Equine Medical Center

03/31/2024

Happy Easter to all of our wonderful clients!

Spring is in the air, which means foaling and breeding season is in full swing! 🌸🐣🌱

Let’s see those cute foal pics!

01/17/2024

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING (A FOAL) 🐴

If your mare has made it through 11 months of pregnancy, you're almost there. Labor and delivery, while momentous, are generally uncomplicated — however, being a prepared and informed owner will help you keep your anxiety in check so you can assist the new mother and foal get off to a great start.

Here are some things you can do to prepare for the arrival of the foal:

• Consult with your veterinarian well in advance of the birth. Know how to reach your regular veterinarian after hours and ask about a back-up or referring veterinarian in case your regular horse doctor is not available.

• Clean and disinfect the stall as thoroughly as possible. Provide adequate bedding.

• Wash the mare's udder, v***a and hindquarters with a mild soap and rinse thoroughly.

• Wrap the mare's tail with a clean wrap when you observe the first stage of labor. Be sure that the wrap is not applied too tightly or left on too long, as it can cut off circulation and permanently damage the tail.

• Time each stage of labor, to help you keep accurate track of the mare's progress. Take written notes! When you're worried or anxious, your perception of time can become distorted.

As always, these are general guidelines and you should contact your veterinarian for more information specific to your situation. Good luck!

01/02/2024

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! Looking forward to continuing to serve you and your equine partners in 2024! ✨🐎

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁

Every day, but today in particular, we are so very thankful for each and every one of our amazing clients and their horses! Thank you for trusting us with your beloved friends and athletes!

Drop a pic in the comments of a horse you’re thankful for! 🐴❤️👇🏼

10/31/2023

🎃What’s SpOoOoKiEr than Halloween??🎃

❄️This incoming TEMPERATURE DROP!! ❄️

HERE👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 are some tips to keeping your horses healthy during this seasonal transition:

👻Make sure your water tanks are full & accessible at all times! This means checking automatic waters to ensure they’re not frozen, chipping ice, and/or using a bucket/tank heater.

👻If you feed grain or cubes, SOAK them! This will ensure your horse gets some extra hydration when it’s not enticing to drink cold water.

👻Top dress feed and/or hay with commercial equine electrolytes or a couple teaspoons of table salt. This will encourage more water consumption throughout the day.

👻If you notice decreased f***l output, decreased water consumption, lethargy, and/or inappetence, consult with your vet sooner rather than later! Colic symptoms often begin subtle.

👻If your horses are clipped, very young/very old, or grow a poor winter coat, consider blanketing them.

👻Have a plan! Have an established veterinary relationship & know your options for emergency care!

10/27/2023

Fall is officially in full swing! Now is the time to crack down on housing, nutrition, and preventative health strategies suitable for the arrival of winter.

The graphic below lists some essential items on the horse owner's fall to-do checklist, but there is much more that needs to be done—like having your horse rugs repaired and waterproofed; securing and storing hay properly; assessing your shelters for safety and soundness; etc.)

Your equine veterinarian is one of your greatest allies this season: be sure to give them a call soon to discuss vaccination and deworming protocols appropriate for your horse’s situation; use this opportunity to chat about recommended changes in nutrition and exercise program as well!

10/01/2023

This week’s topic is dental care! 🦷🦷🦷

»Horses are classified as “hypsodonts,” which means their teeth erupt and grow continuously throughout their life. This pattern allows them to chew fibrous roughage and not wear out their teeth.

»However, as their teeth grow, they do not always wear them evenly, creating imbalances. These imbalances can make it difficult for them to effectively grind their feed, and can lead to painful sharp enamel points, hooks, and ramps. This can also cause issues with horses being resistant to the bit or unwilling to drop their head and relax their jaw.

»Additionally, horses, like humans, can also develop other types of dental pathology- including painful molar fractures and infections due to feed packing. In older horses, when the molars have reached a point where they have completely erupted and there is no root remaining below the gum line, called “attrition,” they can become loose and painful.

»Failure to provide routine dental care can not only lead to weight loss, but also performance issues, pain, infection, and choke- a serious condition where feed is improperly chewed and becomes stuck in the esophagus.

»Fortunately, routine oral exams by your veterinarian can often identify imbalances and other dental pathology early in the disease process, allowing for preventative care and intervention. These are recommended every 6-12 months, with floats as needed and recommended by your veterinarian.

»Contact us today to get your horses’ teeth squared away before winter!

08/03/2023

✨Every year with your horse is a blessing, but with that comes added responsibility. As horses age, their health and nutritional needs do change! ✨

Over the next few weeks as we 🤞🏼hopefully🤞🏼 head toward some cooler weather, we will be sharing information related to ➡️caring for the aging horse⬅️

This week’s topic is Cushing’s Disease! 🩺

» Is your horse is losing muscle (particularly topline), failing to shed out completely, exhibiting an increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections (such as rain rot, corneal ulcers, high parasite burden, or hoof abscesses), getting fat deposits, or experiencing laminitic episodes?

»If you answered YES to any of these questions, it is time to talk to your vet about testing for Cushing’s disease or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID).

»This is a disease caused by a benign tumor in the pituitary gland of the brain. The tumor secretes a substance that triggers a hormonal cascade ultimately releasing endogenous cortisol, a stress hormone. Just like in people, when horses have increased levels of stress hormone, they just don’t feel their best! It causes immunosuppression and predisposes horses to symptoms listed above. 🧠

»Fortunately, this disease is diagnosable with routine bloodwork, and is manageable by daily medication called Pergolide. Many horses also require some minor lifestyle changes, such as diet modification (usually decreasing consumed starches and increasing fiber and/or fat), dedicated farrier care, body clipping, and exercise. They can continue to go on and live comfortable and even athletic lives! 🐎

Stay tuned for more tips on keeping your senior equine friends feeling their best! 💪🏼 👵🏼

07/16/2023

⚡️Let’s talk about performance evaluations!⚡️

Are you trying to keep a good horse going? Or maybe your horse is trying to do his or her job, but certain tasks are difficult? Is your horse acting hot for no apparent reason or having behavioral issues, like bucking, tail swishing, or ear pinning? Maybe they’re consistently overshooting the first barrel, struggling to pick up a certain lead, refusing jumps, or just not stopping as hard as they used to?

While training issues are certainly plausible, it’s often worthwhile to ensure that your horse isn’t struggling due to discomfort.

Performance evaluations are a very useful tool for horses of all disciplines! These evaluations begin with a thorough history, in which your vet may ask about current performance issues, lameness history and previous treatments, and current medications.

Then, a physical exam will be performed, assessing not only musculoskeletal system, but also cardiac and lung function, neurological function, and ophthalmic function.

Next, a dynamic exam will be performed, in which the horse is observed at all gaits in both directions. The horse will often have flexions performed. Subtle lamenesses will be noted, and may lead to further investigation of a particular region. This may include diagnostic analgesia, or “blocking,” of specific regions of a limb to isolate the source of a lameness. This is usually followed by diagnostic imaging, including X-ray and/or ultrasound. More advanced imaging, such as MRI, CT, or bone scan may be warranted depending on the case.

Once a source of pain is identified and evaluated, a plan can be made for treatment. There are countless options for treatment of musculoskeletal pain, from intra-articular (joint) injections, to systemic medications, to rehabilitation and strengthening exercises, to shoeing/trimming changes.

While musculoskeletal pain is very common, other performance issues may be rooted in other sources of discomfort, such as gastric ulcers, dental pain, respiratory distress (such as asthma, upper airway pathology, or exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage), neurological dysfunction/disease, and even muscle myopathies. If your vet is suspicious of any of these issues, additional diagnostics may be recommended to help guide treatment.

It’s never wrong to get your horse checked out, and we are happy to help! You might be surprised what these amazing animals are capable of when they’re feeling their best!! 💪🏼🏆💯

07/09/2023

"HOT" TIPS FOR SAFE SUMMER RIDING

As you enjoy some fun in the sun with your favorite equine, make sure you understand how the combination of heat and humidity can take the fun part out the equation — and potentially even turn into a dangerous situation for your horse.

When riding in hot weather, remember to take precautions and use your common sense. Remain vigilant for dehydration and for signs of heat exhaustion, as the situation can quickly escalate into heat stroke. If your horse looks hot and tired, it's time for a drink, a cold bath and a break in the shade.

Consult your veterinarian for more information, or learn more about the signs of heat stroke on our website at https://aaep.org/issue/heat-stroke
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07/04/2023

Introducing our newest team member, Dr. Emily Vermillion, DVM!

Dr. Vermillion is a South Carolina native who grew up riding horses. She obtained a BSA in Animal Science at the University of Georgia, followed by her DVM at the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine (Go Dawgs!). She worked in Idaho as a large animal vet, then completed a year long rotating equine surgery and medicine internship at McKinlay & Peters Equine Hospital in Washington state, followed by another year long speciality internship in equine sports medicine and rehabilitation back at UGA. Since then, she has worked as a staff veterinarian in UGA’s Field Services department.

Dr. Vermillion’s primary interests are in lameness and performance medicine, although she loves the variety that private practice brings. She is also AVCA certified in equine chiropractic care.

In her spare time, she enjoys riding her horses (don’t ask how many…), hiking with her blue heeler, Concho, and team roping.

She is so excited to meet all of EMC’s wonderful clients & provide quality vet care to their horses! ❤️

12/25/2022

Merry Christmas from all of us!

12/14/2022

"When temperature drops, it can lead to increased incidence of impaction colic...Water temperature also plays a role in voluntary water consumption. Water around 50-65° F (10-18° C) seems to be the sweet spot to encourage consumption."

The most important nutrient in the horse’s diet is one that is rarely thought about in detail: water.

12/04/2022

Do you know when your horse is in pain?

A veterinarian explains how to recognize when your horse is in pain. Listen now!

11/14/2022

Podcast lovers: Here's one from TheHorse.com you may find useful.

thehorse.com/1117224/equine-pain-and-discomfort.

How can you tell if your horse is uncomfortable? Learn about the subtle (and not so subtle) signs of pain in horses-and how sedation can help.

10/31/2022

Anyone else dress up with their horse this month for a show or just for fun? Share your photo in the comments!

Queen Elizabeth (aka one of our clients) showed up with her corgi and horse at a show earlier this month.

10/12/2022

"Perhaps the most vital tip for helping prevent impactions is to make sure your horse has access to clean water at all times. In the winter months, if you are in an area where temperatures fall below freezing, water heaters not only prevent icing, but also encourage the horse to drink when it’s cold out." Read more at horseillustrated.com/equine-impaction-colic.

Be prepared with prevention strategies against equine impaction colic, a potentially serious type of colic. Know more with this article.

09/26/2022

Feed tags can be confusing. Here's how to decipher them.

Learn what labels on equine feed products do and don't tell you with this visual guide.

09/07/2022

It's that time of year! Contact us today at 770-534-812 to schedule an appointment for your horse's health needs.

Ready or not, fall is right around the corner! As a horse owner, the best part about this time of the year is knowing we won't have to deal with as many insect-related issues. However, now is also the time to start thinking about housing, nutrition and preventative health strategies suitable for the arrival of winter.

Your equine veterinarian is one of your greatest allies this season: be sure to give them a call soon to discuss vaccination and deworming protocols appropriate for your horse’s situation; use this opportunity to chat about recommended changes in nutrition and exercise program as well!

08/21/2022

Have questions or need to schedule your horse's vaccines? Give us a call!

Here are some basic do's and don'ts to make sure you're providing the disease protection your horse needs.

08/13/2022

Important 🐍 info this time of year!

Did you know snakes reach their highest numbers in August and September, when their babies are born?

Snakes commonly found in the United States, like copperheads and rattlers, can cause serious injury to a horse. Equines are at the top of the list of sensitivity to snakebites, and are followed in order by sheep, cows, goats, dogs, pigs, and cats. Horses almost always get bitten on the muzzle, and the spread of the venom containing enzymes, peptides and neurotoxins can be fatal. The resultant swelling can be so extreme that the nostrils almost close and breathing can become difficult or impossible. Shock is the most common problem following snakebites and prompt treatment is necessary.

If you know or suspect that your horse has been bitten by a snake, call your veterinarian immediately. Better to have a false alarm than to play catch-up later in a crisis situation.

Talk to your horse doctor about the likelihood of snake attacks in your area and seek guidance regarding the best preventative and treatment options.

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Related resources:



"Snakebit!," written by Dr. Kenneth L. Marcella: https://aaep.org/issue/snakebit



Snakebite vaccine guidelines: https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines/risk-based-vaccination-guidelines/snake-bite

08/05/2022

Ever wondered about older horses and choke?

Do older horses that eat senior feeds have a higher risk of choke?

07/19/2022

Seasonal changes can wreak havoc on hoof health, leaving them cracked, split, or tender. Why so? Prime culprits include increased work, annoying flies that instigate stomping and concussion on hoof walls, and damp conditions that sometimes leave hooves too moist for too long.

Horse owners can implement a few management strategies to keep hooves in tip-top shape in the summertime.

07/04/2022

Not so sure about your horses and fireworks? Here are some tips that may help.

06/14/2022

It's HOT this week. Here are some ways to keep your horses safe.

"HOT" TIPS FOR SAFE SUMMER RIDING

As you prepare for fun in the sun with your favorite equine, make sure you understand how the combination of heat and humidity can take the fun part out the equation — and potentially even turn into a dangerous situation for your horse.

When riding in hot weather, remember to take precautions and use your common sense. Remain vigilant for dehydration and for signs of heat exhaustion, as the situation can quickly escalate into heat stroke. If your horse looks hot and tired, it's time for a drink, a cold bath and a break in the shade.

Consult your veterinarian for more information, or learn more about the signs of heat stroke on our website at https://aaep.org/issue/heat-stroke

06/10/2022

We appreciate our clients! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.

06/04/2022

"Be a knowledgeable horse owner. Be proactive, ask good questions of your veterinarian and farrier. By being knowledgeable about the environment and having an idea of the functional physiology of the foot, you can use these aspects of foot care to your advantage during severe disease conditions, including laminitis and navicular syndrome.”

Going barefoot can benefit hoof health, but consider management and physical needs before pulling shoes.

05/10/2022

Could your horse have asthma? Here are some signs to look for.

This respiratory disease affects adult horses housed on pasture in hot, humid climates.

04/14/2022

Expecting a foal? Here are some useful tips. Have questions or concerns this foaling season and beyond? Call us at 770-534-8121.

It’s !

Foaling season is in full swing and here are some useful tips to keep in mind as you work to raise your four-legged youngsters.

A healthy foal will grow rapidly, gaining in height, weight and strength almost before your very eyes. From birth to age 2, a young horse can achieve 90% or more of its full adult size, sometimes putting on as many as 3 pounds per day. The nutritional start a foal gets can have a profound effect on its health and soundness for the rest of its life. Research suggests that a balanced dietary approach, which supports no more than a moderate growth rate, is less likely to cause developmental problems like contracted tendons, epiphysitis, angular limb deformities and osteochondrosis.

Work with your equine practitioner to develop a total health care plan based on your foals, weanlings and yearlings’ specific needs. The reward for providing excellent nutrition, conscientious care and a safe environment will be a healthy foal that grows into a sound and useful horse!

To read more about foal care and nutrition, visit our website at: https://aaep.org/horsehealth/foal-growth-special-care-and-nutrition

04/01/2022

Have non-horsey friends who think riding's not a workout? Here's something to show them.

Researchers measured the energy output of riders a basic at a walk, jog, and lope; performing a reining pattern; and cutting.