Sierra Oaks Veterinary - Equine Services

08/16/2024

Dr. Harms is currently in Central Oregon for a few days serving as a control veterinarian for the AERC National Championships.
These vets help ensure the equine athletes are staying healthy and sound during their endurance races.
Wishing all of the riders a safe & successful ride!

07/29/2024

Strike a pose! Pictured below is Dr. Harms, Erin, and Hannah taking x-rays on Skippy today!

07/11/2024

☀️ How Can I keep My Horse Cool in the Summer?

As our heat wave continues we thought some hot weather tips may be helpful! Horses do not tolerate heat as well as we do. A day that feels comfortably hot to you, may be unbearable to your horse.
Here are some suggestions on cooling your horse on a hot day!

…And remember, we will be back to wind chills and snow shovels in no time!

04/30/2024

Radial Extra-Corporeal Shockwave Therapy (rESWT) transmits acoustic pressure waves through the skin and is used to stimulate tissue regeneration and relieve pain in soft tissue injuries/disorders. It is a non-invasive treatment that takes minimal time, has no significant side effects, and is not painful for the horse. Short-acting light sedation is used for some applications. In the picture Dr. Harms is applying shockwave to a damaged suspensory ligament after Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injection, as this helps activate the release of the growth factors.
We are excited to offer this treatment for our equine patients using exceptional medical equipment!

03/14/2024

UNDERSTANDING HOOF ABSCESSES
Sooner or later (and especially at this time of year), nearly all horse owners will deal with a hoof abscess. But what does "hoof abscess" actually mean? The diagram below shows a simplified view of the equine hoof to help you visualize the structures involved in this process.

Although most commonly seen during the wet winter and spring months, hoof abscesses can plague horses year-round and usually occur when debris and bacteria enter the foot through hoof cracks and wounds, even horseshoeing holes. The bacteria then get trapped between the sensitive laminae (the tissue layer that bonds the hoof capsule to the coffin bone) and the hoof wall or sole and create pus; the pus builds up over the course of time and puts pressure behind the hoof wall or sole, until it causes the sudden onset of acute lameness when the pain finally becomes too great.

Hoof abscesses can mimic other more serious diseases or injuries, so involving your veterinarian early on in the diagnosis and prompt treatment of this condition is always a good idea. Some abscesses will be uncomplicated and rupture on their own like a large pimple at the coronary band or heel bulbs; other abscesses, however, could require radiographs and will need to be surgically drained.

As always, consult your horse doctor for more information and advice!

02/20/2024

This is Dr. Harms’s idea of desk work… featuring his lovely assistant, Amy Ray! 🤠

02/14/2024

We would like everyone to welcome Muriel to our Equine team!
Muriel Harman was born and raised in Grass Valley. Her love for horses started at a young age, while accompanying her mother on various endurance rides and small arena events. She started her veterinary career in 2010, working at a small animal practice in Colfax after completing the 49er Regional Occupation Program in Veterinary Science.
In 2020, she became an RVT after graduating from Veterinary Allied Staff Education program and passing her state exams. In her down time she enjoys being outdoors camping, riding, and off-roading with her family. We are thrilled to have Muriel on our team!

02/06/2024

We are quite versatile! If there’s a hazardous tree down, you bet the equine team will help you get around! We hope everyone is staying safe & dry during this crazy storm!

Here is a fun picture of Dr. Harms, Hannah, and Muriel helping clean up some trees blocking the roadway so trucks and trailers can safely exit.

01/30/2024

Trivia Tuesday!
Take a look at this picture of a right front hoof and comment on what you think might be the problem and what next diagnostic step would be helpful? The mare was quite lame in this foot.
After you guess, stay tuned for more info tomorrow!

01/28/2024

We love cartilage!
The cartilage that lines joints is essential for normal joint function. It endures huge stresses, yet has no blood vessels and is around 80% water! Injury to cartilage is involved in some of the earliest forms of arthritis. When exercising your horse, a good easy warmup routine is very important for joint health.
Promoting cartilage health is why we also use an arsenal of the latest non-steroid joint treatment options to reduce ongoing inflammation and injury to cartilage and promote healing. This is especially important in young horses with injuries to help slow the progression of joint disease.
In this first picture you can see how in certain joints we can use ultrasound to look at cartilage and the underlying bone to help assess thinning or damage (this shows a nice cartilage layer and underlying bone)

01/21/2024

❄️Rain or Snow, it’s good to know!❄️

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.
•
Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

01/10/2024

Dr. Harms and Dr. Ettlin are always thrilled when teamwork from everyone and a little luck ends with such a wonderful outcome!
Here's some more information about enteroliths.
https://ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/enterolithiasis

01/02/2024

Dr. Harms frequently uses live ultrasound or x-ray imaging to perform certain deeper joint injections. In this short video you'll see an ultrasound video of a hip joint injection on a horse with severe arthritis of this joint. There is a dark circle near the lower left of the screen which is the joint fluid pouch. You'll see swirling in this fluid as the medication is injected into it. The needle is visible as a faint white line extending from the upper left. Watch it several times until you see it!
In the comments there is also a picture of an x-ray guided navicular bursa injection.

12/31/2023

Have you heard about regenerative therapies as an option we use to treat injuries and arthritis?

See the picture for a special January 2024 offer!

https://www.zoetisequine.com/blog-articles/did-you-know-that-your-horse-has-the-power-to-heal-herself

12/31/2023

Meet Our Doctor!

Dr. Corey Harms is the primary Equine Veterinarian at Sierra Oaks Veterinary Services!

Dr. Harms grew up in Southern California and was involved with horses and veterinary medicine from an early age. He attended veterinary school at the University of California, Davis, and was president of his class as well as the Equine Medicine Club. After graduating with honors, Dr. Harms completed an internship at Loomis Basin Equine Medical Center, and since then has practiced primarily in Nevada County.

Dr. Harms joined Sierra Oaks as chief of Equine Services in 2022. He enjoys seeing almost any case that comes through the barn door but has a focus on lameness diagnosis and treatment. He is a member of the International Society of Equine Locomotor Pathology (ISELP) and is pursuing certification. Outside of the office, Dr. Harms is also involved in various endurance rides and horse shows.

12/31/2023

Meet Erin!

Erin Wyatt was born and raised in Penn Valley. Many of you may recognize Erin, as she has been an incredibly talented part of the Sierra Oaks Veterinary Family since 2018.
Erin is our Lead Equine Technician, and also works in our small animal clinic!

As a young adult, she always knew she wanted to work with animals. Her senior year of high school, she completed the 49er Regional Occupational Program (R.O.P.) to study Veterinary Science.
After graduating high school, she started working for a local equine vet (Dr. McIntosh) as a veterinary assistant.
A few years later, she also started to work as a small animal veterinary assistant for Pleasant Valley Vet (now Sierra Oaks). While splitting her time working in both equine and small animal veterinary care, she attended Sierra College. Erin graduated from Sierra College in 2018 with an Associate of Science Degree in Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Science, as well as Social and Behavioral Sciences. After graduation, she continued her education to become a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) through Veterinary Allied Staff Education, and received her RVT license in 2020.

In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her beloved family and friends, as well as enjoying time outdoors riding horses, fishing, and kayaking. Erin is an avid animal lover, born with a passion for horses and we are very fortunate to have her on our team!

12/31/2023

Meet Hannah!

Hannah Alharayeri has worked in the veterinary field since 2010, and joined our team as an equine veterinary assistant in 2022. Hannah was born and raised in San Jose, and moved to the Sacramento area in 2018.
Hannah was raised with a menagerie of many animals both large and small. Her passion for horses derives from her mother's influence and career in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, and Hannah was fortunate to grow up working with and riding horses since she could walk.
Hannah's senior year of high school she completed the Veterinary Assisting program at Central County Occupational Center while working as a veterinary assistant at Los Gatos Dog & Cat Hospital.
Hannah graduated from Carrington College in 2016, completing the Veterinary Technician program and obtaining her Associates Degree in Animal Science.
Most of her career has been in small animal Emergency and Critical Care in the Sacramento and Bay Area. After a couple of years working in both small animal emergency and equine medicine, she happily decided to join the equine side full time.
Hannah lives in Foresthill, where she stays busy working on her own little farm property. In her spare time she loves to spend as much time outdoors as possible, whether it be hiking with her dogs, or off-roading adventures through the mountains with friends!
We are so grateful to have her on our team!

12/31/2023

Do you ever have questions or concerns about the way your horse moves? We have a perfect opportunity to help you start to find out more answers! To start out the 2024 New Year you can bring your horse in for a straight line Sleip Gait Analysis for only $120! This includes a PDF summary for you to keep for your records. This analysis could be used as the start of a more detailed lameness evaluation, or simply as a baseline for future comparison.

As part of our detailed evaluations we frequently include the use of AI-powered gait analysis software called Sleip, that uses high resolution 4K video at twice the frame rate of the human eye to detect subtle assymmetries in the way your horse is moving. This is another advanced tool to aid our experienced eye in guiding a diagnostic and treatment plan, and also gives us a baseline to compare over time.

Call or text our office today to schedule your appointment (530) 955-6556

Don't forget that if your horse is a candidate for a regenerative treatment such as Pro-Stride, this is discounted 10% for January 2024 as well.

12/30/2023

Meet Jessica!

Jessica Hooper is our amazing Client Service Representative at Sierra Oaks Veterinary!
When you call the Equine Line, she is the incredible one behind the scenes pulling all of the strings to help accommodate our clients' needs.

Jessica has had a passion for animals since she was a child, she and her mom would commonly foster animals that needed extra care. She has worked in the veterinary field since 2003, and became a Registered Veterinary Technician in 2005.

The majority of her career has been spent working in emergency and specialty fields based in Sacramento and Santa Cruz. She began working locally in 2018 to be able to find a better work life balance.
Jessica happily joined the Sierra Oaks Veterinary team in 2022. She is a Nevada County native, and is now happily raising her family here as well. Jessica and her husband have 3 young boys that she homeschools, and keeps busy with year round sports and horseback riding. On their homestead she cares for a pony, goats, chickens, bees, dogs, cats, and a rabbit! In her spare time she loves to spend her time with her family outdoors- camping, fishing, hiking, kayaking, and taking care of their homestead.

We are so grateful to have Jessica on our team!