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Rushville Veterinary Clinic (217) 322-6590
Mt Sterling Veterinary Clinic (217) 773-3366

Equine Services

 

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ANNUAL WELLNESS EXAM:

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"....the old saying is especially applicable to the health of your horse.  Scheduling annual exams, and keeping up to fate on dentistry, vaccinations, and deworming can keep your horse healthy and also help us recognize problems before they become more difficult to manage.

10 Tips for Caring for the Senior Horse

 

DENTISTRY:

It is highly recommended that your horse have yearly oral examinations to evaluate their dental state.  A horse's teeth continually grow.  As a horse chews grass and hay for many hours daily, sharp points are formed that will lacerate the soft tissues in their mouth.  This can make it painful to eat, be a cause head tossing or evading the bit while riding, and in serious cases, can lead to weight loss or colic.  The average horse will require these points to be filed down (floated) about once a year.  Younger horses may need to be seen more often as they shed their baby teeth (caps) around 2 to 4 years of age.  Older horses may begin to have problems with tooth loss requiring more frequent visits as well.

Learn to recognize if your horse has dental problems.

Click Here to Learn More

equine dental

Dr. McCleery checking the state of Skipper's dental health in the stocks outside of the Mt Sterling Clinic.

Check out the AAEP's article on equine dentistry.

 

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VACCINATION

A consistent vaccine and deworming schedule are a vital past of maintaining your horses health.   To learn more about recommended vaccines click below.

Vaccine Recommendations

 

DEWORMING

Deworming programs need to be tailored to each individual horse.  We consult with each owner on stable and pasture conditions, their horse's age, the owner's personal preferences, as well as the results of a fecal exam and formulate a program that is specially suited to treat and prevent parasites in that individual horse.

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LAMENESS EVALUATION

Often a horse is brought in for a lameness evaluation because it is "off", isn't stopping, or turning a a barrel like it used too.  Since the horse can't tell us what is causing the pain, a thorough evaluation must be undertaken to diagnose the problem, including:
  • Palpation for heat, soft tissue swelling, joint effusion, and sensitivity
  • Evaluation of the horse in motion
  • Hoof tester application
  • Flexion tests
  • Diagnostic nerve blocks
  • Radiography
Check out the AAEP's article on hoof abscess diagnosis and treatment.

EQUINE OPHTHALMOLOGY

Many eye problems constitute an emergency.  If not promptly treated, a relatively minor problem can quickly become a threat to maintaining vision.  If you notice your horse is squinting or excessively tearing call us that day for an appointment.

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PREPURCHASE EXAMINATION

A pre-purchase examination is a highly recommended examination for any prospective horse owner.  This exam thoroughly evaluates the horses overall health and soundness.  Blood can be drawn from and the serum stored for 6 months for retrospective drug testing.  It is recommended that the examination be performed in an area with relatively hard, flat ground for the most accurate evaluation of soundness. 

A pre-purchase exam does not guarantee the future soundness of the horse, but does serve to give you a complete and accurate picture of the horse's health on that day.  A horse does not "pass" or "fail" the exam, rather the information gathered from the exam allows you to make a more informed decision on your investment.

All of the following systems are evaluated during the physical examination:
  • Cardiovascular
  • Ophthalmic
  • Respiratory
  • Neurologic
  • Musculoskeletal
The soundness exam includes:
  • Evaluation with hoof testers
  • Palpation of the musculature, flexor tendons, and suspensory ligament
  • Palpation of the joints of all four limbs evaluation joint effusion
  • Evaluation of hoof conformation
  • Evaluation of General conformation
  • Evaluation of soundness at the trot
  • Flexion testing of the joints of all four limbs
The following services can be optional additions to the pre-purchase examination:
  • Radiographs
  • CBC and Serum Chemistry
  • Routine Drug Testing

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BREEDING SOUNDNESS EXAMINATION

Would you like to get your mare into foal this season?  Schedule a breeding soundness exam prior to the start of the breeding season so we can diagnose and treat any potential problems.  This will improve your chances of success in getting and keeping your mare in foal.

The breeding soundness exam includes:

  • General physical examination
  • Reproductive Examination
    • examination of external genitalia
    • examination of internal genital organs using palpation and diagnostic ultrasound
  • Vaginal Speculum Examination
  • Uterine (Endometrial) Cytology
  • Uterine (Endometrial) Culture
  • Uterine (Endometrial) Biopsy

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EMERGENCY CARE

What constitutes an emergency?

IMMEDIATE......CALL US RIGHT AWAY:

  • Colic - your horse is rolling and won't get up, or gets up and goes right back down again

  • Choke - your horse is gagging, extending his neck, and may have food particles coming from his nostrils

  • Dystocia - your mare is having trouble foaling

  • Severe Bleeding

URGENT.....Call us that day:

  • A squinting painful eye
  • Colic...your horse won't eat and is depressed
  • Fever (temperature >102 F)
  • Non-weight bearing lameness or founder
  • Retained placenta (should be expelled within 3 hours of giving birth)
  • Laceration

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