Serving the equestrians of Chester County, PA with collaborative vet care for their equine partners. We are now offering animal chiropractic services!
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The goal of Clay Creek Equine is to provide excellent on-farm care to each patient, while developing a close relationship with the owners. Dr. Cordivano strives for the highest level of care and open communication between all invested parties. Clay Creek Equine is a full-service ambulatory equine veterinary practice covering southeastern Pennsylvania, parts of Maryland, Delaware and southern New Jersey. Appointment hours are flexible, so please call to schedule.
Great info from our colleague Dr. McAndrews!
Background Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis (EOTRH) is being increasingly recognised as a painful and debilitating condition in some affected horses, that can produce pain o...
If you’ve ever struggled to feel your horse’s digital pulses, check this out!
Why do we love dry lots / small paddocks in the fall? Because the sugar levels in grass are SUPER HIGH this time of year. For horses with metabolic issues (like Cushing's or Insulin Resistance) these high sugars can lead to laminitic episodes and other issues. Tex here cannot keep a muzzle on (Houdini's assistant) so he gets locked up in our small paddock during the times of year when grasses are stressed or growing super fast.
It’s abscess season! This guy will be feeling so much better now that we have established drainage.
Your Friday FeelGood quote!
How lucky are we that our lives are touched by horses each and every day. Wishing you all a safe and Happy Fourth of July.
Your Friday FeelGood quote!
Your Friday FeelGood quote!
How’s this for a ? This guy had a nasty carpal laceration last year. We were able to do a partial repair and then followed up with some intensive wound management. We just saw him for some vaccines this spring, and he’s looking great! (Swipe to see the wound a few days after it first happened).
Your Friday FeelGood quote!
Great article from our friends at Platinum Performance on how to help your horse beat the heat!
Help a horse stay healthy in the heat with extra care and awareness. Get tips on skin and allergies, travel and replenishing electrolytes
Air quality is looking pretty bad today- take care!
Heads up! Some hot weather is coming this week. We are projected to hit 90 on Friday. Now is the time to:
-Supplement with oral electrolytes.
-Make sure your water sources are fresh, clean, and in good working order.
-Keep an eye out for any horses that may not be sweating appropriately.
-Take care riding in the heat.
-And a special note to our PPID and other more at-risk horses: if they’re still hanging on to a long winter coat, get them clipped. Consider keeping them in with a fan during the hottest days.
Let’s talk about lacerations! We all know horses are accident-prone creatures, so we see quite a few of these. If your horse comes in with a cut, it is important to consider the location and extent- if it is near a joint or tendon, enters deeper tissues, or is accompanied by lameness or significant bleeding, then it should be seen by a vet. And if you aren’t sure, please call and we can help you decide! Wounds heal much better the sooner they are addressed, so we would rather hear from you when it happens instead of a few days later if it is not healing as expected.
This mare hit her forehead on a low doorway. At first glance it didn’t look so bad, but when we cleaned it up you can see there is a large flap! Thankfully, head wounds tend to heal very well. After a thorough cleaning, Dr. Hosier was able to close the laceration with skin staples. They were removed two weeks later, and she is looking great!
CCE would like to welcome Heidi Winters to the team!
Heidi is a rising senior at the University of Pittsburgh. She is a biology major on a pre-vet track. We are so excited to have her join us as an assistant this summer. Please give her a warm welcome when you see her out and about!
In my last post I mentioned that wolf teeth can be “blind” and not erupt through the gumline- well this is what that can look like! This is a young horse who is being brought into work for the spring. Her owner noted that she seemed uncomfortable in the contact and asked me to check her out.
I could palpate a blind wolf tooth on her left mandible, and the overlying mucosa was irritated. X-ray confirmed the position and extent of the tooth: the horse was sedated, and local anesthetic was injected around the wolf tooth. A small incision was made over the tooth, and it was elevated and removed.
She will get a few days off from having a bit in her mouth, and will hopefully be much more comfortable when she goes back to work!
What is a wolf tooth? It is the vestigial first premolar- no longer effective for grinding forage, it has become much smaller over time. These typically erupt between 5-12 months of age. They are most common in the upper arcades, although they can also occur in the lower arcades. They can vary widely in size and shape. They can also be “blind” and not erupt through the gumline.
Because wolf teeth serve no functional purpose and have the potential to interfere with the bit, we generally recommend removal between 1-2 years of age, before the horse begins training with a bit in it’s mouth.
These photos are from our pal Annie, a yearling Quarter Horse filly. She was a superstar for her first dental exam and wolf teeth extraction. We perform these with sedation and local anesthesia so that it is a painless and stress-free procedure.
And as for why it’s called a wolf tooth? I don’t know! If you have any idea, please let us know in the comments!
In keeping with our current theme of dental issues, this horse's owner called us out because they noticed one of her incisors looked a little bit funny. On oral exam, the right upper central incisor (we call this the 101) was slightly loose, with some surrounding gingivitis. When examined with a periodontal probe, there was deep pocketing on all sides of the tooth.
A radiograph shows that the pocketing extends almost all the way along the root. This tooth is painful for the horse, and the periodontal pockets are a breeding ground for infection. Based on this information, we elected to extract the tooth.
The extraction was done on the farm with sedation and a local infraorbital nerve block to numb the area. Because there were already very limited periodontal attachments remaining, the tooth came out fairly easily!
Following the extraction, this horse was put on a short course of antibiotics and some local flushing of the area. She healed very well from this procedure and was able to get back to her job quickly!
It's time to pull a tooth! If you did not see our original post about this case, go back to check out the diagnostics.
After identifying that the 108 needs to be extracted, we prepared for the procedure. Molly was given light sedation. A regional block of the maxillary nerve was performed to temporarily desensitize the area so that she would be comfortable during the procedure.
We used a combination of spreaders and elevators to help loosen the tooth from its remaining attachments, then applied our molar forceps and were able to extract the tooth. Since this tooth was already loose it didn't take long, but sometimes it can be quite difficult. After extracting the tooth, Dr. Hosier used elevators to remove the remaining root fragments from the socket- we want to make sure we get all of these out so it can heal properly!
Once we confirmed that the socket was clean and all fragments had been removed, we packed the socket with dental putty. This hardens and forms a protective cap to shield the newly-healing socket.
Molly was given a pain reliever after the procedure and prescribed a short course of oral antibiotics. Dr. Hosier will return in about two weeks to remove the dental putty and ensure that everything is healing appropriately.
Time for a case! This is a mid-20s pony mare named Molly (she actually belongs to Dr. Hosier's mom!). She always has a great appetite and has been maintaining her weight, but over the last several weeks she has been quidding her hay- she partially chews wads and spits them out. This is a common sign of oral pain, so Dr. Hosier knew it was time for an oral exam.
On oral exam, Dr. Hosier identified a tooth with a discolored pulp horn, and when probed the tooth was loose! We took x-rays to get more information, and could see that tooth had a fractured root. We know this is very painful and needs to come out so Molly can feel better- stay tuned to see how the extraction went!
PS- Check out the comments for a video of the loose tooth!
Spring is here and if you haven't scheduled your vaccine appointment yet, now is the time! We can work with you to create a specific vaccination plan that fits your individual horse's needs.
As spring approaches, careful consideration of grass intake is important for many horses. Check out this great article if you think that a dry lot may be a good fit for your equine companions.
https://equusmagazine.com/horse-care/drylot-love/?tum_source=EQUUSFB&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3zYH1nKDCE6gdj5QfQvFiJ_ay8XS3dTm4x_cgUvtIi--mO0cKOmj22tsw
Click to read on equusmagazine.com
Fantastic local resource!
Learn how to develop and write a Manure Management Plan for your equine operation!
Read our latest newsletter here! And don't forget to throw some electrolytes to your ponies today...HEAT WAVE IN FEBRUARY!!!
Check out the latest newsletter. Find our Updated Client Agreement below. All clients will need to sign this again this year. new-client-agreement-2023Download
Wishing you all a wonderful New Year! Hope you are staying as warm and cozy as possible after putting your equine priorities first every day! Here's a little update from us!
Hi there! We've been quiet on the newsletter front but hard at work. The last year and a half have been spent integrating Dr. Rachel into the practice and into your lives. She has been such an amazing addition to the team - thank you all for welcoming her so warmly!
Look at our own Dr. Rachel ( Rachel Hosier ) and sweet pea Rayci showing off at Dressage at Devon 🤩
😂😂😂😂
posted on their Instagram profile: “Head on a swivel when those minis are around 🤣🤠🐎 …”
On we tip our hat to the women that wear many hats: horse doctors, spouses, mothers, leaders, friends, researchers, trailblazers and so much more. THANK YOU for your ever-growing impact on the health and welfare of the horse and the future of equine practice!
Don't miss this one!!!
📣 Calling all horse owners and enthusiasts! 📣
Join us NEXT TUESDAY, October 5, 2021, for the second installment of the 2021-22 Series: "Sinking Your Teeth Into Equine Dentistry," presented by Dr. Amelie McAndrews.
This virtual event is open to any and all interested and is FREE to attend. We hope to 'see' you there!
To learn more and register today, visit: https://www.vet.upenn.edu/veterinary-hospitals/NBC-hospital/news-events/new-bolton-event/2021/10/05/default-calendar/first-tuesday-lecture-series---what-you-cannot-see-cannot-hurt-you
Who runs the world?!😏
Join us on to celebrate the wonder women that dedicate their life to equine veterinary medicine!
Did you know? Female veterinarians make up for 53% of the entire AAEP membership, and female students account for 90% of all AAEP student members. Let's hear it for some of the strongest, smartest, most hardworking women out there!
StarlightsNDiamonds was a GEM at the Florida Reining Classic today!
https://youtu.be/JXyYcz1l6wQ
Sedated oral exams are essential!
Toughest mare I know🤩
Time for f***l checks!!!
HORSES 🐴 & WORMS 🐛: THE MODERN APPROACH
Deworming horses may be something you’ve been doing the same way for as long as you can remember— most likely every eight weeks or so, rotating between classes of dewormers with each treatment.
What you should know, is that commonly used strategies for parasite control in adult horses are based largely on knowledge and concepts that are more than 50 years old. The old-school approach is not only quickly becoming outdated; it's also a waste of time and money, and builds parasite resistance.
Rather than just going through the motions this fall, be smart and consult your veterinarian on how to best deworm your horse(s)! Working with your horse doctor to create a targeted deworming plan for each horse/farm is actually less work, less expensive, and more effective than the rotational deworming program of the old days.
• Related Resource:
The full AAEP Parasite Control Guidelines can be found at https://aaep.org/sites/default/files/Documents/InternalParasiteGuidelinesFinal5.23.19.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0VTe7vPS2TQ6nhb3uJfQ4C06PH5Z2PX97E0gbrHSF1xaEDXkH_RjOPCIE
Just a reminder, it's time for a check up! Get in touch!
If you have any issues with the office end of things, call this guy!
Great info
Fire remains a threat to equine operations worldwide. Learn how to protect yours from barn and wildfires.
So important!!!
Did you know fall grass could be just as dangerous as spring grass for a laminitis-prone horse?
Most horse owners know they should be wary of lush spring grass, which produces large amounts of sugary substances to give the pasture energy to grow. What you may not know, is that fall grass also accumulates high levels of soluble sugars and carbohydrates, due to the combination of warm days and cool nights, as well as increased precipitations.
For horses at higher risk of developing laminitis, this refreshed grass may be enough to push them over the edge.
While the exact mechanisms by which the feet are damaged due to laminitis remain a mystery, certain precipitating events can produce the condition. Although laminitis occurs in the feet, the underlying cause is often a disturbance elsewhere in the horse's body (like overfeeding).
By learning more about this condition, you may be able to minimize the risks of laminitis in your horse or control the long-term damage if it does occur.
Learn more about laminitis on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/laminitis-prevention-treatment and, as always, contact your veterinarian for more information and advice tailored to your horse's individual situation.
I just love this mare...Lil Star, you are a fighter! Congrats to Rocky and her owner High Hopes Farm of West Grove!
Congratulations to Rocky Dare and STARLIGHTSNDIAMONDS for taking home the Novice Horse Open Level 3 (Day 2) win today at the Mid Atlantic Reining Classic for owner High Hopes Farms!
415 Spring Mill Road
Chadds Ford, PA
19317
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Veterinary Dentistry Specialists Chadds Ford
Old Baltimore Pike
Brandywine Veterinary Hospital
Baltimore Pike
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