Cedar Hill Mobile Equine, PLLC

06/18/2025

As the 4th of July holiday draws near, please advise us if your horse needs assistance in dealing with the fireworks.

06/18/2025

Puncture wounds in the foot qualify as medical emergencies, due to the amount of vital structures just beneath the sole that can be physically damaged and/or contaminated with bacteria when they are penetrated by a sharp object.

If your horse steps on a nail or other sharp object and it remains embedded in the hoof, resist the temptation to pull the nail out and consult with your veterinarian first. Leaving the nail in place will allow the vet to take x-rays of the foot before removal, which helps to identify exactly what structures have been penetrated, and to plan the most appropriate strategy for dealing with the situation.

If your veterinarian advises, carefully remove the nail to prevent the horse from stepping on it and driving it deeper into the hoof cavity. As you remove it, be sure to mark the exact point and depth of entry with tape and/or a marker so the veterinarian can assess the extent of damage. Apply antiseptic to the wound, and wrap to prevent additional contamination while you wait for your appointment.

Penetrating hoof wounds can be extremely serious and shouldn’t be underestimated. The prognosis for successful recovery depends on quick action to identify the path of the nail, treatment of potential infection and mechanical damage to the foot, and proper aftercare. As always, consult your horse doctor for more information and advice!

05/31/2025

05/28/2025

Knowing your horse's normal vital signs is VITAL —pun intended!— to detecting distress and a possible emergency! 🩺

Practice taking your horse's vitals often (T.P.R.: temperature, pulse, respiration rate) so you can get to know what's normal for your equine friends and recognize what is abnormal. If your horse seems a little "off" and his values are outside the normal range, a call to your equine veterinarian is definitely warranted!

The typical ranges for adult horses are as follows:
🌡️Temperature: 99.0-101.5°F
❤️Heart rate: 28-40 beats/minute
🫁Respiration rate: 12-16 breaths/minute

Keep in mind that very hot and humid conditions may cause small variations, so be sure to have a conversation with your horse doctor about what is acceptable and about how to properly assess your horse's vital signs.

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

05/11/2025

Arbovirus season is right around the corner for many parts of the United States. Arboviruses include Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), West Nile Virus (WNV), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE) and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE); they are all transmitted by mosquitoes or other biting insects and occur most commonly during mosquito season or in conditions that favor mosquito breeding, including most environments with free standing water.

Because the virus causes inflammation in the brain and nervous system, there is no cure for arborvirus infection. Therefore, the best protection is to keep all horses up to date on vaccinations. If your equine has yet to receive vaccinations this year, we encourage you to reach out to your veterinarian as soon as possible to schedule an appointment!

Read more and download the arbovirus factsheet on the Equine Disease Communication Center's website at https://equinediseasecc.org/Content/ContentDocs/EDCC_Arbovirus%20Awareness.pdf?fbclid=IwY2xjawKFxs1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE2aG5NdWVDNTRKQWhBM2h3AR5WfaEE7IFt-2hCI2EWNKCrfHjaT3eV7IBTDIFbvedq92iJOROWVwLStGBPXw_aem_jOMcC9YN-YHMuE_Trpj9lg

05/04/2025

Here's another great question that was posed on our recent "Ask the AAEP Horse Doctors" post:

Are oral supplements better than joint injections?

Anything you give to your horse needs to be carefully evaluated for if it lives up to the claims it is making.

Oral supplements are not required to have studies that prove their marketing claims. That being said, some companies have invested in outside research and can provide you with peer-reviewed published research.

Products approved by the FDA (including some injectable joint medications) have to prove safety and effectiveness and can only market based on proven claims. There are many injectable products that are not FDA approved, however, so they should also be questioned for research on safety and effectiveness.

Make sure you are spending your money on a product that is backed by research as there are a lot of unproven options out there.

Before starting any supplement or medication, it is important to know what change you expect to see. It's recommended to evaluate your horse before you start and then again after 30 days. Do you see the change that the product said you would? If yes, continue on. If no, it's time to work with your veterinarian and decide on a potential new plan.

04/23/2025

April showers bring…

…the increased risk of your horse developing a skin condition like rain rot, a contagious bacterial skin disease (often mistaken for a fungal condition) called dermatophilosis which is caused by the bacterium "Dermatophilus congolensis.”

How does rain rot happen?
The organism responsible for rain rot lives in the outer layer of the skin; if the skin is compromised by too much moisture or cracks, or if the horse has a weaker immune system, it’s easier for the pathogen to activate and establish an infection that causes from pinpoint to large, crusty scabs (pro tip: Your horse will NOT thank you for picking at them!).

Why should you not mistake rain rot for a fungal disease?
Antifungal medications and topicals have no effect on the bacteria responsible for rain rot, therefore diagnosing the condition correctly is critical! If left untreated, the condition can even progress to a point where it opens the door for more serious, secondary skin infections. It’s also important to note that this organism is contagious and may be passed to other horses by tack, equipment or insects, therefore disinfection of equipment is vital to prevent spread.

If you suspect your horse has rain rot, be sure to consult your veterinarian on the best treatment plan. While there are a million over-the-counter products available, your horse doctor may have cause to prescribe a specific course of action based on the severity of your horse's case.

04/15/2025

WARMER WEATHER = TICK SEASON! 📢

As the weather warms up, ticks are becoming more active — which clearly means more chances for your horses (or yourself and your family pets) to encounter this parasite. Despite their diminutive size and appearance, ticks are highly equipped to carry and transmit many serious diseases including Equine Piroplasmosis, Lyme Disease, Equine Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (Ehrlichiosis) and Tick Paralysis, so tick control remains an important management practice for horse owners.

Because ticks infected with serious diseases do not usually transmit those pathogens immediately and often must feed for a period of time before disease transmission, removing them from your horse as soon as possible is important. Check your horses for ticks thoroughly after a ride, and at least daily if they’re out on pasture in order to prevent disease transmission.

From a pasture management perspective, you can decrease the number of ticks your horse may pick up by removing brush and mowing tall grass where ticks like to live and discouraging wildlife such as deer that tend to reintroduce ticks to grazing areas.

Additional facts about Lyme disease in horses is available on the�Equine Disease Communication Center's website at: https://www.equinediseasecc.org/lyme-disease

And as always, if you have questions on tick control or the diseases they can transmit to your horses, talk to your local horse doctor!

04/09/2025

Equine dental health is not only crucial for keeping your equine companion's pearly whites healthy but also for the overall health of the animal in general.

Common dental issues such as the ones mentioned in the graphic can negatively affect the health of the teeth themselves as well as gum, gastrointestinal, and overall mouth health. Dental issues can also impact chewing and food grinding, further exacerbating digestive tract issues.

Has your horse struggled with any of these dental issues before? Let us know below ⬇️

As always, if you have questions or concerns about your horse's dental health, contact your equine veterinarian.

03/25/2025

While we are all looking forward to warm spring days and lush green pasture, the transition from winter hay to spring grass should be planned carefully to mitigate any health risks to your equine. In other words — just because your equine friend is not obese or suffering from a nutritionally related disease, doesn’t mean you should just forget about hay entirely and let your horse eat their fill of spring grass.

Feeding high-quality hay is a good way to satisfy a horse’s urge to chew when they can’t graze and provide essential nutrients at the same time. A mature horse will eat 2-2.5% of its body weight per day; roughage should contribute to at least half of this percentage, but most agree forage should be a minimum of 75% of the horse's diet. Please remember that not all horses are made equal, so a horse's total nutritive requirements will ultimately depend on the individual's age, stage of development, metabolism and workload.

Take-home message: Before making any changes to your equine companion's diet this spring, consult your veterinarian to determine their current weight/body condition score and to formulate a balanced and nutritious ration that meets your horse’s specific nutritional needs!