Westhills Equine Veterinary Services

10/08/2025

For our draft owners! ⬇️

10/03/2025

Although right now everyone is enjoying the nice fall weather, we all know what is inevitably around the corner. Every October, we remind you to keep in mind ways you can ensure your horses are prepared for the winter ahead while the weather is still mild enough to do so!

❄️WINTER PREPARATION CHECKLIST❄️

1. Vaccinations - depending on your individual horses situation, fall vaccinations might be required. Please contact us for more information on your individual horses needs.

2. Parasite control - with the cold weather, you don't want your horse to have any nutrient competition. A f***l egg count is a great option at this time of year to indicate the high shedders in your herd. Type used and timing of your dewormer is also important, as you want to ensure it covers the parasites prevalent over the summer months, and is administered after a few hard frosts so that no more are picked up after deworming.

3. Dental Care - much like deworming to avoid nutrient competition, you also want to ensure you horse goes into winter able to properly chew their food for optimal nutrient absorption. This is especially important for seniors with increased chance of dental issues, as decreased nutrient absorption as a result of improperly breaking down forage is the #1 reason for weight loss over the winter.

4. Evaluate Condition - It is a great time to evaluate your horses body and coat condition going into the winter months, to determine if they may need changes. This could be anything from adding concentrate supplementation to get their daily vitamins and minerals, or switching to a net system to allow for free choice hay, or starting to blanket your seniors with decreased muscle mass.

5. Secure Forage - It is a good idea to have some hay or hay cubes available for emergent or extreme cold situations, on top of your regular rations. It is often perceived that feeding more grain will keep a horse warmer, however digestion, absorption, and utilization of grain doesn’t produce as much heat as the microbial fermentation of forage. The increase in microbial fermentation helps to keeps the horse warm, so therefore the best thing to give your horse on cold days is additional hay/hay cubes, on top of their regular daily ration.

6. Check Waterers - Horses often require more water in the winter to avoid things like dehydration and colic. During the summer months, lush pastures contain 60 to 80 percent moisture that contributes to your horse’s daily water requirement, whereas dried feedstuffs such as grain and hay typically fed in winter contain less than 15 percent moisture. Water intake maintains a horse’s f***l moisture level and if f***l material becomes too dry, intestinal blockage or impaction may occur. Horses that drink less often start to eat less aswell, even if you're offering quality feed, which means they might not be consuming enough to generate the energy required to tolerate the cold. Ways to encourage your horse to continue drinking is to ensure their water supply stays between 8-18 degrees celcius. Research through the University of Minnesota has shown that horses increased their water intake by approximately 40 percent each day when water temperatures were above freezing in cold weather. Make sure to also supply a free choice salt lick, clean troughs often and check your water heater daily. Please remember that snow and ice ARE NOT adequate water sources for the majority of horses.

7. Check Shelters - Horses should have 24/7 access to shelter from wind, sleet and snow. In the absence of wind and moisture, horses tolerate temperatures up to 2x colder than when directly in the harsh elements.

8. Export Papers - After reading all of that, maybe it's a good idea to just head somewhere warmer for the entire winter instead? No? Just us? 😅 If you are planning to head south for the winter, CFIA wait times are longer then normal at this time of year. Leave approximately 10-14 days to get both your coggins and export papers complete!

Any questions about equine winter care? 👇

10/02/2025

Equine skin allergies: what horse owners should know ⬇️

Equine Skin Allergies: What Horse Owners Should Know ✍️

What are they?
Skin allergies in horses can cause itching, hives, hair loss, and skin sores. The most common types are reactions to insect bites, environmental allergens (like pollen or dust), and, rarely, certain foods or contact with chemicals.

Common Signs:
• Excessive scratching, rubbing, or biting at the skin
• Hives (raised, bumpy areas on the skin)
• Hair loss or bald patches
• Scabs or crusty skin

What causes them?
• Insect bites: Especially from midges (“no-see-ums”), flies, or lice
• Environmental allergens: Pollens, molds, barn dust, etc.
• Contact allergies: Shampoos, sprays, bedding
• Food allergies: Rare in horses

When do they happen?
Seasonal allergies often flare up in warmer months (due to insects or pollen). Year-round itching may be due to dust, molds, or other ongoing exposures

What can you do as an owner?
• Reduce exposure to known triggers (like insects or dusty bedding)
• Work with your veterinarian to identify the cause and create a treatment plan
• Treatments may include special shampoos, medications, or allergy shots

When to call your equine veterinarian:
If your horse is uncomfortable, losing hair, or has sores that don’t heal, consult your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment options.

09/26/2025

A great graphic from American Association of Equine Practitioners displaying the differences of the similar, often confused and commonly overlapping Equine Metabolic Syndrome vs Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (more regularly known as Equine Cushings)!

Equine Cushings Disease affects 15% of horses over the age of 15. Our Senior Health Month is a great time to get your seniors checked and on the path to treatment. There are many management changes as well as prescription medication available to help with these conditions!

Contact us for more information on either EMS or PPID and if it could be effecting your horse, or to get in on Senior Horse Month - offering general screening as well as Cushings bloodwork, available until the end of the month! ⬇️

📞 780-898-9267
📧 [email protected]

09/22/2025

Friendly reminder! 🌱🍂📣

Putting your horse out on fall pasture, thinking you're in the clear because it's not the lush, green summer forage, can be a costly mistake! As the temperature cools this time of year alongside moments of warm sun, it puts increased stress on the grasses still present as photosynthesis continues but the plant stops growing. This results in an increase of sugar levels and can be detrimental to metabolically sensitive or founder prone horses. It is important to be aware of weather patterns, especially cool nights followed by sunny days, which signal high-risk conditions for grazing.

Strip grazing is a great option for fall if you are concerned of your horse's metabolic sensitivity. Strip grazing involves sectioning off a smaller portion of the pasture with temporary fencing and moving it incrementally. This provides horses with controlled access to mature grass while limiting the amount of overgrazing on small, newer growth at any given time. In general, taller, mature grass tends to have lower NSCs, while short, stressed, or rapidly regrowing grass often has higher sugar concentrations, especially with the added weather stress. For sensitive horses, the ideal grazing height is 6–8 inches, allowing access to lower-sugar forage while protecting the root system and avoiding overgrazing.

More info on this topic came out on our blog last month, Read the full post here! ⬇️

Lush pasture, while natural and appealing, often contains high levels of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), particularly in the spring and fall. These sugars can trigger insulin spikes and weight gain, which are dangerous for metabolically sensitive or founder-prone horses.

09/16/2025

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09/12/2025

Thank you Hopeful Hooves Equine Rescue Society ❤ Happy to help these wonderful people improve the lives of countless horses!

09/09/2025

The most beneficial way to enjoy your horse well into thier golden years is to stay on top of senior care strategies. One of the main areas of focus for a senior is being aware of general immunity and age related disorders.

Age related disorders and diseases as well as general decreased immunity can make life challenging for an older horse as they become more susceptible to common infectious threats. Although it is often believed that older horses have pre-existing immunity from previous vaccines or infection, research shows that the ability to mount an immune response lessens with age, a development called immunosenescence. Keeping your horse up to date on regular preventative vaccinations can help ensure they are able to fight off whatever comes their way. Chronic infection or organ failure/dysfunction can also be a cause for weight loss, poor coat, general depression and more. Due to this, regular screening bloodwork is a valuable tool in diagnosing and determining treatment for possible life threatening conditions. A blood test can also be used to detect common equine diseases like Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) also known as Equine Cushings Disease, which is a hormonal disorder that affects up to 30% of horses over the age of 15.

Please contact us about our Senior Health Month special, which includes screening bloodwork and Cusings testing!

📞780-898-9267
✉ [email protected]

09/05/2025

Another summer is somehow nearing its end, and another team we want to shout out is our incredible Barn Staff!

We welcome a whole bunch of seasonal staff over the summer months, and that includes the special people who keep our facility in tip top shape - our barn staff. We also of course have some who are with us all year round, making sure patients are fed and bedded whether it's a regular Tuesday or Christmas holidays.

Thank you to our crew, both year round and seasonal, who work hard to make sure every horse who comes through the doors of the clinic has a comfortable stay. We appreciate you!

09/03/2025

Happy September and Senior Horse Month with Westhills EVS! 🍂👴

September is a great time to ensure the seniors in your herd are in their best shape heading into the cold winter months.

Check out a past blog post that touches on a few key aspects of senior horse care and how you can best set them up for a winter of success! ⤵

Please CONTACT US about senior horse health services happening for the month of September, including general health screening and Cushings bloodwork. If you have any beloved seniors in your herd you will definitely want to check it out!

📞 780-898-9267
✉️ [email protected]

The most beneficial way to enjoy your horse well into thier golden years is to stay on top of senior care strategies. The four main areas of focus to ensure optimal health and condition of an older horse are dental health, immunity, mobility and nutrition.