Bucks County Equine LLC

12/11/2024

A great reminder with these wild weather swings. Don’t walk your colics without veterinary input! You wouldn’t want to go for a walk with a bad stomach ache, and neither does your horse!

*** COLIC MYTH - IT’S ESSENTIAL TO WALK ANY HORSE SHOWING SIGNS OF COLIC ***

I’ve unfortunately seen 5 colics in the past two weeks, so I thought I’d start some colic posts again.

I think one of the main myths surrounding colic, is that you must walk them, even if they don’t want to walk. There are definitely some types of colic when movement is good/essential for the horse, but there are equally many occasions when it’s actually detrimental to keep the horse moving.

Before knowing whether or not you need to keep your horse moving, you need your vet to diagnose what is causing your horse to colic. If your horse has a classic “twisted gut” then no amount of movement will help. In fact, forcing horses to walk if they’ve got intestinal torsion will result in extreme pain. If surgery is an option, then continuing to walk a horse with intestinal torsion (twisted gut) will also wear him out, and potentially cause even more damage to the gut itself, reducing the odds of surgery being a success.

My general rule of thumb for any colicking horse is to allow them to do what they want to do whilst waiting for the vet. If they are standing quietly, then that’s perfect. If they are down in the field then I do normally advise getting them up and to somewhere easily accessible for the vet. If they are thrashing about in a stable and could hurt themselves, then getting them out and into the safety of a lunge pen or arena is a good idea, as long as you don’t risk injuring yourself. If they want to march around, then let them walk. It’s a complete myth that a horse rolling around will result in him twisting his intestine; we’d obviously be seeing hundreds of colic cases daily if this were true.

To conclude, walking a horse with colic MAY be advisable, but you need your vet to diagnose the cause of the colic first. If your horse is reluctant to walk, then definitely don’t force them to move.

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving from Bucks County Equine! Our office will be closed today and tomorrow. If you have an emergency, the on call doctor can be reached at 609-397-0078

10/31/2024

Carrots are more than just yummy snacks! 🥕

As silly as it sounds, the "carrot test" can be used to help diagnose tooth aches in our equine companions.

Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EORTH) is a dental condition that affects the incisors of middle-aged horses and older. As the name suggests, it acts by both resorbing the teeth and then producing large amounts of cementum (a hard substance that anchors the teeth into place).

Clinical signs such as difficulty chewing, teeth discoloration and painful gums are highly suspicious for this disease, but you can also offer your horse a carrot to assess how comfortable they are biting down. If it seems painful for them while biting the carrot, they could have EORTH!

Your veterinarian can do an oral examination and take dental radiographs to confirm the diagnosis. This is a progressive disease so there is no cure, but there are management strategies that can improve their comfort.

If you are concerned that your horse may have EORTH or is experiencing oral pain, contact your veterinarian so that they may further evaluate and suggest treatment options.

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

10/17/2024

⭐It's National Vet Tech Week! ⭐

Please help us in showing appreciation for our wonderful office manager/tech/chaos coordinator, Kim!

Kim recently completed a certification through AAEVT where she developed more of her technical veterinary skills. We are continuously impressed by her dedication to her field and are very lucky to have her to keep everything running smoothly.

We certainly couldn't do this without her! If you stop by the office this week, be sure to show a little extra appreciation for Kim 🐴❤️

10/04/2024

Did you know? 🧐

Horses only require about 4 hours of total sleep per day. This includes about 45 minutes of REM sleep. Most of this is achieved through mini naps (while standing) throughout the day 💤

One of the biggest reasons a horse may not be getting the quality sleep they need is pain. Often times (especially in older horses), arthritis or other ongoing issues may prevent the horse from fully relaxing or being able to lay down to get a proper amount of sleep.

What can you do to ensure your horse is getting enough sleep? Providing a well bedded, large stall next to a friend will help them feel secure and safe. Keeping the barn lights off at night will also help to not disturb the sleep cycles of your horse. Some studies show that playing quiet music as white noise helps keep horses calm. Country or classical music has been shown to relax horses, while jazz music has the opposite effect! So save the jazz music for your workout routine! 🎼

If you are worried about your horse's sleep patterns, be sure to consult your vet! Everyone deserves a good night's sleep! 😴

09/27/2024

Does your horse's back or pelvis hurt? Check out these symptoms often associated with back and/or pelvis inflammation in horses:

1️⃣ Stiff hind limb gait
2️⃣ Bunny hopping, bucking, or kicking out when under saddle
3️⃣ Cross cantering
4️⃣ Lack of hind limb power/impulsion and difficulty holding the canter
5️⃣ Sudden and transient acceleration
6️⃣ Trouble with flying lead changes
7️⃣ Occasional, mild hind limb lameness
8️⃣ Resistance to work
9️⃣ Difficulty picking up hind limbs for the farrier
🔟Pain response when pressure applied over the back and SI regions, as well as muscle rigidity

Back and pelvis pain can be primary or secondary to another performance issue. As always, be sure to consult with your vet if you suspect any lameness or soreness in your horse so that the appropriate treatment plan can be initiated.

Info courtesy of the Horse Magazine.

09/20/2024

With the first official day of Fall just a few days away, it's a great time to familiarize yourself with safe grazing practices. Fall is one of the times of the year when the grass tends to be higher in sugar which can put horses at risk for gastrointestinal disease and laminitis. Keep reading for more information on how and when grasses manufacture more sugar:

Plants use photosynthesis to produce energy from the sun. Sugar levels tend to be highest in plants in the late afternoon or early evening because the plants accumulate the sugars as they photosynthesize throughout the day. The sugars are then used by the plants overnight for maintenance and growth. This means the sugar levels are typically lowest in the morning just before the sun rises and peak in the late afternoon.

During early spring and late fall months, when temperatures drop below freezing at night, the plant does not use as much sugar overnight, leading to increased sugar content throughout the next day. This makes the spring and fall grass especially lush and can cause an increased risk for laminitis in at risk horses. Additionally, any stress such as a drought or cold snap actually increases the sugar content of grasses as they continue to make sugar, but the environmental stresses prevent them from using such sugars, leading to increased sugar accumulation.

Turning out in the early mornings or using grazing muzzles can help mitigate the risk for laminitis this fall. Be sure to reach out to discuss the best grazing plan for your horse!

Info courtesy of The Horse magazine

09/13/2024

Check out this important article outlining some do's and don'ts of feeding horses! As always, be sure to check with your vet regarding a proper feeding plan for you horse!

Delve into key nutrition topics such as assessing your horse's body condition, calculating his weight, prioritizing forage, and more.

09/12/2024

🚨Important Vaccine Info! 🚨

There have now been two confirmed cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in New Jersey. Additionally, there have been other confirmed cases throughout the Northeast. EEE is transmitted by mosquitoes and causes significant brain inflammation resulting in fevers, neurological disease, and often death.

This disease is preventable through proper vaccination. EEE is a part of our combination vaccines that we recommend administering to horses every spring and fall.

⭐️If your horse was vaccinated before April 1, 2024, we recommend a booster vaccine. If you are unsure when your horse was vaccinated, please call our office and we can help you determine if your horse needs a booster ⭐️

Through proper preventative measures, we can all help avoid preventable diseases like EEE!

09/06/2024

Scratches or pastern dermatitis can be a common source of frustration for many horse owners. Scratches can be caused by bacterial, fungal, or viral agents and are more commonly seen if horses spend excessive amounts of time in wet or muddy conditions.

The disease is commonly seen in horses with long leg feathers that trap moisture close to the skin or horses with white legs as their light skin is more sensitive than darker skin. Signs include itching, flaking, crusting, redness or scaling of the skin. The horses can be quite sensitive near the area.

It is important to treat scratches immediately to prevent the infection from worsening or leading to other infections like cellulitis. Keeping the area clean and dry is the most important aspect of the treatment plan. Antibacterial and antifungal creams can aid in the healing process (ask us about our own Scratches cream which has a combination of anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory medications to help heal scratches faster!) Always be sure to consult with your vet if your horse's scratches do not resolve with basic treatment as underlying diseases, such as Equine Cushing's Disease, can play a role in delayed healing.

09/02/2024

Happy Labor Day!

As a reminder, our office will be closed today, but the on call doctor can be reached at (609) 397-0078 if an emergency should arise.

09/01/2024

Dr. Kelli (and Lucy!) are at the Bucks County Horse Park Horse Trials today as the official veterinary team! Best of luck to all competitors! 🐎🥇

09/01/2024

✨September Patient of the Month✨

Meet Capital T aka T!

Maddy has owned T for the past 2 years. Maddy has enjoyed getting to know T throughout their partnership and discovering new things about her personality as they spend more time together. 🥰

Maddy and T’s favorite activity to do together is jumping. T certainly looks like she enjoys herself while on course!

Besides jumping, T enjoys hanging out with her girlfriend, Lady, and getting lots of ear rubs from Maddy.

We are very happy to have Maddy and T as part of our Bucks County Equine Family! ❤️

Want your horse to be the next featured Patient of the Month? Be sure to fill out the form below!
https://forms.gle/5qC8MQc99HwiHwqe6

08/28/2024

What do you know about Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS)? Check out this info courtesy of Animal Care Technologies regarding this increasingly common disease.

Obesity in horses used to be virtually non-existent. Working horses couldn’t possibly consume more calories than they burned while pulling timber and cargo or plowing fields. However, obesity in our modern day horses has become increasingly common. As a result, more horses are seen with disorders linked to obesity. One such disease is Equine Metabolic Syndrome. Horses with EMS generally present with one or more of the following symptoms: fat accumulation over the neck, shoulders, tail-head, and loins, laminitis, and/or lethargy or exercise intolerance. Horses with EMS are typically described by owners as “easy-keepers”, unable to lose weight despite a restricted diet.

The primary disease mechanism responsible for symptoms in EMS is insulin resistance. When food is consumed, it is eventually broken down into glucose. Glucose is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream and carried into the cells by insulin. Insulin resistance describes an interruption in this energy transfer into cells.

Not every overweight horse will develop EMS, but obesity is certainly a risk factor. EMS is diagnosed by your vet based on history, body condition, and blood work. Most horses that have developed the syndrome are middle-aged. Certain breeds such as ponies, Morgans, Warmbloods, Mustangs, and Paso Finos are more predisposed to the disease.

Dietary management along with appropriate exercise is the best way to manage EMS. These are also the best methods to reduce the possibility of developing EMS. Horses should be fed just enough to maintain a good body condition. A horse’s ribs should always be easily palpable, but not protruding visibly. Horses that are not used for athletic use will require little feed supplementation beyond access to a good forage. Always consult with your vet prior to making dietary changes in your horses!

Worried about your “easy keeper” this fall? Be sure to reach out to schedule an appointment!

08/24/2024

Kim is spending the weekend in Kentucky earning her AAEVT certification 📚. This weekend was all about improving imaging skills, which Kim is super excited to practice when she gets home!

08/01/2024

✨August Patient of the Month✨

Meet Walla Walla Bing Bang aka Bing!

Isla has owned Bing for 2 years. She says her favorite activity to do with Bing is ride him in his stall.

Isla reports that one of Bing’s biggest quirks is that he likes to move away from her. Turns out that Isla is an aspiring veterinarian so when we asked why Bing moves away, Isla’s family reports that she enjoys pretending to tube Bing as if he was choking or colicy. Guess we can’t blame Bing for running away! 😂

We know Isla will make a great vet one day, especially with a pony like Bing to practice on!

Isla, one of Dr. David’s biggest fans, commented: “Love you Dr. David, thank you for taking care of Bing and all his problems”

We are very happy to have Isla and Bing as part of our Bucks County Equine Family! ❤️

Want your horse to be the next featured Patient of the Month? Be sure to fill out the form below!
https://forms.gle/5qC8MQc99HwiHwqe6

07/19/2024

Striker and Lucy are enjoying the cooler weather! Fingers crossed for no more heat waves this summer 🤞

07/17/2024

Helpful info as we continue to deal with the ongoing heat wave! Stay cool everyone! 😎