Comanche Creek Veterinary Services

12/23/2025

11/19/2025

More good information on EHV, how long it can take horses to show signs of illness, and what possible symptoms are

11/19/2025

EHV Outbreak in Texas

While we have not seen any cases of EHV-1 or EHM at Comanche Creek Veterinary Services in Mason, Texas - more cases are very likely to develop in the coming weeks. Please be educated and advised about how to best protect your horses as this outbreak evolves.

Horses that spent any time at the WPRA finals in Waco, Texas or any large event since are likely at risk.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS for large upcoming events may change.
Each state makes entry requirement rules for horses that we must follow when traveling. Events may also enforce their own set of rules to protect their participants.
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What Horse Owners Should Do Right Now:
1. *Keep all horses at home!*
Please avoid hauling, clinics, lessons, shows, or mingling horses for the next several weeks until more information is available.
Movement is the #1 factor that spreads EHV-1.
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2. Check temperatures twice daily!
Fever is usually the first sign (often before nasal discharge or neurologic symptoms).
• Temp at or above 101.5°F = call your veterinarian.
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3. Notify your veterinarian immediately if your horse exhibits:
• Fever
• Weakness or incoordination
• Standing with hindlimbs wide
• Tail tone changes
• Difficulty urinating
• Lethargy or decreased appetite
Early intervention improves outcomes.
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4. Biosecurity matters.
• Do not share water buckets, hoses, tack, grooming tools, or stalls.
• Disinfect trailers, thermometers, and crossties.
• Isolate any horse with fever immediately.
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About Vaccination.
Current evidence shows vaccines do not prevent EHM, but they can reduce viral shedding and shorten viremia, which lowers barn-wide spread and is important to the community.

If never vaccinated for EHV (Typically given as a Flu/Rhino vaccine) it will take *TWO WEEKS* for a horse to develop protective immunity

Boosters are helpful when:
• A horse was vaccinated > 90 days ago, or
• You are preparing for high-risk environments (events, hauling, mixing populations).
What the research shows:
• Booster vaccination increases IgG1 and IgG4/7, the antibody classes linked with limiting viremia.
• Reduced viremia = reduced likelihood of severe disease and decreased transmission.
• Boosters are most effective in younger horses, previously vaccinated horses, and non-pregnant horses.
Vaccines do NOT stop a horse already incubating EHV-1 from developing signs, and they do not eliminate the risk of neurologic disease. For horses already exposed or febrile, do not vaccinate until cleared by your veterinarian.
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Link to AAEP EHV guideline: https://aaep.org/resource/equine-herpesvirus-rhinopneumonitis-vaccination-guidelines/

10/07/2025

Shockwave Therapy

Great for
✅sore backs
✅tendon and ligament injuries
✅scar tissue from wounds
✅new evidence suggests it can be helpful for horses with EIPH (bleeders) or lower airway allergies 😮‍💨🫁

Typically very well tolerated and works synergistically with injections, especially PRP!

10/02/2025

Happy birthday to this gem!! She risks it for the biscuit on the daily - we couldn’t do it without her!

09/25/2025

We are proud to sponsor this great race being professionally produced by Spur L Equine Chiropractic! Thank you to the community that has trusted us with your horses care. Good luck to all the participants this weekend 💜🐎

Sponsor spotlight! Comanche Creek Veterinary Services serves Mason and surrounding areas for all large animal needs! We are truly blessed to have a vet in the area who can handle not only emergency care, but also top notch performance veterinary needs! Dr. Tita Clark and her great staff would love the opportunity to help you and your horse 🐎❤️

07/17/2025

Opening up a hoof abscess

07/17/2025

**Hoof Abscesses** 🐎

With all the rain, we have seen a large number of hoof abscesses lately.

If your horse…

😰has severe lameness
🦵has swelling of the lower limb
🚨has increased “digital pulses” in the arteries near his ankle, or heat in the hoof

You might have a hoof abscess!

At home you could:
✅soak the hoof in Epsom salt water
✅wrap the hoof with a poultice or magna paste
✅administer pain medication such as phenylbutazone

If the lameness persists for more than a few days, we recommend a work up with radiographs. Sometimes you can appreciate a gas pocket at the location of the abscess. It’s also important to rule out other causes of these symptoms.

Chronic abscesses can also cause deeper infections in the coffin bone or other important structures and warrant antibiotic treatments.

Pictures 1-3: radiographs depicting abscesses

4. A hospital plate protects the hoof while the abscess site heals

Watch for a video of an abscess being opened up in the next post !

05/23/2025

We have a volunteer patient at the clinic since about 8pm last night! Luckily he was happy to follow a sack of cubes into a pen this morning. I have reached out to neighbors and so far not successfully found his owner. I have also called the sheriff and been by the feed store 😆 I am sending him to the sale barn directly, as I can’t find any reason for him to stay at the vet!

05/19/2025

Happy Monday!
We are excited to announce that our hours in Mason have officially extended to full time. Call or text to schedule an appointment.

979 224 3474

02/13/2025

Foaling season has arrived!

Sick foals are always an emergency. If your foal has any💩diarrhea along with 😣lack of energy and not nursing well or
🦵trouble walking / crooked legs

Or if your mare did not shed her placenta in the first 3 hours -
we can help!