When we think of the white line disease (onychomycosis,) or Hollow Hoof syndrome, we need to realize that the fungus is opportunistic here and will continue to be problematic until we debride and treat the areas affected.

When a horse injures a leg, many times the first and best course of action is to cool the area as quickly as possible using ice packs or very cold water. Your immediate goal is to try to reduce inflammation and swelling in order to minimize tissue damage and speed healing. Ice slows the inflammatory process while other treatments such as medications can begin to take effect.Care must be taken, however, whenever cold therapy is applied to a limb. Ice wraps used incorrectly or applied for too long can potentially damage the skin and underlying tissue.To maximize the therapeutic benefits of ice or cold therapy, follow your veterinarian’s instructions exactly and keep in mind the recommendations contained in this document.

Horses by nature are free roaming animals and used to being able to graze 24 hours per day. This has made for many adaptations by both the parasites that afflict horses and the animal’s ability to avoid parasitism. Pasture management is an important aspect of animal husbandry that deserves careful consideration. 

Equine dentistry in some form has been around for many, many years.  Obviously horses have survived for millions of years without dentistry, but then so have humans.

If you own horses long enough, sooner or later you are likely to confront a medical emergency.  From lacerations to colic to foaling difficulties, there are many emergencies that a horse owner may encounter.  You must know how to recognize serious problems and respond promptly, taking appropriate action while awaiting the arrival of your veterinarian.

Assessing your pet’s vital signs is easy and straightforward and can be done with little equipment.  The only equipment needed is a thermometer and lubricating-jelly, though a stethoscope might make monitoring the heart rate and respiration easier.

Owning a horse can be a big investment in time, money and emotion.  Unfortunately, horses seldom come with a money-back guarantee.  That’s why when confronted with the question of optimal health, it is important to investigate the horse’s overall condition through a purchase exam.  A purchase exam differs from the yearly physical you should routinely give your horse in that its function is to establish a working problem list at the start of ownership. This will change with time but can be an invaluable baseline if the need should arise. Whether you want a horse as a family pet, a pleasure mount, a breeding animal, or a high performance athlete, a purchase exam to establish care and maintenance will yield the best results for maintaining optimum health and satisfaction.  Investing in the best horse to fit your budget as well as your needs takes time and research to accomplish.  Veterinarians many times see this or the lack thereof when the new horse is brought to them shortly after purchase to treat some issue that might have been discovered on a purchase exam. ( UNCLEAR, SEE WHAT?MONA FIX)The result(OF WHAT?) is all too often an animal that is not physically capable of serving the intended function it was originally purchased for.

Exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) has been recognized in horses for more than 100 years as a syndrome of muscle pain and cramping associated with exercise. Recently it has been recognized that this syndrome has numerous possible causes. Sporadic forms of ER are due to over-training and muscle strain, dietary deficiencies of electrolytes, vitamin E and selenium, or exercise in conjunction with herpes or influenza virus infections. Chronic forms are due to specific inherited abnormalities such as polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) in Quarter Horses, Warmbloods and Draft breeds or recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (RER) in Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds and Arabians. PSSM, a glycogen storage disorder, can effectively be managed by providing regular daily exercise and a high fiber diet with minimal starch and sugar and provision of a fat supplement. RER appears to be a disorder of intracellular calcium regulation that is triggered by excitement. Changing management to provide horses with a calm environment and training schedule and substitution of fat for grains in high- caloric rations are helpful means to manage this condition.