Finger Lakes Equine Practice

09/11/2024

We had an amazing time (as always) at this year’s cardboard boat race, raising money for Family & Children's Service of Ithaca!

This year we built a Trojan horse, with our boat “The Gift Horse”. Many,many, hours were spent drawing wood grain on strips of cardboard to make the “lumber” for our construction!

In past years the FLEP team has won awards for fastest boat (2023), and the “people’s choice award” for best boat (2022), so going into the race this year we had our hearts set on the only award we haven’t won… “Most spectacular sinking”!

We had plans for a dramatic sinking halfway around the course, and even had plugs to pull out in the bottom of our boat, but it turns out we didn’t need to worry as we never made it that far! It didn’t go as planned but was still spectacular and won us the award!

This is such a fun event and we always have a blast building and participating. We’re already discussing ideas for next year and hope to see many of you there!

09/02/2024

Join us this Sunday September, 8th for the Family and Children’s Services of Ithaca’s annual cardboard boat race!

This is our FOURTH year entering a boat and for this great event! The cardboard boat race helps to raise money to support this wonderful organization that provides vital mental health services to our community.

The race is at the Ithaca yacht club, it opens at 1:30 with the race beginning at 2:30.

You can find information on donating and purchasing tickets at:

https://www.fcsith.org/events/2024-cbr/

08/29/2024

Cases of EEE in horses continue to be reported, with 14 cases confirmed in NY so far this season. Affected horses have been either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated.
As this disease has a very high fatality rate we are recommending revaccination for any horses whose last vaccine was prior to April of 2024, particularly for those residing in the northern portion of our practice (Onondaga, Cayuga, Madison, Oswego and Oneida counties).
If you are unsure of your last vaccination date or would like to schedule an appointment for boosters please contact our office.

08/20/2024

There have been multiple positive cases of EEE in NYS and other states this summer.
All of these horses that were infected were unvaccinated or undervaccinated.

EEE is transmitted by mosquitoes and is nicknamed the "sleeping sickness." It is a viral disease that causes inflammation in the brain and spinal cord "encephalitis."
This disease is not new to the area. Each year there are positive horses, almost every case being unvaccinated. There were 9 cases of EEE and 5 cases of west nile virus recorded in horses in 2023.

It is VERY important to make sure your horses are up to date on their core vaccinations BEFORE mosquito season. This disease is more prevalent in late summer and early fall. Horses that have been vaccinated within the last year should have adequate protection, however if it has been greater than 6 months horse can be have an additional for additional caution. There are also positive cases of West Nile in the area, but they are less fatal than EEE (up to 40%).

Symptoms include:
Anorexia + Depression
High Fever
Lethargy + Drowsiness
Acute onset of neurologic signs - ataxia, tremors of head and neck, head tilt, droopy lip, convulsions, recumbent/paralysis

There is no treatment for EEE and it has a 95% fatality rate.
Death will occur within 2-3 days of onset of clinical signs.

Prevention:
Vaccination
Mosquito control
- Removing any unnecessary standing water
- Applying fly spray liberally and frequently

Other resources:
https://www.equinediseasecc.org/eastern-equine-encephalitis
The Equine Disease Communication Center is a great resource for updates on infectious diseases.

https://aaep.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/EEE_DZ_Guidelines_Final_2023.pdf
The American Association of Equine Practitioners has many client resources on different diseases and disorders.

04/11/2024

Recently there has been a confirmed case of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) in Tompkins County. The affected farm is currently quarantined and under supervision of the state vet. There are currently no extra precautions that need to be taken for your horses. A Flu/Rhino(EHV-1&4) vaccine is recommended for horses showing or traveling, particularly where they could come in nose-to-nose contact with other horses. You can learn more about EHV at the link below.

Almost all horses have been infected with the virus and have no serious side effects. It is currently unknown what causes some infected horses to develop the serious neurological forms that may be fatal.

01/20/2024

FLEP is pleased to announce that we will once again be providing two client appreciation brunch events in February! This is a really fun event and a great opportunity to connect with other clients from different disciplines and breeds.

The brunches start at 11:00 am (the food is agway delicious!) and are followed by presentations on a variety of topics in Equine medicine.

Saturday February 10, 2024 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM at The Inn of the Seasons located at 4311 W. Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse

Saturday, February 17, 2024 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM at Greek Peak Mountain Resort. Venue "The Lookout at Hope Lake". 2177 Clute Rd. Cortland NY 13045

There is no charge to our clients and their guests for these events but space is limited to about 100 people at each location. An RSVP is required, so give us a call to save a spot at the location of your choice.

Please call the office to reserve your spot.
Looking forward to seeing you there!

12/22/2023

Dr Olson and his wife Omyia welcomed their daughter Daphne on 12/13, everyone is healthy and home and settling in. Dr Olson will not be seeing appointments for a little while to spend some time at home with his family. We appreciate your patience with scheduling while we are down to two vets on the road.

11/08/2023

Is your horse microchipped? Beginning December 1st 2025 all horses competing in USEF licensed or endorsed competitions will be required to be microchipped. If you will need a microchip be sure to schedule an appointment or book it along with your next routine visit.

https://www.usef.org/compete/resources-forms/competition-management/competition-safety-biosecurity/microchipping #:~:text=Beginning%20December%201%2C%202025%2C%20under,email%20horseservices%40usef.org.

09/18/2023

Here is team FLEP crossing the finish line in our boat “Horsing Around”!
Believe it or not, despite how silly our boat looks, we not only stayed afloat but we won the race with the fastest boat!
It was another very successful and fun year, and we’re so glad to be a part of this helping to raise money for Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca. We’re already thinking about what to design for next year!

09/10/2023

Join us today for Family and Children’s Services of Ithaca’s annual cardboard boat race!

This is an awesome event that we have had so much fun being a part of the last 3 years. The cardboard boat race helps to raise money to support this wonderful organization that provides vital mental health services to our community.

The race is today at the Ithaca yacht club, it opens at 1:30 with the race beginning at 2:30.

We’d love to see you there, you don’t want to miss seeing our cardboard creation this year!

https://www.fcsith.org/events/cbr/

07/21/2023

Dr LaPoint and the Trumansburg Encore Players have been working tirelessly on this year's summer musical production of: "Monty Python's Spamalot"! It's going to be a fantastic and hilarious performance.

Dates: July 27-30 and August 3-6
Thursday-Saturday @7:00, Sunday matinee @ 3:00

Location: Arena Theatre, 9706 Congress Street Extension, Trumansburg, NY

Tickets can be purchased at:
https://encoreplayers.org/news-events/spamalot

06/06/2023

Tompkins county has raised the air quality index to Red, meaning unhealthy for all groups. Check with your county website to see what your air quality index is. With unhealthy air quality levels both humans and horses are best indoors where possible and exercise outdoors should be avoided. Ideally horses should be indoors out of the smokey air, use fans to provide airflow if needed, though for some this may cause additional problems with dust and the common indoor allergy triggers. Wetting hay and watering dusty areas can also help to reduce allergens while indoors. Provide plenty of clean fresh water.

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/guidelines-horses-exposed-wildfire-smoke

***Paulick Report coverage of this story*** The severe fires throughout California over the past three months have exposed humans and animals to unhealthy air containing wildfire smoke and particulates. These particulates can build up in the respiratory system, causing a number of health problems in...

02/15/2023

Join the Trumansburg Encore Players 2/23-2/26 for another great production!

“Almost, Maine” is a series of vignettes about life and love, which all take place on a winter night in the town of Almost, Maine. The show promises to be lots of fun and includes Dr LaPoint as a love struck snowmobiler!

For tickets and more info visit https://encoreplayers.org/news-events/almost-maine

01/30/2023

It’s always nice to have some extra help doing dentals!

01/25/2023

We are excited to once again be hosting two client
appreciation brunch events in February! The brunches are always lots of fun and a good opportunity for us all to get together!

Seating is limited and they are filling up fast so please RSVP to reserve your spot.

Presentation: Current Developments in Equine Veterinary Care

Saturday February 11, 2023 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM at Coltivare Restaurant 235 S. Cayuga Street, Ithaca

Saturday, February 18, 2023 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM at Inn of the Seasons located at 4311 W. Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse

There is no charge to our clients and their guests for these events. Please contact the office at 607-347-4770 to reserve your spot.

We appreciate your business, so c’mon out, have some fun, and enjoy reacquainting with those you may have met last year or meet some new nearby horse folks.

Hope to see you there,
The FLEP team!

01/23/2023

We welcomed the practice’s first foal of the year this weekend!

12/22/2022

Seasons Greetings! As the holidays are rapidly approaching we wanted to remind all clients and non-clients that the office will be closed and there will be no scheduled appointments on December 26th or January 2nd. As always, a veterinarian will be on call in the event of an emergency.

Don’t forget your equines while holiday shopping! Be sure to put in any medication orders that may be running out soon as pet pharmacies have limited hours of operation during the next few weeks.

Wishing everyone a Jolly Holiday!

11/22/2022

We are continuing to get lots of questions about ticks and tick borne illness despite the cold weather. Ticks have been very active and this is the time of year when they are biting and potentially spreading disease.

We recommend careful daily grooming, especially under the jaw and up under the legs, to look for ticks. If you find any they should be removed fully. If the site of the bite is irritated it can be treated topically with triple antibiotic ointment.

Monitor for signs of illness. The most common tick borne disease we see in the fall is called Anaplasma. These horses typically present with a fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, and sometimes there is swelling of the limbs or even minor colic-like symptoms. Horses displaying these symptoms should be evaluated by a veterinarian and usually need a course of antibiotics along with supportive care. They generally recover quickly and do quite well.

If your horse is showing any symptoms of concern or you have any other questions please contact our office:
607-347-4770
[email protected]

09/10/2022

We are so excited to once again be a sponsor for Family & Children's Service of Ithaca’s annual cardboard boat race! We had so much fun participating last year. It’s a wonderful event that raises money for an organization that does so much good in our community!

Last year we built (and didn’t sink!) The Seahorse. We’d love to see you there so you can see the boat we’ve created this year (and vote for us for best boat!)!

The event takes place on Sunday September 11th, at the Ithaca Yacht Club. Tickets are $50 for adults, $25 for kids, and all proceeds go to support vital mental health and social services in Tompkins county. Doors open at 1pm and the race starts at 2:30pm. For more information or for tickets www.fcsith.org/events/cbr/

09/01/2022

We are sad to announce that Dr. Brandon Wiese will be leaving FLEP at the end of September. Dr. Wiese has been an integral part of our team for many years and will be sorely missed. He has been an incredible asset to FLEP, providing guidance and wonderful, compassionate care to so many owners and horses. Though it will be hard to have him go we are very excited for him as he moves on to new adventures! In October he will be relocating to Chicago where he has accepted a position working as a small animal veterinarian.

This change will not affect our availability or services provided, and Drs. LaPoint, Nash, and Olson will continue to provide routine and emergency care as always.

Please join us in wishing Dr. Wiese all the best in his new endeavors!

08/25/2022

Dr. Olson does a breeding check while this curious Dales pony c**t looks on!

07/27/2022

It Potomac season again!

We have been seeing some Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) cases recently. PHF is caused by a bacteria that is present in some fresh water snails. However, horses don’t get infected by ingesting the snails, rather they get infected by ingesting a predator of the snail such as a Mayfly. This can cause horses to go off feed, act lethargic, have diarrhea, and give them fever as the name suggests. Though there is a vaccine for PHF, its efficacy is debatable, especially in our region given the strains most common here. The best thing is to be aware of any changes in your horse’s health and initiate prompt treatment if there are symptoms.

If you see any of these symptoms or have any concerns please call out office at 607-347-4770

07/20/2022

Slobbers!

It's that time of year again when we start seeing cases of Slobbers. This disease is caused by slaframine, a toxin produced by fungus that typically grow on clover. It is generally worse with humid/wet weather where the fungus flourishes. The toxin causes excessive salivation. If you've never seen a case you truly won't believe how much saliva they can produce!!
The good news about slobbers is that as long as the horse has plenty of access to clean fresh water there are not generally and medical problems associated with it. Generally removing them from the pasture will reduce the signs within a day.

06/22/2022

We are so glad to welcome the newest member of the FLEP team, Dr. Tyler Olson!

Dr. Olson is a NY native, who grew up in New Berlin where he started his career with horses working at a local horse farm. He attended Cornell University as an undergraduate where he competed on the Western Equestrian team. After graduation he worked as a vet assistant with FLEP (he will be a familiar face to many of you) before returning to Cornell for his veterinary degree.

Dr. Olson is thrilled to be returning to FLEP as a full time veterinarian and looks forward to supporting horses and their owners in all facets of veterinary medicine, with special interests in lameness and reproduction.

Outside of FLEP Dr. Olson can be found with his fiancée, Omyia, on their farm in Groton taking care of the menagerie of goats, chickens, cats, dogs, and, of course, horses that call it home. He also enjoys knife making in his home forge and is excited to get back to riding his own horses.

We are all so excited to have Dr. Olson joining us as our newest veterinarian, and know that you will all enjoy meeting and working with him as well!

05/20/2022

Planning your summer vacations? Need help managing your work emails while you’re away? Look no further!

https://www.visiticeland.com/outhorse-your-email/

Disconnect from work and let the horses of Iceland reply to your emails while you are on vacation. (Seriously)

05/14/2022

It's been busy with lots of foals! Here is Duncan!

05/05/2022

Spring is here and so are foals! Here is another happy and healthy one!

04/15/2022

Foals are starting to arrive! Here is a healthy c**t with a great new mom!

03/14/2022

Good evening everyone!

We are currently experiencing some technical difficulties with our phone system. If you have an emergency please contact Dr. Brandon directly at (607)882-4438!

Our apologies for the inconvenience!!

03/09/2022

If your horse is on one of these products:
GastroGard
UlcerGard
Legend
Equioxx
Boehringer Ingelheim is once again offering rebates on products purchased directly from your veterinarian. If you purchase any of these through FLEP all you need is your invoice and you can submit for great rebates online!

https://www.boehringeringelheimequinerebates.com// #/home