Wilhite & Frees Equine Hospital

02/14/2025

It’s time for the Annual WFEH Valentine’s Day Box contest! We need you to vote! Comment your favorite below!
1. Bringing You LOADS of Love: Morganne and her trailer box, complete with shavings and slants!
2. I’m Yours, No Returns: Haleigh
3. Love Is Blooming and recycling your Trader Joe’s bag is caring: Shaylee
4. You’re a kick a$$ Valentine, because we are all huge fans of long ears, short tails, and a good pun: Ivy
5. Don’t be “lame” and there is nothing lame about that leg bandage: Deb
6. I dig you Valentine Armadillo: Chloe
7. You’re all I “knead”: Sydney and Holmes the clinic cat.

02/13/2025

Sorrels are red, roans can be blue, we are wishing a happy Valentine’s Day to you! Morganne designed these WFEH valentines cards that we are happy to share if you are still in need of some. Text your name and email to 816-779-0100 or comment below and we will send you a FREE pdf version to print! 😍🥰

02/11/2025

We are receiving calls and emails regarding the and education event asking if there is still time to RSVP. At this time all seats are reserved. You can email [email protected] to be added to a wait list.

If you missed out on this event, you can still attend our eduction day on April 12th. Be sure to save the date. Formal flyer will be available soon!

02/10/2025

🗓️ SAVE THE DATE! 📣

You asked and we heard-bring back the annual equine education days! We are proud to announce that our hospital will host our Annual Equine Education Event on April 12, 2025 at the Thompson Barn Event Venue in Lenexa, KS. If it is your first time attending, this FREE event will include: informative equine lectures, door prizes, booths from industry professionals, and lunch provided! Formal flyer to follow!

02/09/2025

You may have heard about the animals that have accurately predicted the Super Bowl winner for an incredible amount of consecutive years. Well, this is Bella. She has never predicted a Super Bowl winner and she only has one eye. But even with one eye, Bella can see that the Chiefs will win the game today!

If you would like to ensure your horse can see as well as Bella can out of her remaining eye, call or click the link to schedule an equine eye exam with Dr. Askew today! https://practices.allydvm.com/online-booking?practice=wilhitefrees

02/08/2025

🦷 We wanted TOOTH remind you, February is dental month. Schedule a dental float in February to take advantage of the savings! 🐴

👀Can you spot the signs of dental pain in your horse? Dr. Justin Hall with Zoetis Equine breaks it down in this article: https://www.zoetisequine.com/blog-articles/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-dental-pain-in-your-horse

Call or click to schedule with us today: https://practices.allydvm.com/online-booking?practice=wilhitefrees

02/07/2025

Free Webinar brought to you by AAEP: Foaling 101: Essential Preparation and Neonatal Care. A great brush up for all owners going into foaling season! Attend virtually on Wednesday, February 12 at 7 PM central. Sign up with the link today: https://events.zoom.us/ev/Ats8dN0E2JxrJYoBUPKU7BW_HtYcwxW988ZYvpWRruqNFu98_uws~AnoL_ZTlIx2iZDbk457AKzpEPWgwMyM1m36OoJWUUyiXJPOgKi4PHJJYdQ?utm_source=AAEP+Staff&utm_campaign=3cf42387b1-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_05_15_06_56_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_19c44e7efc-3cf42387b1-41869889&utm_source=All+DVMs+including+international_Jan+2025&utm_campaign=26387f474b-COVID-19+Advice+for+Client+Interactions_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ab128857e4-26387f474b-641868083

02/06/2025

✨ALWAYS ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS! ✨
We have recently had multiple people who are surprised to find out that we are accepting new patients. WFEH always has and always will be accepting new patients and clients. Our hospital is staffed with a highly trained and educated team of doctors, technicians, and assistants who are ALWAYS available. From routine wellness care to serious trauma, our team is committed to providing you and your horse the best care.

💥Starting now, new horse owners or new clients that establish care with our hospital will receive a WFEH bucket FULL of gifts and educational items from our clinic and local equine focused businesses.

👍🏼LIKE, SHARE, and COMMENT on all platforms to be entered in a drawing for a WFEH bucket. Established clients are eligible as well! Tell your friends!

Click here to learn more about us and schedule an appointment! https://www.wilhiteandfrees.com

02/06/2025

✨ALWAYS ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS! ✨
We have recently had multiple people who are surprised to find out that we are accepting new patients. WFEH always has and always will be accepting new patients and clients. Our hospital is staffed with a highly trained and educated team of doctors, technicians, and assistants who are ALWAYS available. From routine wellness care to serious trauma, our team is committed to providing you and your horse the best care.

💥Starting now, new horse owners or new clients that establish care with our hospital will receive a WFEH bucket FULL of gifts and educational items from our clinic and local equine focused businesses.

👍🏼LIKE, SHARE, and COMMENT on all platforms to be entered in a drawing for a WFEH bucket. Established clients are eligible as well! Tell your friends!

Click here to learn more about us and schedule an appointment! https://www.wilhiteandfrees.com

Wilhite & Frees Equine Hospital is committed to offering comprehensive, state-of-the-art health care

02/05/2025

Update: ALL SEATS FILLED

Join us on February 22 at 12 PM for a day of FREE equine education! Lunch will be provided and seating is limited so be sure to RSVP with the QR code in the invitation or at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJqo-3h0hiSK1WtxP1C7_R0Tb3aM-o1PYspGaowwpwKmd6Dg/viewform?embedded=true

02/04/2025

UPDATE: We are back up and running on the regular number!

Our phone line is currently down. If you have an emergency or need to reach us, please call 816-306-2095. Thank you and we apologize for any inconvenience!

01/30/2025

We are almost done with January. Have you stayed committed to your New Year’s resolutions? Our staff has. How can we help you meet your horse goals in 2025? Call our hospital or click the link to schedule today! https://practices.allydvm.com/online-booking?practice=wilhitefrees

01/29/2025

📅 Save the date for the upcoming client education event brought to you by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA Inc. and

We have had requests for more education opportunities in 2025 so we are glad to be a part of this and offer it to our clients. Keep an eye out for the official invite and RSVP link!

01/21/2025

There is a light at the end of this TUNDRA 🥶. Temps later this week will feel tropical to those that have been caring for horses. However, since most of what is left from the snow has melted and refrozen to ice, we have had a request for a post on managing horses in the ice. The attached screenshot is from: https://extension.umn.edu/horse-care-and-management/caring-your-horse-winter -rid-of-ice-in-paddocks-53310 and has great winter tips from the University of MN on managing horses in the winter. Below are some additional tips from Dr. Johnson.

Improve traction
Spread sand: Use sand, wood ash, or woodchips to increase traction. You can also try cat litter, poultry grit, or dirty bedding. Poultry grit, sand, and fresh manure are options to help increase traction. Avoid using straw, hay, or fresh shavings as these tend to slide over the ice and will not provide consistent traction.

Plow paddocks: Plowing can break up ice and create a rougher surface.

Wet the surface: Wetting the ice before applying a gripping material can help it stick.
Provide shelter
Move feeders and waterers: Move feeders and waterers closer to shelters to reduce the time horses spend walking on ice.
Provide extra bedding: Give animals extra bedding in stalls and run-in sheds.
Provide a windbreak: Use hay bales stacked outside a fence to cut wind chill.
Keep hooves clear
Remove snow and ice: Remove snow and ice from your horse’s hooves before walking on icy areas.
Discuss shoeing options: In areas with long, icy winters, discuss different shoeing options with your farrier.

01/16/2025

Pigeon Fever:
Pigeon fever or “dryland distemper” is an environmentally acquired condition in horses. It most often causes exterior abscesses/swelling in the horse’s chest, causing it to bulge. This bulging appears like a pigeon’s breast, hence the term pigeon fever. There is no association with birds. Although the chest is the most common location, these abscess swellings can happen anywhere. Case numbers are on the rise both in Missouri and Kansas.

Cause:
The cause of pigeon fever is the bacteria Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. The bacteria live in the ground, hay, and shavings. Moreover, it can survive in the soil for long periods. The bacteria makes its way into a horse’s body most commonly through skin wounds. Flies and mosquitos carry bacteria from landing on the soil and deposit it on broken skin and wounds. As the wound is cleaned up by horse's immune system (white blood cells), the bacteria are scavenged and taken to a lymph node. Generally, the bacteria then proliferate and abscess at the site of a lymph node weeks to months later. Disease can occur all year round; often it is seen after a dry summer.

Symptoms:
Pigeon fever manifests in three forms (external abscesses, internal abscesses, and ulcerative lymphangitis). The symptoms that show in the horse will depend on which form of the disease is present.
-External abscesses: The most common form (80+%) of pigeon fever. One or more swellings appear on the chest area or lower abdomen. The swellings may appear anywhere including the core, hindquarters or lower legs. These swellings may appear like those from kicks by pasture mates or other forms of trauma. The external abscesses develop originally deeply at the location of a lymph node chain then grow and rupture at the skin surface similar to a "boil". Progression is hard to predict, but generally days to weeks; and may require ultrasound and/or bacterial culture and serial bloodwork to address. Most horses will recover fully when the abscesses drain and the wounds heal. However, some will develop a fever and significant discomfort. Further symptoms increase the probability that the internal infection type is possible.
-Internal Abscesses: These develop when the bacteria invade a deep internal lymph node chain or major organ such as kidney, liver, or lungs. Thankfully this is less common than external abscesses. However, they are harder to identify, resolve and they have a higher fatality rate. Nonspecific symptoms of internal abscessation include fever, coughing, colicky behavior, weight loss, reduced/loss of appetite, and lethargy. As part of the workup, multiple diagnostics are generally used; including ultrasound, bacterial culture, and serial bloodwork.
-Ulcerative lymphangitis: Causes ulceration and swelling of the lower legs. It is the rarest form of pigeon fever. In this form, lymph vessels become ulcerated along their tracts, causing significant swelling and possibly mmultiple wounds of the limbs. The abscesses progress into cellulitis and may be recurrent. The symptoms of ulcerative lymphangitis include loss of appetite, lameness, and lethargy.

When dealing with an active, or suspect Pigeon Fever case; good biosecurity is important to reduce the potential risk of spread to other horses or further environmental contamination. Practice good hand hygiene (washing, sanitizer) and proper disposal of drainage material (pus from abscesses).

Closely monitor your horse, and if you notice any swellings, new wounds, or drainage contact Wilhite and Frees Equine Hospital for additional information (816) 779-0100.

01/15/2025

The bitter cold has preserved the snow all week and has created ideal conditions for some of the toughest snow/ice balls to remove from feet! Snowball packed feet can cause discomfort, strain, or injury to muscles and joints in addition to reducing traction which increases the risk of slips and falls.
🔵 Pick out feet daily and if possible give horses a dry place to stand.
🔵 You may apply some products like non-stick cooking spray, Vaseline, or baby oil to create a surface less favorable for sticking/packing.
🔵 Remember there are MANY home remedies you may find or hear for snowball prevention but a good rule of thumb is if you wouldn’t want it on your own skin- don’t apply it to your horse (I.e. motor oil, caustic materials).