Alnorthumbria Equine Vets

23/06/2025

🐎 Vets on Duty at Alnwick Ford! 🐎

Two of our dedicated vets Lesley and Sarah, have been on duty all weekend at Alnwick Ford Equestrian. While we hope you haven’t needed their assistance, they’ve been on hand to support horses and riders and keep everyone safe and sound. 🩺💚

👏 Well done to all the competitors – it was fantastic to see such great riding and horsemanship throughout the event!

We were also proud to sponsor a class and a fence on the cross country course – supporting the sport and the equestrian community is at the heart of what we do. 🐴🏅

20/06/2025

☀️🐴 Hot Weather Horse Care Reminder 🐴☀️

Summer is here, and that means it's time to take extra care of our horses in the heat! 🌡️ High temperatures can quickly lead to dehydration, heat stress, or even heatstroke—so let’s keep our equine friends safe and comfortable.

✅ Tips for Hot Weather Horse Care:

💦Provide plenty of fresh, clean water at all times.
🌳Offer shade or bring horses in during the hottest parts of the day.
🐎Limit intense exercise to early morning or late evening.
🥵Use fans in stables and spray-downs to help cool them off.
‼️Watch for signs of heat stress: heavy sweating, rapid breathing, lethargy, or stumbling.
🧂Add salt to your horses diet with either electrolytes or with a salt lick 😋

Remember, if it feels too hot for you, it’s definitely too hot for them 🥵❤️

Stay cool, ride smart, and let’s keep our horses healthy and happy all summer long! 🐎🌿

18/06/2025

A kind reminder from all of us at Alnorthumbria Equine Vets.

Our team works incredibly hard to provide first-class care for your horses, alongside excellent service to our clients.
We understand these are difficult times for many, but this is not a reason for treating others with disrespect. Even a single abusive call can have a lasting impact on the wellbeing of a team member.

Our team often go above and beyond - working long hours, covering a large area, and dealing with emergencies in all sorts of conditions. Our support staff manage a constant flow of calls, emergencies, insurance queries, and more, with professionalism and care.

We will not tolerate abusive behaviour toward our staff.

To the vast majority of our clients - thank you. Your kindness, patience, and support mean the world to us. You make our challenging days easier, and we truly appreciate you.

A little kindness goes a long way ☺️🐴

16/06/2025

𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬. Horses joints are put under a lot of pressure from the day to day tasks we ask of them, so naturally it makes the joints susceptible to general wear and tear and sometimes we need to help with joint maintenance.

We are now in an era where we are fortunate enough to have several ways of medicating joints, all slightly different with their own benefits.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 (𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴)- This is often very effective at reducing inflammation and therefore pain in joints, this can lead to a marked increase in comfort from affected joints.

𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝟐 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧 - Alpha 2 uses the horses own blood, which is spun in a centrifuge and then re-injected back into the joint. Similarly to steroids, Alpha 2 is an anti-inflammatory but without the withdrawal and potential risks of cartilage damage that comes from steroid use. It also doesn’t bring along the increased risk of laminitis, making it safer compared to conventional steroids.

𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐝 – Arthramid is a gel which is incorporated into the cartilage lining joints, helping line or cushion the joint with a protective lining. It is not a first line medication as it is best used following steroids. However the big benefit is that arthramid can have a longer lasting effect than some of the other options.

𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 – More commonly used in soft tissue injuries, these have been used for joint disease. These repair the damage in a joint through a regenerative process, in theory ‘resetting’ the disease. The stem cells can be harvested from the horses own bone marrow, which is sent off to be cultured to be injected back into the horse, or bought in, which when injected the stem cells target the damaged cartilage- Certainly a promising treatment option!

12/06/2025

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝟏𝟎% 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬!

Join our 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 to reduce the cost of your horse’s routine healthcare 𝐏𝐋𝐔𝐒 get 10% off your vet bills. Only £15.99/month or £179.88/year (𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 £14.99/𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩!). Join today and start saving straight away.

11/06/2025

𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐮𝐥𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞:
-Poor appetite
-Weight loss
-Girthiness
-Behavioural changes
-Poor performance

Your horse may be telling you something – listen to the signs. 𝐔𝐥𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤.

Our Gastroscope clinic days are running throughout selected Thursdays with Ewan Macaulay- Just £𝟏𝟔𝟓 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 and £𝟐𝟎𝟓 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦, 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.

11/06/2025

𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐄-𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐑𝐎 BSc, BVMS, Cert EP, MRCVS!

These include a consultation, lameness examination (trot up, flexion tests, with lunging on a soft and hard surface), discussion of clinical findings, with the option of being able to have treatment the same day at a discounted price.

This is the ideal time mid-season to ensure your horse is performing at its best and rule out any underlying niggles!

02/06/2025

We still have space THIS THURSDAY for our Gastroscope Clinic day!

𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐧 𝟎𝟏𝟔𝟕𝟎 𝟖𝟗𝟕𝟓𝟗𝟕 ⁣
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These previously have proved to be extremely popular so book now to avoid disappointment!⁣

01/06/2025

** MINI SHETLAND FOSTER MARE AVAILABLE **
One of our clients has a miniature Shetland who has sadly lost her foal. If anyone knows any suitable foals who are in need of a mare, please contact the practice on 01670 897597

Northumberland

PLEASE SHARE

28/05/2025

⭐️ 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐘 ⭐️

One of our staff members horses has been under the care of Ewan Macaulay since January having been presented suffering with an 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬.This is an autoimmune condition affecting the surface of the eye in some horses 👀

Having tried various medical procedures to varying degrees of results, none of which negating the need for ongoing topical treatment (𝘦𝘺𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘴 - 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴!), 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐕𝐞𝐭 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝.

Having discussed the procedure and outcomes at length with Ewan it was decided that this would be a good fit going forward. Ewan was also able to attend the surgery at Edinburgh as part of CPD, allowing him to be able to offer this procedure at Alnorthumbria in the future for clients 🤞
A superficial keratectomy was performed. A healing time remains while the area from which the diseased tissue was removed regrowns. Checks needed to continue within 2 weeks of the procedure, but now topical medical management has been able to cease and the eye continues to heal well.

𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. ⏩️

26/05/2025

This is a question often asked. We are seeing a lot of laminitis cases now.

What is the real risk to horse teeth and overall horse health from wearing a grazing muzzle? How does it compare to an at-risk (laminitic, obese, or metabolic) horse not wearing a grazing muzzle at all?

Most grazing muzzles don't have any negative effects on your horse's teeth. However, metal muzzles or slow feeders may cause damage in addition to excessive wear, chips, or fractures. There are also a few brands of grazing muzzles on the market made from a thick, hard plastic that can cause abnormal wear to the incisors. Many of the hard plastic grazing muzzles now offer softer inserts to minimize this type of damage.

The attrition that we appreciate to the incisors does have the potential to result in an exposed pulp, which could then result in pulpits or a tooth root infection. However, this is rarely the case. Generally, the teeth are able to repair themselves, by sealing off any exposed pulp, at a rate equal to or more rapid than the wearing process. This ultimately means that most of the cases that we see of abnormal wear to incisors from grazing muzzles is primarily cosmetic.

The risk of laminitis, on the other hand, is very real and the results can be catastrophic. Not wearing a grazing muzzle for even a few hours for a horse with EMS (equine metabolic syndrome) or PPID (Cushing's) can be problematic. Always follow your veterinarian's recommendations when managing your horse's metabolic issues, as these can and sometimes do have deadly complications.

If you have questions or concerns on if your equine should be wearing a grazing muzzle, contact your veterinarian.

Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information.

19/05/2025

𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤... 𝐆𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋!

We are thrilled to announce that due to the popularity of our previous gastroscope promotion, that it's back and here to stay until the end of the year!
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£165 for 𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲⁣
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𝐎𝐑⁣
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£205 for 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 and consultation (𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘵 𝘶𝘱, 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦), 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 the following day. ⁣
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𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲. 𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐧 𝟎𝟏𝟔𝟕𝟎 𝟖𝟗𝟕𝟓𝟗𝟕 ⁣
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These are always very popular so book now to avoid disappointment!⁣