Harmony Veterinary Services, LLC

02/09/2025

19/08/2025

Health and brand certificates protect the agriculture and horse industry in the US. It may seem like just another fee when moving animals across state lines (or into Canada) but it’s critical to tracing illness and stop the spread of disease.

17/08/2025

Rabies in bats in our area is not new or unusual. Rabies is lethal and you may not even be aware that you or your animal has been bitten. Vaccinate not only your dogs and cats but also your horses and other large animals. Rabies vaccine is annual for horses and livestock.

A Skagit County family is taking health precautions after finding a bat that tested positive for rabies in their home, public health officials confirmed.

14/08/2025

Arguably the hardest working horse out there is “The Kids Horse” and we are fortunate to help a whole bunch of them! We love teaching horsemanship and medicine to enthusiastic young riders and adore getting photos and updates about their successes!

12/08/2025

United States Pony Clubs and Zoetis have partnered to support the development of future horse doctors and address the broader shortage of equine veterinarians in the U.S.

12/08/2025

I have taken a few days to really consider what I want to say here. This is it.

💣Please let a veterinarian vaccinate your horses. AND PLEASE follow their recommendations. 💣

Vaccinations, similar to antibiotics are Regional. Depending on the area in the country you live depends on the recommendations. Example: In Florida they vaccinate for Encephalopathies every 3-4 months. Technically the AAEP guidelines are once a year.

In my opinion, if you can’t tell me what you are vaccinating for, what it actually is, or how it infects your horse you SHOULD NOT BE VACCINATING. If you just read encephalopathy and thought what is that? You should not be vaccinating your horses.

I recently went to a farm who does their own vaccines. When asked the time frame between vaccinated I got “hmm I think I vaccinated for that.”

Sadly, either they didn’t, OR at some point the handling of the vaccine was not correct and it became ineffective. Now we have a contagious disease on a farm with several horses to manage and treat.

When a vaccine is given by a Veterinarian, it comes with a guarantee. If your horse contracts the disease, the drug companies help clean up the mess.

Please stop the “veterinarian’s are in it for the money,” “you over vaccinate,” “ I just gave a 5 way from Tractor Supply, they said I just need a 5 way,” crap. Because it’s all crap.

For the sanity of this Veterinarian, please just let me vaccinate. I do have a longer, more explicit soapbox, but will leave this for now.

***For starters, Influenza and Equine Herpes Virus 1 and 4 are once a year vaccines for barns with NO movement. That includes YOU! You aren’t traveling to other barns, visiting friends at a horse show, taking lessons. I mean no other possible contact ever. Other wise it should be given twice a year to every horse at a farm in which horses come and go. (Not just the ones coming and going, but even the old retired guys.) ( Doesn’t anyone remember we JUST had multiple barn outbreaks of EHV LAST SPRING?) ***

I am sick of treating PREVENTABLE DISEASES!
Trust me! The vaccine is WAY cheaper than the disease, and much safer for your horse.

**Steps down off Soapbox 📦 for now***

Please just let your veterinarian vaccinate your animals…. I’m tried, please don’t give me more work. Just let a veterinarian vaccinate your horse. You won’t be saving money if you do it wrong… or someone handled the vaccinate inappropriately. Not to mention horses do die from the things we vaccinate against…..That’s WHY there are vaccines… but I digress.

Personally, my BARE MINIMUM is vaccines twice a year, because we live in OHIO with A LOT of water sources especially that big water body called Lake Erie. (Potomac Horse Fever really could be 3 times a year.)

Just let me do it… or one of my colleagues. I beg you.

(419)577-9060

29/07/2025

Summer reminder to use alllll the fly spray! 🪰
And fly masks and Swat! 🤓
Summer Sores can get really nasty and aren’t fun 👎

(ETA: I will admit, we do get some enjoyment out of debriding these gross things 🤪)

28/07/2025

🥵 Just a reshare of some hot advice. It is HUMID! And this means we are asked, “Is it too hot to ride?”

👍 Per the American Association of Equine Practitioners: When outside temperature + relative humidity =150 or above, it's hard for a horse to keep cool because their ability to sweat is compromised — especially if the humidity contributes to over half of the 150.

💧 Provide access to plenty of clean water. Check water levels regularly as it's a good way to monitor water intake & refresh the water supply. One may consider providing an additional water bucket containing electrolytes or administering oral electrolytes.

☂️ Make sure horses in turnout have access to shade so they can escape the sun.🌞

💨 Airflow is key for stabled horses. Open doors/ windows and utilize fans whenever possible, but be sure that wires are not causing additional hazards.

🐎 Try to ride during the coolest hours of the day. If it's unavoidable, keep your mid-day rides short. A horse maintains normal temperature in hot weather by moving heat through the muscles and out through the skin in the form of sweat. Horses that cannot sweat, known as anhydrosis, will usually overheat.

🚿 Post-ride: help your horse cool down quickly by hosing his neck & chest first with cool water. Then hose the whole body, sweat scrape, and hose again.

👁️ Keep an eye out for symptoms of heat stress and contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice:
-Labored breathing and/or rapid respiratory rate
-Above normal temperature at rest
-Unusual sweating (too much or too little)
-Decreased appetite
Just to name a few.

🐴 Special care should be taken of foals and horses with heavy muscling, excess fat or are in poor condition. In some cases, one might consider clipping horses that still have a long hair coat.

⛑️ Maybe over these next couple of days consider unmounted barn activities such as organizing and restocking your first aid kit. Or double checking you have the required paperwork for the next horse show. Or just being with your horse.

🐎 Simply, be attentive to your equine partner and your own needs during this heatwave. Be safe!

🥵 It is HUMID! And this means we are asked, “Is it too hot to ride?”

👍 Per the American Association of Equine Practitioners: When outside temperature + relative humidity =150 or above, it's hard for a horse to keep cool because their ability to sweat is compromised — especially if the humidity contributes to over half of the 150.

💧 Provide access to plenty of clean water. Check water levels regularly as it's a good way to monitor water intake & refresh the water supply. One may consider providing an additional water bucket containing electrolytes or administering oral electrolytes.

☂️ Make sure horses in turnout have access to shade so they can escape the sun.🌞

💨 Airflow is key for stabled horses. Open doors/ windows and utilize fans whenever possible, but be sure that wires are not causing additional hazards.

🐎 Try to ride during the coolest hours of the day. If it's unavoidable, keep your mid-day rides short. A horse maintains normal temperature in hot weather by moving heat through the muscles and out through the skin in the form of sweat. Horses that cannot sweat, known as anhydrosis, will usually overheat.

🚿 Post-ride: help your horse cool down quickly by hosing his neck & chest first with cool water. Then hose the whole body, sweat scrape, and hose again.

👁️ Keep an eye out for symptoms of heat stress and contact your veterinarian immediately if you notice:
-Labored breathing and/or rapid respiratory rate
-Above normal temperature at rest
-Unusual sweating (too much or too little)
-Decreased appetite
Just to name a few.

🐴 Special care should be taken of foals and horses with heavy muscling, excess fat or are in poor condition. In some cases, one might consider clipping horses that still have a long hair coat.

⛑️ Maybe over these next couple of days consider unmounted barn activities such as organizing and restocking your first aid kit. Or double checking you have the required paperwork for the next horse show. Or just being with your horse.

🐎 Simply, be attentive to your equine partner and your own needs during this heatwave. Be safe!