Wellness
In addition to properly feeding and exercising your horse, working with your veterinarian on routine care will maintain the health of your horse and identify problems early on.
Our Wellness Programs are designed to keep your horse happy and healthy. Adult horses should have a complete examination once a year with geriatric horses being examined twice a year. By performing routine exams and the recommended preventative care, your knowledgeable veterinarian can prevent or treat illnesses early on before they become a problem.
Vaccinations
Many viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases can be prevented through proper vaccination and worming. Vaccinations are given to stimulate the immune system against infection before exposure to disease. The veterinarians at LEC follow the guidelines of the American Association of Equine Practitioners on proper vaccination and parasite management. Some vaccines are routinely given to horses as the “core” defense against serious infectious illnesses that are ubiquitous in the environment. Several others are important in our region and situations such as large gatherings of horses.
Parasite Control
All horses which graze in pastures ingest parasite eggs that are found throughout the environment. The actual parasite burden for any individual horse depends on its age, the number of horses on the same pasture, the pasture’s size and quality and each horses unique immunity. As a result, your veterinarian will recommend a fecal exam on each individual horse to determine the proper deworming program for each horse. Internal parasites of horses can cause many intestinal problems, including gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, and potentially colic. Our knowledgeable veterinary staff will design a preventive medicine program for your horses based on their exposure to these diseases.
Dental Health
Maintaining your horse’s oral health is important for preventing complications with feeding, gastrointestinal tract and performance. Having a complete dental exam performed annually, or every 6 months in some cases, is important to eliminate the sharp points that develop on your horse’s teeth as they continually erupt throughout its life. Complications such as dropping weight, choke and fighting the bit can be signs of poor dental health.
Coggins and Health Certificates
Equine Infectious Anemia is a viral disease spread by horse flies for which there is no vaccine or cure. A simple blood test called a Coggins test is performed to examine your horse’s blood for antibodies. Horses which are traveling, boarded, going to shows, or being sold are required to have a negative Coggins exam. Additionally, in order to cross state lines, horses are required to have a negative Coggins as well as a health certificate. Our nationally accredited veterinarians are readily available to pull bloodwork for Coggins and write health certificates. We are able to obtain Coggins in as little as 48 hours.