Hours and Services
Handout Archive
The People of NVVH
Say Hi to us
| Handout Archive |
Small Animal
Cat Tales - How to Train or be trained by your new Kitty
Cruciate Repair- A brief on knee surgery for your pet
Fleas! - Controlling fleas, and the allergies they cause
Heartworm in Cats - information on exactly that.
Mites!- Dealing with ear mites in your pet
Puppy Exercises- Information on keeping your new (and oh so easy to indulge) puppy disciplined.
Puppy Health- Schedule for keeping your little pup the holy terror that he should be.
Puppy Pointers- tips + tricks on enjoying your pup.
Large Animal
Lameness in Horses-Diagnosis and treatment of lameness
After Foaling Checklist-Checklist of things to go over and do after your mare has foaled.
Colic in Horses- Information and procedures about Equine Colic.
Deworming Your Horse - Guidelines for keeping your horse free of worms.
Equine Dentistry - more specific information about the teeth of your horse.
Equine Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry -an overview on exactly that.
Equine Vaccinations - Horse vaccination schedules.
The Foal Wellness Program- How to keep your foal happy + healthy for the first year.(at least)
Microchip Identification for Horses - a brief brief on the new Microchip identification system that's all the rage among vets right now.
Pigeon Fever and Encephalitis- yep.
Pregnant Mare Care-Exactly that.
Rhodococcus Equi In Foals-Description and prevention measures.
Winter care for your horses--El Nino Y su Caballo - How to keep ol' Racer happy and running until spring as well as possible.
| Frequently Asked Questions |
1.) I just got a new horse and I don't konw its vaccination history. Would it hurt to give vaccinations if he has already had them?
A: No. For adult horses, revaccination would only increase the protection. For foals less than one year of age, there are some other considerations, but these are easily resolved.
2.) How often should my horse's teeth be floated?
A: the teeth should be checked at least once yearly, more often in horses age 2 to 5 years when they are still shedding baby teeth and cutting permanent teeth. High level performance horses may need to be floated once or twice yearly whereas other less active horses may go two to three years. Each mouth is different and needs to be evaluated individually.
3.) My horse's hooves get dry and cracked in the summer. How can I make them more supple?
A: I am not going to have a good answer to this one. Much of the character of hooves is a personal trait of the horse, like any other strength or weakness. Regular attention by your farrier is essential. Too long, too short, or incorrectly shod feet are prone to problems. Good quality feed is critical. Healthy feet start from the inside out. Supplementation with products containing biotin and methionine may be helpful. A minimum of 40 to 50mg of biotin per day is needed to be effective. This is more than is usually recommended in commercial preparations. Moisture from the ground is absorbed into the feet. Dry shavings and dry hard-packed ground produce predictable results. California summers are tough on pastures if not irrigated. A mud hole by the waterer can help. Hoof dressings are of little or no value.
4.) Does my horse need a fully enclosed barn or stall?
A: It's not critical. Minimally however, you should provide a wind-break area such as a covered 2 or 3 sided lean-to or a grove of trees. A dry feeding area is important to minimize feed wastage.
5.) How about blanketing in the winter?
A: Blankets are usually not needed. If used they must be of the waterproof type and must be removed on a daily basis to allow air to get to the covered areas. Extended blanketing invites skin disease from bacterial and fungal infections that can proliferate in the dark and damp confines of the blanket. A wet blanket is worse than no blanket at all.
6.) Can I turn my horse out on spring grass? I'm worried about foundering (Laminitis)
A: In general most horses can be safely grazed on pasture. Seems natural enough don't you think? The problems develop when horses not used to rich grass gain uncontrolled access and overeat. Going from a steady diet through the winter of oat hay and then being placed on new pasture could be disasterous. Ponies and Morgan horses are more prone to founder as well as any horse who has foundered in the past. Slowly increase the time on pasture and monitor the weight of your horse. By the time the grass dries out in late summer free access should be no problem. Each horse is an indiviudal, so call for advice if needed.
7.) My Flyspray doesn't work. What's the deal?
A: The best fly repellents contain the chemicals permethrin, pyrethrin and piperonyl butoxide. Brush the horse thoroughly and apply liberally. Regardless of label instructions on many sprays, duration of effectiveness is no more than one day. There are some higher concentrated products that may have extended repellant activity, but don't bet on it. The most important thing you can do to control the fly population in the stable area is to clean up manure at least twice daily. Use fly masks or breakaway halters with fly strips on them to control flies around the face.
8.) My horse has arthritis in the hocks. Won't treatment with cortisone make them deteriorate faster?
A: Cortisone remains one of the best treatments for arthritis in horses. It has gotten a bad reputation mostly because of over use or misuse in some cases. There are different types of cortisone, some more appropriate than others. We often use cortisone in combination with Hyaluronic Acid (synthetic joint fluid) which injected into the affected joint is actually protective for the joint cartilage. This provides significant relief in many cases due to the combined anti-inflammatory effects.
9.) Will feeding all alfalfa be harmful to my horse?
A: In most cases no. However, half alfalfa, half oat, and grass or wheat
hay is a better balance nutritionally. Horses will drink more water and urinate a larger quantity on alfalfa due
to a higher protein content. Enteroliths (Intestinal stones) occur more frequently in horses on a high alfalfa
diet.
Designed for NVVHI by Jake Latham
Questions or comments about the site design? mail Me
The NVVHI Logo and all other stuff herein. is copyright NVVHI and all that good stuff.