Damascus Equine Associates, Michael Erskine, DVM

09/04/2024

While it’s a common equine emergency, esophageal obstruction (“choke”) can look alarming, especially if you've never seen it before. Unlike in human medicine, where choking refers to a tracheal (or windpipe) obstruction, choke in horses refers to an obstruction of the esophagus (the muscular tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach).

Most commonly, choking occurs when horses eat concentrated feed too quickly without chewing appropriately, which results in a firm bolus lodged in the animal's esophagus. However, esophageal obstruction can also occur with hay or straw, hard treats, carrots, or nonfood objects. Poor dentition, which leads to inadequate chewing, is also a frequent cause of choke.

While common, choke can have serious consequences. So, be sure to call your veterinarian as soon as you notice signs of choke. A bad choke is fairly obvious to both veterinarians and horse owners, but a mild choke could be confused with an upper respiratory tract infection or colic.

To learn more about choke, visit: https://equusmagazine.com/horse-care/response-choke-53083?fbclid=IwY2xjawFD8vFleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfE-Zua-igK44im7wrVKxQCC-BpnLCteEuv_kOcOvm_IrRy_GusLbR99tA_aem_vtdTknV2QDBSXk79x9PmjQ

08/22/2024

Congrats Dr. Lewis!

Congratulations to our July Good Works for Horses honorees! 🎉

We are excited to spotlight Dr. James Lewis, a member of Damascus Equine Associates in Mount Airy, Maryland, for volunteering his services with Safe Haven Equine Warriors, a nonprofit whose primary focus is to rescue, rehabilitate, retrain and rehome equines either suffering from or in imminent danger of abuse or neglect.

Dr. Lewis serves on the advisory council and supports the rescue’s mission in multiple ways. Volunteering his expertise to oversee the health of the rescue’s herd and treating often difficult conditions to give rescued horses a new lease on life, Dr. Lewis leads difficult discussions with sensible compassion.

We would also like to congratulate runners-up Dr. Keith Bogatch, a racetrack veterinarian based in Elmont, New York, and Dr. Alyssa King, owner of King's Kreatures, in Yoder, Colorado.

The Good Works for Horses campaign, graciously sponsored by AAEP Educational Partner Zoetis Equine, honors AAEP-member practitioners whose volunteer efforts have a positive impact on the equine community.

Read more here: https://aaep.org/post/dr-james-lewis-honored-as-aaep-good-works-recipient-for-july/

08/12/2024

The fundraiser has reached 25% of the goal! Please consider making a small donation to support future veterinarians!

Calling all animal lovers! ? Our entry is in for the Unleash Your Inner Animal contest! ? Vote to support Maryland veterinary students' scholarships. Every vote counts, so let's make a big impact together! Click to vote and spread the word. Thank you for your support!

08/07/2024

We've entered the Unleash Your Inner Animal Contest to raise money for Maryland veterinary student scholarships. Please consider making a donation to a great cause and then cast your vote for our practice's entry. Every contribution and vote counts! Click the link to make a big impact!

Please help us raise scholarship funds for Maryland's veterinary students! The Maryland Veterinary Foundation awards scholarships to students from Maryland pursuing all levels of veterinary medical education. How can you support us?

Click the link below to DONATE... just $5 helps! Securing the future of veterinary medicine in Maryland means there will be plenty of veterinarians to care for your beloved pets for years and years to come! After donating, VOTE for our photo to boost our chances of winning the contest! THANK YOU!

Calling all animal lovers! ? Our entry is in for the Unleash Your Inner Animal contest! ? Vote to support Maryland veterinary students' scholarships. Every vote counts, so let's make a big impact together! Click to vote and spread the word. Thank you for your support!

07/29/2024

While we still need your votes to stay in first place, more importantly donations are needed! Please consider supporting such a great cause!

Calling all animal lovers! ? Our entry is in for the Unleash Your Inner Animal contest! ? Vote to support Maryland veterinary students' scholarships. Every vote counts, so let's make a big impact together! Click to vote and spread the word. Thank you for your support!

07/24/2024

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.

07/15/2024

Calling all animal lovers! ? Our entry is in for the Unleash Your Inner Animal contest! ? Vote to support Maryland veterinary students' scholarships. Every vote counts, so let's make a big impact together! Click to vote and spread the word. Thank you for your support!

07/15/2024

Vote for us and please consider donating to the Maryland Veterinary Foundation Scholarships! You can help raise funds for veterinary scholarships to reduce debt after graduation. We need more veterinarians and every donation counts!

Calling all animal lovers! ? Our entry is in for the Unleash Your Inner Animal contest! ? Vote to support Maryland veterinary students' scholarships. Every vote counts, so let's make a big impact together! Click to vote and spread the word. Thank you for your support!

06/25/2024

Don't forget to make a plan for your horses with the fireworks on the 4th of July. Make sure to contact the office if you have any concerns about keeping them calm!

05/22/2024

04/11/2024

Don't forget that our Strangles seminar is going on right now!

04/10/2024

Join us tomorrow to learn all about Strangles!

03/05/2024

02/18/2024

❗️ATTENTION ❗️We are sorry to announce that due to illness we will have to cancel the Feb 22 seminar. Please plan to join us in March for our lameness and conditioning event- more details to come soon!

Our winter lecture series with University of Maryland Extension, Baltimore County continues Thursday, February 22nd from 6-8pm at the Baltimore County Ag Center with two sessions to help you “Optimize Equine Fertility”

First, Dr. Megan Snyder from Damascus Equine Associates will present 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆: 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗮𝗹
Dr. Snyder’s professional interests include equine reproduction, sports medicine and internal medicine. She is an FEI Official Veterinarian for Eventing, a USEF testing veterinarian and a member of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) where she serves on the Performance Horse Committee.

Dr. Amy Burk will follow with 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼: 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗮𝗹
Dr. Amy Burk is a Professor in Equine Science and Director of the Undergraduate Program in the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences at the University of Maryland as well as University of Maryland Extension Equine specialist. Dr. Burk teaches horse management, equine science, and equine reproduction

Plan to join us! The lectures are free to attend but we do ask you to register online at https://bit.ly/WinterEquineSeminars or call Erika Crowl at 410-887-8090.

12/09/2023

We had a wonderful night celebrating the holiday season as a practice! Many thanks to Pam Milkman with Boehringer Ingelheim for providing dinner for us. Happy holidays to all of our clients and colleagues!

10/18/2023

Learn why hoof radiographs are important, how to use them, and what role they play in helping your horse feel and move better.

07/12/2023

As we celebrate and honor the skill of our farriers during National Farrier Week, we can’t help but think of the age-old adage ‘no hoof, no horse.’ Horse owners realize that our farrier is an important factor in our horse’s overall care and wellness.

06/14/2023

As Independence Day approaches make sure to contact us now if you think your horses will be worried about fireworks!

05/04/2023

https://wjla.com/features/7news-mornings/equine-veterinarian-shortage?fbclid=IwAR0LTTuub_zxwQ5Q8btHby5RxeH8LwVJBym5Acp-vM1c7X8lrzJfv-JasdM #

In addition to a nursing shortage, there is a National Equine Veterianian shortage. Dr. Michael Eskrine, Director of the Equine Medical Center in Leesburg share

03/31/2023

There is a crisis silently brewing in the equine veterinary world. The combination of older veterinarians leaving the field, current equine veterinarians leaving for better pay and work/life balance, and fewer numbers of veterinary students choosing equine as their elective field of specialty have s...

03/03/2023

Check out our new FAQ page! Let us know if there are any other topics we should cover!

Contact our office at 301-829-4977 (call or text) or [email protected]. If your horse is within our practice area and we can service the farm, we will ask you to fill out a new client agreement and put a credit card on file. Please note that you are only considered a client once your new client agr...

02/23/2023

With spring only one month away (!!), it’s not too early to start thinking about a deworming plan for your horses.

If deworming is something you’ve been doing the same way for as long as you can remember, this year we encourage you to break tradition and work with your veterinarian instead to create a targeted plan for each horse. Before you dismiss this notion because you’ve “been doing it for years,” you should know that the old-school approach to deworming is quickly becoming outdated and is also not sustainable — it’s a waste of money AND it builds drug resistance in the parasitic fauna of equines, which means we are running out of drugs that can effectively help us control parasite infections.

There is no single deworming program that suits all horses and all situations. Your veterinarian can help you devise an appropriate strategy based on the number/ages of the horses on the farm, pasture management and your geographic location.
One of the most useful tools in a parasite control program is the f***l egg count — microscopic examination of fresh manure for parasite eggs. This simple test allows your veterinarian to determine which parasites are present and whether the infection is light, moderate, or heavy. This information is important in choosing the right treatment for your horse and in monitoring the efficacy of the dewormer used last.

Finally, don't rely on dewormers alone when it comes to parasite control. As parasites are primarily transferred through manure, good pasture maintenance and management are also necessary.

For more information, the AAEP Parasite Control Guidelines can be found on our website at https://aaep.org/document/internal-parasite-control-guidelines
As always, consult your equine veterinarian to learn more and for questions specific to your horse(s).

02/07/2023

This interactive Horse Hay Workshop allows horse owners to learn more about hay production and what factors may impact its quality!

02/07/2023

The Equine Medical Center provides educational opportunities for horse owners and professionals.

02/02/2023

DID YOU KNOW?

Puncture wounds in the foot qualify as medical emergencies, due to the amount of vital structures just beneath the sole that can be physically damaged and/or contaminated with bacteria when they are penetrated by a sharp object.

If your horse steps on a nail or other sharp object and it remains embedded in the hoof, resist the temptation to pull the nail out and consult with your veterinarian first. Leaving the nail in place will allow the vet to take x-rays of the foot before removal, which helps to identify exactly what structures have been penetrated, and to plan the most appropriate strategy for dealing with the situation.

If your veterinarian advises, carefully remove the nail to prevent the horse from stepping on it and driving it deeper into the hoof cavity. As you remove it, be sure to mark the exact point and depth of entry with tape and/or a marker so the veterinarian can assess the extent of damage. Apply antiseptic to the wound, and wrap to prevent additional contamination while you wait for your appointment.

Penetrating hoof wounds can be extremely serious and shouldn’t be underestimated. The prognosis for successful recovery depends on quick action to identify the path of the nail, treatment of potential infection and mechanical damage to the foot, and proper aftercare. As always, consult your horse doctor for more information and advice!

11/28/2022

Horse owners really need to pay attention to this. Hopefully all of the attention this got at AAEP means something can be done to turn the tide in the veterinary profession.

The supply of equine veterinarians is diminishing rapidly. How can horse owners help?

11/28/2022

A few of our veterinarians attended the AAEP conference and there was a lot of discussion about the lack of future veterinarians. We are working our hardest to continue to provide the same service to all of our amazing clients! Remember to be kind and patient with your veterinarians!

The supply of equine veterinarians is diminishing rapidly. How can horse owners help?

11/05/2022

Thank you KES Contracting Roll Off Services!

06/24/2022

Our office is closed Monday, July 4th in observation of Independence Day. If you have an emergency please call 240-782-8350. All other routine messages will be returned on the following business day.

Don't forget to contact the office soon if you have a horse that gets anxious or nervous by fireworks to discuss options to help them.