Blackdown Equine Vets

06/02/2025

📢Exciting News - We’re Merging!

🎉We’re thrilled to announce that Blackdown Equine Vets are merging with Selworthy Vets to bring you an even higher standard of care for your animals!

What this means for you:
✔️ Dedication: A shared passion for delivering the best care for your animals.
✔️ Knowledge & Experience: Combining the expertise of two trusted teams to better serve you.
✔️ Consistency & Continuity: You’ll see the same familiar faces, ensuring a seamless experience.
✔️ Equine Facilities: Enhanced diagnostic and treatment options, including hospitalisation, digital X-ray, ultrasound, and gastroscopy.
✔️ High Standard of Patient Care: Our commitment to compassionate, professional care remains stronger than ever.

The practices will now run side by side under Selworthy Vets. Our service to our small animal and farm clients will remain the same. The practice will continue to be an independent, family run practice owned by Thomas Rees.

💙Together, we’ll continue to offer the compassion, professionalism, and expertise you know and trust ensuring that your animals get the very best care. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch - we’re here for you!

For more information about our services and team visit www.selworthyvets.co.uk and follow us Selworthy Vets

29/01/2025

🪰🐴Managing Sweet Itch in Horses

Sweet itch can be an uncomfortable condition for horses, caused by an allergic reaction to midge bites. Here are some tips to help manage and prevent it:

🪰Use a Sweet Itch Rug: Protect your horse with a specially designed fly rug that covers sensitive areas.
🪰Stable at Peak Times: Bring your horse inside during dawn and dusk when midges are most active.
🪰Repellents: Apply a midge repellent to reduce bites (always patch-test first).
🪰Manage the Environment: Remove standing water to reduce midge breeding grounds. Although always ensure that your horse has access to fresh drinking water.
🪰Skin Soothing Products: Use vet-approved lotions or shampoos to soothe irritated skin.
🪰Dietary Support: Consult your vet for supplements that may support skin health and immunity.
🪰sweet itch vaccine: This vaccine has been successfully used to reduce symptoms.

📞If your horse is struggling with sweet itch, we’re here to help. Contact our Veterinary team today on

04/10/2024

The telephone lines are down this morning,we are trying to get it rectified,in the mean time if you need to call us it’s 07377789112 or WhatsApp/email

09/08/2024

It’s a sad day today @ Blackdown Equine Vets !

After several years at Blackdown Equine Vets our Vet Joe Whittle is off to pastures new! We will all miss Joe and his trusty companion Erin.

We are also excited to introduce some new members to our team as we continue to strive to be the best equine practice in Devon, but we can’t say too much just yet… watch this space!

We wish Joe all the best for the future.

Thomas and the Team

20/07/2024

❗An outbreak of equine influenza on a premises in Kent has been reported to the ICC.

🔎 The affected horses are three unvaccinated Cobs, a 5 year old gelding, a 5 year old mare and and an 8 year old mare, with clinical signs of pyrexia, lymphadenopathy, dry/harsh cough and mucopurulent nasal discharge first noted on the 14th July.

🔹There are a further 38 animals on-site, of which 10 are presenting with clinical signs. It was noted there had been recent new arrivals on to the premises from Ireland.

🔹Positive diagnoses were made on 19 July 2024, by PCR on nasopharyngeal swabs.

🔹These diagnoses were made via samples submitted under the HBLB equine influenza scheme, which provides free PCR testing for suspected cases in the UK.

13/06/2024

Go Jake Myers Showjumping ! A future star in the making!

07/06/2024

Phone issue!

We currently have an issue with our phones if your call is urgent please call Joe on 07377789111 or Thomas on 07870887934 if your call is not urgent please call on Monday. Sorry for any inconvenience

30/05/2024

Are you travelling to Royal Cornwall next week? 🐓🐖🐄🫏🐎🐐🚜

You are running out of time to get your vaccines up to date! 🏃‍♂️⏰

Please contact the office on 01626 824600 to check your horses vaccination status or to book an appointment ☎️📅

22/05/2024

Are you worried about worms? 🪱
Worming can be a confusing and daunting topic. Did you know that here at Blackdown Equine we have staff that are qualified in this topic and can offer free advice?
We can also offer f***l egg counting on site for a quick and easy service and results.
If you would like any advice on worming please contact the office to speak to a vet or RAMA advisor. ☎️ 01626 824600

19/05/2024

Do you want to keep your horse healthy and save money? If the answer is yes, our Equine Health plan could be ideal for you!

Our equine health plans (3 options - prices starting from £13.50 per month) are now live. For further information on how you can save up to 37% on your routine health care, please see the attached leaflet or give the office a call 01626 824600.

15/05/2024

Good luck to our clients competing at Devon County Show this week! 🤞🏻🦄🍀 We'd love to hear about your results and see any photos! 🤩🥰

14/05/2024

With the current weather conditions we are having it is likely that we will be having grass growth spikes. You may need to consider restricting your horses' grazing if they are prone to putting on weight or have underlying conditions like EMS or cushings that could easily lead to laminitis.
Did you know nearly 90% of laminitis cases are due to an underlying hormonal or metabolic issue?

If you have any concerns about your horse/pony please contact us 01626 824600.

13/05/2024

Are you waiting for your mare to foal? 🦄💕

Dont forget the 1, 2, 3 rule of foaling:
1. Foals should stand within one hour of being born
2. Foals should suckle within two hours of being born
3. Mares should pass the afterbirth within three hours of the foal being born

If you are worried please give us a call 01626 824600 (24hrs).

12/05/2024

⚠️Important Notice ⚠️

On Thursday 16th and Friday 17th May the office will be closed due to electrical works.
If you need to collect medication please make sure you do so by Wednesday 15th.

There should be no interruptions to visits or phone lines, if you have any queries please call us on 01626 824600.

11/05/2024

How gorgeous is this lovely foal, Róisín (aka Rosie)? 😍
We are so please for her owner Victoria, what a little beauty!

Born last weekend after successful AI by Joe last year 🥰

11/05/2024

FOSTER MARE FOUND ❤️
Thank you so so much to everyone who shared! Amazing world of social media - you’re all brilliant ❤️

‼️ URGENT PLEASE SHARE ‼️

FOSTER MARE NEEDED FOR ORPHAN FOAL
MID DEVON

PLEASE CALL OWNER KAREN : 07555 645349
OR VETS : 01363 83030 / 07796 088403
IF YOU CAN HELP 🙏

11/05/2024

Calling all livery yard owners!

✨FREE BIOSECURITY WEBINAR FOR LIVERY YARD OWNERS ✨

We’re thrilled to have partnered with SEIB Insurance Brokers, LiveryList and Ivesley Equestrian Centre to offer you a webinar on how to prevent and manage infectious diseases on your livery yard.

📆 Wednesday 15th May
⌚7:30-8:30pm

Find out what to expect below:

🐴 Understanding your Duty of Care

🐴 The importance of recognising symptoms and what to do next

🐴 Ivesley Equestrian’s Summer 2023 Strangles outbreak and how they managed

🐴 Advice from Redwings Head of Welfare and Behaviour on managing an outbreak effectively

Register today 👉 https://bit.ly/infectious_disease_webinar