3H Equine Hospital and Mobile Veterinary Services

05/21/2024

In remembrance of all who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and all who are serving today - we honor and thank you.

Our offices will be closed on Monday, May 27th. We will re-open on Tuesday, May 28th during our regular business hours.

We wish all our friends, families, co-workers, and customers a safe and enjoyable weekend.

If you have an emergency please call 919-363-1686 and press 1 to be connected to the vet on call.

03/02/2024

!!!!!!!!Gastric Ulcer Clinical Trial!!!!!!!!

Dr. Koster is conducting a brand new clinical trial to evaluate the response of gastric ulcers using Chinese Herbs and acupuncture. Look at the requirements and contact Dr. Koster if you feel your horse would qualify!

02/23/2024

Wow! NCSU never fails to blow our minds with their medicine! We are so lucky to have them in our “backyard” to help with any specialized cases!

02/23/2024

I want to express to all of our clients and friends what a wonderful time I've had getting to know you and your horses for almost the last 6 years. It has been my pleasure to serve you and care for them. I am leaving 3H with great memories and excited for my new adventure!

❤️~Deon

(You will still find the cheery voices at the end of the phone and can rest assure that Alejandra and Sierra will continue to take care of anything that you or your horse need).

01/17/2024

Yessss! Thank you to The Booker School for promoting the veterinary sciences for the younger students! Love this school! We need all the large animal aspiring vets we can get!

This looks like an interesting opportunity for our older students and alumni!

01/11/2024

Check out the savings!! Buy any of these products from us and go to BoehringerIngelheimEquineRebates.com to upload your receipt to get your rebate!

01/09/2024

Ready or not, foaling season is upon us! Is your foaling kit stocked and ready to go?

If this is your first foaling or you don’t know where to start, the graphic below lists a few essentials for you to include. Having these items ready in advance will mean less stress and scrambling at the last minute trying to acquire what you need.

As always, your veterinarian is your best source of information. Consult your horse doctor for additional recommendations and for training on how to properly use these tools to assist your mare during and after delivery!

12/20/2023

****Found dog**** Found this morning in the woods behind our clinic. Juvenile intact male hound mix. VERY friendly. No microchip. Does he look familiar to anyone!? Currently safe here at 3H. Call the office with any information. 919-363-1686.

12/08/2023

Baby it’s cold outside! ❄️⛄️

Many people think of donkeys as hardy, low-maintenance “small horses.” However, while they have similarities, donkeys are a completely different species and as such have a different physical, mental, and emotional make-up.

As the weather gets colder, it’s important to remember that donkeys are more sensitive to changes in temperature than their equine friends. They don’t grow a winter coat like horses and their hair is less waterproof, so they require shelter from the elements (like a run-in shed or a waterproof blanket). Being stoic animals, they also won’t show signs of discomfort and hypothermia until they are very sick.

Remember that every animal is different depending on age, breed, and other health conditions, so be sure with your primary veterinarian to address any concerns or questions!
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Brough to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

11/08/2023

The term "fat leg" is pretty self-explanatory, but do you know the difference between stocking up and cellulitis?

Many horses will "stock up" with subcutaneous edema (fluid swelling) in two or more legs (usually the hind limbs). Stocking up generally results from a significant decrease in exercise and usually resolves as the horse starts exercising again.

Lymphangitis (or vasculitis, big leg disease, staph infection, or cellulitis), however, is a bacterial infection and a dramatically different condition. While its causes may vary, it’s easy to spot once it sets in: the swelling will be extreme, hot and very painful to the touch, and the horse will be depressed due to the fever and discomfort.

If you think your equine friend has cellulitis or even if you're not sure, we encourage you to seek professional help promptly. Your horse doctor will make the best treatment recommendations, both to reduce swelling and to address any sort of bacterial infection that might be active or that could occur due to the edema in the soft tissue.

Read more on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/lymphangitis-frustrating-condition

11/03/2023

We are always happy to teach you how to get your horse’s vital signs! It can be very important in determining a true medical emergency versus something less severe.

Great practical information courtesy of the horse doctors at Barrow Veterinary Service:

NORMAL: NOT JUST A SETTING ON THE DRYER!
If your horse seems a little "off," do you know what his "normal" is? One of the best ways you can determine if your horse is ill is to know his normal vitals—temperature, breaths per minute, heart rate, and capillary refill time. If they are outside the normal range, a call to your equine veterinarian is definitely warranted! Any refusal to eat a meal or to get up from a recumbent position is also a clue that you and your equine friend need assistance.

10/16/2023

They deserve recognition every day for their incredible hard work and dedication, but help me say thank you to our veterinary technicians and assistants during National Veterinary Technician Week!

Our veterinary technicians and assistants are the backbone of our hospital and rehab center and are responsible for not only caring for your horses, but also keeping their veterinarian safe from harm. The hours are long, the conditions unfavorable, and the risk is high for injury but they show up every day determined to make a difference in the horse’s lives they touch. We are truly thankful for each of them! ❤️

10/06/2023

While it’s a common equine emergency, espophageal 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 occur when horses eat concentrated feed too quickly without chewing it 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, chokes 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.

Read more about this condition on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/understanding-choke-horses

09/07/2023

This! Your farriers and vets are struggling with this heat/humidity! Any wind, shade, or cool water is greatly appreciated 😥🌞😥

Due to the drought and high temps it’s the Unofficial Be Kind to Your Farrier Week! Please be sure they have at least a shady spot and a fan.

08/18/2023

We are always here for you and your horses but here are some great guidelines ❤️. Working with NC State to cover some emergency hours helps our vets to improve their work/life balance.

It’s difficult for us horse doctors to admit we aren’t superhuman. We’re hardwired to be there for you and your horse whenever you need us. But we’re finally in the midst of an overdue reality check as a profession and admitting that our desire to be available 24/7 isn’t compatible with our own personal health and happiness.

The most significant pain point for many of us is caring for our clients during regular business hours and then being on call for emergencies after hours. If we are a single-doctor or small practice, this traditionally has been the case most nights of the week.

The good news is that the AAEP along with private veterinary practices and veterinary schools are focused on developing new models for emergency care which ease the strain on individual practitioners. This includes the growth of emergency cooperatives where two or more practices in a geographic area work together to share after-hours care, as well as more emergency-only practices and the use of tele-triage services to address client concerns after normal business hours.

As equine veterinarians reevaluate what after-hours care looks like for their practices, we know that the support of our clients is critical to creating a balance that works for both of us. If your horse doctor talks with you about changes in how after-hours care is delivered, we hope you’ll welcome the adjustments, knowing that this evolution of emergency care must take place in order for equine veterinarians to avoid burnout and continue to be available to treat all of our patients. We appreciate our partnership with you, and your horse does too!

07/27/2023

07/22/2023

Fun fact! What horses see versus what we see!

07/14/2023

COOL SCIENCE (pun intended)!

An old myth wants us to believe that horses should be walked until they cool completely after exercise, even in the summer. However, a study from 2020 looked at five different ways to cool a horse after exercise: walking, walking with fans, walking with intermittent cold water application, walking with intermittent cold water application and scraping, and stationary with continuous tap water application. As it turns out, the method that resulted in the quickest return to normal body temperature was stationary with continuous tap water application (2 minutes), while walking alone took the longest time for recovery (25 minutes).

Bottom line: enjoy your rides in the sun this summer but remain vigilant for signs of heat stress in your horse. If they look tired, it’s time for a drink, a cool bath, and a break in the shade.
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Brough to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

07/11/2023

📣 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! 📣

We are excited to join NC State College of Veterinary Medicine & Veterinary Hospital in starting their Equine Ambulatory Emergency Service! By partnering with NC State it will allow our veterinarians better life balance. With the equine vet shortage crisis, 3H Equine Hospital is dedicated to the preservation of our veterinarians so they can enjoy a long and fulfilling career.

By partnering with NC State, we can assure you that you and your horse will be receiving top notch care. As always, we are here should have any questions or concerns. This new program rolls out July 14.

07/04/2023

We are beyond ecstatic to introduce another amazing veterinarian to the 3H Equine Hospital team! We proudly welcome Dr. Lydia Cassidy! Dr. Cassidy joins 3H after completing an extensive internship at the renowned Allegheny Equine Associates in PA. Dr. Cassidy has a passion for sports medicine, lameness conditions, and preventive medicine to ensure your horse stays fit and healthy.

Click the link below to her bio!

Lydia Cassidy - Dr. Lydia Cassidy is originally from Northeast Ohio. She fell in love with horses at a young age and grew up riding in the Hunter/Jumpers. In 2018, Dr.

06/08/2023

We are so excited to add to our team another superstar! We proudly introduce Dr. Kimberly Meadows and welcome her to our already outstanding team. With a passion for Sports Medicine, Integrative Therapies and Advanced Imaging we believe she's the perfect addition to help diagnose and treat complex lameness issues. With a solid foundation in all aspects of equine medicine, emergency, and surgery we are excited for her to get to know you and your horses. Dr. Meadows is certified in acupuncture, spinal manipulation, and rehabilitation. She has just completed an extensive residency in Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Florida. Please help us welcome her to 3H!

Our services are designed to provide our clients with:

The best possible progressive care plan which includes owner education.
The maximum compassionate service that clients will recommend.
The optimum time response to our clients calls and needs.

Our goal is to take our clients horses from lame to sound, from sick to well or simply from good to better with a compassionate service that clients will recommend to other horse owners.

05/26/2023

The office will be closed this Monday in observance of Memorial Day. We will be available 24/7 for emergencies. If you have an emergency, please call 919-363-1686 and press 1 for the vet on call. All other voicemails, texts, or emails will be returned Tuesday May 30th.

05/23/2023

We are wishing our previous assistant of many years congratulations for graduating Vet School!! We know Dr. Freeman is going to go on to great things for our equine friends! We LOVE mentoring new vet students and are always excited for their future. ❤️❤️❤️