Mazon Mobile Veterinary Service

13/07/2025

20/05/2025

‼️Important! ‼️

I will be on vacation May 27-June 4th! If you have an emergency during this time, please contact the University of Illinois. Anything non urgent/scheduling, I will reach back out when I return! 👍🥰

Thank you!

02/04/2025

DO YOU KNOW WHAT CAUSES GRASS FOUNDER?

Spring is a wonderful time of the year, but it may be the beginning of some serious problems for horses vulnerable to grass founder — like horses that are over the age of 10, easy keepers, overweight or cresty-necked.

Laminitis or founder, as it is commonly called, is inflammation of the laminae of the horse’s foot. Laminae are the delicate, accordion-like tissues that attach the inner surface of the hoof wall to the coffin bone (the bone in the foot). A horse suffering from laminitis experiences a decrease in blood flow to the laminae, which in turn begin to die and separate. The final result is hoof wall separation, rotation of the coffin bone and extreme pain. In severe cases, the coffin bone will actually rotate through the sole of the horse’s hoof where it becomes infected and can ultimately lead to the horse having to be euthanized.

Laminitis can be triggered by different causes, like repeated concussion on hard ground (road founder), grain overload, retained placenta, hormonal imbalance (Cushing’s syndrome), obesity, and lush grass.

In cases of grass founder, the sugar fructans produced by rapidly growing grass stimulates an overgrowth of bacteria in the horse’s large intestine. The bacteria produce and release toxins (endotoxins) that are carried by the bloodstream to the foot where they cause damage to the laminae and small blood vessels.

The best way to deal with laminitis is preventing and managing the causes under your control. Consult your equine practitioner for further information and to formulate a plan tailored to your horse's individual situation. If you suspect laminitis, consider it a medical emergency and notify your veterinarian immediately.

04/03/2025

Are your cattle itchy and scratchy? 🪲Managing external parasites requires a year-round approach and should include preventative measures and proper pest identification.

✅Consult with your veterinarian to see if chemical control is an option.
✅Apply the correct product at the correct dosage.
✅Alternate products from one year to the next.

🖥️ Get your questions answered during the BCRC's March 19 parasite management webinar. REGISTER NOW. ⬇️ https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qJVicZU0SrOXmmLDy6Mjig #/registration

01/03/2025

Happy ! Not to be confused with National Bacon Day (you’ll have to wait till December 30th to celebrate that!)

Pigs play a big role in Illinois agriculture, supporting 57,000 jobs and contributing $13.8 billion to our economy. They also play a large role here at SIU, where students have the opportunity to work with farrowing sows at the University Farms and learn about the swine management.

28/02/2025

10/01/2025

🐴🐴🐴

Great article on f***l water syndrome in horses from AAEP!

28/11/2024

Happy Thanksgiving from MMVS! Wishing everyone a day full of family and great food!! 🦃🍗🙏🤩🎉🥰

I will be out of town today and tomorrow celebrating Thanksgiving in my hometown with family but reachable by phone!

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?!?

23/11/2024

Did you know your horse can catch the flu, too?

While there isn’t a specific time of the year for “flu season” in the equine world, any time is good to learn more about this highly contagious respiratory condition—particularly because it’s one of the most common infectious diseases of the respiratory tract of horses, and recent years have been unusually active for Equine Influenza Virus (EIV) on a global scale.

EIV spreads rapidly through groups of horses in aerosolized droplets dispersed by coughing, and the severity of clinical signs depends on the degree of existing immunity within the affected individual, among other factors (i.e., correctly vaccinated horses are less affected than unvaccinated horses).
Any horse showing signs of respiratory disease (cough, nasal discharge, persistent fever) should be isolated immediately until your veterinarian can determine the exact cause.

To learn more about Equine Influenza Virus (EIV), visit these resources:
https://aaep.org/resource/aaep-infectious-disease-guidelines-equine-influenza-eiv/
&
https://www.equinediseasecc.org/equine-influenza

As always, your horse doctor remains your best source of information. Contact them to learn more about how to prevent this disease through an appropriate vaccination protocol and biosecurity practices.

20/11/2024

EPM is widely considered the most important infectious neurologic disease of horses in North America and is caused by protozoal infection of the central nervous system. Horses are infected by consuming food or water contaminated with opossum s**t containing sporocysts.

Horses with EPM do not present a biosecurity risk to other animals because the disease is not transmissible between horses. An effective vaccine has yet to be developed, so the best preventative approach includes eliminating access of opossums to feed and water in order to minimize contact with opossum s**t and improving your horse's immune defenses by decreasing stress and optimizing health.

To learn more about EPM, visit the following resources:
https://aaep.org/resource/equine-protozoal-myeloencephalitis-epm/
&
https://www.equinediseasecc.org/EPM

As always, consult your veterinarian for more information and for advice tailored to your horse's specific circumstances.

30/10/2024

EIA(coggins) positive horses!! This is why it’s so important to test annually! 🐎🐴

15/10/2024

Colic is not a disease, but rather a combination of signs that alert us to abdominal pain in the horse. Colic can range from mild to severe, but it should never be ignored, as many of the conditions that cause colic can become life threatening in a relatively short period of time. Only by quickly and accurately recognizing colic – and seeking qualified veterinary help – can the chance for recovery be maximized.

Virtually any horse is susceptible to colic, so management practices can play a key role in prevention. And although not every case is avoidable, the guidelines listed in the graphic can help you maximize your horse’s health and reduce the risk of colic.

As always, remember that every animal is different depending on age, breed and other health conditions, so be sure to work with your veterinarian to address any concerns specific to your situation!