Ambulatory Equine

07/25/2024

Do you have guy-wires in your horse's paddock? They are a danger to your horse and should be walled off so the horse can't get to them.

07/10/2024

Its National Farrier Week! This is the time of year we say thank you to all the hardworking people who spend their days keeping our long ears' hooves healthy and comfortable. Without strong, healthy, well-balanced feet, our animals can't live their best lives, and a knowledgeable trimmer or farrier can be an invaluable part of your equid's care team.

Unfortunately, the reality is there is a shortage of quality farriers who are willing to work with donkeys, and this is often due to the historical lack of life skills taught to donkeys with regard to hoof handling and trimming. So how does one keep a good farrier? We can help!

- Train Your Animals.
This is pretty straightforward: work with your animals routinely between trims to ensure they are relaxed, prepared, and willing to allow hoof trims. Make sure you are lifting all four of their feet routinely (several times a week) and set aside some additional time in your training regimen to practice prolonged standing on three legs, after all, donkeys are not born with developed muscles to balance for 5-10 minutes at a time on three legs, that is a skill that must be developed by you, the owner. This routine handling also allows you to regularly pick and inspect your donkey's hooves, ensuring any problems like thrush or wedged stones are caught early so they don't become a significant issue.

-Pay Reliably.
A basic trim will generally cost anywhere from $50-$75. Pricing factors include your farrier's skill level, training, knowledge, and experience, distance traveled to your property, time spent per animal, and difficulty of the trim (both in animal behavior and amending or correcting any issues). What is your money paying for? Not just the trimmer's knowledge, time, and skill, but also their vehicle, fuel, travel time, insurance, and taxes. Pay them promptly upon completion of their work, and without complaint.

-Be Mindful of Scheduling.
Your trimmer likely has full books, which they spend considerable time managing based on animal needs, location, weather, and more. Do your best to not reschedule or change appointments, and if you must reschedule, for instance if you intend to go on an outing or to an event and need to move up your trim, give your farrier as much notice as possible, ideally letting them know at the appointment prior if you will need to have a shortened or lengthened interval.

-Clean & Safe Workspace.
For safety and comfort, it is important to ensure your farrier has a place to work that is dry, clean and without manure, reasonably level, free of debris, and ideally shaded from the elements and with a fan, if possible, in the summer.

-Be Prepared.
When your farrier arrives you should have your animals caught and haltered (or at least the first they are to work on), clean, dry, and in or near their trimming area so your trimmer can begin work immediately upon arrival. If an animal needs sedation, be sure you have conveyed to your trimmer the amount of time you need for the medication to take effect so they may notify you when they are on their way, and your animal is sufficiently calmed and ready to trim when they arrive or shortly thereafter. While not a requirement, many farriers and trimmers appreciate a cold beverage or small to-go snack or treat.

You, your farrier, and your donkey are teammates in your long ear's wellbeing, and for a team to function effectively, all members must pull their weight. During this National Farrier Week take some time to reflect on what can be improved with regard to hoof care from your end and your donkey's end, and be sure to take a moment to thank your farrier, for all the hard work they do.

Happy National Farrier Week, and thank you to all the dedicated farriers out there! You are appreciated!

06/18/2024

UPDATE; An office assistant has been hired and we are very grateful for the numerous quality applicants this year.

OFFICE ASSISTANT JOB OPENING
Ambulatory Equine Veterinary Services is looking to hire a full time office assistant. My current vet tech who also does office work would like to reduce her hours, so this has created a need for expansion of the team. The office is located in Mesa, near the AJ border. Your job would consist of mainly office work with the occasional field work with horses.

Why work for Ambulatory Equine?
Dr. Susan Roach from Ambulatory Equine is a solo general practitioner with a passion for equine dentistry. Our focus is on educating the client, so that ultimately, horses have a better quality of life.
Benefits include; 20% off services, Rx drugs at 10% over costs, any tips the clients leave, logo’ed scrub tops/sweatshirts/vest/jackets, continuing education opportunities and the occasional reward, such as a visit to local museums, restuaraunts, pedicure, facial, massage, major horse show attendance, salt water rafting, Simply Smashing Rage Room, etc…
After 1 year of 40 hour work weeks, Ambulatory Equine will pay for your professional development through AAEVT membership and personal attendance to the AAEVT/AAEP convention and trade show.
Salary depends on experience.

Here is what Haley Palacios has to say about working for me; "I have worked for Dr. Susan for 3 years now and I have absolutely loved it. Not only does the job give you lots of opportunities to expand your knowledge, both in the office, and in the field, she allows you to be 'hands on' at any opportunities she is able. She is an amazing boss who genially cares about her employees and goes above and beyond to accommodate their needs and goals. Although there is always plenty of work to be done, working for Dr. Susan is also lots of fun, with many employee morale perks, and an easy going work environment."

If you are interested, please email [email protected] to request an application. Send your completed application AND resume back to [email protected]. We will contact you to discuss further details, if we are interested. We would be glad to answer your questions during your scheduled phone interview.

The ideal candidate;
Must be 21 years or older.
Is polite and friendly with clients.
Has some horse experience.
Does not need veterinary experience.
Needs organizational skills.
Must be able to work weekdays.
Must have a valid drivers' license and a good driving record.
Able to lift 50 lbs, able to hold 75 lbs and stand for long periods of time, can tolerate the sun and heat, in case we work in the field.
Can read cursive. Good with math.
Being techy helps.
You do not need experience for the following list of duties. You will be trained. You just need a desire to learn and a willingness to go the extra mile.

Duties as office assistant;
Answer the phone, when appropriate.
Fill prescriptions.
Perform f***l egg counts and serum amyloid a tests.
Open packages and check off contents with packing slips. Recycle cardboard.
Restock the vehicle.
Photocopy all invoices and maintain medical records.
Scan, sort and file documents.
Bank reconciliation.
Work in Excel.
Sort receipts and enter into Quickbooks
Facebook posts.
Film educational videos for Youtube/Facebook.
Submit prescription drug rebates for the clients.
Various business projects.
Maintain the outdoor face of the 'in home office' to make a clean and tidy impression for clients picking up meds.
Contact corporate representatives for donations, make swag bags.
Prepare for seminars; set up and tear down the room, take payment for seminars at the door, etc.

Duties for vet tech on a as needed basis;
Drive veterinary vehicle to appointments and various errands. Operate GPS. Record mileage.
Anticipate needs and carry equipment to the horse.
Assist doctor with holding horse as vaccines are administered, dentistry is performed and wounds are cared for, etc...
Take notes on patient history & physical exam findings. Take pictures for medical record.
Prepare basic invoices and medical records.
Print out forms.
Update phone contact info.
Clean up after procedures and put everything back in its place in the vehicle.
Run credit card payments and or make change for cash payments.
Keep a list of things that need to be ordered or restocked.

06/16/2024

Call today for your free metabolic testing!
I have been offered 2 free metabolic tests from the lab and I want to pass this savings along. This means we would be testing for Equine Metabolic Syndrome, otherwise known as EMS and PPID (pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction), which used to be called Cushing’s disease. If your horse has any of the following signs; takes a little longer to shed out than other horses, is overweight, especially if they have a cresty neck or horizontal rings around the hoof and has not been tested previously, your horse would be eligible for this free testing. A more complete list of signs is available on a post dated June 8, 2023 from my Ambulatory Equine page. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=723912376406594&set=a.478379507626550
You would still be financially responsible for the trip charge and a comprehensive physical exam fee at time of service, but your lab testing would be free. The lab testing is a $330 value, that you would be saving. When you call for an appointment, we can give you an estimate based on what city your horse is in. Since I was only offered 2 free test, I am offering 1 test per the first two clients who schedule their appointments right away. If a third or more party calls for the same 2 free tests, they will be informed at the time of calling in for a potential appointment that the free test is no longer available (in case they prefer not to schedule at that point and prefer to be added to a waiting list in case of cancellation of the first two parties instead). Please contact Dr. Susan Roach from Ambulatory Equine at (480) 266-0485 to schedule an examination in the East Valley before this free testing expires!

03/21/2024

These toys should never be on the ground or hung near a wall because when the horse can put pressure on the toy that is when their lower jaw can slip inside. So only hang this toy from the center of the stall.

03/15/2024

So what do we have here? What we have are 2 cheek teeth side by side. As it happens they are the same tooth from 2 different horses.🐴
So.. what’s interesting about that ?
Well both horses are 4 years old, and one is a Clydesdale x weighing 580kg
The other is a miniature weighing 55kg
Give that some thought 💭

02/27/2024

Please get your horses vaccinated for rabies. As you can see by the map in the comments, we live in a hotbed of rabies. If you would like to schedule an appointment for vaccinations, please call Dr Susan at (480) 266-0485.

02/12/2024

With my extended service range, I will be traveling to Casa Grande on Tuesday Feb 20th. If anyone is in need of any veternarian services and would like a reduced trip charge, you can call me at 480-266-0485, and we can get you on the schedule.

01/26/2024

Another nice product for horses with gastric ulcers.

ALL NEW!!

01/07/2024

Here is a simple blanketing guide for adult horses. Thankfully most of us don't need to, unless your horse is clipped. Courtesy of Barn Manager.

12/31/2023

Keep your horses safe during the fireworks!
1. Days or even weeks prior to the 4th, try to desensitize your horse to loud bangs by using a youtube video of fireworks and at first playing it softly, raising the volume daily. Then progress to louder bangs.
2. Give your horse plenty of hay during fireworks. Use toys or treat balls.
3. Turn a radio on to mask the sound of fireworks, preferably classical or traditional country.
4. Use Pony Pomms to further muffle the sound.
5. Keep the lights on as this minimizes the flashes from fireworks.
6. The scent of lavender has been scientifically studied and it is proven to reduce stress in horses. Put a few drops of lavender essential oil on your hand, then rub the horses muzzle.
7. You may need to use Ulcergard for those horses prone to gastric ulcers.
8. Consider using the short lived prescription sedative, Dormosedan gel.
9. Prescription anti-anxiety meds +/- another prescription drug that reduces the excitability of nerve cells often work better than short lived sedation, especially when there are often unscheduled fireworks both before and after the New Year.
10. If your horse is usually in a stall or a pen, then leave them there for the fireworks. They should be where they are most comfortable. Of course make sure there are no dangers inside the pen that they could run into and the fencing is sturdy.
11. Make sure all their horse friends are nearby. If you take one away, they may become very upset.
12. Stay with your horse all throughout the fireworks.
13. Be aware of the fire danger due to all of the globe chamomile that has inundated our area.
14. Horses are naturally afraid of smoke and fire. If the smell of smoke becomes strong from nearby fireworks or a brush fire, use Vicks Vapo Rub smeared inside the nostrils of the horse to mask the smell.
If you are considering prescription drugs to keep your horse calm, make your appointment now. Call Dr. Susan from Ambulatory Equine at (480) 266-0485 to schedule your appointment.
Photo courtesy of https://images.app.goo.gl/FvryfomFK6zvwcbw6

10/22/2023

EOTRH is a painful condition were the teeth have either resorptive lesions allowing exposure of the nerve along with tooth root infections with or without hypercementosis, where the body is laying down extra cementum in order to try to stabalize the loose toooth in it's socket. The current treatment for EOTRH is to extract all the affected teeth. I know this sounds horrible, but the horses really do appreciate it. Have the surgery and be done with it. Horses will happily graze hours after the surgery, as soon as the sedation has worn off. Most clients say after their horse healed from the surgery, their horse acts ten years younger because now the horse will run and buck 'hard' because their mouth no longer hurts. When EOTRH is present it hurts to run and buck 'hard' because they feel the jarring motion in their affected teeth. Can you imagine doing jumping jacks with a tooth ache? I think not. This is why you may see some horses with EOTRH hold their tongue between their front teeth to help pad the concussion when traveling.
Some vets used to recommend only taking the worst offenders out at a time, more for the owners budget and so the owner was not so horrified by the idea od extracting all the affected teeth. But this was not what is best for the horse. Now we recommend taking all affected teeth out at once. Why prolong your horse's pain, when all the incisors are affected and painful by taking only the worst offender out at a time? Meanwhile with this one tooth at a time approach, your horse's mouth continues to hurt for years.
EOTRH is best diagnosed with xrays, but in some mild cases and all severe cases it can be diagnosed by the mounded appearance of the tooth roots below the gum tissue creating cleavage between the teeth and sometimes a resorptive lesion can be found abouve the gum line on the part of the tooth that is erupted. Though xrays help you to find resortive lesions below the gum tulissue and tooth root infections because of the resortive lesions leaving a bacterial highway down to the tooth root.
You can also take the heavy handle of a butter knife and gently tap your own front teeth. You will see it doesn't hurt, unless you have a dental problem too. Next tap your horse's incisors whom ypu suspect to have EOTRH and you will see your horse jerk its head back in pain. A healthy horse can tolerate this exercise, EOTRH can not.
EOTRH also will not cause a horse to stop eating, just because their mouth hurts. After all, hunger will not go away without food, so they eat a little slower with pain and will often maintain a normal body weight.
https://images.app.goo.gl/bvDdhCKd7cBnJA2A7

10/20/2023

The diagonal in this case occured due to a tall tooth in the middle of the molar arcade causing him to prefer to chew on the opposite side. Once the tall tooth was reduced to it's correct height, he gained comfort to chew equally on both sides in the back of his mouth and the incisors in front needed two visits to finish correcting, because we are limited in how much we can safely take off by the pulp chambers. These pics are from our second visit.
Pic 1- Before. Sometimes it's really challenging to see a slight diagonal when it's only off by one or two milimeters.
Pic 2- Before. Especially when the center of the top teeth/midline doesn't line up with the center of the lower teeth/midline. Horses, like people are not always equal on both sides.
Pic 3- Before. Using a flat section of wood can exagerate the diagonal, making it easier to see.
Pic 4- After. Small adjustments were made to the horse's left lower side and the horse's right upper side, while watching for any color change to prevent opening a pulp chamber. The corner incisors often have pulp chamber just 1 to 2 mm's below the occlusal/biting surface.
Pic 5- After. The wood trim is level. Now his TMJ/temporal mandibular joint will no longer be torqued, even if just by a little. I love being able to seek perfection in dentistry because I know it gives the horses comfort.
Call Dr. Susan from Ambulatory Equine to schedule your horse's dental at (480) 266-0485. We have expanded our service range to the entire Valley and beyond, so give us a call for a quote.

10/16/2023

UPDATE; The free lab testing has been taken.

Once more, I have been offered a metabolic test at no charge from the lab and I want to pass this savings along. This means we would be testing for Equine Metabolic Syndrome, otherwise known as EMS and PPID (pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction), which used to be called Cushing’s disease. If your horse has any of the following signs; takes a little longer to shed out than other horses, is overweight, especially if they have a cresty neck or horizontal rings around the hoof and has not been tested previously, your horse would be eligible for this free testing. A more complete list of signs is available on a post dated June 8, 2023 from my Ambulatory Equine page. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=723912376406594&set=a.478379507626550
You would still be financially responsible for the trip charge and a comprehensive physical exam fee at time of service, but your lab testing would be at no charge. The lab testing is a $330 value, that you would be saving. When you call for an appointment, we can give you an estimate based on what city your horse is in. Please contact Dr. Susan Roach from Ambulatory Equine at (480) 266-0485 to schedule an examination in the Valley before this free testing expires!
I will update this post once the free lab test has been used.

10/02/2023

Oh, the obesity....

09/22/2023

Testing for PPID has increased sensitivity in the months August through October. Your horse may have several signs or only one sign, yet still have this disease.
Dont wait for advanced signs of the disease, such as a shaggy hair coat. Test now and treat asap if your horse has ppid. This is so you can avoid laminitis, the #1 reason for humanely euthanizing a lame horse. If you suspect this disease in your horse, now is the time to test.

09/13/2023

What a nice way to keep your memories with you.

09/10/2023

It was a fun seminar tonight and a nice turn out too. You can expect more seminars in the future!

08/25/2023

Attn horse owners, especially grey horse owners; Midwestern is seeking horses with sarcoids and melanomas to participate in a clinical trial.

Dr. Sarah Matyjaszek discusses the treatment of equine skin tumors using local chemotherapy and laser hyperthermia in the August issue of Arizona Horse Connection Magazine. The Large Animal Clinic is seeking equine patients with smaller (1 cm maximum) sarcoids and gray horse dermal melanomas to participate in a clinical trial. The results will demonstrate efficacy in support of the FDA application for approval of the treatments.

To learn more, visit https://www.mwuanimalhealth.com/news/large-animal-clinic/local-chemotherapy-laser-hyperthermia-for-treatment-of-equine-skin-tumors

08/24/2023

We welcome any and all reviews from our amazing clients! If you haven't seen us before, we would love to meet you and your horses!

https://g.page/r/CQBnxSMtgItlEBM/review

08/07/2023

Oh look! The Metabolic Laminitis Society got a new mascot! 😏

07/31/2023

Why wait for advanced signs of PPID, when you can look for early signs now!
Take the quiz in the pictures and ask yourself not in the recent past, but SINCE I HAVE OWNED OR KNOWN THE HORSE, have I seen any of these changes. Refer to the other pictures for examples of cresty neck, adipose above the tail head, lack of topline and event rings. As you can see, some signs are pretty vague, but if your horse has ANY of these signs, your veterinarian can help to determine the cause.
PPID, otherwise known as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction is a progressive disease that left untreated slowly gets worse with time. Testing for ppid is a simple lab test that looks at the acth levels. When the acth is above normal, the horse becomes increasingly at risk for laminitis, a devastating disease that makes the horse's hooves extremely painful.
Unfortunately, having a cresty neck score above 1 is associated with a higher risk of laminitis and is often in conjunction with PPID and EMS, otherwise known as equine metabolic syndrome. EMS in horses is a little bit like late onset diabetes in people from a sedentary lifestyle and too much sugar and or carbs.
Metabolic diseases including Cushings aka PPID and EMS, along with nutrition are a special interest of Dr Susan Roach and she would love to help your horse! Please call Ambulatory Equine to schedule your horse's physical examination and consultation, +/- ppid testing (depending on our findings) at 480-266-0485.