Parkside Vets - Equine

06/02/2025

We have a very exciting announcement coming really soon! Any ideas on what it might be?

24/01/2025

🐴 Hoof Abscesses🐴

❓What is a Hoof Abscess? ❓
A hoof abscess is a localised infection within the hoof. It occurs when bacteria become trapped inside the hoof capsule, typically entering through a crack, puncture wound, or damaged area. The infection leads to a build up of pressure due to pus accumulation, causing significant pain and lameness in the affected leg.

⚠Signs and Symptoms⚠
🐴Sudden onset severe lameness: Often mistaken for a more serious injury, the horse may refuse to bear weight on the affected leg.
🐴Heat and swelling: The hoof and surrounding areas may feel warm to the touch.
🐴Increased digital pulse: A strong pulse in the affected hoof is a common sign.
🐴Drainage: In some cases, the abscess will burst on its own, releasing a foul-smelling often black fluid.

🌧Causes of Hoof Abscesses🌧
🐴Environmental factors: Wet, muddy conditions can soften the hoof and increase the risk of bacteria entering.
🐴Injuries: Puncture wounds, cracks, or bruises can provide entry points for bacteria.
🐴Poor hoof care: Overgrown hooves or improper trimming can create conditions conducive to abscess formation.

🐎 Treatment Options 🐎
Treating a hoof abscess typically involves relieving pressure, encouraging drainage, and preventing further infection. Here’s how:
🐴Call your vet or farrier: We can examine the foot and help to determine the best treatment plan.
🐴Soak the hoof: Use warm water with Epsom salts to soften the hoof and draw out the infection (not always possible and depends on the patient!).
🐴Apply a poultice: A drawing poultice can help localize and drain the abscess.
🐴Keep it clean: Wrap the hoof to protect it from dirt and bacteria.
🐴Pain management: Consult us about anti-inflammatory medications if needed.

⭐Prevention Tips⭐
While not all abscesses are preventable, you can reduce the risk by:
🐴Maintaining a clean environment: Regularly clean and dry your horse’s living areas.
🐴Providing routine hoof care: Schedule regular farrier visits and inspect hooves for cracks, bruises, or punctures.
🐴Using hoof boots: In wet or challenging conditions, hoof boots can provide additional protection where appropriate.

👩‍⚕️When to Seek Professional Help 👨‍⚕️
If you are not sure that an abscess is the problem or if your horse shows signs of a hoof abscess that doesn’t improve within a few days or if the lameness worsens, get in touch with us on 01382 811 111. If you have any doubts at all we’re always at the other end of the phone, so don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Have you dealt with a hoof abscess in your horse? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below to help fellow horse owners! 🐴

24/01/2025

🚨STORM EOWYN🚨

We hope that you are all staying safe in this weather. Due to the red weather warning in the area, we have elected to postpone all routine work for today.

We will be available throughout the day and night for emergency calls, as we always are, and have ensured that we have the whole of our catchment area covered should you need us!

20/01/2025

🔷 BLUE MONDAY 🔷

The third Monday in January is typically known as "Blue Monday" or the most depressing day of the year. Our equine team will be getting together this afternoon for a cup of tea and a blether, hoping to put a positive spin on the day.

Spending time with horses often helps to lift our spirits and improve our overall mental wellbeing. We are thankful today for the positive impact that our equine friends have on both our personal and professional lives.

🐎 Why Horses? Horses have an incredible ability to sense our emotions and respond with calming and empathetic energy.

✨ Benefits of Horse Interaction:
🐴Stress Relief: Interacting with horses has been shown to lower cortisol levels, helping to alleviate stress.

🐴Improved Mood: Spending time with these majestic animals can boost serotonin levels, improving your overall mood and happiness.

🐴Physical Activity: Grooming, riding, or just walking alongside horses encourages physical movement, which is great for your body and mind.

🐴Connection with Nature: Being around horses often means being in nature, providing a serene environment that fosters mindfulness and peace.

🐴Emotional Bonding: Horses form strong bonds with humans, offering a unique form of companionship and emotional support.

Image use courtesy of Charlie Mackesy from "The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse"

19/01/2025

🦷 Dental Corner 🦷

Over the coming weeks, we will be providing informative Facebook posts on both normal equine dental anatomy and the common conditions that our equine team encounter out on the road.

If there are any conditions that you would particularly like to see covered in relation to equine dentistry, please leave a comment below!

🐴 Equine Dentition 🐴

We will cover the individual types of teeth in further detail, but we thought we would start with an overview of the different types and number of teeth within an average horse's mouth.

A normal adult horse's dentition consists of the following:
🐴 6 maxillary (upper jaw) and 6 mandibular (lower jaw) incisors
🐴 4 canine teeth (usually these are only seen in males)
🐴 12 maxillary cheek teeth and 12 mandibular cheek teeth
🐴 Wolf teeth are occasionally observed, usually only on the maxillary arcades just in front of the cheek teeth

🦷 The incisors are located at the front of the horse's mouth and are typically used for tearing at grass while grazing.
🦷 The canine teeth were historically thought to be used by stallions during fighting, but they do not serve any purpose with regards to eating.
🦷 Wolf teeth are additional teeth that can sometimes cause issues with bitting, particularly if they are large or wobbly.
🦷 Cheek teeth are continually erupting as they are worn down through the normal chewing process. Each set of cheek teeth acts as a single grinding unit, breaking down the tough fibres in long stem forage into digestible components.

18/01/2025

As equine vets, we know how important it is to keep a close eye (pun intended!) on our horses' health. A sore eye can be a sign of various underlying issues, from minor irritations to serious conditions that could lead to vision loss if left untreated.

Key reasons to check a sore eye:
🐴Prompt diagnosis: Early detection can prevent more severe complications
🐴Pain management: Many common eye conditions seen in horses are painful, addressing the cause promptly helps keep them happy and healthy
🐴Preventative care: Timely diagnosis and treatment can ensure a complete resolution of symptoms in the majority of cases.

If you notice any signs of redness, squinting, wounds near the eye, excessive tearing, or discharge, don’t hesitate to contact us on 01382 811111.

16/01/2025

🐴 How to Prevent Colic 🐴

The weather is incredibly changeable at the moment and we are seeing our fair share of colic cases, as we usually do at times of fluctuating temperatures.

We all know that horses (and their guts!) can be fussy with changes - here are a few tips to help reduce the risk of colic during the winter months:

🐴 Changes to feeding should be made gradually
🐴 Ensure there is always access to plenty of forage
🐴 Turn out or provide exercise as much as possible - movement helps to keep the guts moving
🐴 Ensure fresh water is always available, be sure to break any ice in troughs and consider adding hot water to buckets/troughs

One of the most common types of colic we see in winter are large colon impactions. These are often caused by dehydration - frozen water prevents easy access and studies show horses will drink more water when it’s warm than if it’s near-freezing. The slowing down of gut motility from being stabled adds another reason for impactions forming.

If you are worried about colic or want to speak to one of our dedicated equine vets, please do not hesitate to contact the office on 01382 811111. We are available to help 365 days a year, 24/7!

11/01/2025

🐴 Parkside Dental Services 🐴

We are proud to offer a comprehensive dental service at Parkside Equine. Each of our dedicated equine vets carries all the necessary equipment to ensure that your horse receives a thorough dental examination and appropriate routine treatment, whether at your yard or our premises.

Maintaining your horse's dental health is essential for their overall wellbeing and performance. We are passionate about providing excellent dental care for our equine patients and aim to provide the following for every horse, pony, and donkey that we see:

🐴 Prevent pain and discomfort: Reduction of sharp edges and overgrowths.
🐴 Improve nutrition: Ensuring the horse's ability to chew is maximised, enabling them to get the maximum amount of nutrients from their feed.
🐴 Early detection of health issues: Identifying subtle changes early is key in managing many dental conditions.
🐴 Enhance performance: Ensuring ridden equines are comfortable in their mouths while working.

We are enthusiastic in offering the following services in regards to equine dentistry:
🐴 Routine dental care, including a thorough head and dental examination (sedation is usually required for the most thorough examinations to prevent missing subtle changes due to the horse's movement).
🐴 Remedial and preventative rasping (both hand rasps and power floats available, tailored to your horse's requirements).
🐴 Dental endoscopy (we have a mobile oroscope for visualisation of dental pathology).
🐴 Dental x-rays.
🐴 Extractions of wolf teeth, incisors, and cheek teeth.
🐴 Diastema widening and treatment.
🐴 Infundibular caries restorations.

Please contact us on 01382 811111 to book your horse in for their dental check-ups. We recommend at least annual checks of each animal's dentition, even if they are not ridden!

10/01/2025

We are proud to support our local equestrian centres and competition venues.

Have you seen our signs advertised at Howe and Netherton?

If you have any photographs of you and your horse with our signs at these venues, or at any of the county shows, that you would be happy for us to share on our page then please send them to us at [email protected] 🐴

08/01/2025

❄️Equine Seasonal Hazards❄️

As temperatures drop, keeping your horses safe from seasonal hazards is essential. Here are some key and common risks:

❄️ Ice & freezing conditions: Horses can easily slip on icy surfaces, leading to serious injuries. Clear pathways and use sand or grit for better traction. Consider removing shoes prior to icy weather to prevent slipping. Ensure water troughs are free from ice - consider the use of a tennis ball to help prevent water sources from freezing over.

⚠Toxic plants: Some toxic plants, like yew, bracken and acorns, can still be present in winter pastures. Ensure grazing areas are free of harmful vegetation.

🌧Wet and muddy conditions: These can lead to slips and falls, as well as an increased risk of mud fever, a painful skin condition often seen as a result of prolonged exposure to damp conditions. Consider fencing off poached areas of your field or moving ring feeders to prevent severe muddy conditions in high traffic areas.

Stay vigilant to keep your horses happy and healthy this winter!

If you have any queries regarding the best preventative measures to take for your horses, please call us on 01382 811111.

31/12/2024

🎉Happy New Year🎉

We would like to wish our clients and their equines a very Happy New Year and send you best wishes for 2025!

We will also take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued custom throughout 2024 and for trusting us with the care of your horses, ponies and donkeys.

25/12/2024

🎄Merry Christmas🎄

Merry Christmas to our clients and their equine friends from all of us at Parkside Equine.

We hope you all have a great day!

23/12/2024

🎄Festive Opening Hours🎄

Please see below our office opening hours for the festive period:

Mon 23rd December - 8.30-5.30
Tues 24th December - 8.30-5.30
Christmas Day - CLOSED
Boxing Day - CLOSED
Friday 27th December - 8.30-5.30
Saturday 28th December - CLOSED
Sunday 29th December - CLOSED
Monday 30th December - 8.30-5.30
Tuesday 31st December - 8.30-5.30
New Year's Day - CLOSED
Thursday 2nd January - CLOSED
Friday 3rd January - 8.30-5.30

Remember that one of our dedicated equine vets will always be on call throughout the whole festive period, meaning that if you need us at any point, you will always see a familiar face!

Please call 01382 811111 if you require a visit or advice.

21/12/2024

Are you planning to travel this festive period?

Please remember to call the office on 01382 811111 or send us an email at [email protected] to let us know who will be looking after your horses while you are away, and granting them permission to make appointments in your absence. This ensures that we can attend promptly without needing to request your consent at the time of the visit.

Our vets will contact you once they have attended to your equine friends, to discuss their findings and any treatment that may be required.

18/12/2024

🐴 Winter Wellness Wednesday - Body Condition Scoring in Winter🐴

It can be tricky to assess your horse's condition underneath a thick winter coat, so regular body condition scoring can be really beneficial in the winter months to ensure they're maintaining a healthy weight.

Body Condition Scoring (BCS) is a practical way to assess a horse's overall fat coverage and condition, using a scale from 1 (extremely thin) to 9 (obese). Scoring involves evaluating fat deposits in six key areas of the horse's body.

Ideal BCS:
Horses typically thrive at a BCS of 5-6. However, competition horses or certain breeds may require a slightly lower or higher score depending on their workload and body type.

Areas to Assess:
🐴Neck
🐴Withers
🐴Shoulder
🐴Ribs
🐴Loin/Back
🐴Tailhead

If you have any queries regarding body condition scoring, please contact us on 01382 811111. If you have a routine vet visit coming up, such as vaccinations or dental examinations, then please ask the attending vet to show you how best to body condition score.

16/12/2024

🐴Repeat Prescriptions🐴

If your horse is on long-term medication, please remember to place your repeat prescription orders by Friday 20th December to ensure that we are able to fulfil your request and ensure you have enough medication to last over the festive period.

Please contact the office on 01382 811111 to place your order.

16/12/2024

Shannon had the best start to her Monday morning this week, getting cuddles from Dolly!

Dolly got cuddles from her favourite vet today 💕