Countryside Veterinary Center

09/15/2025

🍂 September is Su***de Prevention Month. Veterinarians are at an increased risk of su***de when compared to other professions in the United States. It is time to raise awareness and take action.

🍂 The CDC published a study in 2018 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA). The research concluded that “female veterinarians were 3.5 times as likely, and male veterinarians were 2.1 times as likely, to die from su***de as the general population.”

🍂 The study determined that not one factor led to su***de, but a combination of factors including long work hours, work overload, practice management responsibilities, educational debt, poor work-life balance and access.

🍂 In a December 2023 survey conducted by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the number of US veterinarians in clinical practice was 82,704. And of those veterinarians only 4.1% (3,972 veterinarians) are practicing equine medicine. Did you know that the survey revealed that within five years, 50% of these veterinarians leave the field? And did you know that the horse population in the USA is roughly 6.5 million horses?

🍂 Often times, veterinary professionals are juggling their career and personal life. Veterinarians, technicians, assistants, receptionists and managers are important, compassionate, dedicated and critical team members providing knowledgeable and skilled care to your horses. We genuinely love our patients and want to do right by them and their owners; however, the industry is often plagued with negativity from many sources including social media. Let’s start a comment and photo thread of kindness for the RE veterinarians, technicians, assistants, receptionists and managers. Or better yet the next time you see your veterinarian and their technician or assistant or talk to a receptionist - remind them how much you value them and their time.

🍂 Su***de and Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988.
🍂 Not One More Vet, Inc: A resource for veterinarians and their staff members.

American Association of Equine Practitioners

08/15/2025

🏌️‍♂️⛳ GOLFERS! NOW IS THE TIME TO REGISTER! ⛳🏌️‍♀️ Join us for The Shane Center’s 9th Annual Golf Scramble on Saturday September 27, 2025 at Chapel Hill Golf Course and swing for a chance to win BIG!

🎯 $50,000 Hole-in-One Prize

🎁 Bonus Hole-in-One Prizes:
$1,000 credit at Revo.com
$750 online shopping spree at True Linkswear
A YEAR’S SUPPLY of golf balls!

📅 Don’t miss your shot—register now at shanecenter.org/golf-scramble Let’s tee up for a great cause and an unforgettable day on the green!

07/28/2025

While it’s a common equine emergency, esophageal obstruction (“choke”) can look alarming, especially if you've never seen it before. Unlike in human medicine, where choking refers to a tracheal (or windpipe) obstruction, choke in horses refers to an obstruction of the esophagus (the muscular tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach).

Most commonly, choking occurs when horses eat concentrated feed too quickly without chewing appropriately, which results in a firm bolus lodged in the animal's esophagus. However, esophageal obstruction can also occur with hay or straw, hard treats, carrots, or nonfood objects. Poor dentition, which leads to inadequate chewing, is also a frequent cause of choke.

While common, choke can have serious consequences. So, be sure to call your veterinarian as soon as you notice signs of choke. A bad choke is fairly obvious to both veterinarians and horse owners, but a mild choke could be confused with an upper respiratory tract infection or colic.

07/12/2025

Countryside Vet Center in Sunbury, Ohio has immediate openings for full time and weekend stall cleaners and a part time veterinary assistant/technician. Experience with horses is a must. Foal and stallion experience a bonus! Aside from all the regular equine practice cases you will get experience with foaling mares, breeding, neonates, stallion handing and management, sales/show prep etc. Semi-flexible schedule, some bonus pay, benefits available through the OHHA, competitive pay. Email info and times available to work to countrysidevetcenter@ gmail.com or call 740-965-8111

Large animal veterinarian Dr. Laurie Gallatin provides specialized care to horses and ponies.

07/04/2025

05/11/2025

03/16/2025

Remember when your parents used to tell you to wait 30 minutes after eating before going for a swim? Unlike us, horses can actually benefit from eating forage before they exercise, as it may help reduce the risk of gastric ulcers.

While a variety of things can contribute to the development of stomach ulcers (medications, diet, stress, etc.), one train of thought is that these areas of irritation result as a consequence of the acid of the stomach splashing against unprotected parts of the stomach lining. When a horse eats forage, the hay can help absorb some of that acid and thus reduce the risk of ulcer formation.

It is important to note that a forage meal (one comprised of long stem hay) provides the most benefit, while eating large volumes of concentrate feeds (such as oats, corn, or other cereal grains) can actually increase the amount of acid within the stomach.
As always, please be sure to consult with your vet regarding further diagnostics and treatments if you have concerns that your horse may have gastric ulcers.

Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

03/04/2025

While we are all looking forward to warm spring days and lush green pasture, the transition from winter hay to spring grass should be planned carefully to mitigate any health risks to your equine. In other words — just because your equine friend is not obese or suffering from a nutritionally related disease, doesn’t mean you should just forget about hay entirely and let your horse eat their fill of spring grass.

Feeding high-quality hay is a good way to satisfy a horse’s urge to chew when they can’t graze and provide essential nutrients at the same time. A mature horse will eat 2-2.5% of its body weight per day; roughage should contribute to at least half of this percentage, but most agree forage should be a minimum of 75% of the horse's diet. Please remember that not all horses are made equal, so a horse's total nutritive requirements will ultimately depend on the individual's age, stage of development, metabolism and workload.

Take-home message: Before making any changes to your equine companion's diet this spring, consult your veterinarian to determine their current weight/body condition score and to formulate a balanced and nutritious ration that meets your horse’s specific nutritional needs!

02/15/2025

Equine surgeon Dr. Larry Bramlage says the type and length of turnout a horse gets when healing makes a crucial difference

02/15/2025

DID YOU KNOW…?

1. Long toes increase the risk of suspensory ligament injury by 3.5 times!🤯
2. Toe grabs increase the risk of suspensory ligament injury by almost 16 times!😳

Talk to us about how to help your horse stay injury free!

10/04/2024

3 Indian runner ducks, free to good home

09/21/2024

I need a book keeper. Any suggestions?