Christine R. Tuma DVM

08/06/2024

…..or you could try calling Chewy for your next emergency, see if they answer…..🤷‍♀️😉

08/05/2024

08/04/2024

Snoop Dogg’s fit for the Olympics equestrian’s team dressage finals.

Photo credit: Mike Egerton / Getty Images

08/04/2024

Made a special guest appearance at Canterbury Park, the place where it all started 🐎🤩❤️

07/31/2024

In the perfect world, every horse owner would keep his water tanks sparkling clean. In the hustle and bustle world of horse ownership, though, waterers often get short shrift. Horses drink significant quantities of water. If water is too dirty, unpalatable, or foul-smelling, horses will not drink it...

07/31/2024

🥇🥇🥇

Olympic equestrian teams rely on tailored veterinary care to optimize horse performance and manage health, ensuring peak condition.

07/30/2024

07/30/2024

You’re welcome 😉❤️

07/29/2024

😻😻😻😻

07/28/2024

As much of the world swelters, it’s not just people who need help with the dog days of summer. Pet owners have to consider how to both shield and cool down furry family members as intense heat waves become more common.

07/28/2024

Mosquitoes in McHenry County test positive for West Nile Virus
Post Date: 07/26/2024 12:30 PM
July 26, 2024
Media Contact: McHenry County Department of Health
Nick Kubiak, Community Information Coordinator

Mosquitoes in McHenry County test positive for West Nile Virus

The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) has confirmed that a mosquito pool collected from Huntley, Illinois, on July 26, 2024, has tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). This marks the first positive test for WNV in mosquitoes for the 2024 season. Earlier this year, the MCDH’s Environmental Health division reported a WNV-positive bird. No human cases of WNV have been reported in McHenry County this year.

The MCDH will continue its WNV surveillance by collecting and testing mosquito batches through the remainder of the mosquito season, which runs from May through October. It is important to remember that the risk of WNV persists until the first hard frost. Residents are urged to protect themselves from mosquito-borne illnesses when outdoors by wearing protective clothing, such as light-colored, long-sleeved shirts, socks, and pants, and by using EPA-registered insect repellents.

Culex mosquitoes, which are the primary carriers of WNV, typically breed in stagnant water with high organic content, often found in artificial containers like rimless tires, abandoned swimming pools, buckets, bird baths, and clogged gutters. The first and best defense against mosquito-borne illnesses is to eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from containers around your home and ensuring that doors and windows have tight-fitting screens.

Human WNV illness typically occurs 2-14 days after the bite of an infected Culex mosquito. Most people exposed to WNV do not develop symptoms due to the belief that past exposure to WNV results in lifelong immunity. However, about 20% of those infected experience mild febrile (fever) illness with other symptoms, such as headaches, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, or a rash. Severe symptoms are very rare and include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness, and paralysis. Individuals 60 years of age or older or those with serious underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, cancer, or who have received organ transplants are at greater risk for developing severe symptoms.

There is no vaccine or treatment for WNV. Mild symptoms can be relieved with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medications for pain and fever. Seek medical attention if you or an individual you know develops severe symptoms.

With no vaccine currently available for WNV, it is important to use other measures for protection while enjoying the outdoors. When outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, shoes, and socks, especially during dawn and dusk when Culex mosquitoes are most active. Use EPA-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients, and apply them according to label directions:

DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide)
Picaridin (KBR 3023)
IR3535 (a biopesticide)
Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
2-undecanone
Consult with a doctor before using any repellent on infants. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has compiled a list of EPA-registered repellents; visit ‘Find the Right Repellant that is Right for You’ on the EPA website.

For more information on WNV, visit www.mcdh.info or call (815) 334-4585.

Until further notice, the Vital Records office has been relocated to our Health Administration office in Woodstock. You may call the Health Department’s main line (815.334.4510) to order certificates or you can order them online from the Health Department’s website. The certificates will be mail...

07/28/2024

…lol, at every opportunity ❤️❤️❤️🐾

07/26/2024

equestrian news features new horse products, show results and up to the minute stories from the equine world

07/25/2024

HOW AND WHY DO HORSES GET ULCERS?

Equine gastric ulcers can affect any horse of any age. Up to 90% of racehorses and 60% of show horses, as well as non-performance horses and even foals are affected by equine gastric ulcers. Gastric ulcers result from the erosion of the stomach lining due to a prolonged exposure to the normal acid present in the stomach.

Unlike ulcers in humans, bacteria do not appear to cause equine gastric ulcers. Instead, this condition is often a man-made disease. Stall confinement alone can lead to the development of ulcers. A horse’s feeding schedule and high-grain diets can also contribute to the development of ulcers.

Stress, both environmental and physical, can increase the likelihood of ulcers, as can hauling, training, and mixing groups of horses. Strenuous exercise can decrease the emptying of the stomach as well as the blood flow, thus further contributing to the problem.

The treatment and prevention of gastric ulcers is directed at removing these predisposing factors, therefore decreasing acid production within the horse’s stomach. Prevention of ulcers is the key in helping your horse, as neutralizing the production of stomach acid is nature’s best antacid.

Please note that the only way to definitively diagnose ulcers is through a gastroscopy. An equine veterinarian should always be consulted in any case of suspected gastric ulcers to determine the best course of action and treatment for the individual horse.

07/21/2024

When a pet needs immediate CPR in our ER, 5-7 team members focus on saving that pet. 🐾🩺 This can cause delays because as an emergency vet, we prioritize the most critical cases first - just like a human ER. So, the pet who can't breathe will be seen before the pet who ate something toxic or the one with a broken bone.

Please keep this in mind when waiting at our ER. We know it's frustrating, but often updates and exams take longer because the team is focusing on CPR or other life-saving measures. ❤️‍🩹

Many forget that at the ER, you don't WANT your pet to be the first one seen...

View the graphic to learn more about CPR at our facility and more about life-threatening cases here ➡️ https://aercmn.com/what-happens-when-a-life-threatening-pet-emergency-comes-to-our-er/

07/19/2024

What should you do (or not do) if your horse shows signs of colic? And how do you prevent colic in the first place? Find out from our veterinary experts.

07/18/2024

Mark your calendars. Set your alarms. 🗓️⏰

Paris 2024 |

07/18/2024

📣📣🙌🙌

Is your horse balanced? Vets and farriers work together to create a balanced horse!

07/18/2024

Yay!🥳 Dr. Schott was one of my professors at Michigan State! Go Green!🙌

Congratulations to our June Good Works for Horses honorees! 🎉

We are excited to spotlight Dr. Hal Schott, a professor of large animal clinical sciences at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, for his establishment and ongoing support of a program that provides free veterinary care to working equids in Mexico. Through his annual Equine Welfare in Practice Clerkship, veterinary students from Michigan State University (MSU) and two universities in Mexico grow their skill sets while improving the health and welfare of working horses, donkeys and mules in underserved communities.

Congratulations also to runners-up Dr. Kelly Zeytoonian, owner of Starwood Equine Veterinary Services, Inc., and Dr. Megan Knoell, owner of Knoellwood Equine.

The Good Works for Horses campaign, graciously sponsored by AAEP Educational Partner Zoetis Equine, honors AAEP-member practitioners whose volunteer efforts have a positive impact on the equine community.

Read more here: https://aaep.org/post/dr-hal-schott-receives-aaep-good-works-distinction-for-june/

07/17/2024

A deal has been reached for sale of FanDuel Sportsbook & Horse Racing with plans to continue racing operations and develop a long-delayed racino in the facility, across the Mississippi River from St. Louis.

07/15/2024

Happy National I Love Horses Day! 🐎

Whether you're an equine veterinarian, horse owner, or both, it's the love for the horse that drives the passion for what we do.

Thank you to all of the dedicated horse doctors and veterinary professionals who care for the equine companions that hold a special place in our hearts.

07/15/2024

It's National I Love Horses Day! What horse (past or present) would you like to meet?

07/13/2024

STRANGES UPDATE at HITS Chicago as of 7/11/24: The 19 horses that have been in quarantine, excluding the one horse that had initially tested positive on July

07/12/2024

The summer heat and sun won't be letting up any time soon, so make sure your equine friends are adequately protected from harmful UV rays. ☀️

Hot summer weather puts horses at risk not only for dehydration and heat stress but also the skin damage and discomfort that accompany a sunburn— just like humans.

A lot of equestrians love some chrome on a horse, but it's important to remember that those beautiful white markings and the non-pigmented pink skin underneath are more likely to suffer from sunburn, especially in areas where the skin is more sensitive — like around the eyes and the nostrils.

In addition to the pain and discomfort, horses that are prone to recurrent sunburn may also face other long-term consequences, like the increased likelihood of developing squamous cell carcinoma (a common cancer).

If your horse is susceptible to sunburn, contact your veterinarian for more information about sun damage and recommendations to keep your horse protected this summer.