Keswick Equine Clinic

01/23/2025

It’s not uncommon to find horses and ponies living well into their 20s and 30s, thanks to continuous advances in nutrition and health care.

Horse owners have a big impact as well and can help their horses thrive in their golden years through proper management practices like those illustrated in the graphic. But remember, although there is much you can do on your own to keep your older horse happy and spry, some conditions associated with aging require medical intervention.

Scheduling regular visits and keeping a good line of communication with your veterinarian will allow you to respond quickly to any ailments or injuries that could cause your horse a serious or prolonged set back. That means less worry for you, and a better quality of life for your old friend!

01/17/2025

If you have questions or concerns about FWS or diarrhea in regard to your horse, reach out to us at (540) 832-3030 and we will get your questions to your horse’s doctor.

01/13/2025

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING (A FOAL) 🐴

If your mare has made it through 11 months of pregnancy, you're almost there. Labor and delivery, while momentous, are generally uncomplicated — however, being a prepared and informed owner will help you keep your anxiety in check so you can assist the new mother and foal get off to a great start.

Here are some things you can do to prepare for the arrival of the foal:

• Consult with your veterinarian well in advance of the birth. Know how to reach your regular veterinarian after hours and ask about a back-up or referring veterinarian in case your regular horse doctor is not available.

• Clean and disinfect the stall as thoroughly as possible. Provide adequate bedding.

• Wash the mare's udder, v***a and hindquarters with a mild soap and rinse thoroughly.

• Wrap the mare's tail with a clean wrap when you observe the first stage of labor. Be sure that the wrap is not applied too tightly or left on too long, as it can cut off circulation and permanently damage the tail.

• Time each stage of labor, to help you keep accurate track of the mare's progress. Take written notes! When you're worried or anxious, your perception of time can become distorted.

As always, these are general guidelines, and you should contact your veterinarian for more information specific to your situation. Good luck!

01/07/2025

Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months? AAEP has put together some fun facts! Check them out below…

🌾 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

01/03/2025

Due to the anticipated inclement weather coming in on Monday, January 6th we will only be open for emergency calls on Monday. We plan to resume our normal business schedule on Tuesday and will keep you posted as we recieve updates. Stay safe and stay warm friends!

01/01/2025

12/27/2024

Get your equine friend's medications & supplements delivered directly to your door! When you order through our online pharmacy, your KEC vets can review and approve your requests quickly and efficiently. Check it out by visiting our website or clicking the link below! https://keswickequineclinic.ourvet.com/pet/

12/24/2024

Merry Christmas form all of us here at KEC, we hope you have a blessed holiday! Our office will be closing at 1pm today and will reopen on Dec. 27th. As always our emergency services will still be up and running 24/7 throughout the holiday season. Hope you and your equine friends all made it onto the nice list this year!

12/19/2024

We saw this and couldn't help but share for our K-9 friends. A holiday barkuterie board, what an adorable idea from ASPCA Pet Health Insurance!

12/18/2024

If you own horses long enough, sooner or later you are likely to be confronted with a medical emergency—even during the holidays. Are you prepared to act?

Having a clear emergency action plan will help you stay focused and effective if a crisis strikes. Below are some basic guidelines that can help you prepare for an equine emergency:

1. Know how to reach your regular veterinarian after hours. Ask about a back-up or referring veterinarian in case your regular horse doctor is not available for emergencies.

2. Have a plan for transporting the horse if necessary and know in advance the most direct route to an equine surgery center.

3. Prepare a first aid kit and store it in a clean, dry, readily accessible place. Keep a first aid kit in your horse trailer or towing vehicle as well and be sure to check your supplies periodically and restock as needed. First-aid kits can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like; seek your horse doctor's advice on what to add, especially regarding any drugs that could be included and how they should be administered.

12/16/2024

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF INFECTION AT YOUR BARN?
Here is some helpful info from The AAEP on infection control and as always, please reach out to us with any questions or concerns you may have!

While parasite control and immunization with vaccines remain key pieces of any infection control plan, horse owners need to remember the importance of reducing or preventing exposure of the horse to infection causing agents in the first place.

This will surely require more work than simply scheduling a vaccination appointment for your horse, but if you’re thinking, “Is this REALLY necessary?” — the answer is yes. Any effort you put in to preventing infection vastly outweighs the cost of treating and possibly hospitalizing a sick horse!

12/11/2024

Important reminder for the upcoming holidays!

It’s the most festive time of the year…but it can also be a risky time for your pets. Keep your holidays happy and safe by following these “Holiday pet DON’TS.” AVMA members - you can download and print this helpful flyer to display at your clinic by visiting https://bit.ly/3VdkDeG

12/06/2024

Do you know what EHV really is? It’s more than just a snotty nose.

What is Equine Herpesvirus (EHV)?

You've probably heard it called Rhinopneumonitis, a respiratory tract disease that results in "snotty noses," but EHV is more than that. Depending on the strain, this virus can also cause abortion in broodmares, and equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) — the often deadly neurologic form of the disease.

Because EHV is endemic in many equine populations, most mature horses have developed some immunity through repeated natural infection. However, they remain a source of infection for other susceptible horses, like weaned foals and yearlings, who usually display symptoms of the respiratory form of the disease in autumn and winter. Performance and show horses are also more vulnerable to the disease, as they commingle with unfamiliar equines in close quarters while under stress from travel and competition.

Proper biosecurity protocols can help reduce EHV outbreaks and other disease transmission. A variety of vaccines are also available for protection against both the respiratory and abortive form of the disease, but there is no equine licensed vaccine at this time that has a label claim for protection against the neurologic form (EHM).

Consult your primary equine veterinarian to learn more about this disease, and work with them to determine the optimal vaccine protocol for your horses.

12/03/2024

Types of Examinations Part 5: Lameness Examination
The most common reason for performing a pre-purchase exam (PPE) is to evaluate the horse’s soundness. Lameness is the number one cause for loss of use in horses, so this is often the potential buyer’s biggest concern and reason for having the horse evaluated.
Here's what you can expect during the lameness portion of the exam:
1. Initial check- The veterinarian will examine the legs for heat, swelling, or pain.
2. Movement- The horse will be observed in straight lines and circles at a walk and trot.
3. Flexion Test- Specific joints are flexed, and after, the horse is jogged for the veterinarian to spot any lameness.
4. Ridden Exam- Many vets like to observe the horse under saddle to spot subtle issues.
If no significant problems are discovered when evaluating the horse’s gaits, the next step in the exam is often diagnostic imaging of the horse’s legs. The most common imaging includes taking radiographs (X-rays) to evaluate the bones and joints and ultrasound to evaluate the soft tissues (tendons and ligaments). Whether you want to have X-rays and/or ultrasound performed as part of the PPE should be discussed with your veterinarian when you schedule the exam.

12/02/2024

Types of Examinations Part 4: Reproductive System
There are not as many horses being evaluated for purchase as breeding animals as horses for athletic purposes. The pre-purchase examination (PPE) for breeding is often much more specialized, concentrating on the horse, whether a mare or a stallion, having the normal anatomy and function of the reproductive tract.
Examining mares includes visually inspecting the external portions of the reproductive tract, including the mammary gland, and palpating and/or using ultrasound to view the internal reproductive organs. Samples may be obtained from the uterus to culture for any bacterial infections or to examine the uterus's lining to see if it can maintain a pregnancy.
For stallions, a similar type of examination may be done to evaluate the external reproductive organs, and a semen sample may be taken to assess the number, shape, and motility of the s***m cells. These exams determine the likelihood that the horse, whether a mare or stallion, can produce foals.

11/29/2024

Types of Examinations Part 3: Cardiovascular System
Horses have big hearts in both a literal and a figurative sense. Horses typically don't have heart problems as often as people or dogs, but evaluating the heart during a pre-purchase examination (PPE) is still important. During a PPE, your vet will listen to the horse’s heart to determine if the heart is beating at a normal rate with a normal rhythm and to listen for any abnormal sounds like a heart murmur. It's also common to inspect the horse’s jugular veins because, in rare instances, repeated intravenous injections can cause problems with clots or infections of these veins. Veterinarians have additional, more elaborate ways to evaluate the heart, including diagnostic ultrasound and electrocardiograms (ECG). Still, just as with the respiratory tract, these tools are not routinely used when doing a PPE.

11/28/2024

Types of Examinations Part 2: Respiratory System
A healthy respiratory tract is essential for a horse's performance and well-being. During a pre-purchase exam (PPE), the upper and lower respiratory tracts are thoroughly checked using the following methods.
Upper Respiratory Tract:
• Scoping- An endoscope examines the nostrils and throat to detect structural issues and breathing problems. The procedure is typically done while the horse is at rest, but newer dynamic endoscopes can be used while the horse exercises.
Lower Respiratory Tract:
• Stethoscope- Your veterinarian will listen to the lungs for normal airflow and abnormal sounds.
• Rebreathing bag- A large plastic bag is placed over the horse's nostrils to make them take deeper breaths, which can be used to detect abnormal sounds like coughing.
Stay tuned for our next post in the series, which will cover what to expect for the cardiovascular portion of the PPE.