Saginaw Valley Equine Clinic

22/07/2025

18/07/2025

🐴⚠️ Potomac Horse Fever Alert in the Great Lakes Bay Region

Cases of Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) are starting to appear in our area. This seasonal disease is caused by a type of bacteria (Neorickettsia risticii) and spreads most often during warm summer months. Horses of all ages can be affected, and early treatment is essential.

🩺 Watch for these clinical signs:
• Fever, depression, and decreased appetite
• Mild colic or laminitis in some cases
• Watery diarrhea within 24–48 hours
• Severe GI signs like abdominal distension or colic in some horses
• Abortions can occur weeks after infection

⚠️ If your horse goes off feed, check their temperature right away. A fever combined with appetite loss could be an early warning sign of PHF. Call us immediately — early treatment is critical.

⛔ Mortality Rates:
Untreated horses can have a mortality rate of 17–36%, but early veterinary care greatly improves survival.

📍 Horses near ponds, rivers, or other water sources may be at increased risk.

💉 What our doctors recommend:
We advise annual vaccination during summer (ideally June or July), when the risk is highest. The vaccine provides about three months of protection — enough to help cover the most active season.

👉 Learn more about how PHF spreads, how to spot it, and what you can do:
🔗 https://saginawvalleyequine.com/experience/equine-education/potomac-horse-fever/

Call us right away if your horse shows any signs. Prompt care can make all the difference.

– Your SVEC Team

14/07/2025

🌟🐴 Big News from SVEC! 🐴🌟

We’re incredibly proud of Dr. Scott Nebergall, one of our own, who is judging the Heavy Draft Horse classes, including the stunning Belgian “Belga” division, at AGROEXPO in Bogotá, Colombia, July 9–20, 2025!

🏆 International Expert right in our backyard

Scott isn’t just a judge, he’s a true horseman who’s walked the walk with “Dream” (AgRestore’s Diamond’s Dream):
• Stayed undefeated in class through 2021
• Crowned Grand Champion Stallion at the 2024 North American Belgian Championship
• Made a triumphant comeback after a three-year break, all thanks to Scott and “Team Dream”

Whether he’s leading advanced surgical procedures, overseeing complex reproduction cases, or diagnosing internal medicine challenges, Dr. Scott brings expertise and genuine compassion to every patient at SVEC. His excellence in the clinic and deep respect for each horse’s well-being make him the perfect ambassador for our team, whether here at home or judging abroad.

11/07/2025

Hitting the Spot with Shockwave Therapy!

This weekend at the MRHA Liberty Derby Show, Dr. Melissa Aceto is on-site with our state-of-the-art shockwave probe, targeting sore spots and helping equine athletes recover faster between classes.

From pinpointing minor trigger points to breaking up deeper tissue adhesions, her precision treatment keeps horses moving comfortably and performing their best.

Swing by the North Entrance barns to say hi, learn about what an shockwave can keep your horse in top form for competition.

10/07/2025

🐎✨ SVEC Sports Medicine On Site MRHA Liberty Derby Show ✨🐎

We’re excited to be at the Midland County Fairgrounds July 10–12, 2025

Here’s what you need to know:

📍 Where: Midland County Fairgrounds – North Entrance
7340 Eastman Ave, Midland, MI

👩‍⚕️ On-Site Team:
• Samantha Black (also showing!)
• Dr. Melissa Aceto (also showing!)

🏇 Support Services:
🔹 Pre-show exams
🔹 Pre-Purchase exams
🔹 Therapeutic boots & wraps
🔹 In-Show support
🔹 Emergency care & injury prevention

🤝 Stop by & Say Hi:
Meet Samantha and Dr. Aceto at the ringside, whether you need a quick consult or want to catch up!

Good luck to all exhibitors — see you at the ring!

10/07/2025

🐴✨ See us at The Little Buckeye Show! ✨🐴

GameTime Sports Medicine is ringside for The Little Buckeye Show happening now through July 13! Whether you’re gearing up for your first class or cooling down after a championship ride, Lilly, Dr. Mitch, and Dr. Cumper, have you covered:

🔹 Pre-show exams
🔹 Pre-Purchase exams
🔹 Therapeutic boots & wraps
🔹 In-Show support
🔹 Emergency care & injury prevention

📅 July 10–13, 2025
📍 Ranch Arena Barn, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middletown Rd, Columbiana, OH 44408

🔗 Learn more about our services at gametime.vet

👉 Stop by to reserve your consult slot. See you in the show ring!

23/06/2025

⭐ - Meet Katie! ⭐

Katie is an undergrad at Michigan State University, planning to apply to vet school after she graduates in 2027.

During her week with us, Katie learned so much about lameness evaluations, interpreting ultrasounds in mares, and even got to observe AI breeding. Her favorite parts? Vaccinating horses, helping take x-rays, and riding along on farm calls!

We’re so glad she joined us and wish her the best as she works toward her veterinary career. 🐴

20/06/2025

☀️ Summer’s here — and so is the heat! ☀️

Here are a few easy ways to help your horse stay cool:

🌞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 — Ride early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid peak heat.
🌳 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞 — Ride in shaded areas when possible.
💪 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 — Overweight, under-muscled, or unfit horses struggle more in the heat. Make sure your horse is in proper condition for summer work.
💧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐬 — Offer electrolytes in an extra water bucket or mixed with feed to replace what’s lost through sweat.
🚿 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 — After riding, hose down your horse thoroughly. Focus on the largest muscle areas and key veins: the jugular (neck) and saphenous (inner thigh). Don’t forget to scrape off excess water to help with cooling.
💨 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 — If your horse sweats while stalled, use fans to help keep them cool.

If you have any concerns we’d be happy to help! Schedule your appointment today.

19/06/2025

Sam, Lilly, and Dr. Melissa are at the Back to Berrien Futurity! You can find them in the Posse Barn, right between the indoor and outdoor arenas!

13/06/2025

✨ – Meet Kylee! ✨

Kylee is a veterinary student at the University of Illinois. After graduation, she plans to pursue an equine internship before heading into mixed-animal practice.

During her two weeks with us, she found the reproductive work especially interesting—it helped solidify her interest in this area. Her favorite part of the externship? Having the opportunity to talk through real cases with our doctors, from challenging lameness evaluations to complex breeding situations. She thoroughly enjoyed being included in the discussions and learning from their thought processes.

We loved having Kylee with us and can’t wait to see what her future holds! 🐴

University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine

12/06/2025

🐴 Say hello to Dr. Maria James!

We’re excited to welcome Dr. Maria James to the SVEC family! Maria grew up in Lincoln, Michigan, got her first horse at age nine, and has loved horses ever since. She started working at Alcona Animal Clinic when she was just 15 (riding her bike to work!) and eventually went on to become a licensed vet tech. After years in the field, she followed her dream and earned her veterinary degree from Iowa State.

Maria is especially interested in sports medicine and reproduction, and she brings a calm, down-to-earth approach to working with horses and their owners. She was actually a longtime client here at SVEC before joining the team, so this is a full-circle moment.

Outside of work, she’s a dressage rider, trail rider, hunter, fisher, and former collegiate archery champ. Oh, and she’s a proud dog person, even though her cat kind of adopted her.

We’re lucky to have her on board. Help us welcome her in the comments! 👇