Bishopton Equine Veterinary Services provides veterinary care to horses, ponies and donkeys
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We are a friendly, progressive equine practice providing both ambulatory and in-patient care for a wide range of equine patients. We have an extensive range of clinical equipment including digital radiography, flexible endoscopy, ultrasonography & power dentistry. We have stabling and examination facilities at the practice to allow in-patient care for medical and lameness investigations and treatment with dedicated 24hr nursing care.
Wishing you all a lovely (and hopefully less windy!) bank holiday weekend!
Our office will be closed on Monday 26th August for the bank holiday and will re-open on Tuesday 27th at 8 30am as normal.
We hope you won't need us, but if you do, one of our vets is available 24/7 all weekend for emergencies and can be contacted on the usual office number 01765 602396
We would like to highlight to all owners and trainers running under BHA rules that oral omeprazole is now permitted to be used up to the day of racing with no withdrawal period.
Attached is the announcement from the BHA with further information and please note that the omeprazole is NOT to be administered on race day until after the horse has run.
BHA Newsletter Update from James Given, BHA Director of Equine Regulation, Safety and Welfare .....
Save the dates!
We have two client evenings to come this Autumn for our clients to look forward to!
The first is on Monday 7th October continuing our discussions from last year about weight and associated laminitis, this year we welcome past BEVA (British Equine Veterinary Association) president David Rendle, to discuss the latest in medications available to help with EMS.
The second is on Thursday 7th November with our own Hannah Cusack discussing the general health of the veteran horse.
Further information about both events to follow, but to register interest and to provisionally book a place on either (or both!) events, please email our office on [email protected].
As some of you may already be aware, a confirmed case of Equine Influenza (flu) has been confirmed on a yard in West Yorkshire earlier this week. The horse is an unvaccinated young c**t and the majority of the yard the horse is stabled at are unvaccinated. 8 other horses on the same yard are reported to be showing clinical signs similar to the horse affected and it has been noted that there has been recent movement on/off the yard including attending local shows.
Whilst we are not aware of any horses in our area showing clinical signs, we would advise all owners to remain vigilant and here are a few things you can do to help reduce the risk to your horses….
At home
- Monitor your horses closely! The first signs of many diseases and conditions in horses can often be subtle such as quieter than normal or “a bit off his food”. The clinical signs of flu to look out for are nasal discharge, dry cough, fever (temperature over 38.6C), lethargy and loss of appetite.
- VACCINATION! Flu is a highly contagious virus that can be spread by direct and indirect contact (horse to horse, on clothes, walls and yard equipment) but it is also airborne so can travel!
- Check your passport so you don’t miss your vaccine booster! We keep a record of all our appointments and we are happy to check your horses records if you think your horse is due.
- Any horses showing signs of unwell, isolate them and implement biosecurity measures (handle them last on the yard, change your clothes after handling them and use separate equipment that you can disinfect after every time) and call us.
Out travelling
- Reduce your horses’ contact with other horses as much as possible (don’t let them touch noses, keep distance from other horses where possible)
- Don’t touch other people’s horses if possible
- Don’t share equipment with other competitors and disinfect any items you do share.
- Don’t travel your horse if they are showing any clinical signs of being unwell
Whilst many competing horses are now on 6 monthly vaccine boosters, the minimum we would recommend is annual boosters even if not competing. It is a myth that horses “build immunity after many years of vaccinations” and require at least the annual booster to remain protected.
Whilst fortunately horses don’t often die of flu, those with weaker immune systems (young, older horses and those with conditions such as cushings) will be more susceptible and may be harder hit should they become infected. Horses infected with flu can also develop secondary respiratory conditions and complications which can affect them long term afterwards too.
We hope that all our clients’ horses remain healthy and can continue to enjoy their summer competing, but if you have any concerns that your horses are unwell or would like to arrange your horses vaccinations, please call the office or speak to one of our vets.
We are pleased to inform our clients that the road to the clinic is now open again!!
There are still temporary traffic lights at the junction with the main road which may delay your travel to us slightly, but hopefully they will be gone soon too! 🤞
Well done Bishopton Veterinary Group for all your hard work and a fantastic win today at St Wilfred's parade! Bishopton Farm Team
Thank you SO much to everyone who liked, shared and voted on the St Wilfrid's Day Parade posts. We are delighted to announce we won The People's Vote and we couldn't be more proud.
Thank you also to all the organisers, volunteers, sponsors, fellow floats and the many many people behind the scenes who paint, make costumes and just provide encouragement. It's an incredible day and trust us when we say, we know how much goes into it.
Well done everyone!!
We are delighted to inform our clients our weigh bridge is back up and running! (it would seem our bridge hates the heavy yorkshire rain as much as we do!)
The weigh bridge is available to all our clients visiting the clinic and for those on our weight management programme, please pop by as many times as you'd like (no appointment needed!) to weigh your horses and track their progress.
For further information about our weight management programme and how you can sign up please speak to one of our vets or the office.
Bishopton Farm Team showing their skills at thinking outside the box to clear the stand at the GYS!
Congratulations to all our equine clients competing at the show, we hope you've all had a successful week despite the torrential rain and mud!
! 🐴
As the saying goes, the show ain't over until one very tall vet climbs atop the shoulders of another very tall vet to take down the banner, while another very tall vet shuts the marquee...
That's the Great Yorkshire Show 2024 done! Thank you to all our clients who came to see us and remind us why we do this - and a huge thank you to the army of organisers, stewards, judges, exhibitors, car park attendants, cleaners and everyone else who works so hard to make this one of the greatest celebrations of British farming in the calendar. You did us proud.
And that's a wrap! (Until Driffield, next week 😆)
My horse doesn’t have laminitis, so do I need to worry about his weight?
Short answer….YES!
We love celebrating how proud we are of our weight loss patients, and today we are celebrating Fred!
Fred is an example of a horse that wasn’t suffering from laminitis when he joined our programme, but his owner Kate was aware he was overweight and wanted to tackle it before it became a problem!
1st weight management appointment November 2023: Weight of 786.50kg
2nd weight management appointment March 2024: Weight of 734kg!! an impressive 52.50kg!!
Kate was religiously weighing out her haylage in a trickle net when she started the programme, but Fred’s weight wasn’t budging for the first 3 months. From this, Kate and vet Hannah re-evaluated his management and began soaking his hay for at least 8 hours…. that was the game changer!
Not only did this start him losing the weight but allowed Fred to have more bulk (what we all dream of on a diet, increased food and STILL losing weight?!). Kate also added a hayball to keep Fred occupied when he was stabled for long periods in winter and worked tirelessly to increase his exercise.
As you can see from the more recent photo, Fred looks incredible! We are so proud of Kate and Fred’s hard work, and they are a fantastic example of how you can change your horses’ weight from management alone!
We always appreciate hearing how owners have found the programme, and here was what Kate had to say about her experiences….
What sort of exercise were you doing through the winter? “Fred has had as many hacks, schooling sessions, and trips to the gallops etc as possible to keep him averagely fit over the wettest winter ever!”
How are you continuing your management through the summer? “Fred is turned out overnight with friends, snoozes in his stable in the day and hacks out as much as possible. He’s much happier and still maintaining the lower weight”
We are so proud of Fred and Kate’s efforts and Fred now gets to enjoy his slimmer look, gets one day off a week and the occasional carrot!
For more information on how we can help you manage your pony’s weight, or to join our weight management programme, please speak to one of our vets or call the office.
Congratulations to Tim Easterby Racing for your win in the Bishopton Equine Handicap Stakes tonight!
Many thanks to Ripon Races for a wonderful evening in some rare Yorkshire sunshine!
To those clients entered into the Great Yorkshire Show, please check your vaccinations are up to date!
To gain entry to the show, it is a requirement that your horse has been vaccinated within the last 6 months prior to show day (this will be after 9th-12th January depending what day you are competing on).
You need a clear 7 DAYS after a vaccination before competing so your booster MUST be complete by next week (1st-4th July) depending what day you are competing.
If you need a booster, please contact the office ASAP and we will get you booked in this week.
We wish all our clients competing the best of luck and hope you have a great show!
PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE GALPHAY LANE!
As some of you may already be aware, there are planned road closures at the bottom of Galphay Lane (from Studley Road/Ripon) to the clinic starting on Monday (24th June) that are due to run until early August. The clinic will remain open as usual and fully accessible from the top of Galphay Lane (from Galphay village).
Whilst we are not sure of the full extend the disruption will cause us and our clients, we have been given a map of the recommended diversion routes available that we have been assured are lorry suitable.
Please bare this disruption in mind when you are travelling to the clinic and allow extra time for your travel.
Whilst the workmen have assured us that the diversions are lorry suitable, we are aware the village of Galphay is quite narrow in places. For clients with large lorries, please speak to the office when arranging your appointment, as an alternative route may be available for our clients only.
We apologise for the disruption this will cause to all our clients and we will continue to update you where possible.
🩷We love a horse in a touch of pink, and what better reason than as part of our "Pink it up" week in support of colleague Katie's son Arlo, who at the age of three has beaten Leukaemia! 💪🩷
Here is one of vet Neil's racehorses Monticello "rocking the pink" vetwrap after he got a sore foot standing on a stone! We think he rather suits the pink, maybe some new race colours for Mechie racing?!🐎😆
Bishopton Veterinary Group Mechie Racing
Happy birthday Arlo from all of us at BEVS! We hope you've had a wonderful 3rd birthday!
If you'd like to donate to celebrate Arlo's birthday and immense achievement, you can do so here: https://bit.ly/3yMJNsc
Please do hit like (and share!) to say Happy Birthday to a very brave boy and his amazing family! Happy Birthday Arlo! 🥳
We are currently experiencing difficulties with our internet and phone lines.
We are hoping to be back up and running again as soon as possible but if you experience delays in getting through please bare with us and keep trying.
In an emergency please call our office mobile on 07497 203510
We're very glad to see both Annie and her beautiful foal looking so well this morning!
While many species can cope with retained fetal membranes quite well, horses being so sensitive can quickly become very sick if the placenta isn't fully passed.
We are so pleased to see Annie is doing so well and our vets are available 24/7 to help you with any foaling queries.
Have you considered no grass turnout for your horse?
We love celebrating how proud we are of our weight loss patients and one such pony is Biddie!
Biddie has suffered from frequent laminitis episodes over the last few years and every time we put her back on grass (even only small amounts) her laminitis would flare up again despite her owners Charlotte and Jane’s very strict management and best efforts.
Due to this, Charlotte made the difficult decision to take Biddie off the grass fully. However, with some lateral thinking, Charlotte created Biddie an outdoor pen so she could continue to enjoy some time outside still.
1st weight management appointment September 2023: Weight of 264kg and body condition score 3.5/5.
2nd weight management appointment March 2024: Weight of 252.50kg and body condition score of 3/5.
Whilst she didn’t have a lot of weight to lose, Biddie had some stubborn fat pads around her neck and shoulders we wanted to mobilise. Charlotte worked extremely hard to increase Biddie’s exercise (difficult when her jockey is only 3 years old!) including ride and lead, and finding an older jockey to push Biddie a bit harder!
As you can see from the more recent photo, Charlotte and her mum Jane have done a fantastic job slimming Biddie down and Biddie is now full of energy with no laminitis episodes in almost a year!
We always appreciate feedback, and here was what Charlotte had to say about their experiences….
What was the hardest part of the weight management plan? “Making Biddie’s hay last as long as possible without making her miserable – we managed with small holed nets put up in different areas, and frequently going to the yard day and night to give them. It was a commitment, but very much worth it!”
What did Biddie like the most? “When on box rest initially, daily grooms and pony company so she wasn’t on her own all day. When out in the pen, Biddie loves going on little frequent walks around the yard to keep her busy!”
“When we couldn’t exercise her we did have to get creative to keep her spirits up, but now she is so spritely you wouldn’t know she’s 18 years old!”
We are so proud of Biddie and Charlotte’s efforts, and Charlotte now has plans to extend Biddie’s pen to a mini track to encourage even more movement!
For more information on how we can help you manage your pony’s weight, or to join our weight management programme, please speak to one of our vets or call the office.
It's Strangles Awareness Week this week!
SAW is a global initiative to provide owners and professionals with the latest information on this infectious disease that affects us all.
The main ways you can help protect your horse is to be vigilant in monitoring them for clinical signs of respiratory infection (snotty nose, lethargy, fever, anorexia) and frequently taking your horses' re**al temperature (if safe to do so!).
A normal horse' temperature should be around 37.5-38.5 degrees Celsius so if higher than this, please contact our office or speak to one of our vets.
For more information and helpful guidance on strangles, please speak to one of our vets or follow the link below:
https://www.redwings.org.uk/strangles/strangles-awareness-week/saw2024-best-competition
Strangles Awareness Week 2024 Enter our competition and you could win our BEST prize bundle worth over £6,000 for you and your horse Your horse deserves the BEST The BEST actions offer your horse the greatest protection against strangles. Incorporate these into your horse's care, and take back cont...
Would your horse benefit for joint medication?
We are often asked about the different options available to aid your horses' performance and this Horse and Hound article is an excellent summary of treatments.
https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/plus/vet-library/equine-joint-injections-horses-854357
For further information on joint medication options we can offer to you and your horse, please speak to one of our vets or call the office on 01765 602396.
Equine vet Thijs de Bont MRCVS demystifies joint injections in horses including contents, application and use in pain and performance management
We only have a few spaces left on our first aid course evening on Thursday 25th April so if you'd like to book your place, please contact us on 01765 602396 or [email protected]
Does soaking hay really help weight loss….. absolutely!!!
We are all aware that with last year’s good summer a lot of the hay this year is very rich, which is not helping our laminitic and overweight ponies!
Hay suitable for laminitics should have sugar levels under 10%. Sampling your hay for its nutritional and sugar quantities is always good but can be time consuming and can vary with each bale! By soaking the hay, you can remove a large amount of the sugar content and make it safer for horses at risk of laminitis and it can help with weight loss!
Our vet Ellie’s family pony Bill was starting to put on a few pounds over winter and in just under 3 months has lost 23kg!! the majority of which is due to re-starting to soak his hay!
We total empathise the frustration in soaking hay, especially in the freezing temperatures but it really can make a huge difference to your horses’ waistline, especially with the spring grass coming through!
Soaking hay is not only beneficial for laminitics and overweight ponies, but also for other conditions seen in our horses too…..
- Gastric ulcers; reducing the sugar content of your hay could help to reduce the amount of fermentation in your horses’ stomach that can further increase acidity.
- Respiratory issues; soaking hay reduces the dust and pollen spores that can often trigger inflammatory respiratory conditions
For more information and helpful tips how to manage your horses’ weight, please speak to one of our vets or call our office.
We are currently experiencing further technical issues this afternoon and our phones and internet are both going down intermittently.
Apologies to those trying to get through, we hope you'll be able to still reach us on our main line but if you can't and have an emergency please call 07497 203510
Sunley Raynes, Galphay Lane
Ripon
HG43AJ
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Here's some more highlights of the night. Keep an eye out for our next client afternoon. Equine First Aid. More information coming soon.
We are a friendly, progressive equine practice providing both ambulatory and in-patient care for a wide range of equine patients. We have an extensive range of clinical equipment including digital radiography, flexible endoscopy and gastroscopy, ultrasonography & power dentistry. We have stabling and examination facilities at the practice to allow in-patient care for medical and lameness investigations and treatment with dedicated 24hr nursing care.
