Update as promised: I am happy to report that he is doing very well and felt huge relieve after his surgery.
So this horse had a bad tooth that has also resulted in this abscess. No amount of antibiotics will fix this situation. The only treatment option is extraction of the bad tooth and draining the abscess. The bony swelling will go down in a couple of months time.
🥇🏆🏇Give your hard-working horse time to recover❗️
What are your thoughts on days off for your horse? Some interesting facts to take into consideration when you answer this question is as a rough guide, it may take lungs 1-2 days to recover, 2-3 days for GI tract, muscle and liver energy stores to recover, 5-7 days for electrolyte balance and stores to recover, 7-10 days for muscles to repair, up to 2 weeks for the immune system to recover and 3-4 weeks for bone, tendon and joints to recover (assuming no action injury). So, what happens when we are training daily or at a competition where we compete over 2-3 days?
The simple answer is that we only get partial recovery and our horses are in a constant state of trying to recover. A small amount of muscle damage happens whenever a horse exercises. This is normal but it can lead to muscle soreness and decreased muscle strength. In addition, their muscle fuel (glycogen) is replenished slowly and working them hard on consecutive days will gradually result in poor performance due to lack of muscle fuel.
This brings us to the concept of recovery weeks in training where you reduce the horse’s workload by half every 3 weeks to ensure a greater degree of recovery. Another extremely beneficial technique used extensively in human sport but rarely in equestrian is tapering before competition. Tapering is the gradual reduction in duration of training while maintaining the intensity each day in the 7 days before a competition.
Apart from resting your horse one of the best things you can do to ensure a fast recovery is to ensure horses start as hydrated as possible with maximized energy stores and good electrolyte balance. Cooling your horse down after competing, allowing unrestricted access to water immediately on completion of exercise and providing forage and concentrate feed as soon as possible are also important.
Let us know in the comments if you already rest your horse or if you will start implementing
🌈🦄🌈As a veterinarian, we are often called to put horses to sleep and it is never an easy job emotionally. The one case that I remember particularly well was a beautiful feisty gelding that I treated intensely for colic for almost a week. He recovered so well but a few months later I had the unpleasant job of putting him to sleep after he developed severe complications from a snake bite.
Euthanasia is a topic that many horse owners dread yet may eventually face. Our beloved equine companions can suffer from debilitating conditions that affect their quality of life. As responsible horse owners, it’s essential to navigate these difficult decisions with compassion and understanding.
There is usually not an absolute right or wrong time to say goodbye and put a horse to sleep. Horses are incredibly resilient animals, often masking pain and discomfort until it becomes severe. Sometimes it is clear cut, such as a horrendous injury with fractured bones exposed in the leg etc, but more often, there is decision to be made.
According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), one of the key indicators is the horse’s quality of life. Owners should consider factors such as pain management, ability to perform normal activities (like grazing, walking, and socialising) and overall happiness. Other factors that should be considered when making the decision is likelihood and time of recovery, future potential use and budget of owner.
Making the decision to euthanize a horse is emotionally taxing. Many owners develop deep bonds with their horses, and the thought of losing them can be overwhelming. It’s crucial to recognize that these feelings are entirely valid. Allow yourself to grieve.
If euthanasia is deemed the most compassionate option, understanding the process can provide some comfort. Typically, euthanasia involves the administration of a sedative followed by an overdose of anesthetic, leading to a peaceful passing. This process is desi
Friends and colleagues made a phenomenal treatment team at the recent Namibian Endurance Desert Challenge. Everything in the treatment clinic was handled with a smile, calm attitude and professionalism. Thanks!
A cryptorchid horse, or ‘rig’ as it is commonly known, has one or both testicles retained in the inguinal canal or abdominal cavity. If the testicle has not descended into the scrotum by 3 years of age, the horse should be castrated. It can be a complex surgery as demonstrated by Dr Arnold Mahne, Veterinary Specialist in Equine Surgery from Equispes Clinical Services in the video. As it is done by key-hole surgery the post operative complications and recovery time is greatly reduced.
Several ethical issues are raised when dealing with cryptorchidism. If the descended testicle has been removed, the horse will look like a gelding but will have stallion-like behaviour due to production of testosterone and other male hormones by the retained testicle. For this reason, horses with only one descended testicle should never have just the descended testicle removed. Cryptorchidism is also hereditary and breeding of unilateral cryptorchid stallions is discouraged.
❓Is your horse part of the 70% of horses that has undiagnosed dental problems❓🫣 If you are unsure then have him/her examined like demonstrated. No owner/groom should ever have to hold a horse's head for an examination. Your horse's head should rest very still on a headstand and each tooth needs to be examined by a mirror or as shown here with a special camera called an endoscope🔭.
We at Equifarm Veterinary Practice can offer what your horse deserves. Please contact us on 0813173376 if you have questions or want to book an appointment.
‘No pain? Check again!’: Could your horse be suffering in silence? Is this what your horse's mouth look like inside? Full of very painful ulcers on the inside of the cheeks? Make sure it does not by booking your dental appointment for your horse with us.
🎄🤍🎅✨Kersfees gaan oor familie en liefde en omgee. Geseënde Kersfees vir jou en jou familie!
Dr Jolandie graduated from the University of Pretoria, Faculty of Veterinary Science. She has been involved with endurance events ever since as a veterinarian.
