EDUCATION CENTER

 

Spring Vaccinations and Preventative Health Care - Importance of Timing

Spring Vaccinations and Preventative Health Care - Importance of Timing

With spring approaching in Wisconsin, horse owners are starting to think about immunizations or vaccinations as well as other spring preventative health care for their horses.  Historically, “spring preventative health care” has included vaccinations, dental checkups, fecal parasite evaluations and annual Coggins testing as well as annual wellness checkups.  This can create a sizeable veterinary bill all at once.  Some horse owners wonder if this work can be spread out over more time to lessen this financial blow as well as whether it’s all needed in the spring.  The answer is yes and no.  Read on to find out why.

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Medication Expiration Dates - They Matter
Horse Ownership Irongate Equine Horse Ownership Irongate Equine

Medication Expiration Dates - They Matter

What does a drug’s expiration date mean?
An expiration date is a date at which a drug manufacturer can still guarantee the full safety and potency of the drug.

Are expired drugs safe?

In short, it depends. When considering the equine drugs you have on hand, here are some important things to keep in mind:

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EOTRH, What is it?
Senior Horses, Horse Ownership, Dentistry Irongate Equine Senior Horses, Horse Ownership, Dentistry Irongate Equine

EOTRH, What is it?

Signs of EOTRH are often subtle and stem from incisor pain. Some horse owners notice a change in behavior when bridling their horse, or an increase in headshaking behavior. Others may notice the horse dunking their hay or having difficulty biting into hard treats such as carrots or apples. Weight loss and resistance to having the mouth or teeth examined can also sometimes be attributed to EOTRH.

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Don't Skip the Purchase Exam
Horse Ownership, News Irongate Equine Horse Ownership, News Irongate Equine

Don't Skip the Purchase Exam

Owning a horse can be a big investment in time, money and emotion. Unfortunately, horses seldom come with a money-back guarantee. That’s why it is so important to investigate the horse’s overall health and condition through a purchase exam conducted by an equine veterinarian. Whether you want a horse as a family pet, a pleasure mount, a breeding animal or a high-performance athlete, you stand the best chance of getting one that meets your needs by investing in a purchase exam.

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10 Tips for Choosing the Best Hay for Your Horse
Farm Management, Horse Ownership Irongate Equine Farm Management, Horse Ownership Irongate Equine

10 Tips for Choosing the Best Hay for Your Horse

High-quality hay can be an important source of essential nutrients in your horse’s diet. A horse’s protein and energy requirements depend on age, stage of development, metabolism and workload. A mature horse will eat 2 to 2.5 percent of its body weight a day, and for optimum health, nutritionists recommend that at least half of this should be roughage such as hay. For a 1,000-pound horse, that means at least 10 pounds of roughage each day.

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