Most mild stomach upsets in dogs are caused by a recent change in diet or a dietary indiscretion such as raiding the bin! With a mild stomach upset your dog may have vomiting, diarrhoea, inappetance, salivation and may also eat grass. Often no veterinary intervention is required in these cases. Ideally you should withhold food for 12-24hrs then aft...
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Kissing Spines is the laymans term for overriding or impinging dorsal spinous processes in the horse. The dorsal spinous processes (DSPs) protrude vertically from the vertebrae and run from the withers to the pelvis. In a normal spine the DPS's are regularly spaced with a sufficient gap in between them. In a horse with kissing spines the gaps are r...
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Skin diseases, or dermatopathies, are relatively common in cats. The skin is the largest organ in a cat’s body, comprising up to ¼ of its body weight. This amazing organ provides a protective barrier to the environment and regulates body temperature, among other important functions. Your cats skin or coat can be a good indicator of the...
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Dog eye complaints are common place in a vets consulting room. This is largely due to the vast array of eye complaints dogs can suffer from. All breeds of dogs, and at any age, can be affected with many types of eye problems, each with differing forms of severity. Although, certain dog breeds are more prone to different eye conditions than others.S...
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It is useful to put together a first aid kit to keep on the yard. A basic first aid kit should contain the items most likely to be needed to treat an injury or ailment, along with contact numbers for your vet, insurance company and transporters (if relevant). The essential items you should include are listed below: A clean bowl A small pair of b...
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Equine Grass Sickness: Most horse owners will now be aware of Equine Grass Sickness (EGS). But for those that aren't, Grass Sickness is a disease that results in intestinal paralysis. The clinical signs are dullness, depression, inappetence, colic, patchy sweating, muscle tremors, increased heart rate, dribbling saliva, and decreased faecal output,...
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Ex-racehorses are now becoming very popular as riding horses owing to their athletic and intelligent nature. They tend to be well handled and are usually good to load, travel, shoe and clip. Often they are used to hacking to the gallops and are very good in traffic. However they do need good care and attention to maintain a healthy horse so should...
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In light of the recent Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) 1 outbreaks in the UK we have put together a list of steps to help protect your own and other horses from the virus. If your yard is free from disease then it should not stop you going out competing or to events, but be extra vigiliant with biosecurity. What is EHV? Equine Herpes Virus is ubiquitous...
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We all know the principles of travelling our horses short distances – putting on travel boots, tying horses securely, hanging a hay net, making sure lorries or trailers are roadworthy, and giving the horses a smooth ride. However, more and more horses are travelling longer distances within the UK and often abroad. The longer the distance the...
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Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO) is most often seen in horses during the winter months as an allergy to dust in their stables. However, it can present in some horses during the summer in a similar way to asthma in people. The condition is characterized by airway narrowing and inflammation, as well as mucus production in response to allergens - th...
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