Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), commonly known as equine Cushing's disease, is one of the most common endocrine disorders diagnosed in older horses. Many signs of PPID can develop gradually or overlap with normal signs of aging. As a result,...
Fenbendazole is a dewormer used to treat certain gastrointestinal parasites in horses. Although it has long been part of equine parasite-control programs, widespread anthelmintic resistance has reduced its effectiveness against some common parasites. The drug disrupts microtubule formation in target...
Vaccination helps protect foals from infectious diseases during the critical first year of life. Newborn foals receive temporary immunity through antibodies in their dam's colostrum, but this protection gradually declines over the first several months. As maternal antibodies wane, foals...
Even when your horse appears healthy, regular veterinary examinations are an important part of preventive care. Horses can hide early signs of illness, and a veterinarian may detect subtle changes in body condition, dental health, heart and lung function, or...
Learning how to give a horse an injection can help owners safely administer certain veterinarian-prescribed medications and vaccines at home. Proper training is essential, as the injection route, medication instructions, and handling technique all affect the safety of the procedure....
Blood glucose and insulin testing for horses helps veterinarians identify insulin dysregulation and assess a horse's risk of endocrinopathic laminitis. Because affected horses may have few outward signs and normal blood glucose, test results require careful interpretation. For horse owners,...
Acepromazine is one of the most commonly used sedatives in equine veterinary medicine. It is valued for its ability to reduce anxiety and make horses easier and safer to handle during veterinary procedures, farrier care, transportation, and other potentially stressful...
Local anesthetics are among the most commonly used medications in equine veterinary medicine. These drugs temporarily block nerve conduction, preventing pain signals from traveling from a specific area of the body to the brain. By providing targeted pain relief without...
Lidocaine is best known as a local anesthetic used to numb tissues during medical procedures, but this versatile drug has applications beyond local pain control. In equine medicine, lidocaine is administered intravenously as a systemic therapy to manage pain, reduce...
SGLT2 inhibitors are emerging as a novel therapeutic option in equine medicine, particularly for horses and ponies affected by severe insulin resistance and endocrinopathic laminitis. Interest in these medications has increased rapidly in recent years as veterinarians look for additional...
Prednisone and prednisolone are corticosteroid medications used in veterinary medicine to reduce inflammation and suppress abnormal immune responses. Prednisolone is generally preferred in horses because it is the active form of the medication and is absorbed more reliably than prednisone....
Topline supplements are one of the first solutions many horse owners look for when trying to improve muscle, condition, and overall appearance. A well-formulated supplement can support muscle development, especially when poor topline is related to gaps in essential amino...
Omeprazole is a cornerstone of managing gastric ulcers in horses, working to reduce stomach acid and promote healing. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is extremely common, particularly in performance horses exposed to intensive training, travel, and dietary challenges. In equine...
Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine commonly used in horses to manage allergic reactions, including hives, insect bite hypersensitivity, and other inflammatory skin conditions. While it is widely recognized under brand names like Benadryl®, its use in equine care is typically off-label...
Ketamine is a widely used medication in equine veterinary medicine, best known for its role as a fast-acting anesthetic. It is commonly administered during surgical procedures, diagnostic imaging, and emergency interventions, where it helps induce and maintain anesthesia while preserving...
Trimethoprim sulfadiazine, brand name Equisul-SDT®, is a combination antibiotic widely used in equine medicine for the treatment of bacterial infections. This medication combines two antimicrobial drugs that work together to stop bacteria from growing and multiplying, making it effective against...
Bio-Sponge®, or di-tri-octahedral smectite (DTO smectite) is a naturally occurring clay mineral used in equine medicine to support gastrointestinal health. Smectite's properties allow it to bind water, toxins, bacteria, and other potentially harmful substances within the gastrointestinal tract. In equine...
The Eriskay Pony is a rare native pony breed from the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Shaped by generations of life in a rugged island environment, these ponies are admired for their strength, soundness, and kind disposition. Historically, they were essential working...
Autoimmune disease in horses occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues instead of protecting against infection. Rather than targeting bacteria, viruses, or parasites, the immune response becomes misdirected, leading to inflammation and tissue damage. Although autoimmune...
Adequate vitamin and mineral intake is essential to maintaining your horse’s health and well-being. But with so many different supplement options on the market, how do you know which one to choose? The best vitamin and mineral supplement for your...
Cisapride is a prokinetic medication used in horses to stimulate movement in the gastrointestinal tract, helping restore normal gut motility when digestion slows or stops. It is most commonly used in cases of postoperative ileus, severe gastrointestinal hypomotility, or other...
Methocarbamol is a centrally acting muscle relaxant commonly used in horses to treat skeletal muscle spasms. These spasms can occur during conditions that cause muscle inflammation or injury and are often associated with disorders such as exertional rhabdomyolysis, commonly known...
Dantrolene is a skeletal muscle relaxant used in horses to manage conditions involving excessive skeletal muscle contraction or muscle damage, most notably exertional rhabdomyolysis (tying-up). Exertional rhabdomyolysis occurs when muscle cells become damaged during or after exercise, leading to pain,...
Standing sedation and general anesthesia are two primary methods veterinarians use to immobilize horses for medical and surgical procedures. From routine dental care to complex colic surgery, selecting the appropriate anesthetic approach is a critical part of equine medicine due...
Nasopharyngeal sampling is a commonly performed diagnostic procedure in equine practice, used to identify infectious agents affecting the upper respiratory tract. It involves inserting a deep nasal swab into the nasopharynx to collect samples for testing for viral or bacterial...
Quinidine is an antiarrhythmic medication used in horses for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common type of cardiac arrhythmia that warrants medical intervention. Atrial fibrillation occurs when the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat in...
Bacterial infections are a common cause of illness in horses and can affect nearly every body system, from the skin and respiratory tract to the gastrointestinal tract, urinary system, and joints. These infections may develop after wounds or surgical procedures,...
Rhinopneumonitis in horses, commonly called "rhino," is a contagious respiratory disease caused by equine herpesviruses (EHV-1 and EHV-4). These viruses are widespread in horse populations worldwide, and most horses are exposed at some point in their lives. While many cases...
Twitching is an equine restraint technique that is sometimes used during veterinary and husbandry procedures. Most often applied to the upper lip, a twitch is designed to limit movement and improve safety when a horse reacts to brief discomfort or...
The equine respiratory system plays a critical role in athletic performance and overall health, and even subtle abnormalities can significantly impact a horse’s comfort, stamina, and ability to perform. Because many respiratory problems are located deep within the nasal passages,...
