Piedmont Equine Associates

11/16/2024

Maddie, one of our incredible vet assistants, is a sucker for big horses and tiny dogs. This little girl stole the show at a recent farm call!

11/13/2024

Welcome back to our "How-To" Wednesday!

In last week's video you learned from Dr. Wood how to put on a leg bandage, in this week's video, you will learn the correct way to remove the leg bandage. This way you will insure your horse's safety while removing.

If you have any questions please call our office at 706-752-1818 or email us at [email protected] and our staff will be happy to help you!

Please check out more helpful videos at the link below!
https://piedmontequine.com/how-to-videos/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LDjP1NMly8

DISCLAIMER - Please read this disclaimer carefully before using Piedmont Equine Associates website resources and/or the established YouTube channel.All info...

11/12/2024

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOUR HORSE IS ACCIDENT-PRONE...🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️

If you own horses long enough, sooner or later you are likely to confront a medical emergency. There are several behavioral traits that make horses especially accident-prone: one is their instinctive flight-or-fight response; another is their need to establish the pecking order within a herd; and a third is their natural curiosity. Such behaviors account for many of the cuts, bruises, and abrasions that horses suffer. In fact, lacerations are probably the most common emergency that horse owners must contend with.

Do you know what to do if your horse is cut or bleeding? The initial steps you take to treat a wound can prevent further damage and speed healing, and maintaining your presence of mind could save your horse's life. Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind in case of emergency; how you will ultimately proceed will depend on your horse's individual circumstances, and on the advice you receive from your veterinarian.

11/08/2024

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.

11/08/2024

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.

11/07/2024

IS RAIN ROT A FUNGAL OR A BACTERIAL DISEASE?

Rain rot (or rain scald) is the common name for a contagious BACTERIAL skin disease called dermatophilosis. It's caused by the bacterium "Dermatophilus congolensis," which thrives during wet seasons and in geographical locations with high precipitation and humidity. It can also develop after horses have sweat under blankets or tack, and equines with compromised immune systems are more susceptible.

Why should you not mistake rain rot for a fungal disease?
Antifungal medications and topicals have no effect on the bacteria responsible for rain rot, therefore diagnosing the condition correctly is very important!

How does rain rot happen?
The bacteria infects the hair follicles and damages the hair follicle and shaft; the hair will then pull out in small clumps leaving pink skin or purulent scabs behind (pro tip: your horse will NOT thank you for picking at them!) If you do not address the factors that promote the right bacterial environment (for example, you always leave your horse to stand outside in the rain without shelter or the protection of a waterproof rug), rain rot can keep recurring. If left untreated, the condition can even progress to a point where it opens the door for more serious, secondary skin infections.

If you suspect your horse has rain rot, be sure to consult your veterinarian on the best treatment plan based on the severity of your horse's case. While there are a million products that can be found in your local tack store, your horse doctor may have cause to prescribe a specific course of action.

11/06/2024

Welcome back to our "How-To" Wednesday!

In this week's video you can learn from Dr. Wood how to apply a leg bandage. A bandage can be helpful for multiple situations. For example, when your horse has an injury, trauma, or swelling. In this video Dr. Wood breaks down each material to use and the step by step process for applying the bandage.

If your horse has injury or if you have any questions please feel free to contact our office staff by calling 706-752-1818 or emailing at [email protected], and they will be happy assist you!

You can check out more videos on our website at the link below!
https://piedmontequine.com/how-to-videos/

https://youtu.be/h2mNDHrJ0kg?si=B75xtxxSe7XinbxQ

DISCLAIMER - Please read this disclaimer carefully before using Piedmont Equine Associates website resources and/or the established YouTube channel.All info...

11/01/2024

The term "fat leg" is pretty self-explanatory, but do you know the difference between stocking up and cellulitis?

Many horses will "stock up" with subcutaneous edema (fluid swelling) in two or more legs (usually the hind limbs). Stocking up generally results from a significant decrease in exercise and usually resolves as the horse starts exercising again.

Lymphangitis (or vasculitis, big leg disease, staph infection, or cellulitis), however, is a bacterial infection and a dramatically different condition. While its causes may vary, it’s easy to spot once it sets in. The swelling will be extreme, hot, very painful to the touch, and the horse will be depressed due to the fever and discomfort.

If you think your equine friend has cellulitis or even if you're not sure, we encourage you to seek professional help promptly. Your horse doctor will make the best treatment recommendations, both to reduce swelling and to address any sort of bacterial infection that might be active or that could occur due to the edema in the soft tissue.

10/31/2024

Check out these spooky ophthalmic photos!

This horse is being treated for a descemetocele - a very deep corneal ulcer that extends all the way to the very deepest cellular layer of the cornea: Descemet's membrane.

A descemetocele has a characteristic glowing bullseye appearance when coated in fluorescein stain and illuminated with blue light which is evident in the photo below.
In the non-stained photo, you can also see severe corneal edema, ingress of corneal neovascularization (capillaries growing across the cornea to reach the ulcer), miosis (constriction of the pupil), and anterior flare (cloudy appearance due to accumulation of white blood cells and protein).

10/28/2024

10/23/2024

Sometimes it seems as though emergencies come in trends. Well right now it seems to be "nail in foot" season for us here at Piedmont Equine so we thought we'd take the opportunity to discuss this common emergency!

Whenever a horse comes up acutely lame on a limb, the hoof should always be examined for penetrating wounds or foreign bodies. The location and the depth of the nail is vital information, and once the nail is removed it is nearly impossible to find the exact path it traveled into the hoof.

There are some areas of the hoof that are more "dangerous" than others when we think about the underlying structures: the coffin bone/joint, the navicular bursa, and the digital flexor tendon sheath. So it is of great importance that we examine the foot prior to removing the nail and even better to take radiographs of the foot. A radiograph allows us to see exactly where the nail has penetrated and its proximity to these important structures.

Below are some radiographs from a case seen recently by Dr. Hancock. This horse was found by her owner one evening to be acutely three-legged lame on the right hind and a ~3" long nail entering the medial sulcus of the frog on the bottom of the hoof. Radiographs identified the penetrating tract and found the nail was in very close proximity to the navicular bursa (NB) and digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS). The foot was then blocked with an abaxial nerve block and the nail was removed. With the foot numb, the NB and DFTS were then tapped in sterile fashion and radio-opaque contrast was injected to visually evaluate for communication between the NB or DFTS and the nail tract. Very fortunately for this horse, no communication was detected and these structures were directly instilled with amikacin, an antibiotic. Dr. Hancock then performed a regional limb perfusion (RLP) - a procedure that delivers a concentrated dose of an antibiotic directly to the effected region. The nail tract was debrided to facilitate drainage and hopefully prevent an abscess from forming. The foot was wrapped in a poultice to encourage drainage from the nail tract after thorough cleaning and lavage. This patient was sent home on systemic antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and she has done very well with no residual lameness!

Photos from this case are included below with captions below each photo.

10/22/2024

On Oct. 30, join AAEP member veterinarian and board-certified theriogenologist Dr. Dale Kelley for a one-hour webinar discussion that will cover the basics of reproductive biology of the horse, the logistics of breeding season, and what to expect when breeding your mare.

Registration is FREE but 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 here: https://aaep-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CHkvKjmpTlGOiPMbwhEtBA #/registration

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

10/18/2024

GERL Castration Day! Details now available!

We will be scheduling for November 13th!
Please call our front office for scheduling or further information.

10/14/2024

UNDERSTANDING PROUD FLESH ✍️

Wounds on the bodies and limbs of our equine companions are exceptionally common. In particular, wounds on lower limbs can be especially difficult to manage. There is little extra skin in these areas, making large wounds difficult to close via suturing.

In addition, wounds on the lower legs are contaminated easily with bacteria since they are closer to the ground, bedding, and manure. The constant movement of an animal's legs as it walks, turns, and bears weight can also greatly impair healing, especially if the wound occurs over a joint. All of these factors can often halt the normal progression of the healing process and result in a chronic wound.

Persistent inflammation, along with infection, is a major contributor to exuberant granulation tissue (or proud flesh) formation in a wound. Proud flesh is not conducive to wound healing as it prevents the wound from epithelializing (the process of the skin cells covering the wound), and sometimes it can become so large that it appears to be a tumor, usually obliterating the original wound.

Prevention of proud flesh involves good wound management. For the best healing, wounds should be identified and treated quickly and properly — especially on the lower limbs. Consult your veterinarian about any wounds that appear deep or extensive, that lie over important structures (like joints and tendons), or that already show signs of proud flesh development. Rather than waste time and money in trials and errors that could delay your equid's healing, ask your veterinarian what products are best for your situation.

10/11/2024

Our annual GERL (Georgia Equine Rescue League) castration day is right around the corner on November 13th! More details to come!

10/11/2024

They swear it was a coincidence - GO DAWGS! Have a great and safe Friday everyone!

10/09/2024

Welcome back to our "How-To" Wednesday!

In this week's video you can learn from Dr. Hancock how to take an informative picture to send to your veterinarian. Pictures can be a useful tool in determining if a situation an emergent or not, and what steps need to be taken next.

When sending a picture to our office aways include the following:

-Your/Owner's Name
-Patient's Name
-Contact Number
-A few details about the problem

Pictures can be sent to our email [email protected]

You can also reach our office by calling 706-752-1818. Our office staff will be ready to assist you.

You can check out more educational videos on our website at the link below!

https://piedmontequine.com/how-to-videos/

https://youtu.be/qDNAJLo5RGg

DISCLAIMER - Please read this disclaimer carefully before using Piedmont Equine Associates website resources and/or the established YouTube channel.All info...