DENTISTRY

 

Gone are the days of waiting for your horse to show outward signs of pain or weight loss before addressing dental care. The truth is, even major problems can go unnoticed in stoic horses because they are prey animals that can hide pain and continue to eat. Equine dental care has evolved into so much more than just "floating teeth" and aims to keep your horse's mouth healthy for years to come. Every horse should have a comprehensive dental examination at least once a year to identify and treat issues before they cause larger problems. Our team provides high quality, thorough dental care that only a veterinarian can provide. 

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• Every single tooth is examined with the same tools that a human dentist uses, just with longer handles! A bright light, mirror, picks, and probes can fully evaluate the teeth and gums. Dental endoscopy is also used in certain cases.

• Sedated dental exams provide a safe and thorough evaluation of your horse's mouth. The horse is relaxed but remains standing for the procedure.

• Horses have "hypsodont" teeth that continue to erupt throughout their life, and their chewing pattern can cause painful, sharp enamel points and areas that are overgrown and unbalanced. Instead of indiscriminately floating teeth, precise dental equilibration restores balance in the mouth as well as smooths sharp points.

• Periodontal disease is a painful condition of infected pockets in the gums that can only be identified with a thorough, sedated examination. It can be treated by cleaning, flushing, and addressing the underlying cause.

• Diseased teeth can be evaluated with digital radiography (x-rays). If the affected toot is infected or compromised, extraction is recommended. Infected or fractured teeth can lead to issues such as sinus infections.

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PODIATRY

 

The adage "No Hoof, No Horse!" is very accurate with the majority of lameness originating in the hoof. Lameness can be treated with corrective podiatry, and a baseline podiatry evaluation can keep sport horses sound and balanced.

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Veterinarians and farriers work together to address cases with a team approach. This includes a podiatry package of digital x-rays that includes a series before, during, and after trimming and shoeing. Digital parameters and scores guide the correction of hoof issues in real-time. Services can be performed at your farm, and Veterinarian/Farrier Clinics are also offered on a 5-8 week rotation for specialized corrective podiatry services. 

SPORTS MEDICINE AND LAMENESS

 

• Lameness evaluation involves a hands-on examination which may include flexion tests and nerve blocks as needed.

• Portable digital radiography and ultrasound units provide instant images for diagnosis.

• Treatment is tailored to your horse's condition, including shockwave therapy or regenerative medicine orthobiologics such as Pro-Stride and PRP. 

• Customized rehabilitation therapy consults help ensure quality healing and prevent re-injury.

• Pre-Season performance horse evaluations keep sport horses in top condition.

CHIROPRACTIC SERVICES

 

Dr. Anna Hood, DVM, CVMMP

Certified Equine Medical Manipulation Practitioner

ILLNESS

 

We have a reliable team of multiple veterinarians so that someone is always available if your horse is having an urgent illness. Our primary goal is to keep your horse healthy with preventative wellness care. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! However, if your horse does become ill please call us right away. We will be there when your horse is not feeling well to provide diagnostics and treatment to get them on the road to recovery. Listed below are some examples of when to give us a call.

Emergency: Colic, laceration, choke, etc.

Urgent: Eye issue, diarrhea, fever, severe lameness, not eating, etc.

Non-urgent, but still warrants a call: Gradual weight loss, mild lameness, skin issue, etc.

EMERGENCY CARE

 

Emergency services are available 24/7/365 for our regular equine clients. There is always an equine veterinarian on-call to triage and treat emergency situations such as colic, lacerations, and choke. Unfortunately, there is a dire shortage of equine veterinarians. We do what we can to help everyone, but in order to provide the best service for our patients and prevent being stretched too thin, we can only guarantee emergency service for our current patients. To be considered a current patient, your equine needs to be seen for routine care within the last 12 months. We highly encourage every horse owner to have an active relationship with their veterinarian to ensure that you are covered for emergency service.