Larch Veterinary Services

07/10/2025

We are headed to Cherryville on July 23rd for anybody in the area that might need their horses looked at! We do teeth floating, wellness checks, lameness exams, x-rays, ultrasound and much more!

07/01/2025

Our office will be closed on Tuesday July 1. Please call 778-562-5455 if you have an equine emergency during this time and our on-call veterinarian will be able to assist you.

Happy Canada Day!!

06/28/2025

Great fire smart and evacuation information here at the BX community park (behind the fire hall) Come visit Dr. Janine and Dr. Shelby and say hi! Barbeque available until 4 PM. Ask us about establishing a first aid kit or getting your animal microchipped.

06/25/2025

Come visit our booth this Saturday at the Livestock Wildfire Prepardness Community Open House! We will habe a first aid kit demonstration - if you haven't checked your kit in awhile, it's a good time to do so before fire season is in full swing!

06/24/2025

Good advice on the care and feeding of your equine veterinarian from the American Association of Equine Practitioners. We so appreciate our clients!

Today is ! Join us in celebrating all the veterinary professionals that help our animals (especially our horses) live long, happy and healthy lives.

If you are looking for ways to say “thank you” to your veterinary team, there are plenty of options. However, it’s very possible that the best way to thank your horse doctors and equine vet techs is to make their job easier.

Some small things can make the biggest difference; check out this graphic for a few simple ways you can ease the strain on your veterinarians and show them your appreciation. No matter how you choose to say thank you today, there is no doubt you will brighten your vet team’s day!

Lastly, show some love for your veterinarian in the comments below and tag them, some words of encouragement and appreciation are sure to bring a smile to their face! ⬇️

06/22/2025

Excellent review on why we generally don’t recommend turmeric supplementation. High doses of turmeric can also contain high amounts of heavy metals like lead.

06/18/2025

Check out this great community event happening June 28th in Vernon!

🔥Wildfire and disaster preparedness is especially important when you own livestock. Larch Veterinary Services will be there in support. We hope to see you there!

06/12/2025

3PM Thursday, June 12th. Phones are back online! 😮‍💨

06/06/2025

Equestrian Community Update – June 5, 2025

The secondary test for Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy – EHV-1 has come back negative.

On farm, no additional horses have shown any signs of illness since the first suspected case. Monitoring continues, and the health of all horses on the premises remains stable.

We are continuing to monitor the quarantined horse closely.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and commitment to equine health and safety during this time.

06/03/2025

🟤 EQUESTRIAN COMMUNITY UPDATE 🐴
June 3rd 2025
Subject: Quarantine & Testing Update – Suspected EHM Case

We would like to share an important update regarding the horse that was recently suspected of having Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM):
🔹 Initial EHV-1 Test Result: NEGATIVE
The preliminary test for Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) has come back negative. A second sample has been submitted for confirmation.
🔹 Precautionary Quarantine Still in Effect
Although the first test was negative, the horse remains in quarantine out of an abundance of caution. This is in line with veterinary recommendations and our continued commitment to biosecurity.
🔹 No Additional Cases Reported
On farm, no additional horses have shown any signs of illness since the first suspected case. Monitoring continues, and the health of all horses on the premises remains stable.
🔹 Continued Monitoring & Testing
Veterinary teams are continuing to monitor the quarantined horse closely and will follow up with further testing to confirm the absence of the virus.
🔹 Thank You for Your Cooperation
We deeply appreciate the calm, care, and cooperation of our equestrian community during this time. Our top priority is the safety and well-being of all horses and riders.

If your facility experiences any suspected cases, please report them to your veterinarian immediately and notify nearby barns as appropriate.

05/30/2025

For all of your traveling and showing with your horses, there has been a SUSPECTED (not confirmed) case of Equine Herpes Virus -1 myeloencephalopathy in the Okanagan. While we wait for confirmation (likely June 4th), here's what you should do:

Recommendations during a suspected disease outbreak:
• Make sure all horses under your care are up to date on their vaccinations, especially Equine Rhinotracheitis (EHV 1 and 4) and Equine Influenza.
• Monitor horses for signs of EHV-1 (particularly fever, nasal discharge, lethargy) and contact your veterinarian if illness is detected.
• Practice strict biosecurity when bringing horses or people onto your premises or while travelling with your horse. More infromation can be found here:https://hcbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/2015-Biosecurity-Brochure.pdf
• Event managers and trainers/owners can implement daily temperature check protocols on horses attending group events, and any horse developing fever (>38.6 C) should be removed promptly to be monitored at home.

EHV-1 can spread through direct horse-to-horse contact, aerosolized respiratory secretions, and contaminated objects or people (fomites). Due to the risk of asymptomatic viral shedding, it’s critical to treat all exposed horses as potentially contagious.

We are in communication with the provincial veterinary authorities and will provide updates as they become available. If your facility experiences any suspected cases, please report them to your veterinarian immediately and notify nearby barns as appropriate.