All Points Equine

11/07/2025

Friday Funny!!! Great way to keep those little chunky guys fit 🤣🤣🤣

11/05/2025

A great learning opportunity from New Bolton!

Happy first Tuesday! Due to Election Day, this month’s will happen next week, but it’s a topic worth the wait.

Join us as Nicole Scherrer, associate professor of clinical large animal ophthalmology and board-certified ophthalmologist, unravels the mysteries of moon blindness, or Equine Recurrent Uveitis.

This event is free and open to the public.

🌙 The mystery of moon blindness: Everything you need to know about Equine Recurrent Uveitis
🗓️ November 11, 2025, 6:30 – 7:30 PM
🔗 Register today: https://bit.ly/4pLW1Hh

11/04/2025

The Importance of Oral Exams & Wolf Tooth Removal 🐴🦷

During our dental months (October–November), we’re shining a light on what really happens during an oral exam and why it’s so important for your horse’s comfort and performance.

A full oral examination involves counting teeth and checking for abnormalities. In this case, the horse has hooks (overgrowths) on the first two upper cheek teeth, which can make chewing less effective and even uncomfortable over time.

We also noted the presence of a wolf tooth; a small vestigial tooth located just in front of the first premolar (on the right side of this photo, left side of the horse's mouth). These teeth typically erupt between 5-12 months of age, and most horses have 1-2 upper wolf teeth. Though small, they can cause discomfort when a bit is used, which is why they’re often removed before training.

Fun fact: Wolf teeth are remnants from ancient horse ancestors called Eohippus, who browsed on twigs and brush! 🌿The first recorded wolf tooth removal was in 750 BC, coinciding with the introduction of the metal bit.

When removal is needed, it’s performed under standing sedation with a local nerve block. The tooth is gently loosened using an elevator and extracted with forceps, taking care to avoid nearby structures like the palatine artery. After removal, bit rest for about 5 days is recommended to ensure healing.

Routine oral exams help us catch these issues early and keep your horse’s mouth healthy, balanced, and pain-free! 💙

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween & Happy ! 👻🎃

10/28/2025

Periodontal Pockets 🦷✨

As part of our dental months (October–November), we’re highlighting some common dental conditions and how we treat them to keep your horse’s mouth healthy and pain-free! 🐴

In this case, we’re looking at a periodontal pocket (image a); a space that forms between the tooth and gum due to infection or inflammation. Using a probe and forceps, we carefully explore and measure the pocket to determine its depth.

If the pocket is deep enough, we can place packing material with antibiotics directly into the defect (image b). This helps control infection and can sometimes preserve the affected teeth before more serious damage occurs.

Regular dental exams are key to catching these issues early and maintaining your horse’s comfort and performance! 🦷

10/21/2025

Let’s Talk About Dental Tools! ✨🦷

In light of our dental month, running from October through November, we’re taking a closer look at some of the important tools and procedures we use to keep your horse’s mouth healthy! 🐴💙

One essential tool is the dental mirror (and/or our Oroscope), and it’s more important than it might seem!
This small mirror allows us to clearly view the occlusal (chewing) surfaces of your horse’s teeth, helping us spot issues that might otherwise go unnoticed, such as:
🔹 Cavities
🔹 Incomplete fractures
🔹 Developmental anomalies (abnormal tooth growth or structure)

This simple but powerful tool helps us perform thorough oral exams and ensure your horse’s comfort and long-term dental health.
Image A shows the inside of a horse's mouth with just the speculum on.
Image B shows how a mirror can be used to view spots that we normally would not be able to see, you never know what is hiding!
Image C shows a view from an oroscope to better see the effected area.

Images from British Equine Veterinary Association.

10/20/2025

THANK YOU again to all of our valued clients for joining us on a cool, Fall evening, 2 weeks ago at Tavola Farm. Special thanks to the Mill in Germansville for your continued teamwork! Additional thank you’s to Cellar Beast Winehouse for your event support as well.

10/03/2025

🐴 Equine ulcers are more common than you think, but with the right management we can help protect your horse’s stomach and improve treatment success! Here are some key points to keep in mind:

💊 𝐎𝐦𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐓𝐢𝐩𝐬
• Best given before 6 a.m. on an empty stomach, otherwise absorption can drop by 2/3.
• Always feed after dosing to move the medication into the small intestine where it works best.
• If your horse isn’t eating, omeprazole won’t be effective. Other options may be needed such as ranitidine.

🌾 𝐇𝐚𝐲 & 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫
• Horses need a “hay ball” in the stomach during exercise. Long-stem hay provides protection, while cubes/pellets break down into ''soup'' and don’t buffer as well.
• Feeding hay on the ground encourages double the chewing compared to hay nets, which means more saliva (a natural stomach buffer).
• Multiple hay sites in the evening keep horses eating until ~2 a.m., and feeding again at 6 a.m. helps protect them overnight.
• Provide loose hay during the day, and offer hay nets at night.

🌿 𝐀𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐚 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞
• Feeding 1-2 lbs of alfalfa hay at the first morning feeding, prior to exercise, and at the last evening meal helps buffer stomach acid.

✨ Small management changes like when and how you feed can make a huge difference in your horse’s stomach health and ulcer prevention!

10/01/2025

🐴📚 Step into the world of equine ambulatory medicine!
From October 2025 – February 2026, our practice is inviting participants to sign up to shadow our veterinary team in the field for the 2026 season.

This unique educational opportunity will allow you to:
✨ Ride along on real farm calls and observe equine veterinary care up close
✨ Learn how cases are diagnosed, treated, and managed in everyday practice
✨ Gain a deeper understanding of the teamwork, problem-solving, and client communication that go into equine medicine

Whether you’re considering veterinary school, exploring animal health careers, or simply eager to learn more about this field, this program offers an inside look you won’t find in textbooks.
📲 Ready to apply? Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/2026Shadowing

10/01/2025

ETA: PHONES ARE BACK UP FOR NOW!!🤞🏻🤞🏻

Our phones are down for an unknown amount of time. Please email us with any emergencies or questions. We are able to access our email and will be keeping a close eye on messages. Thank you for understanding!!

09/25/2025

👉 RSVP - https://www.facebook.com/share/171JrzRPnt/

𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝! 🍂 👉 RSVP here in our Facebook Event.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1BhtoZF8Br/?mibextid=wwXIfr

We’re so excited to announce our client appreciation event on Wednesday, October 8th! This special evening is all about YOU – our amazing clients who make everything we do possible. 🧡🐴

Join us for:
🍁 Delicious food & drinks -- Cellar Beast will be supplying the wine!
🎃 Fun raffle baskets -- Goodies for yourself and your four-legged friends. Giftcards, services, cool merch from our sales representatives, and more!
🌻 Time to connect with our team & community

We truly couldn’t do what we do without your trust and support, and this is our way of saying THANK YOU!

👉 RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BhtoZF8Br/?mibextid=wwXIfr

We can’t wait to celebrate with you this fall at Tavola Farm in Northampton! 🍎🍂✨

09/24/2025

Congrats to our veterinary technician Paige!!!!! Such an accomplishment