Coastal Equine Vet

28/08/2026

🐴 Laminitis: why the first 72 hours matter most

Laminitis is inflammation and damage to the laminae — the tissue that connects the hoof wall to the pedal bone (P3) inside the foot. When those laminae weaken, they can no longer hold the pedal bone in its normal position, and it starts to rotate or sink within the hoof capsule. That's what makes it so painful, and so serious.

It isn't just a sore foot — it's a race against time. The acute phase is defined as the first 72 hours after signs start, or until the pedal bone shifts, whichever comes first. What happens (or doesn't) in that window shapes the whole outcome.

Why we treat it like an emergency: the inability to control pain is one of the biggest reasons laminitis cases don't recover — which is exactly why early, aggressive pain management (not just "wait and see") matters so much.

Watch for:
🔹 Reluctance to move, "walking on eggshells"
🔹 Shifting weight between feet at rest
🔹 Increased digital pulse and heat in the hooves
🔹 Leaning back onto the heels

Common local triggers: spring pasture flush, obesity/EMS/PPID, grain overload, or a concurrent illness.

The bottom line: even the most experienced vet can't tell you where the pedal bone sits without an x-ray — so if you suspect laminitis, don't wait for it to look bad. Call us.

26/08/2026

Tune in tonight!

A fascinating guest on Talking Horses this week! 🐴🎙️

Tonight we’ll be chatting with Dr Sarah Sly of Coastal Equine Vet in Geraldton, whose journey to becoming an equine vet has taken her from California to Hawaii and eventually to Western Australia.

Sarah has an interesting story to tell, and her work sees her and her team treating horses across the Geraldton region, as well as heading on twice-yearly trips into the Gascoyne, Murchison and Pilbara, providing veterinary services to horses in some of our most remote communities.

We’ll talk about life as an equine vet, the challenges and rewards of the job, what it’s like providing veterinary care across such a huge area, and what reproduction season looks like in regional WA - along with plenty of other equine topics.

Tune in live from 6pm tonight on SportFM 91.3 or stream the show live via the SportFM website.

And if you miss the live show, you can always catch up with the podcast 🎧
https://www.sportfm.com.au//shows/talking-horses/

Coastal Equine Vet

12/08/2026

Foaling Doesn't Always Go to Plan 🐴

The moment a foal hits the ground is just the beginning. While most foalings are straightforward, the first 24–48 hours are a critical window — and it's where subtle problems can turn serious, fast.

The Day 1 Exam
A thorough veterinary exam in the first 24 hours is one of the most valuable things you can do for a new foal — and its mare. This isn't just a quick once-over. It's a chance to pick up issues early, while they're still easy to manage:

🐎 The mare — checking for retained placenta, uterine involution, and any signs of post-foaling complications
🦴 Limb conformation — assessing for angular limb deformities (ALDs) while there's still time to intervene
🔘 Umbilicus — checking for swelling, discharge, or signs of infection, a common entry point for sepsis in neonates
👁️ Eyes — screening for entropion and other congenital or acquired issues that can affect vision if left unchecked
🫁 General vitality — suckle reflex, respiratory effort, and overall demeanour

Backed by Objective Monitoring
Alongside the physical exam, we work closely with the team at Ruby Racing and Breeding to track how each foal is really doing, using:

🩸 Lactate machine — an early indicator of tissue perfusion and systemic wellbeing
🍬 Blood glucose monitoring — flagging foals that are struggling to nurse or metabolise effectively
🛡️ IgG testing — confirming adequate passive transfer of immunity from colostrum
💧 Urine specific gravity (refractometer) — assessing hydration and kidney function

None of these tools replace a good set of eyes and experienced hands — but together with a proper Day 1 exam, they let us catch the foals who look "fine" but aren't quite tracking as they should, and intervene early, before a small issue becomes an emergency.

It's this partnership between attentive breeders and proactive veterinary care that gives every foal — and mare — the best start possible.

📍 Coastal Equine Vet | Geraldton, WA
🤝 In collaboration with Ruby Racing and Breeding

05/08/2026

When it comes to acute podiatry cases, having the right tools makes all the difference. 🐴

At Coastal Equine Vet, we know that stabilising a laminitic or acutely painful hoof quickly is critical — every hour counts. That's why we invest in purpose-built support systems like More-Aid Squish Pads and Nanric Ultimates, giving us the ability to provide immediate, adjustable sole support and comfort right at the point of care.

But great tools are only half the story. A strong working relationship with our farriers have shaped how we think about hoof biomechanics — from load distribution to the mechanics behind laminitic rotation — and that shared understanding means faster, more coordinated decision-making when a horse needs it most.

Dr Sarah particularly loves the challenge of complex podiatry cases — piecing together the biomechanics, imaging, and hands-on management to get horses comfortable and back on the road to recovery.

It's this combination — the right equipment, the right expertise, and a genuine vet-farrier partnership — that lets us respond quickly and effectively when it matters most. 🩺🐎

03/08/2026

🎉 Today we celebrate 8 years of Coastal Equine Vet! 🎉

Our team keeps growing, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the hard work, the camaraderie, and the relationships we’ve built along the way. Thank you to our incredible clients and their horses for trusting us with their care — here’s to many more years of providing the best equine care in the region! 🐴

31/07/2026

This week, Coastal Equine Vet wants to shine a light on Sophie's Legacy 💙

Sophie's Legacy was founded by the family of Dr Sophie Putland, a much-loved veterinarian who died by su***de in 2021 at just 33, while working in Melbourne. Sophie's family created the charity to confront a hard truth: vets are around four times more likely to die by su***de than the general population, and twice as likely as other health professionals — driven by long hours, understaffing, and the emotional weight of the job.

Sophie's Legacy is working to change that, through industry research, advocacy with government and the veterinary profession, and public awareness campaigns that open up the conversation.

As an equine vet practice, we see the pressures of this work first-hand. We're proud to help spread the word about Sophie's Legacy and the push for a profession where vets and vet staff can genuinely thrive.

🔗 Learn more or support their work: sophieslegacy.com 💙 If you or someone you know is struggling, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14.

29/07/2026

🐴 Breeding season is on the horizon!

Mares are "long day breeders" — as daylight hours increase, their reproductive cycles start kicking back in. Before they reach a full, fertile cycle, most mares go through a "transition" period, where you may see some cycle-like activity that isn't quite the real thing yet.

What to watch for as she starts cycling:

Squirting
Winking
Standing for geldings or stallions

We recommend scheduling a pre-breeding exam and ultrasound before you start covering her. During this visit, we'll review her history, evaluate breeding soundness (including conformation), and talk through the diagnostics we recommend beforehand — like a pre-mating ultrasound and a swab to check for endometritis.

Thinking about artificial insemination? We offer chilled semen AI (we're not set up for frozen semen at this time) — reach out for pricing and details.

Ready to get your mare set up for a successful season? Give us a call to schedule her pre-breeding exam.

27/07/2026

🐴 Exciting news from Coastal Equine Vet! 🐴

We've added SLEIP AI-powered gait analysis to our practice — and it's changing how we assess our patients.

Using nothing more than a smartphone video, SLEIP tracks over 100 key points on a horse's body to detect subtle gait asymmetries that even a trained eye can miss. Here's how we're putting it to work for you:

🩺 Lameness exams — pinpoint and quantify asymmetries stride-by-stride, helping us diagnose earlier and monitor recovery objectively over time.

📋 Pre-purchase exams — give buyers an extra layer of confidence with objective, data-backed movement analysis, not just a visual assessment.

🏇 Performance analysis — catch subtle changes in gait before they become performance-limiting issues, so training and soundness go hand in hand.

Better data means better care for your horse. Ask us about adding a SLEIP assessment to your next visit — call the clinic to schedule!

24/07/2026

Did you know the sugar content of hay can swing wildly — even between two bales of the exact same type? 🐴🌾
Oaten and wheaten hay can test anywhere from under 3% to over 40% water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC), depending on how and when it was grown and cut. That's a huge range if you've got a horse prone to laminitis, insulin resistance, or Cushing's (PPID).
The only way to know what you're really feeding? Get it tested. Here is how oaten, wheaten, lucerne, and Rhodes grass hay typically compare — and drop us a message if you'd like help interpreting a hay test or working out a low-sugar diet for your horse. 💬

23/07/2026

14 days. ~3,000km. One incredible trip through the Murchison, Gascoyne, and Pilbara. 🐎

We just wrapped up a huge rural outreach loop, stopping in and around Carnarvon, Port Hedland, and Karratha — 4 hotels, and generous stations hosting us along the way.

The tally: 118 patients seen, 92 dentals, plus sheath cleans, radiographs, ultrasounds, vaccinations, bloodwork, lameness workups, and joint injections.

None of this happens without my incredible assistant Ailey, who's now fully addicted to these trips (no complaints from us! 😂). And a shoutout to Starlink — being able to work while we drove between locations kept us moving and made this trip possible.

To every station and family who hosted us, fed us, and welcomed us in: thank you 🙏 It's a privilege to bring equine vet care to areas where access is limited, and we're already looking forward to the next one.