Towcester Equine Vets

09/12/2024

Do you know the latest vaccination rules?
Is your horse up to date?

If you are unsure on your horse's vaccination record you can check your signed record in the passport or call us to access your last vaccine date from the horse's history.

⭐Top tips for remembering to vaccinate your horse⭐

1. Dates on your fridge.
2. Dates in your phone/set reminder.
3. Sticker with date on the front of the horses passport.
4. Call the vets to book in advance when you receive a reminder.
5. Where possible keep multiple horses in line with each other.
6. Keep good records of vaccines & dentals as time goes by fast!

Our latest immunisation advice is available via our website by clicking the link below:

https://towcester-vets.co.uk/article/towcester-equine-vets-immunisation-advice/

Vaccine Fact Sheet Vaccine schedules change regularly so please check with your competition regulators to make sure you are up to date. Towcester

05/12/2024

Please see our festive opening hours...

We have our own 'in house' Equine Vets working to cover all emergency treatments.

Our team are on call 24/7, day and night over Christmas and New Year!

#24/7emergencyservice

05/12/2024

A great message and reminder from our whole Towcester Vets family 🐶🐱🐴

15/11/2024

🪱 🪱 🪱 🪱 🪱 🪱
Is worming your horse on your 'to do' list??

Vet Abi Jennings explains more about our worming programme, please click the link below or call our friendly team if you need advice regarding your horses worming plan.

https://towcester-vets.co.uk/article/towcester-equine-vets-worming-programme/

Worms in horses can cause serious problems, including (amongst others) diarrhoea, colic and weight loss. With Spring is in the air, now is the time to be

04/11/2024

⭐️October Patient of the month⭐️

Cocoa (King Henry) is a handsome 22 year old Connemara x Thoroughbred gelding.

His caring owner called our team after he developed multiple skin lumps all over his body. Vet Ed has been treating Cocoa over the last few weeks and wanted to share this interesting case with permission from his kind owner.

On examination the lumps were warm and quite sensitive to touch, however they did not appear to be itchy. With a history of increased fly activity, the changes in the skin were considered to be a hypersensitivity reaction with a secondary infection. Initial treatment consisted of topical steroid and antibiotics which seemed to settle the condition.

Unfortunately, shortly after the initial treatment was ceased the condition returned, again without any itchiness and now with no known allergen contact. Cocoa’s skin was now very inflamed, and he was looking quite unhappy. Because of the unusual presentation of his skin condition, vet Ed collected some skin biopsies for microscopic examination. Biopsies are very useful for diagnosis of skin conditions as they allow the vets to assess how the symptoms seen from the outside may manifest beneath the skin. As a result Cocoa was diagnosed with an auto-immune condition called Pemphigus Foliaceus. Pemphigus Foliaceus is a condition seen in many species including humans. The condition can be acquired at any age in horses. The immune system incorrectly attacks one of the horses’ own cells within the skin and this then results in swelling, pain, heat and hair loss. It is not completely known why a horse may develop this condition. Once a horse has this disease, the ‘attack process’ can be triggered by a variety of external stimuli, including UV light and allergic reactions.

Pemphigus Foliaceous is an incurable condition, unfortunately, however it can be managed with medication. Cocoa has been treated with oral corticosteroids and immunotherapy for the past month with great success. Cocoa is now on a tapering dose of medication and with careful environmental management his skin condition should not return.

It’s lovely to see Cocoa much happier now back out in his paddock.

30/10/2024

Our latest articles can be found on our website, kindly follow the link below.

🟤🟤MUD FEVER ADVICE OUT NOW!🟤🟤

Please feel free to leave a comment if there is a specific equine topic you wish to see on this section of the website.

Read our articles on preventative healthcare, changes in legislation, disease outbreaks & seasonal tips for keeping your animals healthy.

29/10/2024

Is your horse a ‘bit off’?
Got a niggling issue?
Had time off and still not sound?…or maybe your horse is now displaying unusual behavioural changes?

Want answers?

Give our team a call to see if one of our specific dates could benefit you & your horses partnership.

From lameness work ups to diagnostic imaging, ridden assessments and more. Our collaborative team of orthopaedic vets are here to help and explain the process along the way.

25/10/2024

⚠️𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐂⚠️ An interesting Friday read!
𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐛𝐢 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥le 𝐁𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐬

https://towcester-vets.co.uk/article/colic-a-cause-for-concern/

Colic is one of the most common equine emergencies we see at Towcester Equine Vets. It is not a disease, rather colic describes general abdominal pain and

10/10/2024

As Autumn descends it means firework season is just around the corner with Bonfire Night and New Year celebrations also not too far away.

Here’s some top tips that may help your horse during the fireworks.

💥💥How do I prepare for fireworks?💥💥

The best strategy to reduce stress on fireworks night is to have a plan. If you have local fireworks displays know when these are taking place. This will allow you to be prepared. If you do not know about any scheduled fireworks, then talking to neighbours or checking on social media may be a good starting point.
Check your horses’ environment is safe by removing anything (loose nails, foreign objects, temporary electric fencing) within the stable or pasture that could lead to injury should your horse get distressed. Make sure all fields are secured.
Sedatives can be given to some horses for fireworks if necessary. If this is something, you are considering then contact the vets early to ensure you have time for a visit or health check before the medication will be prescribed. Sedation needs to be given early enough to take effect prior to the fireworks (usually 45 minutes – 1hr before). Your vet can advise you about the specifics of the medication you are prescribed.

💥💥What should I do during the fireworks?💥💥

Wherever possible your horses’ routine should be kept consistent. That means if your horse is normally stabled, they should be kept in their stable and if they are normally in a paddock they should remain out with the same field/stable companions as normal. If you would like your horse stabled for fireworks but they are normally kept out this routine should be introduced over the weeks prior to expected fireworks.

If your horse is stabled these simple steps below can help to make the environment less stressful:

🔹Play soothing music to mask the sound of fireworks (if they are used to radios in the stable).
🔹Keep stable lighting on to reduce the effect of flashing lights outside.
🔹Provide lots of stable enrichment and adequate food to distract your horse.
🔹If you are staying with your horse keep calm as your worry can make your horse more anxious.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Do NOT ride when anticipating fireworks as this could pose a risk to you and your horse.

⭐The fireworks are over, now what?⭐
After a firework event, check your horse over for any cuts or injuries. If you are concerned contact the vets. Make sure to check your horses’ paddock for any used fireworks/blown in litter.

Danielle Bowles BVMedSci (Hons) BVM BVS MRCVS

08/10/2024

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 ££ 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫?
Book in advance and save on call out fees, why not make use of our discounted 𝐙𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐓 days?

Call or email our team to check which zone day your horse benefits from🐴
01327 811007 [email protected]

🔹Vaccinations
🔹Prescription checks for medications
🔹Routine dentals (maximum of 3 horses per visit)
🔹Blood samples
🔹Microchips
🔹Passport paperwork
🔹Health checks https://towcester-vets.co.uk/article/senior-horse-health-check/

Click the link below to find out more...
https://towcester-vets.co.uk/equine/services/zone-visits/

Our emergency horse vets are available 24/7. Contact us if you are concerned about your horse, pony or donkey. See our emergency contact info

01/10/2024

⭐️⭐️September Patient of the month⭐️⭐️

Our equine team were called to see Bobby, a one and a half year old Shire. At home his owners had spotted a swelling to his left hock. This had developed over a few hours, with Bobby being normal that morning but progressing to non-weight bearing later on that day. Bobby was given pain relief and immediately transported to our Paulerspury clinic near Towcester for further work.

Radiographs were then taken of Bobby’s hock to check for fractures, as well as ultrasound assessment of the joint which showed a significant effusion of the tarsocrural joint. Analysis of the joint identified infection in the tarsocrural joint (one of the joints in the hock) as the cause of the swelling and pain.

Bobby was prepared for emergency surgery that evening; to arthroscopically evaluate the joint, flush all the infected material out and provide intrasynovial antibiotics to the affected joint. He stayed in the clinic for monitoring, regular bandage changes, as well as injectable pain relief and antibiotics. Repeat synoviocentesis of the tarsocrural joint revealed a white cell and total protein within normal limits. A successful outcome!

Since discharge, he has been recovering well. We look forward to seeing what Bobby gets up to in the future!

Thank you to his owner for allowing us to share his story 🐴

30/09/2024

Equine Surgery is available at our Paulerspury site. For more info about our services visit our website or give our experienced team a call 📞 01327 811007

https://towcester-vets.co.uk/equine/services/surgery

27/09/2024

Thank you to all our lovely clients who have been very understanding this week through this extremely wet weather.

Our team of vets have been working hard to still reach horses on the road for treatments, however if access to where your horse is stabled becomes flooded please give our reception team a call so we can allow vets extra travel time or advise them of an alternative route.

Many thanks in advance

Towcester Equine Vets

23/09/2024

Do you suspect your horse maybe suffering with Gastric Ulcers?
https://towcester-vets.co.uk/equine/facilities/gastroscopy/

Gastroscopy dates coming up soon offering you our SPECIAL PRICE at your nearest clinic, book with our team today!

📢Please feel free to share📢

20/08/2024

⚠️📢IMPORTANT NOTICE📢⚠️

LATEST UPDATE - we are back!
All systems are go and normality has returned, thank you for your patience!

🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔

We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with our internal systems at both equine clinics, our team is working hard to fix this issue as quickly as possible.

We can still accept your calls for emergency treatments by calling 01788 523000.

To confirm, all booked appointments in todays diary are still going ahead as normal.

If you have attempted to reach us today without success and your request is NOT urgent please kindly email [email protected] and one of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Many thanks for your support & understanding, please share!

08/08/2024

New article link below

Is your horse struggling to lose weight this summer? Equine Metabolic Syndrome, known as EMS, could be one reason why slimming down seems an impossible