Walkerton Equine Clinic

08/19/2024

Fall Laminitis 🍂
Majority of horse owners understand that spring can be a risky time for horses prone to laminitis. Introducing our equine friends to their lush summer pastures slowly or incorporating limited grazing through grazing muzzles is a normal part of our spring routine. Did you know that fall also poses an increase risk for laminitis? Usually around September - October annually we see a spike in laminitis cases.
❓How does the fall season increase the risk for laminitis?
🌧️Overgrazed summer pastures often get a spike in growth with some fall rains - these short stressed pastures although short often stockpile sugars in their short stems after a rainfall.
🥶Lower daily temperatures, shorter day length and frosty evenings causes grass to also increase their sugar storage
❓What makes some horses more prone to laminitis than others?
⚖️ Obesity is strongly related to ‘Equine Metabolic Syndrome’ a condition that stimulates insulin resistance and systemic inflammation
👵 Cushings disease (elevated ACTH) seen in older horses increases sensitivity to sugars and more prone to laminitis
🏋️‍♀️ Lack of exercise/movement can make horses more prone to laminitis through weight gain and slowed metabolism.
❓How can I reduce my horses risk of Fall laminitis?
🩸Testing any suspect horses for cushings disease (ACTH) or insulin levels before fall and managing appropriately with medication and management changes
🌱 Avoid fall grazing on short stressed pastures after fall rains or frosts
🤿 Use a grazing muzzle where appropriate to reduce grass intake for overweight horses
🕦 Adjust management to avoid grazing during early mornings after a frost or rain
🐎 Keep your horses active and fit into the fall months
If you have any questions or concerns about fall laminitis, cushings or equine metabolic syndrome speak with your veterinarian about testing and managing strategies that are best for your individual horse!

08/10/2024

Please note the clinic will be fully closed on Thursday August 15th so the team can take a well deserved day away together after a busy spring season!

For emergencies please call our regular numbers and you will be directed from there to on call coverage vet. For non-urgent requests please leave a voicemail or drop an email and we will get back to you the following day.

04/26/2024

Repro season has been in full swing around the clinic for the past few weeks with early morning mare checks and late night foalings. 🌄🎑
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This time of year is an exciting and busy time of year with the arrival of new foals and spring weather but also can be one of the most challenging times of year with loss, frustration and exhaustion. We at the Walkerton Equine clinic are so grateful for all our wonderful clients and patients that make the hard days that much better. Thank you all for being so GREAT!
Cheers to the remainder of repro season - may the fastest s***m always win 🥂😅

04/08/2024

We are so excited to invite everyone to our open house April 26th, 2024. Come learn more about gastric ulcers a common condition many of our performance horses deal with. Lunch is generously sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.

We will also have a brief seminar on our new Pro-vet system by Decha. The Pro-vet system is some of the newest technology in othrobiologics - we utilize you own horses blood and process it to create a powerful healing and anti-inflammatory product that can used it to treat joints or soft tissue injuries.

Please RSVP so we can ensure we have enough food for all.

04/05/2024

03/24/2024

A Great Webinar on what to do in the face of any equine emergency. Preparation and having a plan in place is key!

Recorded March 20, 2024. This is the on-demand recording of a live webinar presented by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP).Join AAEP mem...

03/16/2024

A little late sharing this this month!

03/08/2024

Happy International Women Day to all the incredible women that are part of the equine industry and veterinary profession. You are all rockstars! ✨
Ashton Colvin Sharleen MacDonald Mary Baks

02/01/2024

February is dental month! Save 10% on all in-clinic booked dental exams and power float for the month of February 🦷🪥

❓Did you know?

✔️ Foals should be checked at birth and frequently throughout the first year of life in order to identify congenital abnormalities of their teeth/mouth
✔️Young horses age of 2-5 years old should have their teeth checked twice annually to ensure there are no maleruption issues and that caps are being lost appropriately
✔️ After the age of 5 years your horses teeth should be checked at least once annually to correct dental alignment and diagnose any dental issues early on
✔️ Senior horses (>17 years of age) are at greater risk of developing periodontal disease. Senior horses should have at least annual dental checks and nutritional consultation as effective grinding surface tends to diminish in their 20’s

01/30/2024

Walkerton Equine Clinic - ‘Providing the same excellence in equine care that our clients and patients have come to know with a little new re-branding’ - ☺️
We are a full service equine veterinary clinic offering both haul in/in-clinic care and ambulatory care for our patients. We are pleased to offer services such as:
✔️ Lameness/Sports Medicine services (included diagnostic X-ray and ultrasound, intra-articular therapies, shockwave and class IV laser)
✔️ Pre Purchase Exams
✔️ Reproduction/Breeding services
✔️ Respiratory work up (endoscopic exams, BAL and consultation)
✔️ Veterinary Spinal Manipulation (commonly known as chiropractic therapy)
✔️ General Field Surgeries
✔️ Wellness Services such as annual exams/vaccines, in house bloodwork and dentistry
✔️ Emergency Care
✔️ In clinic patient care for on going case management (medical colics, wound management, sick foals etc)

01/27/2024

What to expect when you’re expecting equine edition!
Reshare

01/26/2024

You have decided to breed your mare this year, congratulations on the exciting journey ahead! - so what we are some important things to consider next?
1. Choosing the Stallion: when selecting a stallion there are many things to take into consideration - not just performance record and bloodline.
🐎 Ensure the stallions conformation compliments your mares conformation - our goal is to improve the next generation by taking into consideration weaknesses and flaws.
😡 Ensure the stallions temperament and the temperament of his offspring are appropriate! Do not be afraid to ask about the offspring’s trainability and success!

2. Type of semen/breeding contract: Fresh cooled semen versus frozen semen versus live cover - understanding the difference between these will help prepare you and your veterinarian regarding the logistics around your mares breeding (more about this in another post!) 🐟

3. Collection Days: If the breeding contract is for fresh cooled semen it is helpful to have some details regarding when/how often the stallion can be collected prior to your first appointment. How much notice is required to order a collection and how will the semen get to you/your farm? (Shipped by purolator or picked up in person etc.) 🚛

4. When to start breeding? 📆
- A mares gestation period is ~340 days +\- 10 days (approximately 11 months), therefore if you want a baby in May you would want to breed in June. However, not every mare will get in foal on the first try and therefore it is recommended to start as early in the season as reasonable!

5. When should you schedule your first reproduction vet visit? ❓
- Generally we recommend you try to track your mares heat cycles early in the spring (watch for signs of estrus and then count the number of days between those signs)
- schedule your first appointment a few weeks to a month prior to the intended breeding date - this allows us to do an initial reproduction exam (more on what to expect at this appointment in another post!)
- After you initial appointment you and your veterinarian can discuss details/a plan for future visits/checks prior to breeding.

01/11/2024

January Newsletter ❄️

01/11/2024

Believe it or not repro season is just around corner!
Over the next few weeks we will try to cover all things repro! Some topics that will be covered will be mare and breeding physiology, prepping for breeding season tips and tricks, what to expect at your horses repro appointment and what to expect when you’re expecting!
✅Mare Reproductive Physiology 101
☀️Horses are reproductively Seasonal Polyestrus - meaning they only have estrus(heat) cycles during certain times of the year (long sunlight days) and will have multiple cycles during that period.
🤔In order to achieve a longer and earlier breeding season in North America we can encourage mares to come into estrus(heat) sooner through artificial lighting.
💡Adding ‘day light’ length to the end of normal day length can be done by a 200watt light bulb. Day light length should be 16 hours in duration in order to stimulate estrus, but it won’t happen over night.
🗓️It can take 75 days of a light program before a mare is cycling properly - therefore if you want their first heat cycle to be mid-February the lighting program should be started December 1st.
🤰Mares that are in foal but intended to be bred back early should be included in the lighting program as well as it will stimulate their hormones and follicular waves and assure they are ready to be bred back earlier in the season.

12/22/2023

Reposted from AAEP ✍️
Water remains as important for your horse in cold weather as it is in the summer. As a matter of fact, decreased water consumption in the winter is thought to be the primary inducing factor for impaction colic — although there are other predisposing factors such as poor hay quality, lack of exercise, internal parasites and dental problems.

Impaction colic is essentially constipation and most often includes the accumulation of hard, dry f***l material in the colon. The usual signs of impending impaction colic are depression, a decreased appetite, and decreased production and dryness of manure.

Studies demonstrate that you can increase your horse’s winter water consumption if you provide access to heated water, but ONLY if that is the only source of water available. As always, if you have any questions about preventing colic in your horse, your local veterinarian remains your best source of information!

12/19/2023

Congratulations to Dr Heather Reinhardt on her new ownership of the Walkerton Equine Clinic. Dr Mary Baks continues to be a vital part of the team and will be seeing regular appointments/clients.

The clinic will continue to run as normal providing excellence in your equine’s care at 13 Maplehill Road, Walkerton. Starting the second week of January the clinic will be open 5 days a week with regular appointments being taken on Fridays from 8:30pm -5:00pm.

See below for holiday clinic hours and our new after hours emergency line - please use this line after hours and on weekends for true emergencies as it is a direct line to the veterinarian on call.

From everyone here at WEC we wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season and a Prosperous New Year. 🎄🎅🎉

12/15/2023

Dear valued clients,

There is a $100 rebate going on right now for clients who have purchased more than 300 prascend tablets over a 12 month period. Follow the link for more instructions on how to get your rebate!

03/14/2023

If your not learning your not growing; if your not growing your not evolving.
This past weekend Dr. Reinhardt attended a VetPD course - focusing on ultrasound guided injection and surgical techniques, as well as the latest research in orthopaedic therapy’s.
Such courses allows us to evolve our skill set and gain information so that we may continue to offer services that help your equine athlete stay healthy, comfortable and competitive.

03/02/2023

Foaling season has arrived and is in full swing!
🐴 When should a new born foal and mare exam be performed?
If you are new to foaling, have a concern with a foal or mare or just want a check over, it is recommended you have your veterinarian perform an exam within 24 hours.
❓What is done during a new born foal exam?
The main goals of a foal exam is to ensure the foal is reaching all their milestones and have received adequate colostrum to reduce risk of illness in the coming days.
✅ Blood test to assess adequate colostrum and immune protection, other blood tests to ensure there is no signs of infection can also be performed

✅ Physical exam

✅ Umbilical palapation / assessment

✅ Assess limbs for angular limb deformities

✅ Assess mouth for normal bite, cleft palate etc.

✅ Administer foal shots ie. vitamin E /Selenium
❓ What is done during a mare examination?
The main goals of a mare exam is to ensure the mare has not sustained any injuries during the foaling process and has passed the after birth fully
✅ Physical exam

✅ Assess for any vaginal tears

✅ Evaluate placenta (after birth) to ensure it was passed in full (no pieces retained) and there are no signs of abnormalities that may put the foal at higher risk of illness

03/02/2023

Another excellent repost from AAEP!

"This horse is 3 out of 5 lame."
You've probably heard a similar statement many times when it comes to describing lameness in horses. But do you ACTUALLY know what a person is talking about if they use this expression?

Because each horse has unique performance characteristics, evaluating lameness can be challenging; lameness may appear as a barely noticeable shortening of the stride, or the condition may be so severe that the horse will not bear weight on the affected limb. With such extremes possible, the AAEP developed a lameness grading system that is used by most veterinarians in the U.S. The AAEP lameness scales aids both communication and record-keeping and ranges from zero to five, with zero being no perceptible lameness and five being most extreme.

When lameness occurs or is suspected, you should contact your veterinarian promptly. An early examination can save you time, money and frustration by diagnosing and treating the problem immediately, possibly even preventing further damage.

Read more about lameness in horses on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/lameness-exams-evaluating-lame-horse and consult your veterinarian to learn how you can become a better observer and steward for your equine friend!

03/01/2023

March is here! That means longer days, hopefully warmer days and shedding season! Have your furry friends stared to shed yet?

01/24/2023

In Clinic Care 🐴
❓ Did you know we are able to offer hospitalization/ in clinic management for certain patients/cases
However, our clinic does not replace a referral facility. When appropriate and feasible we will still recommend taking your horse to a referral hospital in many scenarios

01/19/2023

During winter months we often see an increase incidence of impaction colics, this is likely due to lack of water intake during colder months. Studies have shown horses do prefer warmer drinking water especially around feeding times.
To ensure your horses are drinking enough during winter months here are a few tips to encourage water intake.

✅Keep water tanks ice free by having water heaters safely placed in outdoor tanks.
✅ Add loose salt or electrolytes to grain rations to encourage intake, plus provide access to salt licks even during winter months.
✅ Consider adding water to gain rations or feeding soaked hay cubes to increase water intake.
✅ Adding warm water to buckets and outside tanks during feeding time can increase total daily water consumption during cold weather.

01/06/2023

Another great foaling resource!

👉This is a great resource for your foaling staff. Thanks !

01/06/2023

Orthobiologics🦴🐎💉
❓Did you know we offer orthobiologics - specifically IRAP as one of the options to treat or manage your horses osteoarthritis, synovitis or soft tissue injury?
🧐What is an orthobiologic? An orthrobiologic uses your horses own cells to heal itself. Specifically at our clinic we use IRAP which is derived from your horses blood and incubated with special beads that select for and amplify a specific anti-inflammatory protein. More specifically IRAP selects for Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist which actively blocks and reduces inflammation in the joint or area injected.
💪🦴What can orthobiologics be used for? The super charged serum generated from IRAP can be used just like any other intra-articular therapy in any joint on the limb, neck or back. IRAP can also be used intra-lesionally in soft tissue injuries such as tendon or ligament injuries to provided a concentration of healing proteins and cells to the area of interest. Once incubated and separated the serum is ready to used immediately or can be stored for future uses.

✅🐎What makes orthobiologics awesome? IRAP can be used in the place of standard intra-articular corticosteroids, providing similar anti-inflammatory relief without the negative affects of corticosteroids or the long withhold time from competition.
👩‍⚕️🐴Contact us today to discuss how your horse may benefit from IRAP!

Walkerton Equine Clinic shared a post on Instagram: "Orthobiologics🦴🐎💉 . . ❓Did you know we offer orthobiologics - specifically IRAP as one of the options to treat or manage your horses osteoarthritis, synovitis or soft tissue injury? . . 🧐What is an orthobiologic? An orthrobiologic us...

01/06/2023

Foaling season is upon us!!
By having these tools prepared weeks in advance of your mares due date will ensure you won’t be left without in the case of an emergency.
Consult with your veterinarian on preparing for the event and what to expect and how to use these tools to assist your mare or foal.

12/24/2022

From all of us at The Walkerton Equine Clinic - we wish all our clients, friends and families a very Merry Christmas🎄 and Happy New Year! 🎉 Thank you all for another wonderful year, we look forward to seeing everyone in the new year!

12/21/2022

❓Did you know it is recommended to vaccinate for Equine Influenza and Equine Herpes virus (1 and 4) every six months for high risk horses.

🤔 How do I know if my horse is high risk?

- Horses that attend shows or events regularly which increases the risk of exposure and transmission.

- Young horses (>4 months of age) starting training, going to a sale or sent to a new facility where they experience increased stress which may cause illness or shedding of virus.

- Herds with pregnant mares that also have other high risk horses on the property and less than ideal biosecurity protocols.

👩‍⚕️ If you are still unsure whether your horse should be vaccinated we recommend discussing the risks and benefits with your veterinarian.

✅ The vaccine should be administered at least two weeks prior to any show, movement or stressful event to ensure full immunity has been achieved. If this is your horses first time receiving this vaccine they will need a booster 3-4 weeks after the initial dose.

✅Keep in mind that being vaccinated does not necessarily prevent your horse from getting influenza or EHV1/4. Rather vaccination helps reduce the severity of illness and reduce the amount of virus shedding to other horses.

🍁Keep in mind according to FEI and Equine Canada rules all horses competing must have a recent (within the past 6 months) vaccination for Equine influenza and Equine herpes Virus 1/4. Therefore if you intend to show at a rated show over the winter your horse may need a booster!

12/20/2022

Only 5 more sleeps till Christmas! The horses have promised that they have all been good this year and asked Santa for carrots and apples🎅🏼