Farm & Field Mobile Veterinary Services PC

01/04/2025

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

01/04/2025

Calving is a rewarding time of year, but when an emergency hits, beef cattle producers must act fast. 🚨 Find our Calf 911 checklists and videos so you know:
✅ when to intervene
✅ how to resuscitate a newborn calf
✅ when and how to administer colostrum
✅ how to recognize and treat dehydration
✅ what records are important to keep

CLICK HERE FOR ALL RESOURCES: https://www.beefresearch.ca/calf911

01/04/2025

As blanket season is in full force upon us, here is a very important reminder courtesy of the horse doctors at Miamitown Equine Veterinary Services:

"When securing blankets, make sure that the snaps/clips are facing inward, toward the horse! If they are facing out, they can easily become stuck on something, like the hay net in the picture."

10/22/2024

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.

10/15/2024

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.

10/15/2024

Colic is not a disease, but rather a combination of signs that alert us to abdominal pain in the horse. Colic can range from mild to severe, but it should never be ignored, as many of the conditions that cause colic can become life threatening in a relatively short period of time. Only by quickly and accurately recognizing colic – and seeking qualified veterinary help – can the chance for recovery be maximized.

Virtually any horse is susceptible to colic, so management practices can play a key role in prevention. And although not every case is avoidable, the guidelines listed in the graphic can help you maximize your horse’s health and reduce the risk of colic.

As always, remember that every animal is different depending on age, breed and other health conditions, so be sure to work with your veterinarian to address any concerns specific to your situation!

10/15/2024

Over the last two decades, great strides have been made to standardize beef cattle injection techniques. This printable checklist of recommended injection practices can help producers maintain a safe and quality Canadian beef supply.

Download PDF guide.⬇️

https://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/injection-best-practices-for-beef-cattle-video/

10/01/2024

Puzzled by abdominal distention when it’s not just plain bloat? Course 21 at largeanimalce.com can help! I give you a step-wise way to work through these cases (including a chart!) and get to an answer!

09/03/2024

09/03/2024

Caring for our equine friends never takes a day off, even on a holiday.

This , let's take a moment to thank the veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and equine professionals who don't get the day off and are working hard to ensure the wellbeing of our equine companions.

Thank you for all that you do!

07/15/2024

07/14/2024

What are the annual core vaccines horses require?

Eastern and Western Encephalitis
These two forms of encephalitis are both neurologic diseases that are almost always fatal, if not extremely difficult and expensive to treat. Mosquitoes transmit the disease to horses, as well as to humans. Our area is at a high risk for encephalitis, and unvaccinated horses infected with this disease rarely survive.

Rabies
Rabies is a neurologic disease that is zoonotic (transmissible to humans) and is always fatal once contracted. This vaccine should only be administered by a licensed veterinarian. In Virginia, if the vaccine is not administered by a veterinarian, the horse is considered unvaccinated for Rabies.

Tetanus
Tetanus is a neuromuscular disease caused by the toxin of the bacteria Clostridium tetani that typically enters the body through a puncture wound. These bacteria are commonly found in the environment. Tetanus is a difficult and expensive disease to treat and is potentially fatal.

West Nile Virus
West Nile Virus is the leading cause of arbovirus encephalitis in horses and humans in the United States. This virus is transmitted by mosquitoes and causes severe neurologic disease. The virus cannot be transmitted between horses and humans.

Find more information at AAEP: https://aaep.org/resource/owner-vaccination-guidelines/

07/13/2024

Our beloved equine companions cannot consume some of the foods that we can enjoy. Here are a few examples!

06/09/2024

Today’s path rounds are on 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐬! Another weird congenital malformation for you weirdos out there that like em.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭?
𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐮𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐬 is a rare and fatal congenital disease where the fetus’ spine is 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐝 backward, meaning that spine is curved away from the legs. This is also associated with failure of the abdominal wall to close, so the guts are hanging out of the fetus. This gives the fetus an “inside out” appearance. So weird.

𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐭?
This condition is primarily seen in ruminants, like cattle, sheep and goats.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭?
It is suspected that schisotosomus reflexus may be genetically linked, based on some preliminary studies analyzing pedigrees. However, no definitive cause has been identified.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦?
These fetuses frequently cause 𝐝𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚 (difficulty in giving birth), because they aren’t shaped normally and often have their limbs in strange positions. These fetuses are frequently dead at the time of delivery, so they can be removed by 𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐲 (cutting up the dead fetus while it is inside the uterus using a cutting wire) or by Caesarian section.

𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐬
1-2) Examples of schistosomus in calves.
3) Schistosomus in a lamb.
4) Schistosomus in a goat kid.
5) Schistosomus in a piglet.

𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬
Line, S. Congenital and inherited anomalies in animals. Merck Veterinary Manual 2020.

Photo 1 courtesy of University of Calgary Diagnostic Services Unit.
Photos 2-5 courtesy of Noah’s Arkive.

06/07/2024

Hot off the press!!!

UPDATES GUIDELINES AVAILABLE 📢

The AAEP has issued revised Internal Parasite Control Guidelines to help minimize the risk of parasitic disease and maintain the effectiveness of current drugs for as long as possible by delaying further development of anthelmintic resistance.

The updated guidelines account for recent advances in knowledge concerning increased anthelmintic resistance and optimization of parasite control management practices. They also address common misconceptions and offer parasite control program recommendations for senior horses (over 15 years old), mature horses (between 5 and 15 years old), and young horses (under 5 years old).

Read more at: https://aaep.org/post/aaep-publishes-updated-internal-parasite-control-guidelines/

The guidelines were reviewed and updated by the AAEP Internal Parasite Control Guidelines Task Force, chaired by Dr. Nielsen and comprised of 10 AAEP members predominantly board certified in veterinary internal medicine, veterinary parasitology and/or veterinary microbiology. We thank them for their incredibly important work!

05/29/2024

IDK who needs to hear this right know but if you’re going through a rough time, don’t cut your bangs.

05/28/2024

Calling all novice and professional photographers! ABS is once again hosting our annual photo contest. All submissions may be used in ABS marketing materials and communications, such as websites, social media, brochures, etc. The contest begins June 14 and will be open through July 16...