LS Veterinary Services, PLLC

09/04/2025

🌱 Supporting Gut Health During Weaning 🌱
Weaning is not just about separating mare and foal—it’s also a major shift for the digestive system. Stress + diet changes can upset the gut, leaving foals more vulnerable to colic, diarrhea, and poor growth.
Here’s how to support a healthy gut through the transition:
1️⃣ Start early.
Introduce creep feed 2–4 weeks before weaning so the gut adapts gradually.
2️⃣ Fiber first.
Make forage the foundation—about 1.5–2% of body weight daily. This keeps the hindgut working properly.
3️⃣ Go slow with changes.
Avoid sudden switches in hay or concentrate. Small, steady adjustments = happy gut microbes.
4️⃣ Consider probiotics or prebiotics.
Ask your vet about supportive supplements to stabilize gut flora during stressful times.
5️⃣ Watch closely.
Loose manure, off feed, or signs of colic? Don’t wait—early intervention is key.
🐴💡 A resilient gut at weaning sets the stage for long-term growth, performance, and soundness.
👉 Save this for your fall checklist & share with a fellow horse owner!

09/02/2025

Stress & Immunity: What Happens During Weaning
Weaning is one of the most stressful events in a young horse’s life—and that stress doesn’t just cause calling and pacing. It also impacts your foal’s immune system.

Here’s how:
1️⃣ Cortisol spikes
Stress hormones rise sharply after weaning. This can weaken the foal’s natural defenses.
2️⃣ Lower disease resistance
A stressed foal is more susceptible to respiratory illness, diarrhea, and slower recovery from routine challenges.
3️⃣ Gut health takes a hit
Stress can disrupt gut bacteria, making foals more prone to digestive upset.
✅ What you can do:
Use gradual or fence-line weaning to reduce stress.
Keep routines consistent—same paddock, same companions, same feeding times.
Monitor closely in the first 2 weeks post-weaning for coughs, nasal discharge, fever, or diarrhea.
Reach out and we will help you determine the best vaccination & deworming schedule to support immunity during this time.

🐴💡 Remember: protecting your foal’s immune system at weaning means protecting their future health.

👉 Save this for your fall checklist & share with a fellow horse owner.

08/30/2025

Fall special vaccines prevent this 🤙🏻

At this time, there are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat eastern equine encephalitis.

08/29/2025

5 Fall Foal Weaning Tips Every Horse Owner Should Know
1️⃣ Go gradual, not abrupt.
Fence-line or small-group weaning keeps stress lower than sudden separation.
2️⃣ Prep 2–4 weeks ahead.
Introduce creep feed and be sure your foal is confidently eating on its own before weaning.
3️⃣ Health first.
Double-check vaccines and deworming with your vet before you wean.
4️⃣ Create a calm environment.
Use a safe paddock, a steady companion, and avoid stacking stressors like hauling or farrier work the same week.
5️⃣ Feed for steady growth.
Forage should be ~1.5–2% of body weight/day, plus an age-appropriate concentrate if needed. Monitor closely the first two weeks.

Smart, steady steps now set your foal up for lifelong health and performance.
👉 Share with another horse owner who’s weaning this fall!

08/28/2025

Fall is just around the corner, which means it's time for a FALL-CHECKLIST! 🍂🍁

As the cooler weather moves in, now is the time to crack down on housing, nutrition, and preventative health strategies suitable for the arrival of winter.

Check out this list of essential items on the horse owner's fall to-do list, but there is much more that needs to be done—like having your horse's blankets repaired and waterproofed, securing and storing hay properly, assessing your shelters for safety and soundness, etc.

Note that your equine veterinarian is one of your greatest allies this season, so be sure to consult them and discuss vaccination and deworming protocols appropriate for your horse’s situation. This is also a great opportunity to chat about recommended changes in nutrition and exercise programs as well!

08/27/2025

Happy National dog day! Share some pictures because we love them all 😊 🐶

08/24/2025

Thank you so much John Muldoon for hosting a limb dissection day. It’s always great to work with other veterinarians and farriers to improve knowledge and skill.
Please check out, follow, and donate to Oklahoma farrier association if able. They are wonderful group that promotes education and helps their own financially when injured. It takes a tribe 🐴

08/22/2025

08/21/2025

This sweet girl, Baby, had her first acupuncture treatment and her big yawn says it all! Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest differences ❤️

Here’s what Baby and her owner will notice:

✅ relaxation of the muscles
✅increased circulation aiding in cell repair
✅better GI motility
✅decrease in inflammation
✅decrease in overall body pain
✅ overall happier horse!

08/19/2025

Another case of "heavy in bridle and bracing on the bit." This 3 year old had a loose cap, sharp edges and some ulcers in his mouth that was causing some challenges with his training. Please, don't just assume your horse is stubborn or bad...take the time to explore what else could be causing their behavior change.
Dental appointments are currently open for fall. Reach out to schedule your horses' vital visit today.

08/16/2025

Never know what you might find😊 happy Saturday. This guy is going to be right back to work without the extra baggage

08/12/2025

Just got these in and loving it! 7 days of fly protection. $24 each