*** PROUD TO BE A SPONSOR ***
We are proud to be one of the sponsors for the New Forest and Hampshire County Show!
We'll be sponsoring the Dales, Fell and Highland Classes H56 & H57 on Wednesday 31st July in Happy Hot Tubs East Ring.
Good luck to all the participants!
#endellequinehospital #endellequine #CVSvets #newforestandhampshirecountyshow #newforestshow #dalesfellsandhighlands #showponies #horsecompetitions
*** MESOTHERAPHY ***
Mesotherapy is an interesting and very useful technique developed in France for the treatment of musculo-skeletal pain and muscle spasm involving problems of the neck, back, and pelvis in the horse. Reduction in pain and excessive muscle spasm can restore normal mobility and function. This, in turn, allows the horse to respond to training correctly, improving core muscle strength and stability and reducing susceptibility to injury.
Mesotherapy involves multiple injections in a grid pattern, with tiny needles, into the thickness of the skin. Following treatment, horses are typically restricted to light exercise without a saddle for 3 days, and then normal exercise may resume. However, horses will continue to improve further over a couple of weeks. Treatment may be repeated a few weeks later if there has been an incomplete response.
How does it work? In part by slow release of anti-inflammatory medication into the affected area. However, rather cleverly, it also works even when just injecting sterile water by tapping into a trick of the nervous system involving stretch receptors in the skin.
Physiology for the details people: Epicritic nerve fibres in the mesoderm (deeper layers) of the skin are involved in fine touch sensation. When stimulated, these send a signal into the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. There is a convenient branch in this nerve pathway which crosses over to activate a negative feedback pathway, reducing motor nerve stimulation, in turn reducing muscle contraction and spasm in excessively tight muscles in that area. Because of the segmental organisation of these spinal nerves, injections are administered in several rows on both sides of the spine, at the level of the injury and a few inches caudal (towards the tail). The area affected by treatment is in the region just ahead of the level of each injection.
In this video, you can see Hani, one of our vets with a large orthopaedic caseload, treating a patient who has strug
*** HARRY'S WOUND***
Harry is a 16 year old Shire gelding that went through some electric fencing, causing multiple lacerations. The biggest wound was approximately 7x5cm, and was on the lateral aspect of the left forelimb at the level of the proximal radius. The wound was stitched for the transport as the decision was made to move him here to Endell Equine Hospital.
On arrival at the hospital, the exploration of the wound on the forelimb showed significant muscle disruption and contamination; it was flushed with three litres of saline and debrided with swabs. A Kerlix roll (antibiotic impregnated gauze roll) with hypertonic solution was placed inside the wound and covered with a bandage. There was a smaller laceration, approximately 2cm in size, on the medial aspect of the right hind limb, at the level of the adductors muscles, which was flushed as well.
The following morning, the wound looked clean, with a little bit of expected discharge. Stitches were placed around the wound on the forelimb in order to keep the new Kerlix in the wound, and these were removed the next day. Oral antibiotics were administered to Harry twice daily, as well as oral anti-inflammatories. After a few days, he was discharged from the hospital.
The video shows the progression of Harry’s wound over seven months, and his leg is now looking fantastic!
#endellequinehospital #endellequine #veterinarycare #horsehealth #equinevets #CVSvets #veterinarynursing #woundcare #legwounds #shirehorses
*** VETERINARY NURSING AWARENESS MONTH ***
It's Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month during May, and we'd like to say a huge thank you to our nursing team, which is made up of Registered Veterinary Nurses, Student Veterinary Nurses and Patient Care Assistants. These amazing people, together with the Yard Team, work tirelessly to provide gold standard care to our patients and support to our vets. A Registered Veterinary Nurse usually
studies for 2 to 3 years for their qualifications, and once they are qualified, they are permitted to carry out certain procedures. They have such a huge and varied role, and we would
be unable to function without them!
#endellequine #endellequinehospital #equinevets #CVSvets #veterinarynurseawarenessmonth2024 #VNAM2024 #whatVNsdo #20YearsOfVNAM #horsehealth #veterinarycare #veterinarynursing
*** DENTAL CLINICS ***
Our vet, Amarins, will be holding Dental Clinics here at the hospital for routine dental health checks.
You would be saving the cost of a visit by bringing your horse to us, therefore only paying for the procedure and medications needed.
You would also benefit from an oral video examination, which is considered the gold standard treatment.
All horses will need to be sedated for their dental examination, and they can also be weighed at the same time if you would like them to be. All this for the same price as a routine dental, and Horse Health Programme (HHP) discounts will still apply.
Each appointment will take approximately 1 hour, and there are various clinic dates available.
Call the hospital on 01722 710046 now to book your appointment, or if you need more information.
#endellequinehospital #endellequine #equinedentalcare #equinevets #horsehealth #veterinarycare #equinedentalclinic #equinedentistry
*** HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! ***
Horses love affection and today is the perfect day to show them how special they are. Maybe some extra grooming, staying out a little longer on a hack, or even some of their favourite treats. Let us see in the comments below how your horse is spending this Valentine's Day.
#endellequine #valentinesday2024 #happy horses
*** CHANGE IN JMB MEASURING AGE ***
The official national measuring of horses is co-ordinated and run by the Joint Measurement Board (JMB), and only JMB Associated vets are trained and authorised to carry out such measurements. If you compete under affiliated rules then your horse or pony may need an official height measurement, so please check the requirements of your particular society.
From 1st January 2024 the age from which a horse can obtain its full height certificate (providing it has already held at least one annual height certificate) has increased from 7 to 8 years. The board made this decision following studies of growth rate data, which showed that there could still be some significant increase in height between 7 and 8.
All full height certificates granted to 7 year olds prior to 2024 remain valid, and there is no requirement for them to be measured again.
In addition, from January 2024 British Showjumping (BS) are adopting their own national measurement scheme, which will mirror that of the FEI’s for international measurements. For more information on this visit the British Showjumping website.
Check back in here later this week for more information of the JMB measurement process.
#endellequinehospital #endellequine #horsevet #horsehealth #cvsvets #JMBMeasurements #dressagehorses #showjumpers #eventinghorses #poloponies
*** FOREIGN OBJECT REMOVAL ***
An Irish Sport Horse was recently referred to Endell Equine Hospital due to a foreign body being present in its throat. A bramble branch had originally become stuck in its right nasal passage, however, it then ended up moving further down into the trachea.
An endoscopic examination confirmed the location of the bramble branch in the trachea, which was approximately 40cm long and highly barbed. It was deemed too challenging to remove it endoscopically, without causing further damage to the larynx, pharynx and nasal passage. Therefore, it was decided to perform a tracheotomy, which is an incision through the throat into the trachea, and remove the foreign body through that opening.
After careful manipulation, our surgeon, Andrew, was able to successfully remove the thorny branch from the horse’s throat.
After an overnight stay, some pain relief, anti-inflammatories, and medication to control the bleeding, the horse showed great improvement and was discharged the following morning to continue its recovery at home.
#endellequinehospital #endellequine #veterinarycare #horsehealth #horsevet #equinevet #cvsvets #foreignbodyremoval #bramble #surgicalprocedures #tracheotomy
*** KEEPING YOUR HORSE HYDRATED DURING WINTER ***
Water is vitally important for a horse’s health and well-being and, whilst dehydration is a major concern during the summer months, it is important to be aware of the risks of fluid loss during the winter also. Horses are likely to be stabled more, exercised less and fed dryer, higher fibre foods like hay. This, coupled with frozen or icy drinking water causing your horse to drink less, can lead to issues such as impaction colic.
Most horses need at least 20 to 30 litres of water a day so ensure that there is always plenty of fresh water readily available for them.
Look out for these signs of dehydration:
🔹 Dark urine or not passing urine regularly
🔹 Dull, listless or depressed appearance
🔹 Gums and inside eyelids that are dark red rather than a healthy salmon pink
🔹 Decreased performance levels
If you are at all worried about your horse becoming dehydrated, or concerned that it is not drinking as much as it should, then please don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01722 710046 and one of our vets will be happy to provide advice.
#endellequine #endellequinehospital #veterinarycare #horsehealth #staying #hydrated #stayinghydrated #winterhorsecare
*** ONE YEAR LATER ***
It's been exactly one year since we received our Standing MRI and it's been a whirlwind year for MRI's at Endells since. Our vets and nurses underwent extensive training before we introduced it as a diagnostic service for our own clients, as well as for referral clients from other veterinary practices.
MRI has numerous benefits in diagnosing potential causes of lameness and is considered the gold standard in soft tissue imaging in horses. With Standing MRI the scans can be acquired with just standing sedation, so the horses can walk in and out of the machine, not requiring general anaesthesia.
It has been a huge asset for us in offering advanced diagnostics and thus better tailored treatment plans, and we are hoping for further growth and uptake in the coming year.
If you feel that your horse may need an MRI to help diagnose a condition, then give us a call at the hospital for more information.
#endellequinehospital #endellequine #veterinarycare #equinevets #horsehealth #cvsvets #equinevet #standingmriforhorses #lamenessinvestigation #magneticresonanceimaging
*** LEST WE FORGET ***
The purple poppy is a symbol of remembrance for all the animals who have lost their lives in wars or other conflicts.
This excerpt from the poem I Spoke To You In Whispers by Neil Andrew so aptly reminds us of the sacrifices made by animals in war.
"I spoke to you in stable tones
A quiet tranquil voice
At least I volunteered to fight
You didn't get to make the choice"
Today, we honour those that have served and those that are still serving, be it on foot, paw, hoof, or wing.
We will remember them.
#RemembranceDay2023 #lestweforget #animalsinwar
*** HOT WEATHER ADVICE ***
It looks like we may be heading for some pretty hot & humid weather over the next few days. In very hot weather, horses can become dehydrated, lethargic and generally reluctant to work. Severe heat stress can cause colic, diarrhoea or collapse, so it is important to keep your horse cool.
Here are some top tips from our vets:
🔹️Choose the coolest times of the day for both exercise and turnout. Try to slow down & reduce the work in warm weather.
🔹️Provide shade – trees are best as one side will always be out of the sun, whereas many shelters are in full sun some of the time.
🔹️Provide fresh, cool water and lots of it. Most horses drink more in warm weather, but others will need a salt lick or extra salt to encourage them to do so.
🔹️ Provide salt/mineral licks in field/stable or consider adding electrolytes in feed to replace salts lost through sweating.
🔹️ If you are bringing horses in to avoid the heat, ensure there is adequate ventilation. It is safe to do so it can help to use fans to provide a breeze.
🔹️Clip hairy horses, such as those with Cushing’s disease
🔹️ Avoid sunburn: Horses, especially those with pink ‘flesh marks’ (i.e. pink noses) can suffer from sunburn, but the sun can also affect white socks, blazes and hairless patches from scarring. Fly masks & sheets can help, as well as generous application of sunblock.
🔹️ Staying out of the sun is best. If a horse has excessive sunburn, it can indicate underlying liver disease. If you are unsure, speak to one of our vets and they can check this with a simple blood test.
Signs of heat stroke to watch out for:
🔹️Profuse sweating
🔹️Increased temperature, pulse and respiratory rates
🔹️Lethargy and dullness
🔹️A reluctance to work
🔹️Loss of appetite
🔹️Staggering and weakness
🔹️Muscle tremors
🔹️Collapse
Treatment of overheating:
🔹️Move your horse into shade immediately
🔹️Cold hosing of the
*** INTERNATIONAL DAY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE ***
To celebrate this special day in veterinary medicine, we have unwrapped our early Christmas present here at Endells. Lots of exciting work has been going on here over the past few weeks, and now we are so excited to announce the arrival of our new Standing Equine MRI machine! Watch this space for more information about this fantastic new piece of equipment that will further enhance our diagnostic capabilities for our own and our referral clients.
*** COMPETITION TIME! MATCH THE VET TO THEIR PET ***
On this incredibly frosty morning, we thought we’d have some fun to warm everyone up. Let’s see who can match the vet to their pet! Leave your answers in the comments below, and the person with all correct answers will win one of our fabulous Endell’s knitted bobble hats. It’s perfect to keep you toasty and warm in this weather.
**ANTIBIOTIC AMNESTY 2022**
It is World Antibiotic Awareness Week! Don’t forget that you can return any unused or out of date antibiotics and medication to our hospital for safe disposal. This will help limit the amount of medication entering our environment, impacting water quality and wildlife; as well as protecting the effectiveness of these drugs. Appropriate use and disposal means that we can continue using these medications to treat our animals when they need it.
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest global health issues of our time. Let’s all act together to keep our own horses, and the national herd, healthy for generations to come.
** NEW EQUINE INFLUENZA CASES REPORTED **
There has been a significant rise in confirmed cases of equine influenza in the UK over the last two weeks following recent horse and pony sales where flu vaccinations were not a requirement. This highlights the importance of having your horse's vaccinations up to date, especially if they travel to events or have contact with other horses.
When welcoming new horses to your yard or premises, ensure that you are vigilant with biosecurity and quarantine, and that vaccinations are up to date, to prevent any potential infections spreading to stable or field mates. Call us at the hospital if you need advice on biosecurity measures that are tailored to your yard.
One of the benefits of our Horse Health Programme is a free annual vaccination, so speak to a member of our reception team if you need more information, or to sign up to the scheme.
**BUILDING WORKS**
We apologise for the building works that you will encounter if you are coming to the hospital for the next few weeks - our exciting new project is underway! Watch this space!
The contractors will be as careful as possible when horses are being unloaded but we are asking you to also take extra care when driving in, turning or unloading your horse.
**FIREWORKS**
As Halloween and Bonfire Night approaches, take some time to prepare your horse for what may be a stressful and scary time for them. Firework displays will be happening all across the country and the resulting bangs and flashes can cause distress for your horse.
See the links below for more advice on horses and how fireworks can affect them. If you are at all worried about how your horse will react during fireworks, or have had a bad experience in the past, then please call our vets for advice.
Like and Share this post so that we can ensure our horses are as calm and safe as possible during the Fireworks season.
https://www.bhs.org.uk/go-riding/riding-out-hacking/common-incidents/fireworks/
https://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/advice/general-advice/fireworks
