive attitude in spite of his traumatic experience. He is evaluated two to three times weekly by Dr. Kin and/or Dr. Wilson to monitor the progression of his recovery. At this time, Rudy's wounds are healing well and there are no signs of infection. He is able to see out of both eyes and he can hear, the openings to his inner ears remain open. Over the next several months, we will formulate a plan to restore the eyelid margins of the right eye as well as ensure that what is left of his ears will remain functional. Rudy serves as an inspiration to all of us and keeps us thankful that we can do something to help animals like Rudy that are in need of some extra TLC.

To follow Rudy's progress, check our Facebook page at Exclusively Equine Veterinary Services, P.C., or the Blaze's page at Blaze's Tribute Equine Rescue, Inc. for continuous updates.

Contact
Exclusively Equine Vet Services PC
PO Box 721777
OKC, OK 73172
405-973-5740
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"In riding a horse we borrow freedom."

- Helen Thomson