Athletic Equine

Hi Hot Rod! Rodney is due for his Fall care. His horse momma makes sure he gets everything taken care of from dentistry and sheath cleaning to soundness evaluations and check ups. Athletic Equine’s Dr. Kara is so happy to provide all of Rodney’s healthcare needs! We fall in love with our patients that we see for years of care. We are committed to their success and provide the necessary preventative care and also offer advanced diagnostics:... Endoscopy Gastroscopy Digital radiology Ultrasound Class IV laser Shockwave General dentistry needs, including thorough oral examination and dental equilibration Pro-stride Advanced lameness evaluation and treatment Dr. Spillman has advanced training in lameness diagnostics and treatment and has also dedicated time specific to dental continuing education. Here at Athletic Equine we continue to educate ourselves and stay up-to-date on the latest diagnostics and treatment to provide the very best for your horse(s), in an ever-changing veterinary world. Looking for help with your equine friend? Give us a call! 631-494-6897

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Foal season is wrapping up, but we won’t miss a photo opportunity!

How can you tell if a horse is colicking? Colic is a scary thing for any horse owner, but can be even more stressful to an owner who isn’t sure what to look for. A lot of colic behavior can be confused for normal behavior and vice versa. A few ways to tell if your horse is colicking, vs being a normal horse: What is their personality like? Are they acting themselves? If a usually sweet horse is cranky or lethargic, or if a normally cantankerous horse is acting sweet, that... may be the first clue that they might be in pain. Did they eat normally? Did they eat all their hay and grain as usual? One of the first things to go can be their appetite and may precede more serious signs Manure amount and consistency normal? An average sized horse has 100 feet of intestine, so just passing manure alone does not mean that the horse is doing ok (many horses pass manure when colicking to try to alleviate abdominal pressure - however the problem is up higher in the intestinal tract). However a decreased amount, more wet or more dry manure can all give clues that the digestive system isn’t functioning normally. Facial expression - ear position - forward and engaged? Or to the side/back a little, and drooping - the latter can be a subtle sign of pain for the horse. Also look at the horse’s eye - many horses will squint slightly when they aren’t feeling well. Rolling - this one can be tricky. Horses will naturally roll and that can be a good thing. However if a horse is tremoring, repeatedly rolling, or also showing other colic signs, this is not a good thing. Happy horses will often do a whole body shake after a roll, whereas painful horses usually will not. Happy horses can also run and buck after a good healthy roll, like this happy horse in the video. Sometimes they will walk over and engage with you, whereas painful horses do not seek out attention The best defenses against colic are hydration and good feeding management, preventative care such as a good oral examination and dentistry, and knowing your horse’s typical behaviors so you can know when something just isn’t right. Need your horse’s wellness exam and dental exam? Call us! 631-494-6897 https://youtu.be/mjvPc2lQ7J4