Tri-County Veterinary Services

12/14/2025

Foaling season is also upon us. Here's a general list of what you might need for both mare and foal

FOALING SEASON IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER! Is your foaling kit stocked and ready to go?

If this is your first foaling or you don’t know where to start, this graphic lists a few essentials for you to include. Having these items ready several weeks before your mare’s due date will mean less stress and scrambling at the last minute trying to acquire what you need.

As always, your veterinarian is your best source of information. Consult your horse doctor for additional recommendations for your kit and for training on how to properly use these tools to assist your mare during and after delivery!

12/14/2025

Kidding and lambing season is upon us. Some useful tips for taking care of those newborns

💡Tuesday Tip: How to Tube Feed a Newborn Lamb or Kid

Tube feeding can be a lifesaving skill for weak or orphaned newborn lambs and kids. Here’s how to do it safely:

1️⃣ Prepare Your Supplies
Use a clean, soft, flexible feeding tube (16–18 inches for lambs/kids).
Have warm colostrum or milk ready (about 105°F).
2️⃣ Position the Animal
Hold the lamb or kid securely upright, keeping its head slightly elevated and neck straight.
3️⃣ Insert the Tube Carefully
Dip the tube in warm water or lubricant for easier insertion.
Gently guide the tube down the left side of the animal’s throat.
Ensure the tube goes into the esophagus, not the windpipe. If you feel resistance or hear rasping, stop and reposition.
4️⃣ Check Placement
Lightly press the throat; you should feel the tube, not air movement.
The animal should not cough or struggle excessively.
5️⃣ Feed Slowly
Attach the syringe or feeding bag and slowly let the milk flow. Never force it!
6️⃣ Remove the Tube
Gently remove the tube in one smooth motion.
👉 Pro Tip: Ensure the milk temperature and cleanliness to avoid scalding or infections.

Visit Premier 1 Supplies https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/stomach-tubes?criteria=tube+feeding
to purchase supplies you might need for tube feeding.
Save this tip for emergencies and share it to help fellow producers! 🐑🐐💪

12/12/2025

Dearest Clients of Tri-County Veterinary Services,

First and Foremost, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you and your furry loved ones.

We want to extend the invitation to book your horse's dental exam and occlusal adjustment for our upcoming Dental Discount season!
Once again, we will be offering discounts on all our dental services. Discounts for vaccines too at this time.
Spots are limited to the months of January and February. Once appointments are filled we will not be able to offer additional dental discounts until the next season.

Please contact us as soon as you're ready to schedule to ensure we can get your horses in. Please note this special is only for our tri-county vet clients.

Thank you for entrusting us with care for your animals large and small. We want to wish everyone a safe and healthy Holiday Season.

All our Best,
Dr. Saralynn Specht, Tim and Skip!

12/04/2025

Lunch break in between appointments with the new side kick. Thank you Boss Burger for the great lunch! Skipper enjoyed the avocado!

12/04/2025

It's always a good time when Dr Specht comes across a juicy hoof abscess! This was a 30year old quarter horse gelding who presented today for a severe lameness of the hindlimb. Best case scenario was to find this huge hoof abscess which generously drained once lanced.

12/03/2025

Temps dropping means some cool facts about horses during winter time!

THE COLD WEATHER IS UPON US! ❄️

Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice; good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal, and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

12/02/2025

Water remains as important for your horse in cold weather as it is in the summer. As a matter of fact, decreased water consumption in the winter is thought to be the primary inducing factor for impaction colic — although there are other predisposing factors such as poor hay quality, lack of exercise, internal parasites and dental problems.

Impaction colic is essentially constipation and most often includes the accumulation of hard, dry f***l material in the colon. The usual signs of impending impaction colic are depression, a decreased appetite, and decreased production and dryness of manure.

Studies demonstrate that you can increase your horse's winter water consumption if you provide access to heated water, but ONLY if that is the only source of water available. As always, if you have any questions about preventing colic in your horse, your equine veterinarian remains your best source of information!

11/27/2025

This time of year we want to thank our clients for your continued support of our small business. With the addition of our little one it has made for quite an adjustment for ourselves and our clients so we appreciate your understanding and flexibility. We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving this year. We have so much to be grateful for.

11/26/2025

For reliable source of information and easy to understand webinar please refer to the link below and watch in your spare time. A lot of good information for my equine clients out there protect your horses protect yourself

If you weren't able to join the live EHV-1 Updates webinar last night, be sure to take advantage of our on-demand recording. Please remember that the situation is evolving rapidly and the best place to get up-to-date information is the Equine Disease Communication Center's website, or ask your local veterinarian!

You can find the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XzuuYmIEQY

Thank you to our speakers for joining us and providing all of this invaluable information.

11/22/2025

The part highlighted should not be yellow/green….

11/22/2025

In light of the current EHV-1 outbreak, the AAEP and the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) have organized a horse owner education webinar to bring you the most up to date information on this issue.

Next Tuesday, join specialists Lewis R. “Bud” Dinges (Texas Animal Health Commission Executive Director and Texas State Veterinarian), Dr. Krista Estell (AAEP/EDCC) and Dr. Katie Flynn (USEF) for an informative discussion about what EHV-1 is, how to recognize it, and most importantly, how to prevent its spread.

This webinar is FREE, but registration is required. Register here: https://events.zoom.us/ev/AnIoJrASj0vuX7Q_K87mKEjg5bxeMAkqp7fpSoOgVtVm_Zgo1g5m~AiiV7ZQ3bbmlEW2iSkeRTSAfMCYf2QhFMoprr7WRbM_MsiJRcBGT1oLj0Q

*PLEASE NOTE: the attendee limit for this session is capped at 1,000. However, all who register will be emailed a link to an on-demand recording that will become available 24 hours after the live session ends.

11/22/2025

The Equine Disease Communication Center is monitoring an outbreak of EHM that originated at the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Finals and Elite Barrel Race event Nov 5-9. To date, officially confirmed cases have been reported in the following states: