War Equine

02/14/2025

War Equine will be in Andalusia this Saturday & Sunday for the Be Mine Barrel Bash . We will also be available Friday evening for emergency services. Please stop by and say hello! We can’t wait to see everyone😊🐴💉

Here’s a few things we offer at shows:
✨ Lameness/Performance Exams
✨ Shockwave
✨ Upper Airway Endoscopy
✨ Joint injections
✨ Ultrasound/Radiology
✨ Vaccines/coggins
✨ Equine Dentals
✨ Consultations
✨ Emergency Services

01/31/2025

🦷🦷🦷

01/22/2025

Hope everyone is staying warm! Show us your snow day photos! 🐴❄️☃️

01/16/2025

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SPOT COLIC IN HORSES?

Colic indicates a painful problem in the horse's abdomen (belly), which can be caused by a number of different conditions. Less than 10% of all colic cases are severe enough to require surgery or cause the death of the horse; nevertheless, every case of colic should be taken seriously because it can be difficult to tell the mild ones from the potentially serious ones in the early stages.

Horses show signs of abdominal pain in a wide variety of ways, and usually a horse shows only a few of the signs during an episode of colic. The rule of thumb is — the more obvious the signs of pain, the more serious the problem.

If you suspect the horse is suffering from colic, we suggest that you:

• Alert your veterinarian immediately

• Remove all hay and grain from the horse's surroundings

• Don't medicate without your veterinarian's approval, as pain medications can mask clinical signs

• Walk the horse around if it's continually rolling or in danger of hurting itself — but do not tire the horse with relentless walking and don't approach the animal if it's not safe

• Keep the horse under close observation until the signs of colic resolve or the veterinarian arrives

The key to increasing the chances of a good outcome is to identify the problem early and get your veterinarian involved from the start.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of colic signs. Horses are individuals and may display signs of pain in a variety of ways. Always consult your horse doctor for more information.

01/10/2025

FUN FACT FRIDAY!

Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice; good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal, and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
•
Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

01/02/2025

ℕ𝕖𝕨 𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕣, 𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕪𝕠𝕦!
There’s no better time to get on top of your horse’s health by being prepared, preventing emergencies, and having a plan!

ʜᴏᴡ ᴄᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇ ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴇᴅ?
» Establish care and talk to your veterinarian about having basic emergency medications and supplies on hand. Some of these would include Banamjne, Bute, bandage materials, thermometer, etc!

ʜᴏᴡ ᴄᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʀᴇᴠᴇɴᴛ ᴀɴ ᴇᴍᴇʀɢᴇɴᴄʏ?
» Make sure that your horse is up to date on vaccines and routine care! Twice a year vaccines are boosted typically in the Spring and Fall. These vaccines can vary depending on your horses lifestyle and risk of exposure to various diseases. If your horse is due for vaccines, please contact us to schedule an appointment and we can create a personalized plan for your horse based on their lifestyle and exposure risks!
» Avoid housing horses in a hazardous environment. As we horse owners know, horses will get into anything! Keep horses away from sharp objects, rusty metal buildings, heavy equipment, aggressive animals, or anything that could potentially cause them harm.
» Ensure proper dentition. Your horse’s mouth should be examined every 6 months, with dental floats every 6-12 months.
» Proper nutrition is essential. Your horses energy requirements change throughout the year based on exercise, life stage, and environmental changes. We would love to chat about this based on your horses needs!

ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴘʟᴀɴ!
» Establish a relationship with a veterinarian.
» If you are out of range or not established with a mobile veterinarian, make sure your trailer is ready to haul or you have contacts on hand for someone that can haul your horse for you. We would be happy to provide you with contacts if you do not have access to a trailer.

Please reach out if we can help with any of the above! Let us help keep your horses healthy in 2025! 💖✨🐴

📞(772)321-1804
Kaitlyn Ruffin DVM

12/30/2024

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐍! 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥?

𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨?

Cereal grains such as oats and corn contain high amounts of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in the form of starch. Acute laminitis can occur in any horse that consumes a large amount of carbohydrates at once, such as when a horse gets into the grain bin or a bag of corn. This is because the undigested carbohydrates cause a rapid change in gut bacteria and pH which allows toxins to be absorbed into the blood stream and cause a significant inflammatory response.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫??
• Horses housed near deer corn or hunting properties
• Horses housed with other livestock that may be fed corn
• Horses that may have access to feed rooms or feed storage containers

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧?
• This is a time sensitive emergency! Call your vet immediately.

12/15/2024

What does it really mean to "let them go on a good day?"

It means it will be your hardest day. It won't matter if you've never done it before, or if you're gifted a dozen good days, each good day is always the hardest one.

It means they won't know what the fuss is about, why they're getting so many treats and extra belly scratches and hugs.

It means you will second guess your decision right up to the very last moment, the very last breath. You'll second guess yourself afterwards.

They'll knicker at you when you arrive, just like any other day.

The weather, perfect. They are content. They look sound today. They are breathing well, eating well, they get up easily enough from a nap in the sun....the list goes on. Whatever issue they struggle with, today they aren't.

Today you euthanize them.

This is what going on a good day means: sending them out while they are happy, while they are healthy, while they are eating well, walking well, etc. You make the choice to do it before an emergency takes the choice away from you, before your horse has to experience any more trauma or pain.

Their last memory will be filled with love.

It'll rip your heart out every time.

We can see the patterns and the increasing trends. We can predict it a little. We can obsess over the past and worry about the future.

Fortunately, horses, all animals, live in the moment. They don't worry about those things. They aren't worried about winter. They aren't worried about July, or allergies, or progressive diseases like cushings or dsld. They don't think about the close calls they've had before, and they certainly aren't thinking about the close calls that are destined to come, as their body continues to age and break down. They just are. They are happy and healthy, or fearful and in pain, on that day, in that moment.

It is the most difficult, most loving gift we are blessed to be able to give.

And that first ice storm will come, that first deep snow, that first heat wave....and you will find a little relief, no longer doubting the choice you made.

They were happy, and safe, and loved. That is all that matters.

It is never easy. ~Kelly Meister, author

12/13/2024

Happy national day of the horse💗

Brighten our day by sharing a photo of your horse down below🐎✨💖

12/12/2024

Big news!!! We are SO excited to announce that we have a PulseVet on the way and will soon be offering shock wave therapy! ✨🐴✨

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤?
The PulseVet Shock Wave System produces high-energy sound waves, which stimulate cells and release healing growth factors in the body that reduce inflammation, increase blood flow, accelerate bone formation, and enhance wound healing!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫?
* Tendon and ligament injuries
* Bone fractures (stress fractures/splints)
* OA/Joint inflammation and pain
* EIPH and Asthma
* Foot Injuries
* Wounds
* Back pain/kissing spines
* Cauda Equina Syndrome (LS disease)

Call us if you’re interested in knowing more about shock wave therapy or if it would be an option for your horse!

📞(772)321-1804

12/05/2024

And the answer from yesterday’s post is…. Pro-Stride!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨-𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞?
Pro-Stride (autologous protein solution) is a device that creates a solution to manage equine lameness and osteoarthritis in horses by concentrating the cells, platelets, growth factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines from a horse’s own blood!

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧!
Pain and damage in a horse's joint is caused by pro-inflammatory cytokines that break down cartilage. These pro-inflammatory proteins called cytokines can cause damage to tissues in your horse’s joints. These cytokines, including interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), need to be blocked to prevent the development of or slow the progression of osteoarthritis. If not, they bind to the cell surface receptors on cartilage and start the cartilage degradation process. The horse has several naturally occurring inhibitors (anti-inflammatory proteins) to block the pro-inflammatory cytokines. These include the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IL-1ra or IRAP), soluble interleukin-1 receptor (sIL-1R) and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors (sTNF-R's). Pro-Stride highly concentrates these inhibitors to help reduce pain and protect the cartilage. This product can be used in areas such as joints or to treat a soft tissue injury!

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨-𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞?
By treating with Pro-Stride, you’re not only decreasing inflammation but also helping to heal the joint/injury! This is important to consider when thinking about the longevity of your performance horse.

Wondering if this is right for your horse? Give us a call!

📞 (772)321-1804

12/04/2024

✨What’s up Wednesday!✨

Can you guess what treatment Dr. Ruffin is performing in these photos? Let us know in the comments!

Check back tomorrow for the answer and more information!🤩

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving from War Equine!!! We are so thankful for all of our amazing clients and perfect patients!💛✨✨

11/26/2024

Water remains as important for your horse in cold weather as it is in the summer. As a matter of fact, decreased water consumption in the winter is thought to be the primary inducing factor for impaction colic — although there are other predisposing factors such as poor hay quality, lack of exercise, internal parasites and dental problems.

Impaction colic is essentially constipation and most often includes the accumulation of hard, dry f***l material in the colon. The usual signs of impending impaction colic are depression, a decreased appetite, and decreased production and dryness of manure.

Studies demonstrate that you can increase your horse's winter water consumption if you provide access to heated water, but ONLY if that is the only source of water available. As always, if you have any questions about preventing colic in your horse, your equine veterinarian remains your best source of information!

11/18/2024

𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙚?

We wanted to discuss this topic since the new Yellowstone season has gotten a lot of attention for this!

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚? Flunixin meglumine (Banamine) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent that is effective for the relief of pain, inflammation, and fever in horses.

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙? Intravenous (in the vein) or Orally (in the mouth)

“But the bottle says you can give it in the muscle?” It is important for owners to be aware of the risks if they give intramuscular (IM) injections of Banamine or other medications. Banamine as well as a number of other drugs (ivermectin, progesterone, anti-histamines, phenylbutazone, dipyrone, vitamin B complex, synthetic prostaglandins, etc.) can cause muscle damage when injected. While this usually causes few problems, spores of the bacteria Clostridium can lie dormant in healthy muscle and begin to proliferate if muscle is damaged. Growth of this bacteria causes Clostridial myositis, a serious and sometimes fatal condition.

Please do not take this risk, and follow the instructions of your veterinarian!

11/08/2024

Not every wound or laceration is the same! When in doubt, give us a call!

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOUR HORSE IS ACCIDENT-PRONE...🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️

If you own horses long enough, sooner or later you are likely to confront a medical emergency. There are several behavioral traits that make horses especially accident-prone: one is their instinctive flight-or-fight response; another is their need to establish the pecking order within a herd; and a third is their natural curiosity. Such behaviors account for many of the cuts, bruises, and abrasions that horses suffer. In fact, lacerations are probably the most common emergency that horse owners must contend with.

Do you know what to do if your horse is cut or bleeding? The initial steps you take to treat a wound can prevent further damage and speed healing, and maintaining your presence of mind could save your horse's life. Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind in case of emergency; how you will ultimately proceed will depend on your horse's individual circumstances, and on the advice you receive from your veterinarian.