Valley Equine Hospital

21/08/2024

We are delighted to support HEROS during national racehorse week

💚HEROS OPEN DAY💚

Join us for the HEROS Open Day during

📆 Friday 13th September
⏰ 11am - 2pm
📍HEROS, North Farm Stud, Fawley, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 9NJ

Join us for:
🐎 A talk from HEROS Founder & CEO Grace Muir
🐎 A tour of HEROS
🐎Riding demos
🐎Connolly's RED MILLS talking all things nutrition and feeding your horse
🐎 Nicole Rossa, Equine Physiotherapist

Thank you to Valley Equine Hospital for supporting the event.

To register to attend free of charge ➡️ https://nationalracehorseweek.uk/yard/62446/

14/08/2024

If any of you are missing the Olympics, here's a post to cheer you up! Last Friday we held our own 'VEH games' where our athletes gave those in Paris some hot competition in terms of enthusiasm (if not actual ability!) Congratulations to the 'black team' of Josie and Tom who topped the medal table.

01/08/2024

Our phone lines are currently not working. We are working to fix this as quickly as possible but in the mean time please email [email protected] with non urgent enquiries or, in the case of an emergency, call 07766 698470. Sorry for the inconvenience

25/07/2024

Congratulations to our veterinary nurse Hannah, who recently qualified as a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN). This is the culmination of several years of hard work and exams and is a huge achievement

16/06/2024

We were delighted to help sponsor the OBHPC junior show this weekend, in addition to being on standby for any veterinary needs. Luckily everyone stayed safe and sound, the sun shone and great fun was had by all

🙌Very grateful thanks to our wonderful sponsors who are supporting the OBHPC Junior Show 💜

👏👏Denchworth Equestrian who have kindly donated prizes for the winners
👏👏Ed Walker Racing Ltd
👏👏A Q Properties
👏👏Valley Equine Hospital
👏👏Emily Lambert Equestrian
👏👏 Stabllux
👏👏
👏👏Trinity Park Stud
👏👏Equine at Donnington Grove Veterinary Surgery
👏👏
👏👏
👏👏
👏👏

Come and join in the fun tomorrow. Entries on the day for members and non-members 12 yrs and under. A lovely, traditional have a go show. See you there!

25/04/2024

❗️Foster mare available ❗️
Baydon, Wiltshire
16.2hh mare sadly just lost foal
Contact: 07969152578

21/03/2024

The sun is shining here in the valley of the racehorse! Here's our spring newsletter:
https://mycvsvet.co.uk/t/cr/AQiNnAwQv9qlARiL0OgUq2S_5gopWFmGSSpdpV_fQUzbVQuJuS_4bQ05pc_tK6g

17/03/2024

Thank you so much to everyone who shared our earlier post. We take our responsibilities towards our clients and patients very seriously and are so sorry that clients might have been unable to get through when they needed us. The fault on the phone line was outside of our control and as soon as we realised there was a problem we took action to divert the lines. You should now be able to get through to our emergency team on the usual number. Once again, we apologise and thank you all for your understanding

17/03/2024

There seems to be a problem with the phone lines. We are working to get this fixed asap but in the meantime if you have an emergency please call 01379 673829. Please share this so we reach as many people as possible

12/03/2024

You may never have seen behind the scenes in a veterinary practice. So take a look at the work our vets and nurses do on the front line every day to look after animals in veterinary practices, hospitals, in the field and on call - so that they receive the best possible care.

Thanks to Molly Case for the poem you have written about our profession.

29/02/2024

The phones are now back up and running! Please contact us on 01488 71999 as usual

29/02/2024

We have a temporary issue with our phones. If you are unable to get through to us and have a non urgent enquiry please email [email protected] or if you have an emergency please call 07766 698470. Thank you for your patience

22/02/2024

The Royal Veterinary College are conducting research into the quality of life of horses with Cushing's Disease. If your horse has recently been tested for Cushing's disease you can help contribute to this important topic; see the pictures below for more information

29/01/2024

NEW VACCINATION RULES!

As of 1 January 2024, different intervals apply between the 3 vaccinations that comprise the primary course for equine influenza:

1st - 2nd 21-60 days
2nd - 3rd 120-180 days

This follows advice from British Equestrian, and applies to most horse sport governing bodies (eg British Showjumping, British Eventing, the Pony Club etc).

If your horse received the primary course prior to 1 January 2024 his or her vaccinations are not affected; you just need to continue with boosters every 6-12 months depending on the rules imposed by your particular governing body. Please ensure you check the rules for the governing body under which you compete; we will do our best to help ensure that your horses are vaccinated appropriately but it is your responsibility to ensure that your horse or pony's vaccinations comply with your specific requirements.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions

19/01/2024

We hope you and your horses are keeping warm! Please bear with us in this cold weather, as the roads around Lambourn have been very icy. It looks like temperatures are set to rise tomorrow so we're making the most of the beautiful views before the mud returns. Here's a stunning photo taken by our vet Peter Thurlow yesterday morning

28/12/2023

Did you know that we offer veterinary acupuncture? Helen has been using acupuncture for years and finds it invaluable, both alongside conventional veterinary treatment and as a means of enhancing wellbeing and performance in sports and race horses. Read on for more information!

What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the practice of inserting fine, solid needles through the skin. It is well known for its role in traditional Chinese medicine, however it also plays a useful role as a complementary treatment in modern, conventional human and veterinary medicine.

How does it work?
Acupuncture works by stimulating the nervous system. When a needle is inserted through the skin it stimulates tiny nerves, which communicate with the rest of the nervous system via the brain and spinal cord. This has multiple effects, which include the inhibition of chronic pain pathways and the release of endorphins.

Could my horse benefit from acupuncture?
Broadly speaking, acupuncture is useful in the following situations:
• Treating muscle pain, especially where there are trigger points (‘knots’) present within the muscle
• As a complementary treatment in painful conditions
• As an aid to stimulate wound healing

Are there any risks or side effects?
Horses vary in their response to acupuncture. Some become very relaxed and ‘sleepy’ and for this reason we advise against any ridden exercise on the same day following acupuncture treatment. Some horses, particularly those with marked muscle pain, find the insertion of the needles aversive and require sedation for the procedure to be performed safely and effectively. In addition, whenever a needle is inserted through the skin there is a small risk of introducing infection. The acupuncture needles are sterile and are very small so this risk is minimal, however acupuncture might not be appropriate in cases of skin infection, immune compromise or in very dirty horses. We also advise against performing acupuncture in a stable with bedding, in case a needle drops out and becomes lost in the bed. A clean, concrete or rubber floor is ideal.

How many treatments are required?
This depends on the condition being treated and the response of the individual horse. As a general rule, we recommend an initial four treatments at weekly intervals. The need for ongoing treatment can then be assessed. If, for example, the horse is receiving treatment for a sore back secondary to a poorly fitting saddle, the initial treatments might be effective in resolving the muscle pain (in combination with appropriate physiotherapy and a new, well fitting saddle) and no further treatments will be required as long as the new saddle continues to fit well. In a different case, where a horse has muscle pain secondary to an ongoing orthopaedic condition (such as osteoarthritis) further treatments might be beneficial.

If you'd like more information or would like to book an appointment please give us a call on 01488 71999

24/12/2023

22/12/2023

Did you know our Clinical Director Helen is on BEVA Council? On their podcast she shares her career to date and some of the challenges we face as equine vets - listen here.

18/12/2023

Has your horse, or a horse on your yard been affected by Strangles at any time since January 2020? If so, please can you spare some time to fill out this survey for research which will help to identify common factors associated with outbreaks and provide up to date information on how best to avoid strangles spreading between yards going forward, in practical and achievable ways. Thank you 🙏

Share your strangles experience with the University of Edinburgh by taking their survey.

20/11/2023

Our autumn newsletter has landed! Here's our news from VEH:

Autumn is well and truly upon us!  As the leaves (and the rain!) fall we’re ready with our wellies and head torches for all your equine veterinary needs.

09/11/2023

Antibiotic resistance is a global health issue, and we need your help to keep antibiotics working. That is why Valley Equine Hospital is taking part in the Antibiotic Amnesty 2023 which is returning again for a second year! Throughout November 2023 we are asking horse owners to return any unused or leftover antibiotic medications to us for safe disposal.
Please drop off any unused medications to your practice. You can hand them in to a vet, nurse or the reception team. This medication might be left-over from a recent prescription, antibiotics that you didn’t need or out-of-date medication.
Let’s keep antibiotics working, together!

20/10/2023

Does your mare sometimes display unwanted seasonal behaviour in the spring and summer? Our stud vet Line Kjaer MRCVS explains why this occurs and what we can do about it:

Mares are seasonal breeders, which means they show seasonal behaviour during the spring and summer. During the winter the majority of mares "shut down" which means that their ovaries become small and inactive and there is no hormonal secretion that influences the mare. This is why some owners find their mares more agreeable during the autumn and winter.
As we approach spring, with warmer and longer days, the mare will enter what is called the transistional period. The mare will be creating several large follicles on her ovaries and will have a heavy hormone influence. This can often last several weeks where is seems that the mare is constantly in season. This can be a very frustrating time to be a mare owner!
Once the mare has had her first proper season of the year, they are usually fairly regular, showing season for 3-5 days every 3 weeks. If your mare is showing an erratic season pattern it could be a sign there is something wrong.
The first step to find out if something is wrong is by getting your vet to scan the mare’s ovaries. It is best to scan her while she is showing the unwanted behaviour.
The vet will evaluate the mare’s uterus and ovaries and can determine if she is currently in season. They can also see if there is any pathology causing the mare's behaviour. Things like infection or air in the uterus, or tumours of the ovaries, can be a major cause of behavioural changes in the mare. All of this can be diagnosed by a ultrasound examination of the ge***al tract, but will in some cases also require a blood-sample.
Once any abnormalities or pathologies have been ruled out as the cause of the unwanted behaviour, the next thing we can try is blocking the mare’s season by giving her a drug that suppresses the hormones. If the mare is still showing unwanted behaviour at this point it would be advisable to look into other reasons while your mare is acting the way she is. Horses have a very limited way of expressing pain and what sometimes perceived as seasonal behaviour could stem from muscoskeletal pain or gastric ulcers.

17/10/2023

We are hiring......

CVS Equine Careers, Jobs, Search and Apply

13/10/2023

We have joined up with Equine Bio
Genie and here Ben takes us through
managing equine flu at your yard as
well as why it is important to consider
the air, surfaces and water when
preventing transmission.

12/10/2023

Here in Part 2, Richard Newton highlights
the critical role that horse owners,
keepers, and veterinary surgeons play in
the ongoing monitoring, prevention and
control of Equine Flu.

12/10/2023

We are grateful to be able to team up with the Equine Infectious
Disease Surveillance (EIDS) team for .
Here in Part 1, Richard Newton takes us through what has happened
so far in 2023, how many outbreaks have been reported across the
UK and internationally.

11/10/2023

How to prevent your horse from getting equine flu?
Regular VACCINATION programme
+
GOOD STABLE MANAGEMENT
=
Prevents FLU spreading!

10/10/2023

How is flu spread and what are the symptoms?
Think your horse might be suffering from Equine Flu?
Find out what level of risk flu poses to your horse flu by visiting our
risk checker flow chart. EFAW Equine Flu Risk Checker 2023

09/10/2023

Welcome to the start of Equine Flu Awareness Week 2023!
So... what is EQUINE FLU?
Take charge of your horse's health by visiting our Equine Flu risk
checker. EFAW Equine Flu Risk Checker 2023
Because where's the fun in flu!

02/10/2023

1 week to go!
Join us for starting on October 9th!
Learn all about Equine Flu, from spotting the signs to
expert advice.
Share, comment, and like our posts to get involved!
Because where's the fun in flu!