Columbia Equine Hospital

08/15/2024

Dr. Paul Duff is heading to HOOD RIVER September 5th, 2024! Take advantage of the low in area call fee. Great opportunity for on farm fall vaccines, bloodwork, annual dental, lameness exam, etc. Dr. Duff is certified in chiropractic and acupuncture as well! Please call into our office at (503) 663-1515 to get on the books today!

07/25/2024

Did you know that we have a board certified surgeon, Dr. Kristy Husby, DVM, MS, DACVS-LA perform procedures at our clinic one day per month? 🩺

Last month, a 17 year old Quarter Horse cross mare presented to one of our regular staff doctors for a wound on the outside of her left front limb a little above the fetlock. The wound presumably occurred from a kick by her pasture mate. Upon examination, the wound was deep enough to contact bone. A digital radiograph (x-ray) was obtained revealing a complete and displaced fracture of her metacarpal IV (outside splint bone). The mare was placed on stall rest with bandaging, pain medications and antibiotics. A couple weeks later, once the local inflammation was resolved, Dr. Husby performed surgery at Columbia Equine Hospital to remove the broken off bone fragment thereby reducing risk of future complications such as chronic infection or large boney callus formation which could irritate surrounding structures.

Although the top of the splint bones in horses play a roll in stabilizing the the carpus (knee) and hock joints, they do not directly bare weight and the prognosis after removal of a small low fragment such as in this case is very good. We are happy to report that this mare recovered well from surgery and has returned to her normal routine. 🦄

Want to know more about Dr. Husby? She completed her large animal surgery residency at Oregon State University in 2016. You can read more about her on our website here: https://www.columbiaequine.com/site/veterinarians-gresham/dr-kirsty-husby

07/10/2024

It's National Farriers Week! Let's celebrate the hard work that our farriers put in daily to partner with equine veterinarians and ensure the health and well-being of our horses. Proper hoof care is essential for a sound and happy horse, so it goes without saying that a skilled farrier is both a necessity and a tremendous asset.

Don't forget to give a shoutout to your farriers this week and show them your appreciation for their dedication to their craft!

07/04/2024

Happy July 4th!

Our office is closed today. If you have an emergency our on call Doctor is ready to assist.

Have a safe holiday! And enjoy this Boyd Martin regular.

06/28/2024

We would love to welcome Dr. Ellie Clow-Nutile to Columbia Equine Hospital!

Ellie Clow-Nutile, DVM grew up in West Linn, Oregon. She was the odd one out in her family developing an interest in horses and veterinary medicine at an early age. She started with hunter/jumper lessons and schooling shows and progressed to grooming on the PNW hunter/jumper circuit in high school where she developed a lot of her horse skills. She received her bachelor’s in biochemistry with a minor in biology from Eastern Oregon University where she also worked as a groom and exercise rider for a polo player.

She was accepted into the veterinary medicine program at Oregon State University in 2017 and graduated in 2021. Following veterinary school she completed an equine focused internship at Steinbeck Peninsula Equine Clinics in the bay area where she stayed on as an associate for two years and honed her skills in ambulatory and hospitalized cases.

Ellie enjoys many aspects of equine veterinary medicine with a focus in wellness, sports medicine and emergency medicine. She truly enjoys developing relationships with each client and horse in order to provide them with the best experience and care.

Ellie lives in Gresham with her husband Enzo, their dog Copper and two cats, Monty and Daxo. In her spare time she enjoys live music, camping and dirt biking.

We are thrilled to have her join the team! If you see her give her a warm welcome.

06/20/2024

Thanks for the great tips AAEP

06/08/2024

Ultrasound for aid in diagnosis!

This horse had an acute swelling on the left side of his face that worsened over a few days. Before any intervention was performed, a quick ultrasound of the region showed a foreign object in the area. The scan helped decide the trajectory of the object and how deep it sat prior to incision and removal. The object turned out to be wood, and after removal the small opening was lavaged.

06/06/2024

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!

06/05/2024

Please join us to wish Dr Lauren Taylor the best as she embarks on the next chapter of her career. If you would like to book an appointment with Dr Lauren, she is accepting appointments through June 17th.

We’ll miss you Dr Lauren!

05/30/2024

Thinking about buying a new horse? 🐴

Whether this is your first horse or you are adding to your herd, we recommend that every horse is evaluated through a pre-purchase examination. During a pre-purchase examination, your veterinarian will fully assess the health and soundness of the horse you are considering for purchase. Not only will this allow you to understand potential risks you would be undertaking in ownership of this horse, but it will also allow you to make an informed decision given your budget and personal goals. This early investment could save you in the long run or give you the opportunity to learn how to best support your new horse moving forward. 🩺

05/27/2024

Our office is closed today in honor of Memorial Day. We have a doctor on call for emergencies. Normal business hours will resume tomorrow. Have a fun and safe three day weekend! 🇺🇸

05/14/2024

We are starting a bulletin board in our office with client/patient photos! Please email your photo to [email protected] to be included. Thank you!! 🦄

04/24/2024

It’s foaling season!! Check out this fantastic article from our friends at TheHorse.com. It includes a list of what to put in your foaling kit! 🩺

Learn about the stages of labor and the normal post-foaling chain of events so you can react quickly if issues arise.

04/17/2024

Why do we recommend deworming your horse twice yearly even if your horses most recent f***l egg count was negative?

One reason is because of Gasterophilus spp. (bot flys)! 🪰 F***l floats are used primarily to check egg counts of strongyles and ascarids - bot fly larvae are only shed intermittently and don’t show up on a float.

An adult bot fly can lay up to 1,000 eggs in the summer/fall which are often deposited onto a horses hair coat. Horses will accidentally swallow the eggs when they lick the areas where the eggs were laid. Upon ingestion, the eggs to hatch and eventually as the larvae develop they will attach to the inside of the horses stomach wall growing there throughout the winter. Larvae interfere with the passage of food and cause inflammation and ulcerations. In the spring when the larvae are mature, they release from the stomach wall and are passed in the horses manure 💩, quickly burrowing beneath the soil surface for their final developmental stage and emerge as adult flies a few weeks to a couple months later, starting the cycle over again.

The first image is from our friends at HorseDVM illustrating Gasterophilus spp. lifecycle, and the second image is of boy fly larvae within a horses stomach as seen during a gastroscopy performed at our hospital.

04/02/2024

What is a Coggins? 💉🩸

When talking about a horse’s health/travel papers, Coggins refers to the document which shows the result of their Coggins blood test. The blood test detects antibodies to Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) virus. EIA is a blood-borne pathogen; transmission is primarily through biting insects 🪰 and iatrogenic (re-use of needle). Most horses infected show no clinical signs, however in some cases symptoms may include fever, depression, weight loss, edema, hemorrhage and organ failure. Horses infected with EIA become lifelong carriers and pose a threat to the health of other horses. There is no treatment or cure, and therefore in the United States it is legally required for any positive horse to be euthanized or quarantined for life. Documentation of a negative Coggins test within the previous year is a legal requirement (along with a health certificate) for horses traveling out of their home state. Coggins testing requires that a USDA accredited veterinarian draws blood from your horse and sends it to an accredited laboratory. It takes approximately one week for results to be available. All of our veterinarians at Columbia Equine are USDA accredited; if you are planning to travel out of state with your horse this year please plan ahead and schedule your horses Coggins test sooner than later. 🛻🐴

03/28/2024

At your next performance or lameness examination, ask your vet if Arthramid could be a good option for your horse! ARTHRAMIDVET® is a 2.5% polyacrylamide hydrogel (iPAAG). It is administered through intra-articular joint injection to manage inflamed and arthritic joints in horses. It works by integrating into the synovium (joint capsule) creating a long term “bio-scaffold” which results in improved joint function and decrease in pain. The joint capsule becomes more elastic and there is an increase in synovial cells, which are responsible for producing the joint fluid which lubricates and cushions the joint. 💉🐎

03/26/2024

Ultrasound Guided Injections!

Injections of certain regions of the horse are often aided by guidance using an ultrasound, either for confirmation of location when injecting, or as a diagnostic tool. In this video the medial compartment of the femorotibial joint of the stifle is being treated with a regenerative product. Other common locations where ultrasound is used to aid in treatment include the sacroiliac joint, cervical facets, thoracolumbar facets, the shoulder (scapulohumeral joint), the bicipital bursa, and intralesional treatments in tendons and ligaments.

03/19/2024

FREE webinar for horse owners!
Registration is required.

If you own horses long enough, sooner or later you are likely to face a medical emergency.

On March 20, join AAEP members Drs. Allie Catalino, Racquel Lindroth, and Nikki Scherrer for a one-hour webinar discussing how horse owners can prepare themselves for equine veterinary emergencies. Learn to identify problems requiring immediate attention and take appropriate action while awaiting veterinary care!

Attendance is FREE but registration is required; attendees are also encouraged to submit their questions in advance through the registration form. A recording of the webinar will be available if you miss the live event.

Register now at https://aaep-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7L6QaXs_RI6UymQgAWBuvg #/registration

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

03/16/2024

Come out and see us at the Canby Tack Sale this morning! Need a hot cup of coffee to warm up? We have complimentary coffee and tea!

03/14/2024

Despite the lovely weather forecasted for the end of this week ☀️, mud season is unfortunately not quite over. Muddy conditions can exacerbate “foot funk” conditions such as white line disease, thrush and abscesses. Here is a wonderful article from our friends at The Horse Magazine for more info on these conditions and tips for how to combat them. 🐴

https://thehorse.com/1109673/fighting-foot-funk/?fbclid=IwAR2EAwm4uC6I7HUYKONNt5CnlCmQxOqmL6zJTmMUi7t7McTrfCrb6M9-C6s_aem_AT_6UBjF_StGIuRBdsNbz51IUUYlX8JVziT3c96I_fkivHz0QFzrdii4p6XhgdGH4nY

Learn how to combat horse foot issues such as thrush, white line disease, and abscesses that can develop in by moist, muddy conditions.

02/27/2024

🐾 CAPTION THIS, comment below ⬇️

02/13/2024

🌷Spring is around the corner, it’s time to get prepared for deworming season! Annual f***l egg counts are recommended so that deworming recommendations can be tailored to your horses individual needs. Consult with your veterinarian for specific guidance. 💩🪱 Be sure to always set the dial on your deworming paste to your horses approximate weight, and *pro tip* before actually administering the dewormer place the syringe in your horses mouth causing them to spit out any food first so that the paste sticks to their tongue.

02/01/2024

✨What is Pro-Stride?

Pro-Stride is an autologous protein solution (APS) used primarily for the treatment of osteoarthritis in horses. Following veterinary diagnosis of osteoarthritis and depending on various factors of an individual case, intra-articular injection with Pro-Stride may be recommended as one aspect of your horses comfort or performance management. Pro-Stride is a highly concentrated mixture of select cells, growth factors and anti-inflammatory proteins that when administered into a diseased joint reduces pain and promotes a healthier environment. It can be an especially good choice in cases that are refractory to other treatment options, cases with a closely associated soft tissue injury, and in cases where underlying endocrine disorders increase adverse steroid associated risks.

“Autologous” means obtained from the same individual. To create Pro-Stride (as seen in the video), following sterile preparation, blood is collected from the jugular vein of the horse that the end product is intended for and placed in a two step sterile kit and centrifuged twice. The resulting solution is then (again following sterile preparation) injected directly into the problem area(s) of the same horse.

For the science nerds 🤓 out there, here are a few of the most important components of ProStride: platelet derived growth factors such as PDGF, VEGF, etc., and cytokines such as IL-1ra (IRAP), alpha 2 macroglobulin (A*M), sIL-1R, sTNF-R’s, and more!

01/21/2024

It’s National Hug Your Horse Day!!

We’d love to see photos of your horsey hugs today, share in the comments below! 🤗 ⬇️

01/17/2024

Again we are postponing routine appointments today (1/17) and our office is closed due to hazardous road conditions, but a doctor is on call 24/7 for emergencies. We are optimistic for normal operations tomorrow and will be rescheduling and answering messages/emails as efficiently as possible. Thank you all for your patience and understanding. Stay safe! 🧊

01/16/2024

Update:

We will again be closed for routine appointments today, as everyone will be busy enough defrosting water and taming cabin fever horses. Drs have their trucks and will be seeing ERs, and the only staff in office will be these 2. We will keep everyone updated for tomorrow’s plans. Stay safe!

01/15/2024

We will be closed for appointments today (1/15) due to the weather advisory. We are open for ER services 24/7. We will keep everyone updated day to day with what Mother Nature brings us!

Stay safe and cozy everyone!

01/11/2024

Winter weather horse care tips from our fiends at the American Association of Equine Practitioners ❄️

01/01/2024

Happy new year! ✨ Our office is closed today but as always we have a doctor on call 24/7 for emergencies.