Equuador

25/12/2024

La Navidad es el momento perfecto para reflexionar sobre todo lo que hemos logrado. Sigamos construyendo juntos un futuro lleno de éxito… FELIZ NAVIDAD 🎄.

18/12/2024

Prada is a 10 year old Welsh Pony mare who tacked up to be ridden on a nice day. While her owner was chatting with other people at the barn, Prada flipped her reins off her head and stepped on them. Initially, Prada seemed startled but otherwise fine and the owner was able to free her from the reins. However, when Prada was being untacked, the owner noticed some pink tinged saliva in Prada’s mouth. After some investigation, the owner found this (see photo). What should you do? Can this be repaired? What’s your diagnosis?

Check back tomorrow for the answer!

***No DVM’s or professionals please***

15/11/2024

Did you know that a horse with a moderate hair coat starts requiring additional calories for body temperature regulation when the outside temperature drops to approximately 50°F?

As the temperatures start to drop, especially overnight, it's important to remember that cold weather prompts special considerations for your horse's diet and care. This is particularly important when it comes to the older members of the herd; consult your primary horse doctor to formulate a plan to keep your horses happy and healthy this fall and winter!

15/10/2024

FEI JUMPING SOUTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP QUITO - ECUADOR 2024

06/10/2024

WHAT CAUSES HOOF ABSCESSES?

Sooner or later, nearly all horse owners will deal with a hoof abscess. But what does "hoof abscess" actually mean?

Although most commonly seen during the wet winter and spring months, hoof abscesses can plague horses year-round and usually occur when debris and bacteria enter the foot through hoof cracks and wounds, even horseshoeing holes. The bacteria then get trapped between the sensitive laminae (the tissue layer that bonds the hoof capsule to the coffin bone) and the hoof wall or sole and create pus; the pus builds up over time and puts pressure behind the hoof wall or sole, until it causes the sudden onset of acute lameness when the pain finally becomes too great. (The diagram shows a simplified view of the equine hoof to help visualize the structures involved in this process.)

Hoof abscesses can mimic other more serious diseases or injuries, so involving your veterinarian early on in the diagnosis and prompt treatment of this condition is always a good idea. Some abscesses will be uncomplicated and rupture on their own like a large pimple at the coronary band or heel bulbs; other abscesses, however, could require radiographs and will need to be surgically drained.

05/09/2024

UNDERSTANDING PROUD FLESH ✍️

Wounds on the bodies and limbs of our equine companions are exceptionally common. In particular, wounds on lower limbs can be especially difficult to manage. There is little extra skin in these areas, making large wounds difficult to close via suturing.

In addition, wounds on the lower legs are contaminated easily with bacteria since they are closer to the ground, bedding, and manure. The constant movement of an animal's legs as it walks, turns, and bears weight can also greatly impair healing, especially if the wound occurs over a joint. All of these factors can often halt the normal progression of the healing process and result in a chronic wound.

Persistent inflammation, along with infection, is a major contributor to exuberant granulation tissue (or proud flesh) formation in a wound. Proud flesh is not conducive to wound healing as it prevents the wound from epithelializing (the process of the skin cells covering the wound), and sometimes it can become so large that it appears to be a tumor, usually obliterating the original wound.

Prevention of proud flesh involves good wound management. For the best healing, wounds should be identified and treated quickly and properly — especially on the lower limbs. Consult your veterinarian about any wounds that appear deep or extensive, that lie over important structures (like joints and tendons), or that already show signs of proud flesh development. Rather than waste time and money in trials and errors that could delay your equid's healing, ask your veterinarian what products are best for your situation.

03/09/2024

While it’s a common equine emergency, esophageal obstruction (“choke”) can look alarming, especially if you've never seen it before. Unlike in human medicine, where choking refers to a tracheal (or windpipe) obstruction, choke in horses refers to an obstruction of the esophagus (the muscular tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach).

Most commonly, choking occurs when horses eat concentrated feed too quickly without chewing appropriately, which results in a firm bolus lodged in the animal's esophagus. However, esophageal obstruction can also occur with hay or straw, hard treats, carrots, or nonfood objects. Poor dentition, which leads to inadequate chewing, is also a frequent cause of choke.

While common, choke can have serious consequences. So, be sure to call your veterinarian as soon as you notice signs of choke. A bad choke is fairly obvious to both veterinarians and horse owners, but a mild choke could be confused with an upper respiratory tract infection or colic.

To learn more about choke, visit: https://equusmagazine.com/horse-care/response-choke-53083?fbclid=IwY2xjawFD8vFleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfE-Zua-igK44im7wrVKxQCC-BpnLCteEuv_kOcOvm_IrRy_GusLbR99tA_aem_vtdTknV2QDBSXk79x9PmjQ

15/08/2024

Have you ever been told to not allow a hot, sweaty horse to drink cold water because it could lead to colic, founder or tie up?

This notion is actually a myth, and a dangerous one too, because it could lead to dehydration and very serious (and real) consequences. A sweaty, hardworking horse needs to be rehydrated without delay (i.e. don’t wait for the horse to cool down first).

The key, however, is to know how much water to allow at one time — because of the equine stomach’s relatively small capacity, offer small amounts of water every 20 minutes until the horse drinks his fill rather than letting the animal drink it all at once.

Remember that water is the most vital nutrient for a horse. A horse’s daily water requirements are influenced by many factors, but the average idle 1,100-pound horse in a cool environment will drink 6 to 10 gallons of water per day. That amount may easily double or triple in a hot environment! Therefore, it goes without saying that providing cool, clean water to your horses at all times is of paramount importance.

Source: Equus Magazine and AAEP member Dr. Anthony Blikslager. More information about offering a horse water can be found at https://equusmagazine.com/.../offering-a-horse-water...

07/06/2024

Knowing your horse's normal vital signs is VITAL —pun intended!— to detecting distress and a possible emergency! 🩺

Practice taking your horse's vitals often (T.P.R.: temperature, pulse, respiration rate) so you can get to know what's normal for your equine friends and recognize what is abnormal. If your horse seems a little "off" and his values are outside the normal range, a call to your equine veterinarian is definitely warranted!

The typical ranges for adult horses are as follows:
🌡️Temperature: 99.0-101.5°F
❤️Heart rate: 28-40 beats/minute
🫁Respiration rate: 12-16 breaths/minute

Keep in mid that very hot and humid conditions may cause small variations, so be sure to have a conversation with your horse doctor about what is acceptable and about how to properly assess your horse's vital signs.

Thank you to the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information!

16/05/2024

If you believe that horses need grain in their diet to meet their nutritional needs, you are not alone. However, horses should get most of their nutrients from a good quality forage source such as grass, hay, hay pellets, or a complete feed.

Horses generally eat between 1.5-2% of their body weight each day, so an average size 1,000 lbs horse should eat 15- 20 lbs of hay daily. To help fill any nutrient gaps such as essential vitamins or minerals, a ration balancer may be beneficial. Depending on breed, body condition, and exercise level, concentrates may be added in to provide additional energy but are often not needed.

When deciding on what to feed your horse, it is best to invest in high quality forages as the foundation of your feeding plan. You can even have your hay tested to see exactly what nutrients it is providing. Please consult with your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist about your horse's diet before making any major changes, and remember that any changes should be made gradually over time to avoid GI upset.
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

26/04/2024

Hot weather puts horses at risk not only for dehydration and heat stress but, just like humans, the skin damage and discomfort that accompany a sunburn. Horse prone to sunburn are also at a higher risk for a cancer called squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) which is associated with UV light exposure.

If your horse has reduced pigmentation (pink eyelids or pink tissue) around the eye, be sure to use a fly mask with greater than 90% UV light protection. Many of these masks are not sold at your local tack store but can be purchased online (examples include Equine Sun Visor, Kensington Uviator, Equivizor, Nag). If a mask advertises UV light protection but does not specify the amount, contact the company that makes the mask to get a definitive answer.
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

17/04/2024

✈️ 🐎 .. Trabajo cumplido .. LGCT MEX 2024 🏆

11/04/2024