Keep up to date with all our latest news, articles and case studies from the veterinary world around Hawke’s Bay, Dannevirke, and the Wairarapa.
WHAT IS LAMINITIS? Laminitis is a very serious disease of the equine hoof that can lead to a disastrous loss of function. It occurs when there is failure of the attachment of the pedal bone to the inner hoof wall. The inner hoof wall is attached by sensitive laminae or folds to the pedal bone…
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Colic, a word that strikes fear into the heart of every horse owner! But what is it and what can we do? In the simplest sense, colic is a broad term used to describe abdominal pain and the behaviour that we see associated with that pain. This is most commonly associated with the gastrointestinal tract,…
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Wolf teeth are technically known as the first premolar teeth in horses. They usually erupt into the mouth at between five and twelve months of age, but do not continue to grow or erupt into the mouth as do the rest of the cheek teeth. It has been estimated that approximately seventy percent of horses…
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Stomach ulcers (gastric ulcers) are a hot topic! Stomach ulceration is a somewhat confusing syndrome – the syndrome can have a multitude of clinical signs, ranging from very subtle performance issues, or picky eating, to weight loss and colic. There is also a multitude of products on the market which claim to help with ulcers,…
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This is the name given not to “affectionate backs” but to over-riding or impinging of the dorsal spinous processes of the vertebrae commonly in thoracic (chest) or lumbar (lower back) region of the horse. Often it is in the region of wither or saddle and can be associated with a poor saddle fit or trauma/damage…
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As many of you know, the foot is a common source of lameness; up to 90% of lameness can be located within the foot. The heel region of the foot can be blamed for up to 1/3 of chronic (long-term) lameness. This makes sense, as the hoof is the part of the body that receives…
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It’s a question that’s come up time and time again for me over the last year or two. Often, clients will explain that their horses or ponies are not worth very much money, and so they don’t think it’s worthwhile. I thought I’d put together some of the aspects to consider, and some of the…
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Alfie is a 22-year-old Kaimanawa gelding who had the misfortune of getting the wrong end of a stick during a wind-storm. He presented with acute right eye pain – eyelids tightly closed with profuse tearing. Once local anaesthetic and sedation was administered a full thickness perforating wound was evident through the cornea of his right eye. Bleeding…
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The first five years of a horse’s life are critical in regards to dental development. Like us, horses have two sets of teeth, the deciduous being shed from about two and a half years until the permanent teeth have erupted at around five years. During this period, it is vital that regular dental checks are…
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