Leahurst Equine Practice

21/04/2025

🌟 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙚 𝙀𝙙𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨: 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙑𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙩 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙀𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚! 🌟

We're thrilled to introduce Luke Edwards, one of our talented veterinarians who brings exceptional care and expertise to our equine family. With a passion for horse health and a compassionate approach, Luke is committed to ensuring the well-being of every horse he treats.

Luke qualified from the University of Bristol in 1996, with the distinction of being the only member of the year not to appear on the BBC TV series “Vets School”. After qualifying he worked in mixed practice in Nottinghamshire and Farm and Equine Practice in Devon, before spending twelve years working in a large Equine Practice on the Shropshire/Welsh borders. He has particular interests in colic, laminitis and equine welfare, but is quite happy to deal with any area of equine veterinary work. Luke is an Advanced Practitioner in Equine Practice and holds a Certificate of Advanced Veterinary Practice in Equine Soft Tissue Surgery. In the past Luke has owned and bred his own horses (and other livestock). 🐎 🐴

Stay tuned as we continue to showcase the amazing team members who make Leahurst Equine Practice a trusted name in equine care. 🐴💙

18/04/2025

🌟 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨! 🌟

We're overjoyed by the positive reviews we've received at Leahurst Equine Practice. Your kind words motivate us to continue delivering exceptional care to all our equine friends.

If you've had a great experience with us, we'd love to hear from you! Leave a review on Facebook or click the smiley face at the bottom of your invoice. Your feedback helps us grow and serve you better. Thank you for being a cherished part of our community! 🐴💙

14/04/2025

🌟 Meet the Team at Leahurst Equine Practice! 🌟

We're excited to introduce you to the incredible team behind Leahurst Equine Practice. Over the next five weeks, you'll get an inside look at the passion and dedication of Luke, Ben, Helen, Sarah, and Kirsten.

Stay tuned as we spotlight each of these amazing individuals and learn more about their unique roles and contributions to our practice. 🐴💙

09/04/2025

📢 Help Improve Workplace Safety in Equine Hospitals! 🏥🐎

Are you a veterinary professional working in an equine hospital? Your experiences matter! The University of Liverpool is conducting a survey to explore workplace injuries in equine hospital settings to better understand risks and improve safety measures.

🔹 Who can take part? Vets, nurses, interns, support staff... ANYONE working in equine hospitals, whether you have been injured or not.

🔹 Why participate? Your insights will help identify common hazards, improve workplace safety, and shape future guidelines.

🔹 Completely anonymous – share your experiences with confidence.

📲 Take the survey by clicking the link in the comments below:

07/04/2025

🐴 𝙏𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙀𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙂𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘 𝙐𝙡𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙨: 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 & 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙏𝙞𝙥𝙨! 🐴

We have been working hard at Leahurst Equine Practice to provide our excellent gastroscopy clinic, which we are continuing to offer this Spring! 🌺

As well as medications, there are other ways you can look to prevent the development of gastric ulcers. Keep your equine partner happy & healthy with these ulcer-fighting tips! 👇

🌾 Forage First – Provide good access to hay or pasture to keep stomach acid in check.

🕰️ Frequent, Small Meals – Avoid long fasting periods

🦄 Pre-Ride Feed - Provide a small feed of chaff before riding.

🏇 Reduce Stress – Minimise stable confinement, increase turnout, and maintain a consistent routine.

💧 Encourage Hydration – Ensure access to fresh, clean water at all times.

🩺 Use Preventative Supplements – Consider vet-approved gut health supplements.

A happy gut = a happy horse! 🐎💙

Have you dealt with gastric ulcers in your horse?

Share your experiences below! ⬇️

01/04/2025

We’re throwing open our gates again and inviting you to come and see what we do at Leahurst.

Tickets are now available for VetFest 2025! Please use the Eventbrite link below to secure your FREE places. We look forward to seeing you on July 19th!

[https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/leahurst-vetfest-2025-tickets-1301885828559?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/leahurst-vetfest-2025-tickets-1301885828559?aff=oddtdtcreator)

Come along to Leahurst VetFest for a day full of awesome animal activities, and behind-the-scenes fun!

26/03/2025

🚚💊 **Inside Ben’s Truck: Your Go-To Pharmacy for Skin Health!** 🐴✨

Hey, skin-care warriors! 🌟 Ever wondered what Ben has in his truck to tackle those pesky skin issues? From creepy crawlies to hair loss, we've got you covered with top-notch treatments! Check out these must-have medications:

🔹 **Malaseb**: A powerful medicated shampoo that fights bacteria and fungi, perfect for those stubborn skin infections. 🛁🐴

🔹 **Dectomax**: A versatile injectable that targets parasites, helping keep skin irritation and itchy legs at bay. 💉🐴

🔹 **Deosect**: A potent insecticide spray to protect your animals from lice and flies, ensuring their skin stays healthy and itch-free. 🚫🦟

🔹 **Imaverol**: An effective antifungal treatment, ideal for tackling ringworm and other fungal infections. 🌿🐾

🔹 **Flamazine**: A soothing cream that provides relief from burns and wounds, promoting speedy skin recovery. 🩹🐾

We want to hear from you! 📣 Drop a comment below and share your favorite skin care products for your beloved horse, pony, or donkey. Let’s keep happy and healthy together! ❤️👇

12/03/2025

Last weekend, a group of vets from Leahurst had the opportunity to attend the Bangor on Dee P2P. 🏇🏼

The weather was SPECTACULAR ☀️ and all the horses participating looked splendid in the glorious sunshine 😍

We also had the pleasure of sponsoring the Conditions Race, awarding prices to the winner of the race, and a prize of Best Turned Out.🎀

Well done to all the runners and riders, all of whom got home safe. 😁🐴

06/03/2025

🐴🚔Police Open Day🚔🐴

On Saturday, Merseyside Mounted Police opened their doors to BHS North West members to see the team and meet the horses. Our vet Sarah was in attendance too, meeting and greeting, explaining our close relationship we have in making sure all the horses have dedicated veterinary care. 💉🐴

The police officers demonstrated the amazing abilities of the horses including in a public order situation. They also showed off PC Chunky’s ability to sniff out a carrot on anybody! 🥕

Merseyside Police are hoping to run more of the events throughout the year and would love to see you there! Keep an eye on both BHS Wirral & BHS North West pages as well as our page for the chance to get your tickets! 🤩

01/03/2025

🐴 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 🐴

Join us in celebrating the incredible bond between humans and horses. From their strength and grace to their gentle spirits, they enrich our lives in countless ways. 💜

We have delved into the archives for this photo from 2017. A baby Ben dealing with a miniature Minnie at Parkgate Pony Sanctuary. 🥰

Share your favourite horse memory or photo below!

27/02/2025

📢📍 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗙𝗹𝘂 📍📢

Many of you have probably seen signs along the roads surrounding the south part of the Wirral. These signs read 𝗔𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗭𝗼𝗻𝗲. 🚨

These signs are in relation to the outbreak of Avian Influenza near Bromborough reported in the first week of February 📆

Although this outbreak do not stop us from coming to see your horse or pony, we wanted to share this post as a reminder for what to do, should you happen to keep birds on your property. 👍

Two highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 cases have been confirmed as follows:
• at a premises near Malpas, Cheshire West & Chester, Cheshire - although this infected premises is in England, part of the SZ extends into Wrexham, Wales.
• at a premises near Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire, Yorkshire.

3km Protection Zones and 10km Surveillance Zones have been put in place. Please check GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/bird-flu for the latest information about these cases. All bird keepers should remain vigilant and follow stringent biosecurity measures to prevent future outbreaks.

21/02/2025

📍🗺️𝗟𝘂𝗸𝗲'𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆🗺️📍

Most of us would choose to sit on the beach with a cocktail in hand when we go on vacation. That's not the case for our vet Luke Edwards... 😂

Luke has just returned from a two week trip to the Gambia, where he has once again been working to improve the health and welfare of the working equids out there 🫏🐴

There was plenty of work to be done in terms of assessing teeth, lameness, and wounds. Luke has worked really hard to build a strong connection between the The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust and the vet school, which benefits the vet students, and the donkeys, mules, and horses of the Gambia 🇬🇲

19/02/2025

Here at Leahurst Equine Practice, we offer pre-purchase examinations (vettings) for clients considering to buy a new horse/pony. 🐎🐴

We offer either two-stage or five-stage vettings:

🩺A two-stage vetting is £258.50 and includes a thorough clinical examination at rest, checking signs of injury, disease or any abnormalities, as well a lameness examination of the horse at rest and trot. We will also take a blood sample that is stored for any specific testing that may be requested at a later date.

👩🏼‍⚕️A five-stage vetting is £338.50 and includes the two-stage vetting PLUS observation of the horse under intense exercise, normally under the saddle or lunging, which allows for further evaluation of the heart and lungs. This is followed by a period of rest in the stable, for any lameness to become apparent and reassessment of the heart and lungs post-exercise. The final stage is a second examination of the horse in trot with repeated flexion tests. This will check for any lameness that is apparent after exercise.

🚨 X-rays are available upon request, but specific regions of the body must be specified.

🗺 The prices are inclusive of a standard visit fee. Travel beyond our normal 45 minute journey time would incur an increased visit fee, but this can be discussed before you book the vetting.

If you are interested, please contact us on 0151 794 6199 ☎️

14/02/2025

📌🚨 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 🚨📌

A classroom day for some of the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service team last Friday as part of their regular animal handling refresher courses which we run at the School of Veterinary Science. 🧯🚒

The course was lead by our fabulous colic surgeon and head of research Professor Debbie Archer 👩‍⚕️

Fire and rescue teams commonly have to deal with large animal rescue situations – mainly involving horses but not uncommonly they have to deal with farm animals too. This is only one part of the vital job they perform and not all FRS will have handled large animal species. Knowing how to approach and handle them safely is important to keep everyone safe and is important for the animals themselves. ❤💜💚

Our teaching horses (Angel and Thunder) 🐴, cattle 🐮, sheep 🐑 and pigs 🐖 enjoyed having some visitors who were not veterinary students, for a change.

It is not uncommon that our equine and farm animal veterinary teams are called to help with large animal rescue situations and as vets, we also undergo training with fire and rescue personnel to ensure that we all work together in a calm and safe manner. 😇

Thank you for the great work that our Fire and Rescue service personnel perform – we always enjoy having your crews here and we hope you also enjoyed your day. 😍

12/02/2025

📌☎𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚☎📌

We are excited to offer a service for our clients that are looking to travel horses and ponies abroad.

Our vet Sarah Willson is a registered OV, and is available to complete the required paperwork should you be looking to travel to Ireland, the continent, or further afield. 🤓

This is a service that requires plenty of notice, as it takes time to complete the necessary forms. If you are interested and would like more information, please give us a call.

11/02/2025

📌Bird Flu📌

We wanted to share this post from the Farm Animal Practice at Leahurst. 🐮🐷🐔

Although the outbreak of Avian Influenza does not affect our ability to come and see your horse or pony, we know many of our clients do have chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys. 🪿🐓🦃

As such, we wanted to make sure that everyone had access to the relevant information. 🤓

🚨 attention all bird owners🚨
Highly pathogenic avian influenza 🦠H5N1🦠 has been confirmed on the Wirral. This places some of the Wirral under a 3km protective zone and the majority under a 10km surveillance zone.
Please see the link to the interactive map and the current government guidelines for each zone in the comments below.
🕊️🦅🦆🦜🐥🦢🐓🦩🦚🪿🦃
Whilst these restrictions are in place we can no longer accept poultry being brought to the practice for veterinary treatment. Please continue get in touch if you need any advice. We may be able to offer remote consultation or a visit if required.

10/02/2025

05/02/2025

We are continuing to run our popular gastroscopy clinics this year! 🤩🐴

Are you worried about gastric ulcers? Wanting to do the best diagnostic tests and treatment for your horse? 👨‍⚕️💊

With a saving of nearly 50% (compared to our on the road fee), your horse can have a full video gastroscope, including sedation, for £150* (*£165 if stabled with us the night before for starving). Horses must be brought into us at the clinic for this offer.
This also includes an accurate, up to date weight on the weigh bridge and an aftercare plan. (All medications and treatment are NOT included in the offer price).

If you would like to book onto this offer or require more information, please contact us on 0151 794 6199.☎