Athletic Equine Veterinary Services

12/10/2022

Anyone need Prascend? Huge discount

09/10/2022

It’s Fall time! 🍁

Make sure you follow up with routine/preventative care before the cold weather sets in! This includes wellness exams, dentistries, bloodwork, and vaccinations.

Have an older horse? It is really important to make sure you have him/her appropriately prepared for the winter weather. Having a veterinary exam can help head off problems before they become emergencies!

Going South for the winter? Make sure you have your coggins and health certificate ready to go! Last minute paperwork can incur higher costs and are often subject to the lab turnaround.

Call (631) 566-6455 to speak with Shannon and get your appointment in the calendar!

07/13/2022

It’s —let’s take a moment to celebrate and thank our farriers! Proper foot care is the cornerstone of maintaining a sound horse and a good farrier is instrumental in keeping the horse’s feet balanced and well-supported. Farriers and veterinarians often work together for the best interests of the horse, so a skilled farrier is both a necessity and a tremendous asset for your horse care dream team. Be sure to let your farriers know they are appreciated!

07/12/2022

Dear Friends,
I have started this letter numerous times, deleted, edited, deleted again. I just don’t have the right words to say all that I want to say in this communication to you. While I had hoped to reach out to all of you on a personal level, the reality is, this is the Long Island horse community. Word travels fast.
So, for those of you that haven’t already heard, after considerable thought, physical ailments, and personal developments, I have made the very difficult decision to move off Long Island.
When I started my practice in 2012, I had no idea that it would grow to the magnitude that it has today. I am so very incredibly grateful to have experienced so much within this community. Long Island horse people are strong, full of character, often fun, often equally crazy, and I have been so privileged to be a part of it all. I was so blessed to know so many amazing horses (and goats!) and have been honored with their trust. It is a deep responsibility caring for my patients, and I have always been in awe (and grateful for) the trust and loyalty by both horse and owner. My life has been unimaginably enriched by the relationships I have made – both animal and human. You have become my family. My heart hurts…but it is also so full of many fond memories and current friendships, soft muzzles and warm smiles. I will take these with me and know that I am so blessed.
Beginning next week, I will be integrating my practice with Miller and Associates of Long Island, a multi-doctor practice known for its excellence and professionalism. I specifically chose Miller and Associates as I have been working with Dr. Miller, Dr. Robinson, and Dr. Wooten personally for many years and their reputation precedes them. Miller and Associates provides the same high-quality care, compassion, and dedication that I have strived for in my practice. We have covered emergency on-call for each other and have worked together on cases. These colleagues are my friends and whom I have placed trust to take care of my beloved patients and clients. I feel very fortunate to have colleagues that I can trust to take over care and know that my patients - my friends and family - will be in excellent hands.
This change is incredibly hard for me, and I know it may feel that way to you. It’s very difficult for me to transfer care after such tremendous responsibility, and something I do not take lightly. I expect some of you may have questions and concerns and I hope you will reach out so that I can earn your trust in this decision, as I have previously earned it in the care of your animals. I do intend to be available for assisting in this transfer, as well as work with the vets at Miller and Associates to review cases, transfer records, and let each doctor know how all the little quirks of your loved one(s) that make the vet visit a more positive experience.
I will be sending out further communication in the coming days to clarify contact information and processes. Going forward, please reach out to the Miller and Associates office for scheduling questions at 1-914-276-1260. Please notify their office that you are a client of Athletic Equine and need to be connected with Shannon at the Long Island office, who will then be able to assist you. If you currently have an appointment scheduled over the next week with Athletic Equine, that appointment is still in place with myself unless otherwise specified. Please reach out to Athletic Equine at 631-494-6897 for any specific questions concerning your scheduled appointment.
Signing off with much gratitude and love,
Dr. Kara

05/20/2022

Did you know that horses can get sunburns too?

That’s right: Horses, like humans, can be at risk for the skin damage and discomfort that accompany a sunburn, especially on the non-pigmented pink-skinned areas of the body. The breeds that most frequently suffer from sunburn include Paints, Pintos, and Appaloosas, as well as many cremellos and other horses with pale coat colors.

Sunburn is most frequently seen in areas where the skin is more sensitive — like around the eyes and on the muzzle of pale or white-faced horses — and horses prone to recurrent sunburn also have an increased likelihood of developing squamous cell carcinoma (a common cancer).

To reduce the risk of sunburn, the best advice is to avoid sun exposure when possible. This is often achieved by stabling the horse during the day and allowing him to graze from dusk to dawn.
Another preventive option is the use of a full-face fly mask, or a full-body fly sheet for horses with large areas of white over the back and trunk, as many of these products come with UV protection.
Lots of people use use human products, such as children’s sunscreens, on their horses, however the product needs to be reapplied often to fully effective (just an on people).

If your horse is susceptible to sunburn, contact your veterinarian for more information about sun damage and recommendations to keep your animal comfortable. Sunburn recovery in the horse can take months, so taking proactive steps to keep your equine friend protected this summer is in everyone’s best interest!

More information about sunburn and photosensitization is available on our website at https://aaep.org/issue/sunburn-photosensitivity

05/07/2022

Unfortunately negative palmar angles is a common finding in the horse population, leading to an extensive number of other ailments and injuries. Radiographic interpretation can help assist both farrier/trimmer and veterinarian to look at the internal structures of the foot and help correct the angles. It starts with a proper trim and paying attention to the healthy and non-healthy structures of the foot.

I went for a little walk around the local show park yesterday during the season opener hunter/jumper show. I try not to look down at horse feet unless someone asks for my opinion, but despite my best efforts, I couldn’t stop noticing that most of the horses there, from the low level hunters to the 1.20m jumper class I watched for a while are very obviously NPA and/or showed obvious signs of caudal failure. NPA means “negative palmar angle” on front feet or “negative plantar angle” on hinds. It means that the back of the coffin bone is lower than the front. It is supposed to be the other way around! A normal palmar/plantar angle is 2°-10° yet soooo many horses work on feet with palmar/plantar angles of less than zero. It is so common that by most people it is seen as normal. Caudal failure means structural collapse of the caudal (back) part of the foot.

Horses may not be obviously lame with this condition, however there are often subtle signs. Reluctance to go forward, forging (stepping on or hitting the backs of the front shoes with the hind feet), overreaching, not tracking up, refusing jumps, bucking after jumps (because landing hurts), lack of hindquarter engagement, decreased gait quality all around, behavioural issues under saddle, etc. These symptoms can be easily mistaken for other things or riders and trainers can tend to use punishment to try to change some behaviours that have their root in hoof pain. It is also very hard on the legs and most specifically the DDFT (deep digital flexor tendon) and navicular area of the foot because of the biomechanics of a foot with an improper angle cause increased friction where the DDFT runs under the navicular bone to attach to the back of the coffin bone. This is why low heeled horses are at increased risk of developing navicular syndrome.

We need to retrain our eyes to know what is normal. We also need to realize that asking horses to work hard when their feet are a mess is not fair and causes sometimes irreparable damage, both to their feet and to their opinions about working.

How do we fix it? First we need to acknowledge that NPA is a systemic issue in farriery and we need to change the way we trim and shoe. Owners need to recognize NPA and find a farrier who recognizes NPA and knows how to fix it. Farriers need to stop trimming off the back of the foot and add frog support to our shoeing packages. Frog support needs to be normalized. More than one client has remarked to me that if we put frog pads on the horse, potential buyers will think there is something wrong with the horse. This is because what is normalized currently in farriery are open heeled regular metal shoes, which are a huge part of what causes NPA. When we lift up the foot off the ground and provide no structural support to the frog, the center of the foot collapses. This is a very simple concept, yet we are still doing things the same way we have always done and expecting a different result. This is the definition of insanity and it is killing our horses slowly. If I help to change only one thing in my time as a farrier, I hope for it to be this.

For reference, normal/ideal angles are generally as follows:
Hairline: about 20°
Dorsal wall (toe): about 50-55°, steeper on some breeds
Heel: equal to toe angle or perhaps 5° less than dorsal wall

This horse’s toe is close to 50° however the heel is 23° lower than the toe and I could not even measure the heel at the back because the bulb is sitting on the shoe! I had to measure it where I could see the angle of the tubules on the wall. The hairline is far too low. This foot is not helping this horse at all and this horse is one of many. I might get some angry messages for this, but we need to acknowledge that most of our performance horses are NPA and/or have some degree of caudal failure and then then we need to do something about it.

——-

Addendum: This post has pi**ed off some people. Fair enough. It’s also been shared all over the world, which has been great and also quite the experience. Wayne over at Progressive Equine has been writing about caudal failure and NPA for a few years now, as have others. This topic is not new. For whatever reason, this post in particular has caught peoples’ attention.

What I ask of those who are angry about it, or indignant that I dared to challenge the status quo is this: if you think I’m wrong, ok. Go prove it. If I’m wrong, why are you angry? If I am wrong, then this post is irrelevant to you and irrelevant to your work and there is nothing to be angry about. I did not (and will not) name any particular farrier. Who did the job is not even relevant, because this problem is not about one person. I am not trash talking anyone. I am saying that there is a systemic issue in how farriers are taught to trim and shoe and that it is on us, as a group, to correct it by continuing to learn and grow. That is my perspective. If you think I’m wrong then disregard it. And yes, some horses manage in regular shoes and to the owners and farriers of those horses I am glad for you. For everyone else, maybe what I wrote here will help you. That is all I am trying to do.

03/26/2022

Hard day at work. Great coworkers make all the difference! Caught sleeping on the job…

03/17/2022

Turn “back” the clocks and turn backs into feeling good! Time to knock off the winter blues and get ready for riding! Schedule your horse’s chiropractic care with us!

631-494-6897

02/25/2022

Allergies!

They may be pretty…pretty annoying, that is!

Allergic reactions can cause the hair to rise secondary to a “histamine release” - the chemical the body releases in an allergic response. This can cause all sorts of odd hair patterns, including these “wheals”, lumps, bumps, rashes, and swelling.

The difficulty with allergies is figuring out the culprit. Environmental (physical contact with an irritant), food, bugs, medications, even autoimmune issues can cause these types of reactions. It is important to work with your veterinarian to help control the symptoms and when possible, remove the allergen.

Concerned about some skin issues? Call for an exam! 631-494-6897

02/24/2022

You’re not kidding!

Babies are fun - especially when you don’t have to do the hard work of raising them yourself, just enjoy their cuteness!

Did you know that goat gestation is about 5 months long and generally are bred in mid to late Fall? So there should be many kids hitting the ground now! Horses are also seasonal breeders and typically are bred in the late Spring and have an 11 month gestation time. However, often the mare’s reproductive cycle is altered to allow for earlier pregnancy and thus earlier foaling. It can be a fun but sometimes stressful time for the moms and caretakers involved.

Hang in there everyone, March is around the corner!

02/09/2022

When you want to please a client with absolutely magical winter photos, but you own a mare....🙄🥴😅
Knot Just Rope
Rhythm-n-Beads
Nika Nagel Poland

02/04/2022

Horses speak to us all the time, just not in words. Try extra hard to practice your horse language. It is key to understanding how your horse is feeling, and if they might be in pain.

https://solepurposehoofcare.com/evaluating-your-horses-pain/?fbclid=IwAR05gd_IH5n_BRR_utDjz6PPtob-djlZoKDb9bPhk5leg4wt9EWaBofeYUA

One of the more emotionally difficult parts of my job is working with horses who are experiencing pain. It is especially challenging when they are suffering from chronic pain. I get to see a wide range of horses every week and have the opportunity to observe many things, even with horses who I don.....

02/03/2022

Foot health is essential! Proper nutrition, exercise, cleaning, and environment can all help prevent an infection in the frog called “thrush”. If you are cleaning your horse’s feet and you smell something off, your horse may have thrush. The frog will appear weak and eroded, especially in the crevices. There is often a black substance when you clean it out. I’m severe cases debridement and medication may be warranted.

Concerned that your horse might have thrush and need help? Call us at 631-494-6897

https://thehorse.com/119138/the-lowdown-on-thrush/?utm_medium=Lameness+enews&utm_source=Newsletter

A good thrush prevention plan includes proper hoof care, regular exercise, and a clean living environment.

01/18/2022

Ultrasound, also referred to as a sonogram, is an extremely useful diagnostic tool that helps image inside the body. It is non-invasive and not harmful - in fact, different ultrasound waves are often used therapeutically!

Imaging your horse’s injury is critical in providing an accurate diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plan. Being able to follow the amount of healing can help cater your horse’s recovery and allow your vet to notice small problems before they turn into bigger problems.

Athletic Equine has recently upgraded its equipment to an amazing new ultrasound machine, allowing for more a precise diagnosis and more sensitive imaging. Dr. Spillman is specifically trained in musculoskeletal ultrasound to provide expertise when it comes to your horse’s healing.

Concerned about your horse and looking to make an appointment? Call us for state-of-the-art sports medicine care!

631-494-6897

01/11/2022

Some tips to try to get your horses hydrated!

https://www.lighthoof.com/blogs/blog/5-ways-to-encourage-your-horse-to-drink-during-cold-weather

You may notice that your horses tend to drink less during the winter. This can put your horse at risk of dehydration, which has serious health risks. It's important to your horse's health to encourage him to drink during cold weather, and these five tips can help.

01/07/2022

Love the creativity!

We were yesterday years old when we learned that vet wrap art is a thing!! If you have an accident-prone horse like , maybe you can take out some of the stress by turning your bandages into a work of art, too.

Also, do you know what gingerbread cookies and wound management have in common? Honey has been used to improve wound healing for centuries. However, remember that not all honey is created equal, so only honey that is known to have antimicrobial benefits (Manuka honey) should be used in wound care.

12/29/2021

Did you know a horse with a moderate hair coat starts requiring additional calories for body temperature regulation when the outside temperature drops to approximately 50°F? Cold weather prompts special considerations for your horse's diet and care: https://aaep.org/horsehealth/cold-weather-nutrition

12/24/2021

Happy Holidays!!!

12/13/2021

Great news!

Children around the world received some good news today, with officials from the North Pole confirming that Santa’s reindeer have been approved for their Christmas Eve flight, following a health checkup from Santa’s veterinarian.

11/27/2021

🐴 ❄️ HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ATHLETIC EQUINE!🎄 ⭐️

As a commitment to providing our patients with the most cutting edge diagnostics, we have invested in multiple pieces of new equipment this year - the latest is an upgrade top-of-the-line ultrasound machine!

This year also brought a brand new endoscope 🤩, and the addition of a 🌟 gastroscope 🌟 so we can now perform gastroscopies on the farm. This helps diagnose stomach ulcers which plaque so many of our patients.

With even more capabilities to diagnose, we come prepared to help you and your animals thrive and succeed! 💪🏻

11/26/2021

“…within five years post-graduate, 50 percent of equine veterinarians will leave equine practice.”

Having awareness is part of the battle. It appears that the structure of the equine veterinary industry might need to change to remain sustainable at the dwindling number of veterinarians 💔

It's no secret that employers across all industries are hard-pressed for help right now. Dr. Debbie Spike-Pierce, president and CEO of Rood + Riddle Equine Hospital, worries that soon equine veterinarians won't just have a tough time finding people to work for them – their clients may have a tough...

11/07/2021

Rambo’s not camera shy! 🐂❤️

10/27/2021

🔴 EPM - don’t just use bloodwork for diagnosis in a horse without signs!

💥 “A definite diagnosis is necessary before prescribing treatment,” Bianco said.

👉🏻In her professional opinion, EPM is likely overdiagnosed. ⭐️

❗️78% of the horse population in the US will have a positive to bloodwork tests but only a fraction suffer from disease❗️

✅ The most definitive way to diagnose EPM is paired blood AND CSF values (fluid taken from around the spinal cord). While this procedure needs to be done in a sterile environment and carefully performed by a qualified veterinarian, having accurate results can avoid costly and lengthy treatment, which may postpone an accurate diagnosis of what is truly ailing your horse.

Equine Protozoal Myelitis is a parasite that can enter horses bodies through ingestion of opposum f***s, which can’t always be avoided given horses need to eat grass or hay. However, proper storage of hay will help avoid opossums from getting to your horse’s feed source.

https://thehorse.com/1105236/5-points-to-help-veterinarians-diagnose-epm/?utm_medium=aaep+touchpoints+enews&utm_source=Newsletter

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis remains challenging to definitively diagnose. Here, a practitioner offers an update about the disease.