Buckeye Veterinary Service

01/22/2025

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.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

01/10/2025

While trying to keep warm during this cold spell, Dr. Noah and Gail came fully prepared for a day of chilly appointments - accidentally twinning!
Stay warm this weekend, Buckeye friends!

01/01/2025

Happy New Year!!
Wishing all of our Buckeye friends and family a safe, happy, and fun 2025!

12/30/2024

Our office has no power today, but we are here!
All calls are running through our answering service, so please do not hang up when you get the recording.
Holiday Schedule Adjustment: We will be closed all day Tuesday 12/31/24, and all day 1/1/25. 24/7 Emergency service will still be running through the holiday.
Happy New Year Everyone!

12/25/2024

Our Dr Ken Keckler (mandolin) with Jesse Keckler (bass), Jack Burg (drums) Paul Steiger (guitar) and Eric Steiger (lead guitar and vocals). “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” 12/24/24
Merry Christmas from BVS to you!

12/25/2024

Check out our monthly newsletter - you can sign up to receive it via email on our website at buckeyevet.org!

https://buckeyevet.org/articles/prof_content/986493-december-newsletter-6-winter-care-tips-for-horse-owners

Is your horse ready for winter?

12/21/2024

We’ve got some COLD temperatures setting in. One of the most important things you can do is make sure your horses stay hydrated. Check out this article by the AAEP with some helpful tips - stay warm!

Water is a vital resource for horses year-round, but its importance becomes even greater during the winter months. Maintaining proper hydration is essential for horses to support digestion, overall health, and especially for preventing colic, a potentially life-threatening condition.

In winter, horses may drink less water due to cold temperatures, or water sources might freeze, limiting access. Reduced water intake increases the risk of impaction colic, a condition that occurs when food material becomes lodged in the horse’s digestive tract. This is exacerbated by the dry, fibrous nature of winter forage like hay, which contains less moisture compared to fresh pasture grass. Without sufficient water, the digestive system slows and cannot properly break down this material, potentially leading to blockages.

Encouraging adequate water consumption is critical. Horses should normally drink 5-12 gallons of water daily, and ensuring the water is warm enough—between 45-65°F—can help encourage drinking. Studies show that horses are more likely to consume warm water during cold weather. Using heated water buckets or tank deicers can prevent freezing and make water more appealing.

Fun Fact: Research shows that horses drink almost 40% more water per day if given warm water (45-65 °F) instead of near-freezing water. (Kristula and McDonnell, 1994)

Electrolytes or salt supplements can also stimulate thirst, prompting horses to drink more. Offering soaked hay or adding water to feed can provide additional hydration. However, soaking hay or feed isn’t recommended in environments where these items would freeze solid before being consumed by the horse.

Preventing dehydration in winter is a proactive measure to safeguard against colic. Regularly monitoring water intake and ensuring clean, accessible, and palatable water is essential. By addressing these needs, horse owners can help maintain their horses’ health and comfort throughout the colder months.

If you have questions or concerns about your horses' winter water intake, contact your veterinarian.

12/20/2024

Happy Holidays!
Here are our updated hours:
We will be closing TODAY 12/20 at NOON!

Christmas Eve we will be open 8am to 12pm.
Christmas Day we are CLOSED.

New Years Eve we are CLOSED.
New Years Day we are CLOSED.

As always, in case of emergencies, we have a doctor on-call 24/7. 440-834-8821

11/20/2024

Check out our November Newsletter! Here are some alternative treat ideas... as always if your horse has diet restrictions, please check what they can have before feeding!

Looking for treat ideas for your horse? Check out these options.

10/25/2024

Fall laminitis refers to cases of laminitis or founder that occur in the autumnal months. Although laminitis can happen in any season, anecdotally there seems to be an uptick in the number of cases in the fall.

Why could this be?

• As the days get shorter and colder, grasses have been shown to respond to this stress with higher sugar concentrations. Diets with higher simple sugar concentrations may increase the risk of laminitis.

• Decreases in exercise may cause increases in body condition. Fat or obese horses are at risk of developing laminitis.

• Horses naturally have increased levels of certain hormones in the fall. If you have a horse with PPID (previously referred to as equine Cushing’s), the increase in their cortisol levels could put them at risk for laminitis.

If you have questions concerning fall laminitis or are concerned that your horse may be at an increased risk, contact your equine veterinarian so that they can properly evaluate your horse's unique situation.

Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information.

10/23/2024

Phones are working!! Thank you everyone for your patience.

10/22/2024

Our phone system is once again down, but our office is open. However, our after hours answering service is helping us out during business hours, and is able to take your calls. Please do not hang up when you get the recording. They will take your message or transfer you to our office.
Thank you for your patience. Many tech services are working on the issue to hopefully have an answer for us soon.

10/11/2024

Some good info on hoof abscesses!

WHAT CAUSES HOOF ABSCESSES?

Sooner or later, nearly all horse owners will deal with a hoof abscess. But what does "hoof abscess" actually mean?

Although most commonly seen during the wet winter and spring months, hoof abscesses can plague horses year-round and usually occur when debris and bacteria enter the foot through hoof cracks and wounds, even horseshoeing holes. The bacteria then get trapped between the sensitive laminae (the tissue layer that bonds the hoof capsule to the coffin bone) and the hoof wall or sole and create pus; the pus builds up over time and puts pressure behind the hoof wall or sole, until it causes the sudden onset of acute lameness when the pain finally becomes too great. (The diagram shows a simplified view of the equine hoof to help visualize the structures involved in this process.)

Hoof abscesses can mimic other more serious diseases or injuries, so involving your veterinarian early on in the diagnosis and prompt treatment of this condition is always a good idea. Some abscesses will be uncomplicated and rupture on their own like a large pimple at the coronary band or heel bulbs; other abscesses, however, could require radiographs and will need to be surgically drained.

09/25/2024

Our signups for Client Appreciation Night are FULL!! If you have signed up, we are excited to see you tonight at 6pm!!

09/12/2024

Is it an eclipse? No! We're dazzled by the CLIENT APPRECIATION NIGHT!!! Wednesday Sept 25th at 6:00PM!! Call in soon to get a seat for a great dinner (porkchops are back!), fellowship, and a presentation on the dreaded HERPES virus, by Dr Kerby Weaver from Boehringer Ingelheim. All FREE! Call now! (440)834-8821

09/06/2024

Attention!!! Client Appreciation Night is BACK!!
Call to reserve spot. Can't wait to see you all!

08/29/2024

Good morning!
Just a reminder that we will be closed on Monday, September 2nd for Labor Day. Have a fun, safe weekend!🦅

08/23/2024

Have you been thinking about stocking up on hay for the winter? Here is some helpful information if you feed off of round bales.

As fall draws closer, many horse owners are busy securing their fall and winter hay supply. If you are considering purchasing round bales for your equine companions—due to their cost-effectiveness and greater convenience for feeding pastured animals— remember that there are a few things to consider when choosing between square or round bales.

• Are you equipped/prepared to store your hay correctly?
Improperly stored round bales can lose much of their nutritional value and are also more susceptible to mold, dust, and bacteria growth, which can cause respiratory issues and even colic.

• Are your horses protected from botulism?
Round bales provide an optimum environment for the development of the botulism toxin. This toxin is produced when "Clostridium botulinum" is exposed to the right environmental conditions — such as when forage materials are baled and stored while still damp, or when they include the carcasses of dead animals, like birds and mice.

Prevention of this disease through vaccination is critical, especially in areas where the condition is prevalent (such as Kentucky, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, California, and Tennessee).

• Are round bales a good choice for your horse?
Horses prone to respiratory conditions usually have increased problems with round bales due to their higher dust content.

• Do you have a feeder to place your round bales in?
Round bales not placed in a feeder can create more waste, which means your horses may not be meeting their nutritional requirements.

• Can you secure high-quality round bales?
Not all hay is created equal. Be sure to choose high-quality hay to meet your horse's nutritional needs and minimize the risk of impaction colic, which increases with lower-quality, less digestible forage.

As always, your equine veterinarian remains your best source of information and advice—consult your horse doctor on best practices when feeding hay this fall and winter!

For more information on botulism, visit our website at: https://aaep.org/guidelines-resources/resource-library/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEwcuRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHV5P3MHpvOoAOGsW2VwZTo-v_0pkILq8xN-reSg_yb3W01gGW_lfk0Nrnw_aem_Pp0WTnTG0S7pEH-BcTMV1g&_search=botulism