Nebraska Equine Veterinary Clinic

02/04/2025

Our texting service is currently down - please call us at (402) 408-6777 or email us at [email protected] until further notice!

01/24/2025

Foaling season is upon us! Please don't forget to check your mares for caslicks - those need to be opened approximately 30 days prior to foaling! Final rounds of vaccines and deworming should also be performed about 30-45 days prior to foaling!

01/16/2025

Foaling season 2025 has arrived! Here are some good things to keep in mind if you are planning on foaling this spring!

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING (A FOAL) 🐴

If your mare has made it through 11 months of pregnancy, you're almost there. Labor and delivery, while momentous, are generally uncomplicated — however, being a prepared and informed owner will help you keep your anxiety in check so you can assist the new mother and foal get off to a great start.

Here are some things you can do to prepare for the arrival of the foal:

• Consult with your veterinarian well in advance of the birth. Know how to reach your regular veterinarian after hours and ask about a back-up or referring veterinarian in case your regular horse doctor is not available.

• Clean and disinfect the stall as thoroughly as possible. Provide adequate bedding.

• Wash the mare's udder, v***a and hindquarters with a mild soap and rinse thoroughly.

• Wrap the mare's tail with a clean wrap when you observe the first stage of labor. Be sure that the wrap is not applied too tightly or left on too long, as it can cut off circulation and permanently damage the tail.

• Time each stage of labor, to help you keep accurate track of the mare's progress. Take written notes! When you're worried or anxious, your perception of time can become distorted.

As always, these are general guidelines, and you should contact your veterinarian for more information specific to your situation. Good luck!

01/13/2025

On Thursday our phones will stay with the emergency line until 11am as we complete a team staff meeting! As always we will be available for emergencies!

01/08/2025

FUN FACT FRIDAY!

Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice; good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal, and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

12/27/2024

Can you believe 2025 is less than a week away! Our office is open from 8-12 this Saturday December 28th. We will close early at noon on December 31st and will also be closed January 1st. Our office will reopen at 9am on Thursday January 2nd! As always we are available 24/7 for emergency at (402) 408-6777!

12/23/2024

A good reminder for the holidays!

If you own horses long enough, sooner or later you are likely to be confronted with a medical emergency—even during the holidays. Are you prepared to act?

Having a clear emergency action plan will help you stay focused and effective if a crisis strikes. Below are some basic guidelines that can help you prepare for an equine emergency:

1. Know how to reach your regular veterinarian after hours. Ask about a back-up or referring veterinarian in case your regular horse doctor is not available for emergencies.

2. Have a plan for transporting the horse if necessary and know in advance the most direct route to an equine surgery center.

3. Prepare a first aid kit and store it in a clean, dry, readily accessible place. Keep a first aid kit in your horse trailer or towing vehicle as well and be sure to check your supplies periodically and restock as needed. First-aid kits can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like; seek your horse doctor's advice on what to add, especially regarding any drugs that could be included and how they should be administered.

12/18/2024

Happy Holidays from Nebraska Equine! We will be closed for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but will reopen 9am Thursday December 26th! As always we are available 24/7 for emergencies at (402) 408-6777!

12/14/2024

Good morning! Our phones are staying with the emergency line this morning! Please be careful if you need to be out and about driving!

12/12/2024

Last week we had our annual Open House Sweater Weather Party! Thank you to everyone who attended!

12/09/2024

This Thursday 12/12 we are updating our systems and we ask that you bear with us that morning! We expect the phones to be up and running but our computer system will be down for several hours! Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause!

12/02/2024

This week is the week! Come by and see us for our Sweater Weather Party on Thursday December 5th from 3-6pm!

11/27/2024

Mark your calendars! Our Sweater Weather Party is next week!

11/25/2024

Our office will be closed on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (11/28-11/30) for Thanksgiving! We will reopen Monday December 2nd at 8am! As always we are available for emergencies 24/7 at (402) 408-6777.

11/20/2024

Starting December 3rd we are excited to announce that Dr. Maggie Peitzmeier will be joining the Nebraska Equine team! A little bit about Dr. Peitzmeier - she grew up with horses outside of Fort Calhoun. She has always loved working with animals and her dreams of being a surgeon were first documented in kindergarten with a drawing of performing surgery on a dog. Dr. Peitzmeier first started at Nebraska Equine in 2006 as an assistant and continued throughout the summers of college and vet school. Dr. Peitzmeier attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she competed on the equestrian team and received her Bachelor’s in Animal Science. She then completed veterinary school through the University of Nebraska / Iowa State University program. After graduation, Dr. Peitzmeier completed an internship and surgery residency in Ocala, Florida and became board certified in large animal surgery. She practiced in the California Central Valley for 8 years before she and her family decided to move back to the "Good Life". Dr. Peitzmeier's professional focus is on emergency medicine and surgery, sports medicine, and general surgery. Outside of work, Dr. Peitzmeier enjoys riding her horse, spending time with her family and dogs Phoebe, Frank, and Chandler, working out, and cheering on Husker football. Help us is giving Dr. Peitzmeier a very warm welcome!

11/20/2024

Mark your calendars and dig out your holiday sweater, our holiday open house is just a few weeks away!

10/30/2024

While National Veterinary Technician Appreciation week was October 13th-19th we are taking time this week to celebrate our veterinary technician, assistants, and support staff here at Nebraska Equine! So if you happen to stop by Nebraska Equine this week give them a thank you because without them we wouldn't be able to do our jobs caring for your equine family members!

10/28/2024

Let's talk about Pigeon Fever!
• Pigeon Fever is also known as Dryland Distemper or False Strangles. Pigeon Fever is a bacterial infection known as Corynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis.
• Pigeon Fever is transmitted by flies and lives in the soil for long periods of time.
• There are 3 forms of Pigeon Fever -
o External Abscesses which typically form along the chest, abdomen, groin area, neck, head, and occasionally limbs
o Internal Abscesses which form inside the chest or abdomen and can be the more fatal form of the disease
o Ulcerative Lymphangitis - painful, swollen limbs that also have oozing sores
• Common clinical signs include large swellings, ventral edema (swelling on the lower abdomen), fever, and/or lethargy. Sometimes horses will act completely normal with an open and draining wound
• Pigeon Fever can either be diagnosed by taking a sample of the abscess or by a blood test
• The prognosis for Pigeon Fever is typically good but recovery can take several weeks and immunity is not guaranteed. Not all external abscesses will open and drain, and the internal form of the disease can be harder to treat and can have a more guarded prognosis
• Horses that are positive for Pigeon Fever and exhibiting clinical signs or have draining abscesses should refrain from travelling. Supplies should be cleaned and not shared from one horse to the next and of course handwashing and fly treatments should be utilized.
• As always, we recommend consulting your veterinarian about specific recommendations
• Although this disease is typically seen in places like California, we have now seen numerous cases in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area and will continue to see new cases during this warm, dry fall