Know Your Horse
Whether your horse is suffering from dental problems or hay fever, there are a few parameters that allow you to evaluate a horse's medical condition:
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Purchasing a Horse
My advice, buy the horse that meets your needs and Do Not Skip the Pre-Purchase Exam. I can help you select a horse that is sound and coincides with your goals.
If you are scheduling a Pre-Purchase Exam with Dr. Canning, download the Pre-Purchase Exam - Seller Form (23k pdf) and ask the present owner to complete and sign the form. Give the completed form to Dr. Canning when you meet him for the exam. This gives Dr. Canning the owner's permission to conduct the exam.
Leasing a Horse
Leasing a Horse can be a great way to enjoy riding without having the responsibility of ownership. Over the years, we have encountered many leasing arrangements, and offer these suggestions for making a lease period run smoothly for the horse, veterinarian, owner and lessee.
Keeping Your Horse HealthyAn infectious disease control programs in conjunction with vaccination are important in protecting the health, and increasing the performance of your horse. Your veterinarian can help you design a wellness program to;
A systematic wellness program will help protect your horse and save you money. Recommended Vaccination Schedule |
Key Signs that your horse may have a dental problemHorses with dental problems may show obvious signs, such as pain or irritation, or they may show no noticeable signs at all. Periodic dental examinations is one key to your horse�s health. Your goal should be to catch dental problems early. If a horse starts behaving abnormally, consider dental problems as a possible cause. Key Signs |
Sections
Section 1, Foaling, the Maricle of Life This section information on care of the mare and the foal from conception to weaning. We hope you find our articles interesting and helpful.
Preparing for a New Foal This article provides helpful tips on the delivery of new foals.
Guide to Equine Foal Delivery, A chart providing signs to watch for, what to expect and tips as to when to be concerned.
Section 2, Vital Signs, Knowing what to watch for and how to evaluate your horse's vital signs is the one of the keys to knowing when to be concerned.
Simple Evaluation Techniques Knowing your horses base rate for each of the vital signs will help you evaluate your horse's condition.
Record Your Horses Vital Signs
Equine Gastrointestinal System
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Laminitis/Founder, activities to watch out for:
A concentrated die-off of intestinal bacteria, and their decomposition releases toxins into the horses system. These toxins may act as a trigger for laminitis.
Factors that may result in the die-off of benign intestinal bacteria
- aggressive use of antibiotics
- overgrazing on spring grass
- gorging on grain
- over exertion on hard ground
Direct exposure to toxins
- Common sources include:
- Retained placenta decomposing inside a mare
- Eating poisonous plants
- Exposure to black walnut via bedding in black walnut shavings
- Eating black walnut extract
- Snake bite(s).
- Common sources include:
Learn to Recognize Your Horse’s Dental Problems
Learning to recognize signs of a dental problem is one of the key to keeping your horse healthy. Treating the problem and maintaining healthy teeth is a critical element in your horse's overall well being. Horses with dental problems may show obvious signs, such as pain or irritation, or they may show no noticeable signs at all. This is because some horses simply adapt to their discomfort. For this reason, periodic dental examinations are essential to your horse’s health. It is important to catch dental problems early. If a horse starts behaving abnormally, dental problems should be considered as a potential cause.
Key factors which may indicate dental problems include;
- Loss of feed from mouth.
- Loss of body condition.
- Undigested feed particles in manure.
- Nasal discharge from one or both nostrils.
- Foul order from mouth or nostril.
The long-standing practice of studying a horses teeth is still used today to determine a horse's age. By custom, all horses age one year each January 1st. Therefore, a November foal and a foal born the previous February are both yearlings on January 1st. The teeth of various breeds of horses develop differently. Enviromental conditions and feeds also influence of the development and wear of a horse's teeth. When we consider all of these factors it is easy to understand why telling the age of a horse by looking at it's teeth is as much as art as a science. Is It Possible To Age Horses Accurately?
Equine Tooth Development
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Development of milk (deciduous) teeth Teeth erupt in pairs, in upper and lower jaw, in
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Development (first eruption) of permanent (adult) teeth
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The average adult stallion or gelding (5 years) has 40-44 teeth, average female horse has 36-40. Mares normally do not develop canines (or tushes). These vestigial wolf teeth can be located in either jaw, but are more likely to form in the upper jaw. Wolf teeth occasionally need to be removed if they don't fully erupt and naturally fall out on their own.
Can Ponies Have Cavities?
Well, not exactly, but your horse probably needs more than just the float you gave him five years ago. Straight From The Horses' Mouth - Taking Care of Teeth
Taking Care of Your Horse's Hoofs
Hoofcare Guidelines for Natural Balance This is a great site with lots of information on shoeing, "I use the New Balance Guidelines principles almost daily in my work. I like the links to Natural Balance Guidelines, Tech Support downloadable info, and Natural Hoofprints articles such as negative plane P3's and prolapsed frogs." Dr. John Canning, DVM
Know Your Horse Terminology
For help on terinology, a quick reference is Horse County's - Vet Rap Glossary of Common Veterinary Terms by Charlotte M. Newell, D.V.M.
Learn to Recognize Your Horse’s Dental ProblemsNew FoalsChart Guide to Equine Foal DeliveryFoal Care, Birth to WeaningActivities to watch out for, they may trigger Laminitis/Founder: TriggersFor a written outline of the Equine Gastrointestinal SystemInteractive Equine Gastro-Intestinal SystemTemperature-Pulse-RespirationVaccination ScheduleA form for recording your horse's vital signs Record Vital Signscomprehensive instructions and potential danger signals Vital Signs Chart4 Easily Measured Vital Signs |