Equine Performance Veterinarians, PLLC

08/29/2024

Summer and fall are the peak time for arbovirus infection as these diseases (which include Eastern Equine Encephalitis [EEE], West Nile Virus [WNV], Western Equine Encephalitis [WEE] and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis [VEE]) are transmitted by several different species of mosquitoes and biting insects.

With more states reporting cases of West Nile Virus (28 cases have been reported in August as of today), this is your reminder to keep your horses up to date on vaccinations with the guidance of your veterinarian to best protect your equine friends from infection.

Learn more about West Nile Virus and find downloadable resources on the Equine Disease Communication Center's website at: https://www.equinediseasecc.org/west-nile-virus

07/25/2024

HOW AND WHY DO HORSES GET ULCERS?

Equine gastric ulcers can affect any horse of any age. Up to 90% of racehorses and 60% of show horses, as well as non-performance horses and even foals are affected by equine gastric ulcers. Gastric ulcers result from the erosion of the stomach lining due to a prolonged exposure to the normal acid present in the stomach.

Unlike ulcers in humans, bacteria do not appear to cause equine gastric ulcers. Instead, this condition is often a man-made disease. Stall confinement alone can lead to the development of ulcers. A horse’s feeding schedule and high-grain diets can also contribute to the development of ulcers.

Stress, both environmental and physical, can increase the likelihood of ulcers, as can hauling, training, and mixing groups of horses. Strenuous exercise can decrease the emptying of the stomach as well as the blood flow, thus further contributing to the problem.

The treatment and prevention of gastric ulcers is directed at removing these predisposing factors, therefore decreasing acid production within the horse’s stomach. Prevention of ulcers is the key in helping your horse, as neutralizing the production of stomach acid is nature’s best antacid.

Please note that the only way to definitively diagnose ulcers is through a gastroscopy. An equine veterinarian should always be consulted in any case of suspected gastric ulcers to determine the best course of action and treatment for the individual horse.

07/09/2024

Did you know Dr. Clark is Fear Free Certified?!

“Fear Free is an online educational program that has become one of the single most transformative initiatives in the history of companion animal practice, providing unparalleled education on emotional wellbeing, enrichment, and the reduction of fear, anxiety, and stress in pets and improving the experience of every human and pet involved.”

07/03/2024

We will be closed for business on July 4th and 5th to observe the holiday!

07/01/2024

☀️🔥

06/30/2024

Fourth of July is next Thursday! Be prepared and take care of all your furry friends♥️

The Fourth of July is almost here, and many horse owners are concerned about how their horses might react to loud fireworks. 🎆

In the graphic below are some tips to keep your pets and equine companions safe during the festivities.

If your horses are staying out overnight, now is a good time to check fencing and look for any hazards like rocks, branches, or holes that could lead to injury if an animal starts running. If you have a high level of concern about your horse's response, consult your veterinarian about the appropriateness of calming agents and sedatives in advance.

No matter what your plans are, please remember to practice safety and be considerate of the people and the animals living around you so everyone may enjoy the celebration.

Thank you to our Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information.

06/17/2024

"Cool" hot weather tips! ☀️

The notion that a hot, recently exercised horse needs to walk until they are completely cooled off is a myth. A 2020 study found that out of the five methods tested, the quickest way to return to normal body temperature was stationary with continuous tap water application. This doesn't mean that you should abruptly stop exercise—finish your ride or training session with a slow walk to allow your horse's heart rate and breathing to gradually return to normal, but after that your sweaty, hardworking horse should be offered a cool shower and drinking water (small but frequent amounts) without delay.

Overall, enjoy your summer rides but be aware of signs of heat stress in your horse. When heat and humidity soar, even moderate exercise can push your equine friend's body temperature beyond safe limits! Be sure to contact your veterinarian for more information about heat stroke and for recommendations tailored to your horse's individual situation.
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Information brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

05/20/2024

If you believe that horses need grain in their diet to meet their nutritional needs, you are not alone. However, horses should get most of their nutrients from a good quality forage source such as grass, hay, hay pellets, or a complete feed.

Horses generally eat between 1.5-2% of their body weight each day, so an average size 1,000 lbs horse should eat 15- 20 lbs of hay daily. To help fill any nutrient gaps such as essential vitamins or minerals, a ration balancer may be beneficial. Depending on breed, body condition, and exercise level, concentrates may be added in to provide additional energy but are often not needed.

When deciding on what to feed your horse, it is best to invest in high quality forages as the foundation of your feeding plan. You can even have your hay tested to see exactly what nutrients it is providing. Please consult with your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist about your horse's diet before making any major changes, and remember that any changes should be made gradually over time to avoid GI upset.
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

05/17/2024

Respiratory health is essential to horse performance, yet it's often under-appreciated or misunderstood. The equine respiratory system is much different than the human’s and it has some limitations, to the point where even a little bit of inflammation or obstruction anywhere in the respiratory tract has a big impact on your horse's performance.

Conditions on the equine asthma spectrum have different manifestations and degrees of severity, so much so you may not even recognize that your equine friend's poor performance issues are related to respiratory health. For example, "feeling heavy,” lack of energy, and slow recovery times are all symptoms that could indicate a condition in the milder end of the equine asthma spectrum.

Reducing dust in the horse’s environment (including bacteria, endotoxins, mites, mold, and fungal spores) is the priority when it comes to both prevention and treatment. Some sources of respirable dust are very predictable (e.g., hay), but things like chickens or chemical spray on nearby fields are also among the many possibilities that could trigger an allergic respiratory response in a horse.

Identifying asthma triggers requires veterinarians and owners to work together, so be sure to consult your veterinarian to learn more about improving your horse’s environment and respiratory health!

05/14/2024

Make sure you are staying up to date on vaccines and preventative care for your four legged friends! 🐴🐐🐶

BUG SEASON IS HERE!

Besides being very irritating, it's important to remember that some of these insects can spread infection and disease to your horse (and, in some cases, to you as well). Therefore, a smart strategy is to control the problem before it gets out of hand and minimize populations from the beginning.

The attached infographic contains some suggestions to get you started. Please keep in mind that there are many variations of these suggested programs that will still meet the same goals and follow the same principles.

As always, reach out to your veterinarian for recommendations suitable for your horse’s specific situation!

04/23/2024

This Day, join the call to celebrate our planet and the incredible horses we share it with! As scientists, veterinarians certainly understand the importance of sustainable practices that benefit the well-being of horses their people while minimizing environmental impact.

The infographic lists some easy ways you can be a eco-conscious horse owner. Do you have tips of your own? Share them in the comments!

04/22/2024

: Unlike humans, horses don’t have collarbones. Their shoulders are held to the rest of their skeleton via a sling of muscles and ligaments instead, often referred to as the “thoracic sling.”

Why is this important? We often ask our equine athletes to perform complex movements that require tremendous strength and coordination, and horses carry the majority of their weight in their front end. Therefore, it is imperative that the bulk of the muscles that support the front end are kept healthy and conditioned, and the horse is trained to use their “motor” — that is, engaging the large hind end muscles as much as possible to avoid excessive weight bearing on the front end.

If the front end of the horse is consistently overweighted or not at an appropriate level of fitness, repetitive biomechanical stresses get transferred down the leg to the smaller ligaments and tendons that were not designed to bear this weight, which can then lead to injury.
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Brough to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

04/16/2024

Remember when your parents used to tell you to wait 30 minutes after eating before going for a swim? Unlike us, horses can actually benefit from eating forage before they exercise, as it may help reduce the risk of gastric ulcers.

While a variety of things can contribute to the development of stomach ulcers (medications, diet, stress, etc.), one train of thought is that these areas of irritation result as a consequence of the acid of the stomach splashing against unprotected parts of the stomach lining. When a horse eats forage, the hay can help absorb some of that acid and thus reduce the risk of ulcer formation.

It is important to note that a forage meal (one comprised of hay or grass) provides the most benefit, while eating large volumes of concentrate feeds (such as oats, corn, or other cereal grains) can actually increase the amount of acid within the stomach.

As always, please be sure to consult with your vet regarding further diagnostics and treatments if you have concerns that your horse may have gastric ulcers.
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

03/27/2024

We will be closed from 3/29 to 4/1 to celebrate the season with our families and friends. We'll be back on 4/2 to assist you with anything you need🩺

03/27/2024

Spring has sprung! Which means…vaccination season is upon us as well!

If you are wondering what vaccinations your horse should receive, the answer is — There are no “one size fits all” vaccine recommendations. A veterinarian who knows your horse and your management system is your best resource to recommend what vaccines your equine friend should receive and with what frequency!

While vaccination does not prevent disease in all circumstances, a good immunization protocol minimizes the risk of infection and remains an essential component of responsible horse ownership. A vaccination appointment is also the perfect opportunity for a yearly check-up of your equine friend and a great way to catch any health concerns early.

If you have yet to contact your veterinarian about scheduling your horse's vaccinations, we encourage you to do it soon!

03/19/2024

UNDERSTANDING HOOF ABSCESSES
Sooner or later (and especially at this time of year), nearly all horse owners will deal with a hoof abscess. But what does "hoof abscess" actually mean? The diagram below shows a simplified view of the equine hoof to help you visualize the structures involved in this process.

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 the course of 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.

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.

As always, consult your horse doctor for more information and advice!

03/12/2024

02/27/2024

Dr. Clark will be out of office February 28th - March 3rd. He will return all messages when he gets back. Our office will remain open.

02/22/2024

Did you know we offer chiropractic services for horses?
Chiropractic treatment can help to restore normal joint motion, stimulate nerve reflexes, and reduce pain. Have Dr. Clark help your horse say goodbye to their discomfort and back to their normal selves in no time! Don’t wait to get your horse feeling better from head to hoof🐴
Book now 📆

02/14/2024

Congratulations to the 2024 TVMA Equine Practitioner of the Year Award winner, Dennis Clark, DVM! 🏅 Dr. Clark will receive his award at a banquet during the 2024 TVMA Annual Conference & Expo on March 2.

GET TICKETS 👉 https://ow.ly/NFWs50QAkyx

02/08/2024

Book a dental exam today!🦷

February is National Pet Dental Health Month. While horses don’t exactly qualify as pets, this is still a good opportunity to remind everyone about the importance of having a veterinarian check your horse’s teeth at least once a year.

Following is some important food for thought (pun intended) courtesy of AAEP member Dr. Christine Staten:

“Did you know that horses don’t really need their incisors to eat? Yep, even pasture. But if their incisors are a mess, it affects their ability to appropriately grind their food with their molars and pre-molars.

Dental work in horses is not just about floating teeth to get off points. It’s about balancing the mouth so that they can get the most nutrition out of their food without pain.

Shearing hay in the mouth is necessary to get the nutrition out. The guy in the picture was skinny because he could not move his jaw laterally enough to shear his food, but his health and body condition score improved significantly once the incisors were balanced.”

When was the last time you had your horse’s teeth checked?

02/04/2024

Colic is not a disease, but rather a combination of signs that alert us to abdominal pain in the horse. Colic can range from mild to severe but it should never be ignored, as many of the conditions that cause colic can become life threatening in a relatively short period of time. Only by quickly and accurately recognizing colic – and seeking qualified veterinary help – can the chance for recovery be maximized.

Virtually any horse is susceptible to colic, so management practices can play a key role in prevention. And although not every case is avoidable, the guidelines listed in the graphic can help you maximize your horse’s health and reduce the risk of colic.

As always, remember that every animal is different depending on age, breed and other health conditions, so be sure to work with your veterinarian to address any concerns specific to your situation!

02/01/2024

Don’t forget to schedule a checkup to get your horses annual vaccines and coggins done. Preventative care can help you avoid many common illnesses in the future! Message us to book an appointment 📅

01/30/2024

Pegasus laser therapy is a game-changer in horse health.

This is a non-invasive and effective way to provide more efficient veterinary care for horses. This tool supports pain management, speeds up recovery, and increases the quality of life for your beloved horse.

Ready to discover how your horse can benefit from this innovative therapy? Call/Message us to book📱

01/25/2024

FUN FACT FRIDAY! Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice, good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee