At The Farm Mobile Veterinary Service, Inc.

11/14/2025

An odontoplasty, or “float”, should only be done following a thorough visual oral examination to look for any pathology. If your horse doesn’t have any malocclusions, or abnormalities in his or her bite, the only part of your horse’s teeth that should be reduced are the sharp enamel points along the cheek edge of the maxillary teeth and the tongue edge of the mandibular teeth.

There should not be any sensitivity associated with this portion of the teeth if odontoplasty is performed correctly. Severe reduction of these points can occur just as easily with either hand floats or motorized equipment. If your horse does appear uncomfortable or begins quidding following a dental visit, your veterinarian should be informed and will likely recommend a follow-up appointment.

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

11/14/2025

10/29/2025

Don't let Halloween spook your furry friends! Check out five tips to keep your pets safe during the holiday. 🐈‍⬛

10/29/2025

DON'T MISS OUR LAST HORSE OWNER EDUCATION WEBINAR OF 2025! 📢

Join us next Wednesday, Nov. 5, for "Care and Management of the Elderly Equine".

Just like people, the needs of horses change as they continue to age. Members of the AAEP Horse Owner Education committee will present on a wide range of topics to help you properly care for the elderly equine in your life. Discussion points will include diet, dentistry, common diseases and illnesses, preventative care, and more. Do not miss this informative session on how to help your older horse live its best life!

Registration is FREE but required. A recording of the webinar will be available if you miss the live event.

Register here: https://events.zoom.us/ev/Ah5yOsCebSifxMhDsKU4IL28l58V2uXLCCZy2BJfr1cVGkPrhte-~AkTrbyktZL-X6LN0LpntEqMChUPte_sAlD_Vc22m-q6fZUf_K_Bby90XhQ

This informative session is brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

10/27/2025

The adult screwworm fly is slightly larger than a common housefly. It has orange eyes, a metallic blue-green body, and three dark stripes along its back.

This fly and its larvae pose a significant risk to animals and even humans! Inspect your animals for wounds frequently. Animal owners are at the front lines of finding screwworm maggots early. Report wounds with suspect maggots or flies to your state veterinarian. In California, please call 866-922-2473 if you think you have encountered screwworm maggots or flies.

📸 Credit: Screwworm fly photo by Steve Scholnick, screwworm larva by University of Florida Entomology Department

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/pdfs/screwworm_fact_sheet.pdf

10/27/2025

Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a serious neurologic disease in horses caused by protozoal infection of the central nervous system. Most cases are due to Sarcocystis neurona, but Neospora hughesi can also be responsible.

EPM is tricky to diagnose because its signs can mimic other health problems and range from mild to severe. Some of the common signs include incoordination, muscle atrophy (especially along the topline or hindquarters), abnormal gait, and weakness. It can also cause cranial nerve damage (facial paralysis, difficulty swallowing), behavioral changes, and even seizures.

If you notice any of these signs, contact your veterinarian promptly. Early detection and treatment can improve the chances of recovery.

If you'd like addition information about EPM, visit the Equine Disease Communication Center's website here: https://www.equinediseasecc.org/EPM

10/23/2025

National Pet Wellness Month may be coming to a close, but maintaining your pet's wellness is year-round.

Veterinarians recommend regular wellness exams for the same reason your physician and dentist recommend them – if you can detect a problem in its early stages, it's more likely to be treated and resolved with less expense, less difficulty and better success. https://bit.ly/46qKIwM

10/22/2025

10/12/2025

A gentle reminder to focus on what actually matters

10/11/2025

Being a veterinarian is incredibly rewarding, but horse doctors also face significant challenges in the workplace that are unique to practice life as an equine veterinarian. Work-life balance, injury risks, compassion fatigue, and financial stress from educational debt are all factors that horse doctors may find weighing heavily on their mental health.

This , let us remember to prioritize mental health in the workplace so that we can be the best practitioners possible for ourselves, colleagues, clients, and beloved patients. If you or someone you know is struggling, please remember that HELP IS AVAILABLE.

If you are an AAEP member in the U.S. and Canada, the AAEP encourages you to take advantage of the free counseling and support services offered through the Healthy Practice Member Assistance Program. This exclusive AAEP-member benefit provides short-term, solution-focused therapy to you and your household family members — and it can even extend to all your practice employees at the greatly reduced AAEP program rate!

Visit our website at https://aaep.org/membership/my-membership/healthy-practice-member-assistance-program/ to learn more about this great benefit and how to access its services.

10/03/2025

IT'S MYTHBUSTERS TIME! 🔎

As we know, our equine companions can be quite accident-prone. Injuries can vary in severity from small surface cuts that can be managed at home to deep wounds that require sutures that should be addressed by your veterinarian.

As a horse owner, it's inevitable that your equine will sustain several less severe wounds throughout the course of its life, and you may be tempted to clean these wounds with products such as hydrogen peroxide in an effort to prevent infection. However, hydrogen peroxide may cause more harm than good to the healing process.

The truth is that hydrogen peroxide is much too aggressive and toxic to the fibroblasts and other healthy cells that aid in wound healing. Therefore, the use of hydrogen peroxide can actually delay wound healing. In addition, its use can be quite painful when being applied to the wound site.

Instead, it's important to use an isotonic solution (similar in pH to the fluids of the body). Ideally this solution will be warmed to limit the amount of constriction of the blood vessels. If you're in a bind and the wound is grossly contaminated, clean tap water is acceptable to clean the injury site but be sure to use gentle water pressure.

Overall, be sure to approach wound care and cleaning with caution so that you do not unintentionally worsen the injury or slow the healing process. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide, concentrated antiseptics like Betadine or chlorhexidine that have not yet been diluted, or high pressure when applying water or cleansing agents.

If you have questions or concerns about wound care or are unsure if a wound needs veterinary intervention, contact your veterinarian.

09/30/2025

Today is . The bad news is that all warm-blooded animals can get rabies, but the good news is that rabies is preventable. Talk to your trusted veterinarian about vaccinations for your animals.