Country Care Equine Veterinary Services, P.A.

11/25/2024

Did you know your horse can catch the flu, too?

While there isn’t a specific time of the year for “flu season” in the equine world, any time is good to learn more about this highly contagious respiratory condition—particularly because it’s one of the most common infectious diseases of the respiratory tract of horses, and recent years have been unusually active for Equine Influenza Virus (EIV) on a global scale.

EIV spreads rapidly through groups of horses in aerosolized droplets dispersed by coughing, and the severity of clinical signs depends on the degree of existing immunity within the affected individual, among other factors (i.e., correctly vaccinated horses are less affected than unvaccinated horses).
Any horse showing signs of respiratory disease (cough, nasal discharge, persistent fever) should be isolated immediately until your veterinarian can determine the exact cause.

To learn more about Equine Influenza Virus (EIV), visit these resources:
https://aaep.org/resource/aaep-infectious-disease-guidelines-equine-influenza-eiv/
&
https://www.equinediseasecc.org/equine-influenza

As always, your horse doctor remains your best source of information. Contact them to learn more about how to prevent this disease through an appropriate vaccination protocol and biosecurity practices.

11/13/2024

If your horse has a cough that persists into exercise or is heard while your equine friend is at rest in the barn, be sure to talk to your veterinarian about evaluating your horse for respiratory disease. It could be a problem with the upper airway (the nasal passages and throat) or the lower airway (the lungs).

While waiting for your appointment, try decreasing your horse’s exposure to dust, as that is a primary trigger for lower respiratory disease such as asthma or heaves. Some simple things you can do include avoiding straw bedding, feeding hay on the ground and/or soaking it, not using a leaf blower on barn aisles, and not storing hay or bedding above your horse’s stall. Last but not least, while us humans may be more comfortable with all the barn doors closed on a cold day, your horses’ lungs will appreciate open doors/windows and good ventilation!

As always, if you have questions or would like to learn more about preserving your horse’s respiratory health, your equine veterinarian remains your best source of information!
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Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

11/09/2024

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.

10/15/2024

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!

07/12/2024

07/07/2024

Should you be concerned if your donkey stops eating?

While any animal not eating is a worry, donkeys can face serious health risks if they go off their feed for too long. Here's why: donkeys efficiently convert food to energy, making them prone to obesity and increased fat stores. If they stop eating for a while, their bodies break down stored fat quickly which creates high levels of triglycerides in the blood. When triglyceride concentrations within the blood get too high, they are deposited into the liver causing damage and in severe cases, even life-threatening liver failure. This condition is called hyperlipemia.

How you can help: Hyperlipemia can result secondary to primary illness (ex. colic), stressful situations, or an increase in the body's nutritional requirements. Maintaining donkeys at a healthy weight, performing appropriate metabolic testing and care, and ensuring immediate veterinary care when they stop eating can help prevent this condition from starting.

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

07/04/2024

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Fourth of July!!! 🇺🇸🎇🎆

(Had to go deep into the archives for these 7•4•13)☺️

06/04/2024

Congrats Kristy!! ☝🏼down and ☝🏼to go!! 💖💖

05/21/2024

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

05/10/2024

Hold your horses! Here's what you need to know before turning your horses out to graze pastures.

🛑 Wait until plant heights average 6 to 8 inches.
☀️ Allow the ground time to dry and firm.
🌾 Slowly ease horses onto pastures in 15-minute daily increments.

⏰ Begin with 15 minutes of grazing on the first day, 30 minutes the second day, etc until you reach 5 hours. After that, unrestricted grazing can occur if adequate forage is available. A slow transition provides enough time for the horse’s microbes to adjust, which reduces the chance of laminitis and colic.

ℹ️ https://extension.umn.edu/horse-pastures-and-facilities/fall-and-spring-pasture-do-lists -your-pasture-for-grazing-in-spring-69710

04/30/2024

Awww, someone was happy to see me… ☺️

04/30/2024

Whiskey thought he would curl up while he waited for his friend to wake up from sedation. For only being 11 weeks old he was such a good boy! Fun having him around while I worked on the horses! 💕🐶

04/27/2024

🐴 🐶 Happy World Veterinary Day!! 🐶🐴

04/27/2024

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

04/27/2024

Hitting the road with your horse, either for pleasure or for business/competition?

Most horse owners know that a negative Coggins test is a must-have for crossing state lines or entering competitions (or even boarding at someone's barn). But let’s not forget that even homebodies need it!

A "Coggins" is a blood test that checks for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), a serious blood-borne disease. EIA is transmitted by biting flies, particularly horseflies, so your horse is at risk even it never leaves the property or lives in a closed herd.

The clinical signs of the disease can vary dramatically, from an acute infection to an inapparent form that presents mild to no symptoms. No treatment or vaccine exist for EIA at the moment, and infected horses become lifelong carriers. Therefore, to ensure that large outbreaks of the disease don’t take place, horses that test positive for EIA must be quarantined and isolated for the rest of their life or humanely euthanized.

Get your horse tested annually, regardless of travel plans. To learn more about EIA, consult your veterinarian or visit our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/equine-infectious-anemia