Wisconsin Equine Clinic & Hospital

06/13/2026

Tick Awareness for Horse Owners 🕷️

As the weather warms up, ticks become more active, and our horses are at risk. Here are some essential tips to keep your horses safe:

Tick Removal: If you find a tick on your horse, ensure you remove it properly. Wearing gloves, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Pull upward with steady pressure, making sure to extract the entire tick, including its head and mouthparts. Dispose of the tick by crushing it or placing it in a jar with alcohol.

Groom Regularly: Regular grooming is your first line of defense. Brush your horse daily to check for ticks. Ticks that haven’t engorged with blood are tough and mobile, so thorough grooming helps prevent infestations.

If you discover a tick infestation on your horse, call our team for help.

📞 Contact Us Today
Call us at 262-569-1550 if you have any questions or are interested in booking your next appointment.

Call now to connect with business.

06/10/2026

Here is the answer to yesterday's "What's Your Diagnosis?"!

Diagnosis: Laxity/Weak Flexor Tendons

Laxity or weak flexor tendons is a congenital condition that typically is seen in dysmature or premature foals, but the condition also occurs in otherwise normal foals. Flexor tendon laxity can affect one or more limbs but usually occurs in the hind limbs. The laxity and associated hyperextension commonly involve the fetlock joints.

Most of these foals are bright and alert and improve within the first week of life. In some cases early trimming of the feet by removing toe length can decrease the hyperextension of the fetlocks and prevent the toe from turning upward. Foals with flexor tendon laxity should be managed with stall rest and controlled exercise, such as hand walking the mare in the barn aisle several times daily while the foal follows. After the muscles and tendons strengthen, the mare and foal can begin turnout into a small paddock.

Foals that are “back at the knee” or “sickle hocked” as well should not be allowed to exercise before radiographs have been taken to ensure that the carpal and tarsal bones are fully ossified; crushing of the incompletely ossified carpal or tarsal bones can create permanent wedge-shaped cuboidal bones and lameness.

In foals that do not improve within a week or that develop heel bulb ulcerations, heel extensions can help provide caudal leverage and force the toe onto the ground. Heel extensions are usually cuffed shoes, which are attached to the hoof wall with epoxy or acrylic adhesive. If a bandage is required to protect an ulcerated area or sore on the fetlock or heel bulb, it should be applied to just that area and not extended up the limb. The occasional foal with severe laxity is unresponsive to treatment.

06/10/2026

Your client sends you a picture of her 18 hour old foal. She is wondering if he will be “ok” or should she worry about his future as a performance horse? What’s your diagnosis?

Check back tomorrow for the answer!

***No DVM’s or professionals please***

06/08/2026

Some great information with the hot temperatures expected this week!

🌡️🔥 Hot weather can increase the risk of heat stress in horses. Knowing what's normal for your horse — like their typical temperature, heart rate, and behavior — can help you spot early warning signs and take action before things get serious.

Help your horse beat the heat by:
💧 Providing free access to fresh, cool (45 to 65 degrees F) water.
🌳 Making sure horses have access to shade throughout the day.
🧂 Providing free access to salt to promote drinking.
💦 Rapidly cooling hot horses by applying continuous cool water over them.
❌ Limiting trailering or exercising horses if possible.

ℹ https://z.umn.edu/heatandhorses

06/04/2026

🐴 We’re Hiring: Pharmacy & Inventory Coordinator! 📦✨

Are you a master of organization who loves keeping things running smoothly? Do you have a passion for horse health and a knack for managing details? Our team is growing, and we’re looking for a Pharmacy / Inventory Coordinator to join the family!

In this vital role, you’ll be the heartbeat of our hospital pharmacy—planning, organizing, and managing our inventory workflow so our veterinary teams have exactly what they need to provide top-notch patient care. 🩺💻

🌟 What You’ll Do:
* Take charge of inventory purchasing, receiving, tracking, and control.
* Collaborate daily with our amazing doctors, technicians, and industry vendors.
* Keep us efficient, safe, and cost-effective in a fast-paced, rewarding hospital environment.

📋 What We’re Looking For:
* High School Diploma (College degree, CVT, or human healthcare equivalent is a major plus! 🎓)
* Microsoft Excel proficiency and strong overall computer skills.
* Familiarity with veterinary/medical terminology and pharmaceutical uses. 💊
* Horse background or experience is highly valuable! 🐴❤️
* Exceptional communication skills, a positive attitude, and a true team-player mindset.

📩 How to Apply:
Ready to jump in? Please submit the following three (3) items via email to Dr. Rachel Bourne at [email protected]:
1. A personalized cover letter 📝
2. Your current resume 💼
3. A list of three (3) professional references with contact info 📞

We can’t wait to meet our next rockstar team member! Please share this post with anyone who might be the perfect fit. 👇

06/03/2026

Here is the answer to yesterday's "What's Your Diagnosis?"!

Diagnosis: Laminitis

Laminitis is inflammation of the tissues laminae between the hoof and underlying coffin bone. This attachment between hoof bone can weaken and lead to rotation or sinking of coffin bone inside of foot. The front feet are much more commonly affected. This condition can cause mild to severe foot soreness.

Laminitis is often seen in horses with Equine Metabolic disease and/or Cushing’s disease. The diagnosis of these diseases can help minimize the incidence of laminitis or impair management of a current case.

Radiographs of feet can help monitor the changes inside the hoof and assist the farrier during trims and in some cases, specialty shoeing. During an acute case or chronic active case, pain management with anti-inflammatories and deeply bedded stalls are important. In severe cases, gel orthotic foot pads can be temporarily used and typically provide significant relief. Regular farrier care and diet management are also key in stabilizing most cases.

06/03/2026

Your client calls you regarding her 15 year old Quarter Horse mare Hayley who is not willing to walk out of her stall this morning. She has no known serious lameness issues but according to the owner has occasionally been “stiff” on hard ground over the years. She is currently eating a grass/alfalfa mix hay and is turned out to graze for 6-8 hours per day.

An appointment is made to evaluate the horse and determine the reason why she is unwilling to come out of stall. On arrival, Hayley is standing in her stall eating hay. Her heart rate is mildly elevated at 48. She does not have a fever. When an attempt was made to move her in the stall, she needed lots of encouragement and still was very reluctant. She will not pick up either front foot for more than a couple seconds at a time. Heat can be palpated in both front hooves. She also has increased digital pulses in both fronts. Radiographs of her feet were taken. What’s your diagnosis?

Check back tomorrow for the answer!

***No DVM’s or professionals please***

06/01/2026

Happy Birthday, Rodeo! 🐴🎂✨

Reaching 39 years is an incredible milestone, and we are so excited to help celebrate this amazing boy! A huge shoutout to his owner, Annie, for taking such wonderful care of him.

Join us in wishing Rodeo the happiest 39th birthday in the comments below! 🎉

05/29/2026

Friday Fun! Share the last pic you took of your horse.

05/27/2026

Diagnosis: Maxillary incisor fracture of teeth 501, 601 and 602

Treatment: Interdental wire fixation.

If the horse has canines present and the patient is tolerable of the process, the wires can be secured around the back of the canine teeth for stabilization. However, in this case, the patient did not have canines. As a result this patient was placed under general anesthesia in order to secure the wires around the premolar teeth.

At the time of surgery it was also noted that the patient had a crown fracture of his 2nd maxillary premolar on the left side, prompting the wire to be placed further back on this side. This tooth will need to be extracted at a later date. The patient will require antibiotics while the wires are in place to prevent infection and will not be allowed to graze or eat from a hay net to prevent added stress to the wires. The patient will require a recheck appointment 8 weeks after wire placement to confirm fracture healing and remove the dental wires.

Overall these cases have a great prognosis.