Highland Hill Veterinary Service

01/05/2026

Don’t forget to take advantage of our WINTER DENTISTRY DISCOUNT! 🐴🦷 Clients will get 20% off all dental services and powerfloats performed between November 1, 2025 through February 28, 2026. Contact Beth in the office to get on the schedule! Call/Text: 508-923-3422 Email: [email protected]

11/23/2025

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.

11/20/2025

We have received many concerned phone calls from clients about the recent EHV outbreak in Texas/Oklahoma/Louisiana.
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Dr Foristall is highly recommending Flu/Rhino boosters this fall/winter. Boosters will provide protection against equine influenza virus (EIV) and the respiratory forms of equine herpesvirus (EHV 1/4). Zoetis, our vaccine maker, and the AAEP, both recommend boostering at 6 months if you are higher risk - so if you are at a boarding facility, or attending shows/clinics, or using a commercial shipper, or at a farm that takes in training horses regularly, or at a farm that brings in new horses and sells horses regularly, then boosters are highly recommended.

Here is a link to a detailed article about EHV:https://aaep.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EHV_FAQ_for_Owners_Final.pdf

If you or your farm wants to book a vaccine appointment or if you have any questions feel free to reach out via phone or text or email!
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Phone or Text: 508-923-3422
Email: [email protected]

We have received many concerned phone calls about the recent EHV outbreak in Texas/Oklahoma/Louisiana. ​ Dr Foristall is highly recommending Flu/Rhino boosters this fall/winter. Boosters will...

07/25/2025

The term "fat leg" is pretty self-explanatory, but do you know the difference between stocking up and cellulitis?

Many horses will "stock up" with subcutaneous edema (fluid swelling) in two or more legs (usually the hind limbs). Stocking up generally results from a significant decrease in exercise and usually resolves as the horse starts exercising again.

Lymphangitis (or vasculitis, big leg disease, staph infection, or cellulitis), however, is a bacterial infection and a dramatically different condition. While its causes may vary, it’s easy to spot once it sets in. The swelling will be extreme, hot, very painful to the touch, and the horse will be depressed due to the fever and discomfort.

If you think your equine friend has cellulitis or even if you're not sure, we encourage you to seek professional help promptly. Your equine practitioner will make the best treatment recommendations, both to reduce swelling and to address any sort of bacterial infection that might be active or that could occur due to the edema in the soft tissue.

06/17/2025

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO TELL IF YOUR HORSE IS IN DISTRESS?

As a horse owner, it's imperative you know how to recognize problems and respond promptly. It's important to know what conditions require veterinary attention, and how to take appropriate action while you're waiting for the veterinarian's arrival.

Types of emergencies you and your horse may encounter on your journey together include colic; lacerations and bleeding wounds; impaled objects or nails in the foot; acute lameness due to conditions ranging from hoof abscess to fractures, laminitis, tendon injuries and more; eye injuries; allergic reactions; choke; and even foaling emergencies.

No matter what you may face in the future, getting to know your horse's normal vital signs (including temperature, pulse and respiration) as well as its normal behavior patterns will help you become a good observer, so that you readily recognize signs of ill health. Being prepared is in your horse's best interest.

Always remember, your veterinarian is one of your best resources. Talk to them about how they can be reached after-hours, and about recommendations for an emergency plan suitable for your individual situation.

05/05/2025

Update: The position has been filled!
Hi Everyone! We are sad to report that our friend and excellent veterinary assistant, Jess, is relocating with her family in the near future. 😩
We will be looking for her replacement!
The person taking this position (part time veterinary assistant) has some big shoes to fill! Duties include: stocking the truck, handling horses for procedures, billing clients, record keeping, and a variety of other tasks to help our days move along smoothly. We will be looking for a super motivated person with excellent horse handling skills, a flexible weekday schedule, and an unbeatable work ethic.
If you or anyone you know fits this description, please send them our way!
Resumes can be emailed to [email protected]

05/01/2025

Need help getting a copy of your coggins or interstate travel certificates this spring? You will need to go to www.myvetlink.com and log in on their website to access certificates. It sounds like Global Vet Link discontinued their phone app years ago so if you are still using their old app on your phone - it will NOT fully function. Through their website you are able to access coggins and CVI certificates 24/7 - you will also be able to save them to your phone or computer, or print them out for your travels! 🐴🌎

Animal health information is always within reach with MyVetLink for animal owners. Sign up for your account today!

03/24/2025

SPRING is here! 🌷🐴🪻This is your spring time reminder to get your horses on the schedule for their annual vaccine series. Call or text: 508-923-3422

01/31/2025

February is the last month to take advantage of our WINTER DENTISTRY DISCOUNT! 🐴🦷 Take 20% off all dental services and powerfloats performed between November 1, 2024 through February 28, 2025. Contact Beth in the office to get on the schedule! Call/text: 508-923-3422 Email: [email protected]

01/27/2025

Though we wish our horse doctors could be there for our equine friends in any emergency, the reality is that our horses' primary veterinarian cannot be available 24/7 and still juggle the needs of their own personal lives, health and happiness.

The most significant pain point for many veterinarians is caring for their clients during regular business hours and then also being on call for emergencies after hours. For single-doctor or small practices, this traditionally has been the case most nights of the week.

However, private veterinary practices and veterinary schools have more recently focused on developing new models for emergency care which ease the strain on individual practitioners. This includes the growth of emergency cooperatives where two or more practices in a geographic area work together to share after-hours care, as well as more emergency-only practices and the use of tele-triage services to address client concerns after normal business hours.

As equine veterinarians reevaluate what after-hours care looks like for their practices, the support of their clients is critical to creating a balance that works for both parties. If your horse doctor talks with you about changes in how after-hours care is delivered, we hope you’ll welcome the adjustments. This evolution of emergency care must take place in order for equine veterinarians to avoid burnout and continue to be at their best to treat all of your equine friends.

01/22/2025

It’s not uncommon to find horses and ponies living well into their 20s and 30s, thanks to continuous advances in nutrition and health care.

Horse owners have a big impact as well and can help their horses thrive in their golden years through proper management practices like those illustrated in the graphic. But remember, although there is much you can do on your own to keep your older horse happy and spry, some conditions associated with aging require medical intervention.

Scheduling regular visits and keeping a good line of communication with your veterinarian will allow you to respond quickly to any ailments or injuries that could cause your horse a serious or prolonged set back. That means less worry for you, and a better quality of life for your old friend!

01/10/2025

FUN FACT FRIDAY!

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