Professional Equine

04/10/2025

MIDWEEK MYTHBUSTER! 📢

Many people think that horses can safely eat grass clippings (grass is grass, right?) but that is a pretty common misconception and grass clippings actually pose a number of dangers to our equine friends.

While grass is meant to be slowly picked, ripped and chewed by the horse, grass clippings can quickly clump and cause choke if the animal ingests too many too fast. Grass clippings are also prone to fermentation which can cause colic, stomach and intestinal impactions, founder and laminitis.

Take-home message: Keep your horse away from grass clippings and in general never feed horses any food without the owner’s permission.

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

03/15/2025

For sure!

Remember when your parents used to tell you to wait 30 minutes after eating before going for a swim? Unlike us, horses can actually benefit from eating forage before they exercise, as it may help reduce the risk of gastric ulcers.

While a variety of things can contribute to the development of stomach ulcers (medications, diet, stress, etc.), one train of thought is that these areas of irritation result as a consequence of the acid of the stomach splashing against unprotected parts of the stomach lining. When a horse eats forage, the hay can help absorb some of that acid and thus reduce the risk of ulcer formation.

It is important to note that a forage meal (one comprised of long stem hay) provides the most benefit, while eating large volumes of concentrate feeds (such as oats, corn, or other cereal grains) can actually increase the amount of acid within the stomach.
As always, please be sure to consult with your vet regarding further diagnostics and treatments if you have concerns that your horse may have gastric ulcers.

Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

03/14/2025

Now is the time to test your horse for parasites! Reach out to our office today!

03/07/2025

On this episode of Foreign Body Friday…a reminder to NEVER remove any metal bits that you find stuck in your horse’s hoof without a radiograph first! This nail was quite a bit longer than anticipated and the animal went to the hospital for sterile exploration to confirm that the path of the nail did not contaminate any joint! Thankfully, all appears to be well and he is on the road to recovery!

01/19/2025

01/08/2025

12/28/2024

Voluntary recall of Northwest Naturals brand pet food. Recently traced to have given a domestic housecat HPAI. Now is not the time to feed raw poultry products or raw milk! Be vigilante about protecting your pets! Please share!

12/07/2024

Here is a handy reference as to what is an emergency. As well as anything to do with your equines eyes!

12/03/2024

It’s and we want to know…what’s on your list!

10/09/2024

The KING is dead. Long live the KING!
The horse I didn’t deserve, but he loved me anyway and man did I love him! Mine for all of his 27 years. My best friend…My world will be empty for awhile.
RIP Primrose Laet Just In Time
My Justin. Love you til your very last breathe…

09/03/2024

Part time position available!
We are hiring! We are looking for someone to join our team whose mission is to save the world one
animal at a time! The job would include barn work and client care. You will need to have horse
experience and phone experience. Computer skills would be great! Must be able to lift 50 pounds
and climb a set of stairs. We do have an office cat, so cat allergies are a deal breaker. This is an
onsite position. Come join our team and make us better! Send your resume to [email protected] and include your availability! Looking forward to meeting you!

08/16/2024

Benched again. I had my left hip replaced last December and have had more pain than before the procedure. The surgeon has been running many tests and all were inconclusive. Last night I had surgery and he found that the femoral head was loose! He said it must have felt like I was walking around on a broken femur! Guess I am tougher than I thought. It has been a miserable 6 months. This should be the fix I needed, but I will be out of commission for a bit. Don’t worry, I will be back and more pleasant without the pain! Stay tuned!
And I will be drowning my sorrows in my art room…

08/09/2024

Yesterday’s adventure was removing a fish hoof from a large not so tame cow! She was minding her own business eating lily pads near the lake and accidentally grabbed the wayward hook which attached her tongue to the roof of her mouth! Luckily, she was a good sedated patient and we were able to remove the hook and get her back to her peaceful life on the lake!

07/23/2024

Big Brother Justin makes it easy for Disco to lick the bowl clean! Lol! They are like peas and carrots!

06/13/2024

One of our favorite things! Inspiring the next generation of veterinarians!

03/22/2024

I have two friends that need a small rental near Woodinville. Both are employed and would be excellent tenants. Let me know if you know of something please!!

01/24/2024

If you haven’t heard of Kataluna Horse Rescue please check out the great things they are doing for horses!

01/11/2024

Rolling right along! If you need an appointment, call the office at 360-794-5409…Dr. Dana is looking forward to getting back to light work and can’t wait see you!