http://www.espinarequine.co.uk/

Espinar Equine, Newbury (2025)

29/10/2025

☔️ Here's Emiliano in action, casting his expert eye over a horse while doing a thorough examination this rather drizzly afternoon.

A detailed hands-on veterinary assessment is key to finding the root of any issues - and often, preventing them from developing in the first place. Lameness/soundness and performance issues are Emiliano's specialist area of expertise, so it was great to receive this photo of him doing what he does best! 😊 🐴🩺

(p.s if you do have any pics of our team while they are out and about seeing your horses, please do feel free to send them over to the office - they are always appreciated!)

09/10/2025

New research shows why Gastroscopy remains the Gold Standard for diagnosing equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS).

Ulcers are one of the most common problems we see in performance horses. They can cause discomfort, behavioural changes, and loss of performance, but diagnosing it isn’t as simple as watching for a few “typical” signs.

A recent study looked at 80 competition dressage horses referred for ulcer investigation. Owners completed questionnaires about their horses’ behaviour, vets carried out clinical exams, and every horse underwent a gastroscopy. Some horses also had a faecal occult blood test (FOBT - a test that looks for tiny traces of blood in the manure, thought to indicate bleeding ulcers).

🔍 What the study found:
• 69% of the horses did have ulcers (either squamous, glandular, or both).
• However, “girthy” behaviour was reported in 78% of all horses - even in many that had no ulcers at all!
• Other reported signs, like poor performance (33%) and weight loss (30%), were also common but did not correlate with the actual ulcer findings.
• The faecal occult blood tests also failed to reliably detect ulcers, with very low sensitivity and specificity.
• Even after treatment, improvement in behaviour didn’t always mean that the ulcers had healed!

💡 What this means for horse owners:
While it’s tempting to assume that girth aversion, irritability, or changes under saddle must mean ulcers, this study shows these signs aren’t reliable on their own. Similarly, while faecal tests are quick and non-invasive, they can give both false positives and false negatives.

✅ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐞 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟) 𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐮𝐥𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞, 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐮𝐥𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞.

So, if your horse is showing signs of discomfort, poor performance, or “girthiness,” don’t guess; scope to be sure. It’s the only way to truly understand what’s going on and get your horse feeling comfortable, healthy, and back to performing at their best.

07/10/2025

A nail in a horse's foot is a critical emergency that requires immediate veterinary intervention. Puncture wounds are a common cause of acute, severe lameness and sadly can lead to devastating complications.

⛔️ 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐥!⛔️
The single most important first step is to resist the urge to remove the penetrating object. Protruding foreign bodies should be left in place; if its long, it can be carefully cut to leave a few centimetres protruding, which prevents it from being pushed further in or broken off. With our portable x-ray, we can take images at the yard without needing to move your horse.

X-rays taken with the nail in situ allow us to precisely determine its path, depth, and proximity to vital structures. This information is critical for creating an effective treatment plan. The primary goal is to determine if the nail has penetrated a synovial structure, such as the distal interphalangeal (coffin) joint, the digital flexor tendon sheath, or the navicular bursa. Once the object is removed, the tract can collapse, making it nearly impossible to identify the full extent of the injury.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫: 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬
Puncture wounds near the frog are especially dangerous because they can easily introduce bacteria into deep synovial structures.

An infected tract from a puncture wound can migrate proximally, leading to infection of the navicular bursa or other critical structures. Sepsis within any of these is considered a potentially career-ending and even life-threatening condition. These cases require immediate, aggressive, and often surgical treatment, including lavage of the affected structure.

Remember: a nail in the foot is not just a simple puncture. Always assume deep structures are involved until proven otherwise. Stabilise the horse, do not remove the object, and call us immediately.

Images show (L-R):
𝟏: contrast x-ray from a pony who stood on a nail, showing involvement of the navicular bursa (the 'extra' white is contrast media showing area of infection)
𝟐: close-up view
𝟑: standard x-ray from another horse, showing how the navicular area should look for comparison.

03/10/2025

Some more behind-the-scenes for you: How do our vets do their clinical notes and bookings while out on the road? 🚙

🎤 After every visit, the vets will make an audio note of their exam, which includes the detailed clinical notes on the horse (which are added to their records), 'invoice items' (procedures done, medicines administered or dispensed) and anything extra for the office to do (such as booking in a follow-up, or ordering more stock for the vet's car).

📝 We believe its better for our vets to do what they do best (veterinary medicine!) instead of being overloaded with hours of admin. As a progressive practice, we even use a dedicated AI medical scribe software to improve our workflow! This is also where our office team helps out - we link the vet's notes in our system, create the invoices based on these notes, send reports out by email, and also call clients to book in the next visit.

🌟 We find this way of working allows our vets to focus on caring for client's horses, keeps records organised, enables an effective workflow and also means that every member of the team has the most up-to-date information at their fingertips.

01/10/2025

Hoof abscesses are the most common causes of acute onset lameness in horses. We often see the classic signs: pain localised to the hoof, positive response to hoof testers, increased digital pulse, and a palpable temperature increase of the hoof capsule.

But what happens when standard foot radiographs are unremarkable, or its not possible to identify the abscess tract from the outside despite careful paring? Delayed drainage can lead to prolonged pain or risk the abscess migrating proximally and erupting at the coronary band.

💡 This is where digital venography can help; a simple, accessible, minimally invasive imaging modality to accelerate the diagnosis and treatment of challenging subsolar abscesses.
How does it work?
1. A subsolar abscess results in the accumulation of purulent material, causing local tissues to swell.
2. The rigid hoof wall restricts this swelling, resulting in a type of compartment syndrome.
3. This compression leads to extravascular compression, which occludes the terminal vessels in the area of the abscess.
4. When we inject contrast material during a venogram, the occluded areas show up on x-ray as a significant lack of contrast filling (a defect).

In a recent case report of a mare presenting with acute right hindlimb lameness, standard radiographs were unremarkable. The digital venogram immediately demonstrated a significant lack of contrast filling. Using these images for guidance, the abscess tract was located, and drainage successfully established.
The successful outcome was further validated by a second digital venogram performed just 3 hours after drainage which showed near complete resolution of the previously described contrast filling defects.

In short, digital venography allows for accurate lesion identification and localisation, helping prompt resolution of a subsolar abscess. Its great to be able to use this technology to enhance the speed and precision of your horse’s foot care!

Images show L - initial view and R - view taken 3 h after draining subsolar abscess.

Paper can be read here: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eve.14139

29/09/2025

Another Monday, another busy week of vet work ahead! Starting off with a castration this morning - discussing the surgery plan while grabbing a coffee en route probably raised a few eyebrows... 🤔 and reminded me of this rather apt comic 😬 We all just really enjoy talking about equine veterinary medicine! 😂

18/09/2025

Keratomas are benign, tumour-like masses of keratin that grow within the hoof wall. Think of it as an abnormal growth of hoof material that can put pressure on sensitive structures inside the hoof.

What to look for:
* Chronic, unexplained lameness that doesn't respond to typical treatments.
* A bulge or deviation in the hoof wall.
* A white line abscess that keeps recurring in the same spot.
* Changes in the sole, like a concave area or a draining tract.

Why are they a problem?
As a keratoma grows, it can cause pain and lameness by compressing the sensitive laminae and pedal bone.

Diagnosis & Treatment:
If you suspect a keratoma, we will will likely X-ray to confirm the diagnosis and pinpoint its exact location. Treatment typically involves surgical removal of the mass, which can often be done in the yard (even better, with the assistance of your farrier!)

If you're interested in seeing a keratoma removal surgery, we have a short video showing what happens during this procedure. We know how helpful it can be for owners to see other cases that have had the same issue, and understand what the procedure involves, so thanks to this horse and his owners for letting us film.

https://youtube.com/shorts/5_5ckzOITB8?feature=share

05/09/2025

Here is Maria assessing soundness on a recent trot-up; luckily managing to avoid the rain! 🌧️ Observing the horse and analysing gait is a crucial part of a veterinary consultation - the vets are concentrating on multiple things while your horse is moving, using their experience to spot the small details that can make a big difference in the diagnosis or treatment plan. Of course, its always nicer to trot-up when there isn't a torrential downpour going on... with the current weather we have had to be quite selective with our timings!! ☔️😂 All in all its been a busy and rather wet week with lots of workups and investigations, plus a few emergencies to sort out, so we are wishing everyone a peaceful, happy and mostly dry weekend!

03/09/2025

Lump Removal and Histopathology

Lumps and swellings are relatively common findings in horses and can arise from a wide range of underlying causes. They could range from benign skin growths such as lipomas, to more serious conditions including squamous cell carcinoma or other malignant tumours. While some may appear harmless, the external appearance alone is not always a reliable indicator of the underlying pathology.

This horse had a small lump on his flank that was causing some concern, so we performed a surgery in the yard to remove it!

Surgical removal of a lump can serve two purposes:
1️⃣ Therapeutic: removing a lesion that may be uncomfortable, prone to trauma, or interfering with tack or movement.
2️⃣ Diagnostic: providing tissue for further analysis to confirm the exact nature of the growth.

Once excised, the tissue can be submitted for histopathology, where a specialist veterinary pathologist examines the cells under a microscope. This process allows:
• Differentiation between benign and malignant lesions
• Identification of tumour type and behaviour
• Guidance on prognosis and the likelihood of recurrence
• Support for decision-making about further treatment or monitoring

Histopathology is particularly valuable because many equine skin tumours (for example, sarcoids) can mimic one another clinically. Accurate diagnosis enables a tailored treatment plan, whether that involves monitoring, adjunctive therapies, or additional surgical intervention.

While not all lumps are cause for alarm, histopathological examination provides a reliable way to establish a definitive diagnosis and safeguard long-term health and welfare.

01/09/2025

Wow, its September already!! 🍂🍁 How did that happen?! As much as we dread to mention it, the change of weather does bring about extra things to consider. Mud fever, laminitis, colic, seasonal allergies, asthma... 😩 but don't despair! We are always here to help with your queries, so if you need us anytime of day or night, whatever the weather, please do get in touch.

📞 01488 647366
📧 [email protected]

29/08/2025

We attended an interesting webinar the other night about a novel disease-modifying drug for the treatment of osteoarthritis in horses. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of lameness in horses, yet truly disease-modifying treatments are still limited. That’s why recent research into SMG therapy (a novel combination of Sildenafil, Mepivacaine, and Glucose) is so exciting!

A recent randomised, triple-blinded, controlled clinical trial tested this treatment combination against a standard corticosteroid preparation in horses with mild osteoarthritis of the carpal joints. Joint biomarkers (reflecting the articular cartilage and subchondral bone remodelling) and clinical lameness were used as readouts to evaluate the treatment efficacy.

Key Findings:
• Horses treated with SMG showed significant reduction in the synovial biomarker biglycan, suggesting decreased cartilage breakdown.
• Horses receiving the control treatment demonstrated increased levels of COMP^{156}, another marker of tissue degradation.
• Clinical assessments also favoured SMG, with improved flexion test scores and better trotting gait quality.
• Importantly, no adverse events were reported in the SMG group, indicating a favourable safety profile.

SMG therapy demonstrated real potential as a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) in horses; not just suppressing symptoms, but actively influencing the joint environment toward improved health and mobility.

As always, SMG therapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution. A thorough clinical evaluation, diagnosis and discussion with your vet are essential to determine if it’s a suitable option for your horse.

Interestingly, the researchers are also going to look at how this might benefit treatment of human osteoarthritis, as well as plans to compare the treatment against more of the available medications currently on the market!

If you’re curious about this treatment, feel free to reach out!

Read the paper here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37416846

28/08/2025

Let's talk antibiotics! We get loads of queries about these, from people trying to understand reasoning behind why and when they can be dispensed, so we felt it would be helpful to share some of our practice policies.

Antibiotics are essential medicines for treating bacterial disease in both horses and people. But each time they are used, bacteria have the chance to adapt and become resistant. Once resistance develops, those antibiotics - and often others in the same class - are no longer effective. This is a 𝐇𝐔𝐆𝐄 worldwide problem!

A recent study forecasts that Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could lead to 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050, with annual deaths directly attributed to bacterial AMR projected to rise significantly by 2050. The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals and plants are the main drivers in the development of drug-resistant pathogens.

⚠️ Why is this such a problem?
👉 𝐍𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 have been developed for decades
👉 If we lose the ones we have, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧

That is a crucial point. Imagine if the box of antibiotics we dispensed for your horse, did not work at all! Imagine not being able to give any medicine to help your horse!

At Espinar Equine, we follow the BEVA ProtectME guidelines on responsible prescribing. This means:
✅ Antibiotics are prescribed only when there is clear clinical justification
✅ “Critically important” antibiotics are protected and used only when absolutely necessary
✅ We support your horse’s natural ability to fight infection where appropriate

💡 Examples where antibiotics are often not required:
• Strangles: abscesses represent a normal immune response
• Foot abscesses: usually resolve once drained
• Many wounds: heal effectively with correct management
• Diarrhoea: often non-bacterial, antibiotics can even make things worse
• Viral infections: antibiotics do not work

Also, under RCVS guidance, vets must always perform a physical examination in the following circumstances:
☑️ Where a notifiable disease is suspected
☑️ When prescribing controlled drugs (unless there are exceptional circumstances)
☑️ When prescribing antibiotics, antifungals, antiparasitics or antivirals (unless there are exceptional circumstances).

This means we cannot dispense antibiotics 'to keep just in case' or dispense some if we have not seen the horse for that condition before.

🙌 What you can do to help:
• Trust your vet’s advice - if antibiotics aren’t prescribed, it’s because they won’t benefit your horse
• Practise good hygiene (especially handwashing) to reduce spread between horses and people
• Remember: by protecting antibiotics now, we ensure they remain effective in the future - for your horse, and for you!

Espinar Equine

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