Westhills Equine Veterinary Services

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.

09/01/2025

Please be advised that the office is closed today for Labour Day.

Reach us 24/7 for equine emergencies at ☎️ 780-898-9267.

Enjoy the long weekend! 🍂

08/29/2025

You probably have seen Kenzie’s face during her last year and half here at Westhills EVS as our Practice Manager. Yesterday was her last day, as she is off on a new venture in small animal emergency which is her passion and where she started in veterinary medicine. Kenzie was a huge asset to our team, and will be greatly missed! We wish her all the best in her new career! 🏥🐾

If you or anyone you know are interested in filling Kenzie’s shoes, please check out our careers sections on our website and join the growing team!

08/27/2025

Beat the HEAT we’re having this week with some refreshing lemonade and baked goods this Friday! 11am-2pm there will be a stand set up outside the main clinic reception office. Come by for a visit, or come a little early for your appointments on Friday!
$1 for each goodie 🍋🍪

08/27/2025

Let's talk fall castrations! ✂

Spring is often considered the "castration season" and is a great time to get your yearlings done prior to summer. However, if you missed one in the spring, or you have a late bloomer in your herd, fall is arguably an even better time to castrate!

✅ Cooler Weather = Decreased Chance of Complications
With fewer flies and cooler temperatures, the risk of infection and post-surgical swelling is significantly reduced compared to hot summer months.

✅ Pasture Rest is Easier
Colts need exercise after castration to reduce swelling and additional complications. In the fall, pastures are typically less muddy than in spring, often making exercise and turnout easier and more comfortable.

✅ Ready for Next Year
Gelding in the fall allows your horse plenty of time to heal and mature before training, showing, or pasture turnout in the spring.

✅ Great timing for Weanlings
Fall is also a great option to castrate your weanlings just before you are ready to wean. Weanlings do incredibly well with the surgery at this time in thier life as they are smaller, so less risk of complications with anesthesia and/or bleeding, and can seek comfort from mom upon recovery!

Please contact us with any questions or for more information!

📞780-898-9267
✉️ [email protected]

08/21/2025

It's that time of year where our summer students start heading back to school!

Our summer student program runs from April/May - August and is an opportunity for 4 students pursuing veterinary medicine in the future to start getting some clinical experience while they are completing their undergrads, or in the first few years of Vet school.

We sure had some amazing students this year that we will miss over the winter! Have a great couple semesters ladies and THANK YOU for all of your hard work this summer!

Left to right: Peta, Sierra, Kaitlyn. Missing from photo: Sawyer. ❤

08/20/2025

Thank you to ALL who participated in our photo contest! So many wonderful pictures we received, it was incredibly hard to only pick a few to help decorate our new reproduction department ✨✨✨

Congratulations to our winners chosen:

Jody McMann and Teneille Tarrant!! 📸

08/19/2025

There are so many questions surrounding when is the best time to graze your "easy keepers", especially as we head closer to fall when environmental changes start to stress the grasses.

Metabolic and weight-related conditions in horses are an increasing concern among horse owners and equine veterinarians. Horses with insulin resistance (IR), equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), Equine Cushing’s Disease or Pars Pituitary Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID), as well as easy keepers, those with a history of laminitis or founder, or simply just breed sensitive, are all at higher risk of dangerous blood sugar fluctuations and pasture-related laminitis. One of the most effective, non-pharmaceutical strategies for managing these horses involves carefully controlling pasture access—and that’s where timed (restricted) grazing and strip grazing come into play.

Read more on our blog where we welcomed Westhills own Dr. Marthe Wildsmith to discuss Optimal Grazing for the “Easy Keepers”, Metabolically Sensitive and Founder-Prone Horses! ⤵

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.