S. J. Luby, VMD

01/09/2025

Wouldn’t it be nice if horses could talk?! Thankfully, they can still give us signs, however subtle they may be, to show us when they're uncomfortable.

This mare presented for a recent onset of chewing with her head cocked to one side. Sometimes she would even shake her head while eating. It had been 1 year since her last dental exam & float.

You can see from the photos that her upper teeth had very sharp enamel points causing ulcerations in her cheeks. Looking into a horse’s mouth is like looking into a long, dark tunnel, so a bright light source and a mirror should always be used to make sure no pathology is missed. Would you let your own dentist treat your teeth without a thorough exam?! Other than that, this mare had a pretty routine mouth to float - her teeth arcades were level and she had excellent occlusion, no feed packing in or between the teeth, and no indications of periodontal or tooth disease. She should be good to go for another year! Or perhaps 9 months this time if we want to avoid cheek ulcerations 😊

11/04/2024

The Wicked Witch of the West got promoted to groom for “Ride Your Pony to School Day.” Love wearing so many hats! 🧙

09/05/2024

I so enjoyed working on this lovely, tough mare! Thank you Beechwood Sporthorses, LLC for the opportunity and congratulations on a successful show!!

03/14/2024

My practice became a business sponsor of this amazing organization that protects land from development FOREVER! Thanks for the shout out Land Trust of Virginia! I encourage Virginia horse enthusiasts with acreage to look into conservation easements for their properties - it’s important for the sustainability of the horse industry as well as the planet and future generations!

This we are grateful for the support of NEW LTV Business sponsor, S. J. Luby, VMD one of our amazing sponsors who believes in protecting the Virginia countryside we all love. Based in The Plains, Dr. Sarah Jo Luby (S.J. Luby, VMD) is a top-notch equine vet specializing in acupuncture, dentistry, and veterinary medical manipulation. We are proud to have Dr. Luby as our community partner. Want to learn more about S.J. Luby?

01/16/2024

Worth braving the snow and cold today to have this grumpy guy decide he likes acupuncture and fall asleep on my shoulder! Don’t ask me to put his blanket back on though 😅 . Thanks for the opportunity for me to work on him Cool Breeze Equine, LLC!

12/21/2023

Last week I went out to see this lovely 32-year-old mare for a decreased appetite and dramatically increased quidding (spitting out partially chewed balls of food). She has dropped quids for years and struggled with a decreased appetite, especially during winter months. Her owner wasn’t sure she would make it through this winter if she continued in her current state.

On oral exam, her cheeks were ulcerated by sharp enamel points and edges. Some teeth were overly long while the opposing teeth had become very worn. A very large “hook” on the last lower right cheek tooth was preventing normal motion of the jaw during chewing. She also had multiple areas of malodorous feed packing between teeth. The goal for her float was to remove the sharp edges that were traumatizing her cheeks, take down ridges that were causing abnormal forces on the opposing teeth, and reduce (as much as safely possible) the large hook in the back of the mouth so her jaw could move in a more functional way. She also had the feed packing thoroughly flushed from between her teeth.

One week later, the owner reports: “She is doing great, not one quid this morning. Eating very well and just seems happier! I wish I had you out sooner. Ready to celebrate her 33rd birthday on January 1!”

Stories like this are why I became an equine vet and why this profession can be so gratifying. In the future, I’ll take more intraoral pictures so you can really see the pathology in the mouth, but for now a cute head shot of this sweet mare will have to do! Remember, old horses need regular dental care too. This includes a PROPER oral exam with a bright light source, a speculum, mirror or endoscope, and adequate sedation – at least annually!