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Checking Your Horse's Vital Signs

Every horse owner should be familiar with his or her horse’s “normal” vital signs. Knowing your horse’s healthy, resting temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, capillary refill time, and gut sounds will help you realize when he is unwell. Additionally, in the event of illness or injury to your horse, being able to check and report his vital signs can help indicate to your veterinarian the horse’s present condition.

Hoof abscesses horses, equine White line disease (WLD), Laminitis horse, horse foot bruise, joint inflammation in horse, is my horse injured? equine ligamint injuries, common horse hoof problems, dr. william hodge

We ask a lot of our four-legged friends as today’s horses compete throughout most of the year. Whatever the horse’s primary job — from dressage to trail riding and reining to show jumping, the feet are the most common source of lameness. With the advent of preventative drugs such as Legend®, Adequan®, and Pentosan EQ™ we can improve the longevity of our horses’ athletic use, but unfortunately injuries still occur.

equine joint disease, arthritis in horses, treating sore joints horses, x rays horse joints, ultrasound horses, diane gibbard

It is estimated that a staggering 60 percent of all equine lameness is due to arthritis and joint disease. One of the biggest challenges is that some arthritic horses might not show signs of lameness when there is damage and inflammation in the joint; therefore, proper prevention and early diagnosis is key to managing the progression of joint disease. There are many potential causes of equine arthritis.

equine Diarrhea, winter diarrhea Horses, Equine Digestion, chronic horse diarrhea, equine Diarrhea

During the switch to a 100 percent hay diet in the fall of the year is when many horse owners first notice that some of their horses are getting loose manure. The situation can quickly evolve into a management mess where one or more horses are so loose they can spray fecal material on the walls of the stall when they pass manure. Winter grooming becomes a major challenge for those who care for these horses as they struggle to keep tails, hocks, fetlocks, and equine clothing clean and free of encrusted manure.

treathing thrush horses, preventing thrush horses, symptoms of horse thrush, anatomy of horse hoof, equine guelph

Thrush is a common hoof condition caused by a fungal infection that eats away at the tissues of the frog. It is found in the grooves alongside the frog and the cleft in the centre of the frog. If left untreated, thrush will advance deeper into the sensitive areas of the hoof and cause lameness.

horse health lines canadian horse journal, western college veterinary medicine newsletter, wcvm equine courses, universities for veterinarians equestrians

Take an inside look into the latest the scientific studies at the University of Saskatchewan's veterinary college, with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine's semi-annual newsletter: Horse Health Lines.

equine first aid, travelling with horses, safe trail riding, safe horse riding, safe equine first aid, horse's wounds, how to take a horse's heart rate, take horse temperature, check if a horse hydrated

Almost every owner will have to deal with an equine emergency sooner or later. A horse’s natural curiosity, a trail ride mishap, or turnout with herd mates can lead to all kinds of cuts, bruises, kicks, and bites. Scrapes, stone bruises, punctures, sprains, or sores can happen suddenly, and more serious conditions such as abscesses, colic, or bacterial infections can flare up with no warning.

equine emergency preparedness, horses stuck flooding, preventing barn fire, emergency services horses, help for horses disaster, kevan garecki, bc flooding horses

While one can’t plan for every form of disaster, it’s important to familiarize yourself with any potential risks that could occur in your area and plan for them accordingly. Planning ahead can allow horse owners the opportunity to stay composed and act quickly in an emergency situation.

equine emergency preparedness, horses stuck flooding, preventing barn fire, emergency services horses, help for horses disaster, kevan garecki, bc flooding horses

There’s Far More To It Than You Might Think - My wife and I recently spent four devastating days in Sumas Prairie, Abbotsford, British Columbia assisting with the rescue and evacuation of animals following the disastrous flooding caused by the “atmospheric river” of torrential rain in mid-November 2021. It’s one thing to watch it on the news — it’s surreal to be on the ground in the middle of it.

removing ticks from horses, equine guelph, how to get rid of a tick on my horse

Ticks are a nuisance that can often go undetected. Because of the risk of disease transmission (Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Equine piroplasmosis), it is important to frequently examine your horse for the presence of ticks, and to take steps to lower risk of exposure.

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