Equine Health

Is there anything I can do about my 6 year old mare that has developed a club foot?

Yes, while most club foot syndromes are seen in immature individuals, sometimes, an adult animal can acquire this syndrome secondary to other pathology such as laminitis or other chronic (long-going) lameness. Older individuals can be helped with a veterinary examination including radiographs combined with proper farrier care. It is very important to indentify the underlying cause of the condition prior to treating the club foot to maximize your efforts for a good response to treatment. Some cases require surgical intervention and corrective shoeing. Getting professional help early is the key to success.

I am really confused about how often my horses should receive their influenza vaccine, what protocol is recommended?

There are two different types of vaccines available. One is an inactivated injection and the other is a modified live intranasal spray. Both types should be administered before the horse is exposed to the virus with two separate injections given 2 weeks apart. They help prevent infection and reduce the disease symptoms if the horse does acquire the virus. Adult horses should receive semi-annual boosters. More frequent vaccinations may be necessary for stabled or competitive animals. Pregnant mares should be vaccinated 4-6 weeks prior to foaling using an inactivated vaccine to booster the antibiody level of the colostrum. This should protect the foal for a minimum of 6 months if he receives an adequate amount of colostrum. The weanling can then be placed on the biannual vaccinations with an initial series of two vaccines given 2 weeks apart.

I have a 24 year old mare that hasn’t produced a foal in several years. Is there anything I can do to get another foal out of her?

There are so many advances being made daily in the field of equine reproduction. You have several options for your mare including managing her to foal herself if possible, embryo transfer, or oocyte aspiration or transfer. The aging process takes its toll on all species. Many mares can carry foals into their twenties while others cannot due to reproductive failure in one form or another. The older mare should be worked up thoroughly by a professional to determine if she is able to settle and carry another foal. Simply pasture breeding her may no longer be an option. Special testing can be done to determine her reproductive health and chances of settling. If she is unable to carry a foal, she may be a candidate for embryo transfer (placing her fertilized egg into a recipient mare) or removing her egg and placing it into another mare for fertilization and gestataion

I am interested in Embryo Transfer, what is the procedure and what are the chances of having a foal? Who supplies the recipient mare?

Embryo Transfer although more common place today is still somewhat a mystery to many people. It is the process of taking a fertilized egg from the donor mare and placing it in a recipient mare, so she may carry it to term and have a live foal. There are many reasons to perform embryo transfer but the most common are the donor mare cannot carry a foal to term without a high risk to herself or the fetus, the mare needs to continue to show but a foal is desired at the same time and more than one foal a year is desired from the mare. The chances of sucess depend on the ability to obtain and embryo (about 50%) and the ability of the recipient to recognize the pregnancy and carry it to term (about 70%). The recipient mare can be supplied either by the owner of the donor mare or by the embryo transfer facility. We have our own herd of closely screened recipient mares for both in house and shipped embryos.

How can I tell my horse has colic?

Horses exhibit signs of colic in several different ways. The most obvious is pawing, rolling, getting up and down, and/or looking at their side. Other signs may be much more subtle including not eating, holding their lip up, playing in their water, or just laying down quietly. Nearly anything out of his/her normal routine is worthy of watching carefully! If ever in doubt, call you equine veterinarian. Horses with assumed colic should be held of feed/hay for 24 hours (water should always be available). A veterinary examination is always the safest treatment. Early treatment is always the best!

Is laminits a treatable disease?

Yes, laminitis is treatable. There have been many advancements in treating this serious conditin. However, there are many different stages of laminitis and each animal responds differently to treatment. The best advice is to seek expert help to guide you through the initial treatment to stablize your horse, then continue the long term treatment with hopes to return your horse to it's intended use. Oftentimes treatment for laminitis is very successful and the horse can continue on it's life as before, however, some grades of laminitis are life threatening. Cost for serious cases of laminitis can be in the thousands of dollars. Consult an equine veterinarian as soon as possible if laminitis is suspected.