Country Animal Hospital

03/26/2025

Cool story about the human-horse bond 🥰

Those of us fortunate to have been in the Thoroughbred industry for any length of time–whether with hands on horses daily or from behind a desk or from somewhere in between–have seen hundreds, and more likely thousands, of horses in this sport. It can be easy to pass one up at the sales if they

03/22/2025

03/21/2025

Just another day in the life of a companion animal veterinarian…..

03/17/2025

Excellent equine intel for horse owners / horse aficionados.

Ep. 78 of the "Adult Onset Horsemanship" Podcast is Live! This week we were very pleased to be joined by Dr. Benjamin Sykes, BVMS, PhD. Dr. Sykes is one of the world's leading experts on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome, giving lectures and talks on it all over the world. He's also one of the world's most respected researchers ranked in the top 1% of all hard science researchers by Stanford University, not just in veterinary sciences. He's the lead author on the European College of Equine Internal Medicine Concensus Statement on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in Adult Horses.

If you are having ulcer issues in your horse and want to cut through all the BS out there, this is definitely for you.

With all of that academic background, you might be surprised at how down to earth, easy to understand, and easy going he is too. If you own a horse, you need to listen to this one. So take 2 minutes and find "Adult Onset Horsemanship" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whichever music directory you get your music on and hit the "Subscribe" button. Many people are telling us that this is their favorite horse podcast. If you aren't already listening you're going to wish you had been.
You can find the podcast on any major music/podcast directory, or stream it live from the episode's webpage.
https://dauphinhorsemanship.com/ep-78-dr-benjamin-sykes-bvms-phd-world-leading-expert-in-equine-gastric-ulcer-syndrom/

03/17/2025

Chip wants to wish everyone a Happy St Patrick’s Day !!!

Everyone is Irish today !!!

03/15/2025

Great info for your young horse person.

The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. has acquired the award-winning website Allpony.com, an online platform where horse lovers can learn all about horses, riding, and horse care. Anyone can explore Allpony, which offers dozens of educational courses and interactive games and quizzes, along with printables. Read the full release at: bit.ly/united-states-pony-clubs-acquires-allpony

03/13/2025

Great basic info about horse health .

The Equine Pulse
Brian S. Burks DVM
Diplomate, ABVP
Board-Certified Equine Specialist

Horse owners should know how to evaluate the basic health parameters of their animals, including temperature, pulse (heart rate), and respiration, better known by the acronym TPR. They also should know how to evaluate capillary refill time to judge the horse’s circulatory health. Checking your horse’s heart rate is an important skill that is often done with a stethoscope. Sometimes a stethoscope may not be readily available when needing to check the pulse rate, or there may be another reason for wanting to check your horse’s pulse. When checking the TPR and pulses, the horse should be at rest and relaxed.

If you have a stethoscope, place it just above the elbow and push under the triceps muscle. One heart-beat has two parts “lub-dub”- so do not double count.

The normal resting heart rate for an adult horse is 28 to 44 beats per minute (bpm). Neonatal foals will be 80-120 bpm. To calculate find the pulse or heartbeat and count for 15 seconds, then multiply by four to get the number of heartbeats each minute. Listening for at least one minute helps determine if the heart rhythm is regular or irregular, or if a murmur is present.

Heart rate and pulse are generally the same (there are a couple of exceptions) so either can be used. The facial artery can be palpated under the jaw, just on the inside of the bone. Either right or left may be used. A rope-like rubbery structure is the facial artery and the pulse can be felt with a light touch. Use your fingers, not your thumb, so that you do not measure your own pulse by mistake.

A pulse is the rhythmic expansion of an artery that can be felt with the fingertips during physical examination. A horse’s pulse can be felt or seen in several places: the facial artery, the radial artery on the inside of the carpus, the jugular pulse, and the digital pulse.

A jugular pulse in the lower neck can be noted in healthy animals, but excessive pulsing or distension of the jugular vein can be seen in horses with heart failure. A pulse may be absent, increased (strong), or decreased (weak)—each of which may indicate a specific type of heart disease or defect.

All horses have a digital pulse, though some people cannot feel it in some horses when it is cold or the horse is relaxed. A “bounding” digital pulse is a sign of increased blood flow to the foot, indicating pain or inflammation in the foot. Generally, an increased pulse in one hoof can indicate a localized problem, like an abscess or a bruise in response to an injury. It may accompany lameness or tenderness. The horse may stand with little weight on the affected limb. The hoof wall may feel warm.

If you find stronger or bounding pulses in two or four hooves, laminitis is a possibility. In fact, bounding digital pulses and hoof pain are often the first signs of laminitis. The horse may shift his weight from foot to foot, or lie down more than normal.

If you are familiar with the feel of the pulse in a normal horse, then you will recognize a bounding pulse–you will feel the blood pump harder and firmer against your thumb and fingers.

Digital pulses can be felt on the lower leg of your horse in the fetlock and pastern area. The pulse comes from the blood flowing through the artery to the hoof. The artery will pulse with each beat of your horse’s heart.
The vein, artery and nerve (VAN) run together in the space between the suspensory ligament and the flexor tendons above the fetlock. The VAN continue distally over the back of the fetlock and into the pastern. As the digital artery crosses over the back and towards the side of the fetlock, you may also be able to feel the pulse at the bulge of the fetlock joint. At this point, the branches of the digital artery are close to the surface and may be easy to feel.

Over the pastern, the extensor branches of the suspensory ligament reach from either side the fetlock down towards the front of the hoof, on a diagonal; they can be seen and felt. The vein, artery and nerve travel in the groove behind these firm ligament structures.

Practice feeling your horse’s pulses when he is happy and healthy, rather than waiting until he is sick. You will be more familiar with what is normal and more easily detect the pulses when it counts. When feeling for the pulse, try different pressures. If you press too lightly you may not be able to detect a pulse. With too much pressure, you may restrict the blood flow and therefore the pulse.

It is important to consider digital pulses in context of the whole horse. A complete physical examination that includes TPR, signs of injury, illness, lameness, or distress.

Check the digital pulse on each leg. This will allow you to notice any differences between limbs, which could indicate a potential issue. This is why it is important to check your horse’s digital pulses when he is well, so you will know what the normal pulse in your horse feels like. Keep in mind that some variation is normal. If your horse exhibits lameness, call your equine veterinarian.

www.foxrunequine.com

(724) 727-3481

03/09/2025

What is Avian Influenza?

Since January 1st of 2025, we have been doing our best to quarantine and keep our birds on property safe. Our facility has been closed to the public and we have cancelled or postponed all of our offsite educational programs until we receive the “All Clear” from Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. Below are some facts from KY Fish and Wildlife’s website about the virus that we would like to share with our supporters.

Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is an infectious disease caused by a group of influenza A viruses. These viruses naturally occur in wild waterfowl and shorebirds, but they can infect other wild and domestic bird species, as well as mammals, including
humans. The viruses are often classified into two categories: low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) based on the severity of the disease they cause.
As of February 13, 2025, detected cases of HPAI in wild birds have been found in waterfowl and wading bird species in Kentucky, including the Canada Goose, Snow Goose,
Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Sandhill Crane, and American Gadwall. Avian flu outbreaks are often linked to specific migratory seasons, particularly during autumn and spring when birds are traveling across their migratory flyways. The timing of these migrations can lead to seasonal surges in avian flu cases. Migratory birds, such as waterfowl, travel long distances
and can unintentionally carry the virus across regions and continents. As they pass through different habitats, they may introduce the virus to new areas, which can lead to outbreaks.
Additionally, interactions between migratory and resident birds during stops along the flyways can increase the chances of the virus spreading between species.
HPAI is widespread in wild birds throughout the U.S. and has also been detected in a variety of wild mammal species in multiple states. HPAI has caused outbreaks in commercial
and backyard flocks, as well as dairy cows. According to the CDC, there have been cases of HPAI in humans in the U.S. however, the risk of infection to the public remains low. HPAI
viruses can cause respiratory illness, swimming in circles, incoordination, droopy wings, lethargy, unwillingness to fly, and head tremors. HPAI viruses are severe, causing high mortality
in chickens, turkeys, and ducks, as well as any raptor that predates on them. While domestic poultry may experience high mortality rates from HPAI infection, symptoms vary among wild birds. Certain species of waterfowl may show no signs of disease, unlike raptors, shorebirds,
and scavengers, which have reported high mortality rates, potentially impacting population levels.
Infected birds spread influenza through saliva, mucus, and f***s. Domestic birds can be exposed to the virus from contaminated clothing, boots, and equipment, as well as from
wild birds or their f***s. There is no treatment for avian influenza in wild birds. Only supportive care options are available and birds will often succumb to the disease. There's no readily
available treatment for avian influenza in domestic birds. Euthanizing birds and properly disposing of their remains is currently the most effective way to prevent the spread of the disease in domestic flocks.
Here at RROKI we are doing everything we can to keep our birds safe, keep the virus off of the property, and still manage to help injured birds in need. Unfortunately, this comes at a great fiscal expense due to the cancellation of offsite educational programs and on site tours which fund most of our routine expenses including food and medicine. To date, we have cancelled over 30 educational programs causing a loss of almost $10,000 in donations. Sadly, this money is not able to be recouped. These funds are critical to our continued work here at RROKI. We are also taking in more birds than ever that need our care, having received over 77 patients already this year. If you or anyone you know would like to make a donation to help us through this challenging time, please visit our website for information on ways you can help. Thank you! 🩷

03/09/2025

Since gardening seasoning is coming up soon …..

03/05/2025

These are great colleagues, and we utilize MVS for our clients & their pets.

03/03/2025

Positive reinforcement copperative care for the win !

Canis Major Dog Training 😍

03/02/2025

PSA for foreign object blocking your pet’s airway — seconds matter.

Be prepared to do this on your pet 🧐

Many don’t know this information! Remember every second matters during a choking incident.
1. Place the dog on their back. Brace the back against the floor. Straddle the dog while adjusting yourself based on the size of the dog. Position the head in “in-line position” with the airway parallel to the floor.
2. Make an open diamond shape with your hands. Place your thumbs on either side of the trachea below the ball or object. Grip the “V” of the jaw using lip/cheek to protect fingers.
3. Push with a J-stroke down and out against the ball until it ejects from the mouth.
Both this method and the Heimlich method has been proven to work in these scenarios so don’t hesitate to save your dog.

02/27/2025

Cooperative care at it’s best.

02/24/2025

One of my colleagues from vet school posted this .

It will warm your heart.

❤️

02/22/2025

02/19/2025

Adopt / foster if you can.

Be a responsible pet owner.

😓

We've struggled to maintain open kennels all week- we need help.
is FULL FULL FULL!

Dogs over 40lbs need O U T of the shelter TODAY!

We took in 33 dogs in 24 hours!

3516 Newburg Rd- ALL Dogs over 40lbs have sponsored adoption fees thanks to Friends of Metro Animal Services, Louisville, KY

View adoptable pets here- https://24petconnect.com/LouisvilleAdoptablePets

If you're an approved foster and you can take in a dog over 40lbs, please email [email protected]
If you are not an approved foster, sign up here- https://louisvilleky.gov/government/animal-services/services/foster-care

🐶🐱 Visit our landing page for more information: linktree.com/yourcityshelter Adoptable pets & apply to adopt, shelter wish lists, foster/volunteer info, animal control assistance, lost/found pets & more @ 🐾🫶