Where horses are grazed on sandy ground, problems often follow. This is because ingested sand accumulates in the gut - namely the large colon - and causes inflammation, painful impactions that may twist the gut, and other generalised symptoms of colic. In mild cases, sand can irritate the gut and cause diarrhoea, while in more severe incidences, im...
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Choice is abundant when choosing a food for your cat or dog. With so many varieties online and on the shelves, ranging from wet and dry, complete and complementary, to breed-specific and lifestage-specific, it can be difficult knowing what to go for, especially if you don’t really know the benefits of each. Puppy foods were first introduced t...
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Travelling with your horse can open up a lot of opportunities, from discovering new hacking routes, to attending clinics, competing or that dreaded vet visit. Ensuring that your horse loads and travels confidently will enable you to do more together and take a bit of the stress out of going somewhere. Horses are prey animals and therefore entering...
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At some point in your dog’s life, it may be necessary to change their diet, whether due to cost, food sensitivities or allergies, or even for medical or health reasons. As your dog ages, you may want to switch to life stage-specific food containing more tailored nutrition. Whatever the reason for the change, it is important to transition grad...
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Many dogs are affected by food allergies, but when it comes to identifying the particular allergen causing problems, it can be a lengthy and involved process. Elimination Diet To isolate the allergen, an elimination diet is needed. This should always be undertaken under the care and advice of your vet to avoid getting it wrong and making your dog&r...
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Horses are big, powerful animals, but they do have their limits when it comes to how much weight they can carry. Researchers have identified a suitable rider weight threshold of 20% a horse’s bodyweight, including the weight of the tack. Beyond this and a horse will be under strain, making injuries more likely and reducing the horse's ability...
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Dandruff is an uncomfortable and unsightly condition that affects as many dogs as it does humans. Like humans, some dogs are more prone to dandruff and dermatitis-related problems than others, but often there is an underlying cause that is triggering the dryness and scurfy coat. Essentially, dandruff is just the surface layer of skin that has flake...
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People often talk about over-excitable, ill-mannered horses, but what can you do with lazy or stubborn horses that can’t, or won’t, do as you want them to? Why are some horses ‘lazy’? There are several reasons why a horse might be sluggish and unresponsive, aside from just having a laid-back personality, and it is important...
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Headshaking in horses is a common problem and one that is still largely misunderstood. In the past it’s been considered many things, from a behavioural syndrome, to more serious neurological disease. Nowadays, it is widely believed that headshaking is caused by facial pain, resulting in violent jerking and thrashing of the head. In roughly 98...
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A barking dog can be annoying, but it’s as natural for dogs to bark as it is for humans to talk. That said, when it’s excessive and seems to stem for nowhere, it can cause a lot of stress and worry. Why is my dog barking? Is my dog stressed, unhappy, ill? Before deciding on a course of action for stopping the barking, it is important to...
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