Haymarket Veterinary Service

11/26/2025

Happy Thanksgiving!

The office will be closed tomorrow in celebration of the holiday and will reopen Friday morning at 9am. We have veterinarians on call for any emergency needs that you may have!

703-754-3309 📞

11/22/2025

Prascend Rebate alert!

The current rebate is $30 back when you purchase a 160ct box and $10 back for a 60ct. This ends on NOVEMBER 30!! This rebate won’t return until April 2026. Get your orders in ASAP.

Call the office to order more!
703-754-3309

11/21/2025

EHV-1/EHM update!

We know there is significant concern about the ongoing outbreak in Texas. As of today, there are no related cases in Virginia. The one reported case in Maryland is considered to be unrelated and sporadic case that had not recently traveled.

We all want to keep our horses safe! Please refer to the AAEP’s post below about the basics of EHV-1 and biosecurity. As of now, we are not recommending boostering any flu/rhino vaccines unless it has been more than 6 months since the last booster. The safest plan is to minimize elective travel or contact with new horses.

As we continue to monitor the current outbreak of the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus (EHM) infection, let's take this opportunity to discuss once more the importance of biosecurity measures to stop disease spread. We recommend the following biosecurity precautions for horse owners, particularly if their horses have recently traveled to horse shows or were exposed to horses that have traveled:

1) Monitor horses for clinical signs (including fever, discharge from the nostrils, toe-dragging or a lack of balance) and take the temperature twice daily. Temperature greater than 101.5 F is considered a fever.

2) Immediately isolate any horse(s) showing clinical signs. Equine herpesvirus is an aerosolized virus and is spread through shared airspace, direct contact, and contaminated caretakers or equipment. A good isolation area is a separate barn or shelter that does not share airspace with healthy horses.

3) Implement movement restrictions until the situation is evaluated.

4) Contact your veterinarian to evaluate your horse and to propose a comprehensive biosecurity protocol.

5) Increase biosecurity measures that include extensive cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment that come in contact with affected horses: wash or sanitize your hands between interacting with horses; take time while filling water buckets and feed tubs, do not cross contaminate; minimize the use of shared equipment and tack.

6) Make sure your horse is up to date on vaccinations.

7) Establish communication with all parties involved (owners, boarders, trainers, etc.).

More resources and information regarding biosecurity are available on the Equine Disease Communication Center's website at https://equinediseasecc.org/biosecurity

To learn more Equine Herpesvirus (EHV), visit: https://www.equinediseasecc.org/equine-herpesvirus

11/19/2025

Senior dental care continued—EOTRH edition

Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercemetosis 🦷

What is it?
-progressive condition of the most commonly the incisors/canines in older equines
-can be painful and limit ability to bite/graze

Clinical signs
-reluctance to graze or pull hay out of a hay net
-drooling
**most horses show minimal signs despite being painful**

Appearance of the teeth
-reddening/raised tissue at the gumline
-receding gum line
-“bulbous” appearing/swollen tooth roots
-ulcers/pustules along the gumline
-loose teeth

Diagnosis
-suspicions from oral exam
-radiographs of tooth roots needed

Treatment
-mild cases: dietary modifications, pain management
-severe cases: surgical removal of affected teeth, this is typically done just under standing sedation and local nerve blocks!

EOTRH is a sneaky disease and one that most horses don’t communicate how much it is truly affecting them.
The most common report we hear from owners after removal of teeth is “my horse is completely different, I didn’t realize how much pain those teeth were truly causing”

Schedule an oral exam today for your older equine friends if you have any concerns!
703-754-3309 📞

11/06/2025

On November 5, the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) posted that the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has confirmed a case of Equine Parvovirus in a 17-year-old Draft cross gelding used for pleasure riding at a private facility in Stafford County, Virginia.

The horse exhibited elevated liver values on routine blood work but displayed no clinical signs of liver disease. A PCR test confirmed Equine Parvovirus. The gelding is currently recovering, and no quarantine has been issued. One additional horse at the facility is a suspected case.

Symptoms of equine parvovirus (EqPV-H) include lethargy, anorexia, colic, jaundice, and neurological signs.

11/04/2025

Emergencies and illness in our horses are inevitable. Waiting too long to call can have dangerous results!

Reasons for prompt care:
•Discomfort and pain can be addressed quickly.
•Most problems have the best prognosis when treatments are started quickly.
•Simple and less costly treatments are more likely to still be options.
•Scheduling can be easily prioritized for more serious issues.

We have team members available 24/7 to field questions and triage concerns.
703-754-3309 📞

10/29/2025

Check it out! Owner education seminar from the AAEP!

We have a huge population of senior horses in the HVS family. If you own one (or several) older equines, this may interest you!

DON'T MISS OUR LAST HORSE OWNER EDUCATION WEBINAR OF 2025! 📢

Join us next Wednesday, Nov. 5, for "Care and Management of the Elderly Equine".

Just like people, the needs of horses change as they continue to age. Members of the AAEP Horse Owner Education committee will present on a wide range of topics to help you properly care for the elderly equine in your life. Discussion points will include diet, dentistry, common diseases and illnesses, preventative care, and more. Do not miss this informative session on how to help your older horse live its best life!

Registration is FREE but required. A recording of the webinar will be available if you miss the live event.

Register here: https://events.zoom.us/ev/Ah5yOsCebSifxMhDsKU4IL28l58V2uXLCCZy2BJfr1cVGkPrhte-~AkTrbyktZL-X6LN0LpntEqMChUPte_sAlD_Vc22m-q6fZUf_K_Bby90XhQ

This informative session is brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

10/28/2025

A quick PSA! ‼️

If you ever find your horse with a foreign object like a nail or piece of wire in their foot, there are two important things to remember…

1. DO NOT remove the item! Once removed, it makes it significantly harder to rule out contact with important soft tissue, boney, and synovial structures. Foreign objects are typically easy to visualize with a radiograph like the one below.
2. Contact a veterinarian immediately. This is absolutely an emergency!

10/19/2025

We had a fantastic time at the Haymarket Day Parade! Rascal, Coco, Baxter, and Dawson were absolute stars in the parade and in the petting area, where they loved meeting so many families.
A huge thank you to the Coalition to Protect Prince William County for inviting us to such a wonderful community event.

10/13/2025

Happy National Veterinary Technician Week!

We are so blessed to have an amazing team of veterinary technicians and assistants that are the backbone of Haymarket Veterinary Service. They bring so much compassion to the untold amount of hours of hard work every day!

If you see these ladies on the road or at your barn, be sure to thank them for all they do 👏👏

10/07/2025

Equine Gastric Ulcers ‼️

Clinical signs are variable and not always consistent with the severity of disease. Every horse internalizes stress and demonstrates pain in different ways, so it’s important to pay attention to subtle shifts in attitude especially during times of change!

Things to watch out for:
-mild to moderate colic episodes, especially repeated with no obvious cause
-sensitivity to grooming, especially over the abdomen
-stretching out after eating
-disinterest in grain but good appetite for forage
-refusal to go forward or engage under saddle
-girthiness during tack up
-weight loss/difficulty gaining weight
-and many more!

Diagnosis is only made via Gastroscopy. This procedure is done after a period of overnight fasting. The HVS team is able to bring this procedure right to the farm to avoid the stress of traveling!

Gastroscopy gives us an exact picture of what type of ulcers are present and how severe they are. It helps us tailor the medication and management plan for each horse, and allows us to track response/healing over time.

Contact the office to schedule an evaluation if any of these signs are similar to what you’re seeing in your horse!
703-754-3309 📞
[email protected] 📧