Paragon Veterinary Group - Equine

11/11/2024

Today we remember not only the courage of those who served, but also the animals too.

Did you know there are different coloured poppies, each with their own meaning, including a purple poppy that is often worn to remember animals?

There are lots of different coloured poppies, but what do they all stand for?

08/11/2024

Do you have unused antibiotics? 👀💊

We know clients sometimes keep unused antibiotics for later use, or simply hold on to them just in case. But we also know that some people may bin them or, worse, flush them down the toilet where they enter the sewerage system and are discharged into rivers and the sea, which can contribute to antimicrobial resistance.

Knowing how to dispose of them safely is important, and that's why we're supporting the 2024 Antibiotic Amnesty.

Throughout November, simply hand them to one of our receptionists at any of our practices.

06/11/2024

We're so excited to announce that we have won the Sustainable Gardening Award at the Britain in Bloom Awards 🎉🌺

We recently attended the awards in Manchester, where Gardeners’ World’s Frances Tophill presented the framed certificate and trophy.

The award recognises commitment to sustainable environmental practices in horticulture and supporting wildlife through gardening.

Laura Binnie, small animal vet and our sustainability lead, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that our efforts have been recognised.

“When we set out to create wellbeing gardens for our staff to enjoy, and to do it as sustainably as we could, we never thought it would go this far.”

You can find out more about the award and our green efforts in this article from the News & Star / The Cumberland News 👉 https://bit.ly/3C2d1op

06/11/2024

Have you put your name down for our Equine Emergencies & Laser Therapy client evening yet? 🌟

📍 Greystoke Village Hall
📆 Thursday 28th November
🕕 6pm-8pm

This event is free and open to everyone 🙌

Refreshments will be provided and we will also be hosting a raffle in aid of Penrith Mountain Rescue Team

If you would like to attend, please RSVP by the 25th of November by calling us on 017684 83789 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected] with the number of attendees wishing to attend 📧

We look forward to seeing you there 👋

04/11/2024

Did you know that 20% of horses carry 80% of the worm burden? That's 1 in 5!

The CANTER guidelines help us assess your horse's parasite burden risk and help determine the best worming programme for your horse and yard 🐴

For adult horses, we are particularly concerned about:
👉 Small redworm
👉 Encysted redworm
👉 Tapeworm

Instead of blanket worming horses, we advise that horses are assessed, and appropriate testing is carried out to determine which horses require treatment. Overuse of wormers leads to resistance, which then means the wormer may not work on your horse in the future.

To find out more, visit 👉 https://canterforhorses.org.uk/guidelines/ or if you would like to have a chat, please give us a call on 01768 483789.

02/11/2024

Each year, horses suffer severe injuries or even lose their lives due to fireworks-related incidents 💔

Frightened horses pose a risk not only to themselves, but also to other animals and people around them.

Over the past 10 years, Redwings Horse Sanctuary have worked to raise awareness on this issue. This year, they have launched a new campaign: Keep Horses In Mind, which is designed to highlight the issue and encourage a review of current legislation around fireworks.

To find out more about the campaign, visit 👉 https://bit.ly/3BZeR9y

Infographic graphic credit: Redwings Horse Sanctuary.

01/11/2024

We're proud to be taking part in the 2024 Antibiotic Amnesty 💊

Throughout November, we are asking equine owners to return any unused or leftover antibiotic medications to us for safe disposal.

Simply bring them to any of our practices and hand them to one of our receptionists.

This could be medication that you have left-over from a recent prescription, or out-of-date medication.

The purpose of the amnesty is to raise awareness of antibiotic resistance and to promote appropriate disposal, however, we also want to highlight the importance of using medicines as prescribed by your vet, and to always complete the course.

31/10/2024

Enter if you dare… our haunted barn is full of spooky surprises. Wishing you all a happy Halloween from Paragon 🎃👻

30/10/2024

🎆 ⚠️ Firework safety tips ⚠️ 🎆

Although we are a week away from bonfire night, the celebrations may begin early...

It is important to prepare your horse the best you can. Here are some tips and tricks to help the next few evenings go as incident free as possible 👇

If you have any concerns or would like some further advice, please contact the Equine team on 017684 83789 📞

25/10/2024

Autumn is the time to talk about atypical myopathy 👀🍃

Atypical myopathy is a muscular disease caused by the ingestion of sycamore seeds, leaves, or seedlings. This disease has a sudden onset, and is often fatal, with 75% of cases resulting in death.

Cases of atypical myopathy are most common in autumn, when seeds and leaves come off the trees, but there will also be some cases in spring when seedlings start to show.

Signs of atypical myopathy include:
👉 Muscle weakness
👉 Muscle trembling
👉 Depression
👉 Colic
👉 Dark red or brown urine

It is important to note that not all types of sycamore tree contain the hypoglycin A toxin that causes this disease, and it is possible to test your trees, for more information follow the links below:

🔗 XLVet's factsheet 👉 https://bit.ly/4eVpzN2
🔗 RVC's factsheet 👉 https://bit.ly/4e5ugm6

If you are concerned about atypical myopathy, please call us on 017684 83789 📞

25/10/2024

🎆 Fireworks season is here. We’re urging the public to let their local horse owners, riding schools and livery yards know about any displays they have planned – no matter how big or small!

Help us raise awareness by sharing this post 🤝

Find out more about steps you can take now to help keep your horses calm 👉 https://bit.ly/3Nbn8ZB

24/10/2024

Endocrine disorders can cause a variety of symptoms in your horse or pony, including poor performance...

Equine Cushing’s (PPID) is a disorder in which the enlargement of the pituitary gland causes excess production of various hormones, leading to a cascade which affects the whole body.

The most well known effects of PPID include:

🔷 A thick curly coat
🔷 An increased susceptibility to laminitis
🔷 Lethargy
🔷 Immune compromise
🔷 General poor athletic performance

If you are worried about Cushing’s in your horse or pony, please call us on 017684 83789 📞

We can take a blood sample to test for this, and you may be eligible for a free lab test through Boehringer’s Care About Cushing’s scheme.

22/10/2024

How do we diagnose equine asthma? 👇

While horses with severe equine asthma are more likely have noticeable symptoms when resting, mild equine asthma cases may present with poor performance and equine intolerance.

In some cases, we use a respiratory endoscope to diagnose equine asthma. This will be used to examine the airway and take samples.

At Paragon, we have our own portable endoscope. This is something we can offer both in the clinic and on yard ✅

If you are concerned about equine asthma, please call us on 01768483789📞

18/10/2024

We're really looking forward to being a host company for Dream Placement again this year 🙌

Working in partnership with Centre for Leadership Performance, Dream Placement provides us with a unique opportunity to engage with our future workforce.

Through the programme, we are able to engage with 16-18 year olds and showcase the breadth of fantastic opportunities available here in Cumbria. Our placement student will have the chance to gain an insight into how we operate and work on a project related to our business during their time with us.

We can't wait to welcome our student in February half-term.

!

18/10/2024

Could your horse be lame? 🐴

Some common lameness issues that may affect performance include:
🔹 Foot pain
🔹 Osteoarthritis
🔹 Back pain

If you think your horse could be lame, a full lameness workup should be performed, including a trot up with flexion tests, which will allow your vet to assess the lameness.

This may be followed by further investigations such as nerve blocks, x-ray, or ultrasound depending on their findings.

If you would like to know more about lameness work-ups and how we can help by using our new trot up, please call us on 017684 83789 📞

17/10/2024

Exciting opportunity to join our team ⬇️

⭐️ Join our team ⭐

W️e have an exciting opportunity for an Accounts Assistant to join our team.

Find out more and apply here ➡️ https://www.paragonvet.com/about-us/vacancies-at-paragon

17/10/2024

There is still time to put your name down for our Equine Emergencies & Laser Therapy client evening in November 👇

📍 Greystoke Village Hall
📆 Thursday 28th November
🕕 6pm-8pm

We will also be hosting a raffle in aid of Penrith Mountain Rescue 🙌

If you would like to attend, please RSVP by the 25th of November by calling us on 017684 83789 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected] with the number of attendees wishing to attend 📧

We can't wait to welcome you 🌟

16/10/2024

Gastric ulcers are a common find in horses with poor performance.

Other symptoms that may be present include👇
🔹Weight loss
🔹Irritability
🔹A reluctance to be touched around the girth area

Exercise can exacerbate the discomfort felt by horses with gastric ulcers, as it causes the stomach acid to splash up onto the unprotected squamous region.

Gastric ulcers can be diagnosed by gastroscope, which involves passing a camera up the nose and into the stomach to visualise the stomach lining.

We offer gastroscopes at our Newbiggin practice. If you are concerned about ulcers, please call us on 017684 83789 📞