Dukes Equine Vets

22/08/2025

Happy Friday!

Our online payment system is back up and running through our new website. If you haven’t had a look yet, here is the link below.

Pay your bill online You can pay you bill online using our secure payment server. If you know the invoice number please include these details but if not put in a comment so we know what the payment relates to.

19/08/2025

Wishing Eilidh, one of our team who look after the horses at Dykehead, lots of good luck representing Scotland at the Sheepgate Under 25s Championships this week. We can’t wait to hear how it goes!

15/08/2025

We are delighted to have back from maternity leave after the arrival of little Molly last year. And very pleased to see that Molly seems to be a firm fan of ponies already! Start ‘em young! Lesley is excellent at looking after the horses at Dykehead, including the broodmares in for AI, in patients for veterinary treatment and Jim’s own herd.

06/08/2025

Behind the scenes semen analysis for artificial insemination 🔬 🧐

Semen is first collected from the stallion using a specialised artificial va**na. The sample is immediately evaluated for s***m concentration, motility, and overall quality - these are key indicators of its fertility potential. Next, the semen is mixed with an extender: this solution provides nutrients, buffers against pH changes, adds antibiotics to prevent bacterial growth, and protects s***m during the cooling and shipping process. The extended semen is then gradually cooled to about 4-5°C to slow down metabolic activity and preserve viability. Once these checks are complete, the chilled semen is packaged in insulated containers to keep its temperature stable, and sent to the mare for insemination at the optimal time in her cycle. Before insemination, a final analysis checks the motility and morphology, ensuring suitable quality for insemination. Proper preparation and analysis of chilled semen give the best chance for a successful pregnancy and healthy foal!

05/08/2025

Forelimb lameness is one of the most common issues we see as equine vets, particularly in recent times with the hard ground. Because horses carry about 60% of their weight on their front limbs, the impacts of concussion, poor footing, conformation faults, and repetitive training can lead to injuries in the feet and legs. Approximately 90% of forelimb lameness originates from the foot. Signs include a visible head nod (“down on sound”), shortened stride, or a reluctance to move forward.

Causes vary - foot imbalance or abscesses, tendon/ligament injuries, joint disease (like osteoarthritis), or conditions such as navicular syndrome are all possible. Treatment depends on the underlying problem and may involve rest, anti-inflammatories, corrective shoeing, or in some cases, surgery. If you suspect lameness, early evaluation is helpful : timely diagnosis with examination, nerve blocks, and imaging can improve outcomes and get your horse on the road to recovery.

31/07/2025

YARD STAFF VACANCY
We are looking for a practical, conscientious, motivated individual to work at our clinic at Dykehead, Aboyne. Initially we are looking for someone to work Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturdays. Hours vary depending on workload so some flexibility is ideal, at present we are offering between 12 and 20 hours per week, 8.30 am start.
We run a stud farm and vet practice at the farm. The job will mainly entail looking after horses on the farm and assisting the vets with examination and treatment of inpatients and outpatient day cases. You will need to be competent and confident handling horses on the ground. We will provide training in working with a variety of different horses safely, and also training in the skills you will need to assist the vets with various procedures. You will need to be reasonably fit and prepared to work hard.
This is an interesting job with lots of variety, working with a friendly and supportive team around you. Ideally you will be 18 or over and have your own transport. If you are interested please contact [email protected], send us a DM or phone 03450959995

28/07/2025

Have you joined our Healthy Horse Club - sign up via the link below!

As a small independent equine only veterinary practice we are dedicated to helping our loyal clients across Aberdeenshire and Angus to save money, budget effectively and ensure routine preventative healthcare for your horse is covered!

Please note that visit fees are not included and after signing up via the form you will be asked to contact the office to pay for the first 2 months of the plan up front.

https://talon.merlinvetgroup.com/spsform/jmR3gpLTky

23/07/2025

Equine sarcoids are difficult to treat. But the treatment for any medical condition should never be worse than the condition itself!

Because the recurrence rates following treatment is quite high many vets have gone down the route of taking a wide (SAFE?!?) margin of excision as a standard approach to treatment. I have encountered three big problems associated with this approach; firstly there is no definition of a “safe” margin; secondly sarcoids are often in places which move a lot such as under the elbows or between the back legs and so wound healing can be a real problem; thirdly most untreated sarcoids lie primarily in the skin or subcutaneous tissue – once you cut through this but don’t actually remove all of the sarcoid then the sarcoid starts to grow in the underlying tissues and is much more difficult to treat subsequently.

For well over five years now we have been using a method combining minimal surgical incision with cryotherapy and chemotherapy. We do not claim we can cure all sarcoids but in previously untreated cases we have a whole horse success rate of well over 90% regardless of whether the horse has 1 or 20 sarcoids, and mostly independent of sarcoid location. There is some case selection, and we modify our approach for large sarcoids >25mm diameter, pouches of multiple subcutaneous sarcoids and sarcoids around the lips, but we can still treat these relatively successfully too.

The big advantages of this treatment approach are :

· The wounds created are small and superficial, never bigger than the base of the original sarcoid and often smaller. Often we just see areas of hair loss around the sarcoid, as seen in the pictures below. This regrows in time.

· This results in a short healing time, most horses can be ridden within a week of treatment. We have seen horses treated with other methods where wounds haven’t healed months after surgery.

· Minimal side effects – for most horses nothing other than transitory swelling lasting up to 48 hours post treatment.

· Excellent cosmetic results with most horses having either a small patch of hair loss, a very small scar or in many cases no visible scars at all.

· In over 150 horses we have treated, very few if any horses which regrew the sarcoid had a sarcoid any worse than the sarcoid pre treatment. With some other treatments very aggressive regrowth can occur, and some of these lesions cannot be treated.

· Due to the nature of the method, this is a very cost-effective treatment in most cases.

Horses are treated under standing sedation and local anaesthesia. Each treatment takes around an hour and horses are seen every 4 weeks and retreated if any signs of regrowth. About half of our cases require a single treatment but each horse and every sarcoid is different. Some case require multiple treatments until the sarcoids are resolved.

The pictures are from a case we first reported on in February with multiple sarcoids in unusual locations. The sarcoids in this horse were in very unusual locations, most sarcoids are on areas where the skin is thin, but this horse had lesions on the pastern, the neck and also a raw ulcerated sarcoid tucked under the nostril which was very difficult to access. It is hard to see how this particular lesion could have been treated successfully by any other method. Due to the complex nature of this case we did not expect to resolve all the sarcoids straight away, but they have responded very well and the horse has been able to be ridden throughout the process. Her owner is delighted with the results. The horse has had three treatment cycles so far and we are planning to re assess the case in mid-September.

21/07/2025

Why is routine dental care important for horses?

Horses’ teeth continuously erupt and wear unevenly, leading to sharp points that cause pain, ulcers, and difficulty chewing. Regular dental exams and rasping these sharp enamel points, ensures that your horse can eat comfortably, digest food efficiently, and absorb nutrients.

Without routine dentistry, small dental issues can escalate to serious problems like weight loss, colic, sinus infections, and behavioural problems such as head-shyness or resistance to the bit. Early detection and maintenance can prevent infections and chronic discomfort, supporting your horse’s overall health and performance over their lifetime.

Horses hide dental pain well, so professional checks every 6–12 months are essential to catch hidden problems and maintain comfort. Older horses and those in competition may need more frequent attention. Sedation is usually necessary for thorough, safe dental care.

Prioritising routine dental care means better digestion, improved behaviour, and a healthier, happier horse living well into old age.

16/07/2025

Remember our top tips to make savings on your vets bill 🔔 🥳

As a small independent veterinary practice it is important to us that we try to help our clients manage the cost of vet bills where possible.

How we are trying to help our clients make savings on their vet bills :

1. Check if other horses on your yard need a vet visit. The visit fee is reduced for 2 horses and FREE for 3/more horses at the same yard at the same time.

2. PROMPT PAYMENT BONUS - if you pay your bill at the time or within 14days, you receive 10% off the next bill.

3. If you bring your horse up to the practice at Dykehead for an appointment, there is NO VISIT FEE.

4. Join the HEALTHY HORSE CLUB to make annual savings on routine preventative healthcare for your horse.

5. EARLY INTERVENTION is often more cost effective in the long run, get in touch for advice/a check up if you are worried about something.

We will always try to provide options and find the best route forward for you and your horse.