This week we're preparing for our Autumn Client Talk on wounds and first aid and I've been reflecting on the wounds I have attended this year. I realised that owners probably don't realise that what they do to the wound prior to the vet arriving on the scene can have a dramatic effect on the outcome. While we will have some great tips on what you should do I think what NOT to do is far more important, so here goes...
This time of year can bring lots of stress and worry for us with bangs and flashes sending our horses into a state of fear and distress. Even the calmest horse may be put out by the unusual noises or smells of a bonfire. It seems like it can be never ending with displays and fireworks every single night for a matter of weeks, and we have it all to come again at new year as well. So what can you can to help minimise potential stress and injuries to your horse?
Sadly it is that time of year again! As we are out on yards the presence of rugs appearing, covered up greys and squelching can mean only one thing.... mud!
This weeks blog will be focusing on mud fever- with a few tips and tricks for prevention and management!
We were having a discussion last week at the practice about colic surgery and it got me thinking. About 1 in 10 cases of colic will require surgery and it can be a very emotional and stressful time if you are in this position so it's really important to understand the facts and have thought about what you might do before you are in this position. Hopefully you will never need to use the information but it's important to be prepared for your horse just in case! Thanks to the university of Nottingham who have produced this helpful article about critical cases:
I was asked this question last week by a client that was feeling frustrated that recently their horse was having repeated high worm egg counts so in this week’s blog I thought I would explain some of the possible reasons why.
You may have heard of Equine Metabolic Syndrome or 'EMS' before, it has only really been recognised as a syndrome for the past ten years although horses have been suffering with it for a lot longer, as the way we keep horses has changed over time. We also have a much better understanding of laminitis now and EMS is known to be one of the most common causes of laminitis.
Do you want the best standard of healthcare for your horse throughout the year with the option to pay monthly for it?
Here at Ridings Equine Vets we want to be part of your horses lives in the good times and not just the emergencies! We believe that if we can be involved in your horses preventative health care throughout the year we are better prepared to help whenever you have concerns.
Tumeric has become very popular over recent years and I have seen it used as a food supplement and as a skin ointment for horses. A study into horse owner experiences of tumeric¹ found that the most common reason owners fed turmeric was for arthritis and lameness. Following the launch of a recent horse feed with turmeric as an ingredient I thought it would be useful to give an overview of turmeric and help to give you some more information so you can decide for yourself whether to feed it to your horse
Recently we've seen a few cases of horses with nasal discharge and we thought it would be a good idea to post about one of the conditions we associate with nasal discharge.
When a horse starts to show signs of colic things can quickly become stressful for all involved, whether you have noticed colic in your own horse, your friend’s horse or you are a livery yard owner and you have noticed a livery horse start to show signs of discomfort. A plan is needed to be in place so that decisions can be made quickly, and the horse has the best chance of a successful outcome.
Kissing spines (known as overlapping or impinging dorsal spinous processes) involves the bones along the spine from the withers to the point of the hip. With Kissing spine these bones have a smaller gap between them or are touching causing pain. It is often diagnosed after back pain is noticed either when the saddle is placed on the back, under ridden work or when the back is palpated.
2019 has seen the biggest outbreak of equine influenza for a long time and cases continue to rise, more so during the summer due to the mixing of horses at competitions and organised events. Cases of strangles are also on the rise as the latest figures from the Animal Health Trust (AHT) show.
