Mid-Rivers Equine Centre

09/08/2025

🚨 Don’t miss out! 🚨
Dr. Zobrist is in the clinic 📅 THIS WEEK ONLY for lameness & sports medicine appointments. She’s performed 150+ arthroscopies in 3 years, experience you can trust. 🐴

👉 Office fee waived this week only. She’s here just the first week of each month, spots go fast!

📞 Call 636.332.5373 today.
📅 Dates: Sept 9-12

Mid-Rivers Equine Centre offers medical and surgical care for ill and injured horses as well as 24 h

09/08/2025

Turns out, positioning a plate for a horse’s shoulder x-ray isn’t as simple as “point and click.” It involves at least four people, some creative leg manipulation, and a pose that looks suspiciously like horse yoga. 🐴🧘‍♂️ Luckily, our team is basically fluent in “equine yoga with bonus X-rays.”

09/06/2025

IT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR

The rumors are true. The moment has arrived, and RSVPs are officially live for Practical Horse-Care Day (PHD).

That's right, your favorite evening of BBQ, frozen treats, live music, and practical equine know-how is back. This year, we're talking wounds (because let’s face it, all horses get them), hands-on how-to wrap a proper compression bandage (so you can stop Googling it in a panic), and yes, you can literally pluck a duck to win a prize.

Because what is horse care without a little ridiculous fun?

So gather your herd, tell your barn mates, and snag your spot before they're gone.

👉 RSVP Now https://www.midriversequine.com/phd-rsvp/

👉 Learn More: https://www.midriversequine.com/phd-event-practical-horse-care-day/

09/05/2025

🚨 Shoulder Sweeny in Horses – What You Need to Know

Shoulder Sweeny may sound old-fashioned, but it’s still a condition we see today. It refers to muscle wasting (atrophy) over the shoulder blade, most often caused by damage to the suprascapular nerve. This nerve supplies the key muscles that stabilize and move the shoulder joint.

💡 Why It Happens
Injury is usually the culprit, commonly from trauma at the shoulder or chest that stretches or bruises the nerve. Ill-fitting tack, collisions with gates, or rough play with pasture mates can all be triggers.

👀 Signs to Watch For
▪ Visible wasting (hollowed look) over the shoulder blade
▪ Short, choppy gait in the front limb
▪ Swinging or outward rotation of the leg when moving

🩺 Treatment Options
▪ Rest & Rehabilitation: Some horses recover with time and controlled exercise as the nerve heals.
▪ Physical Therapy: Muscle stimulation, massage, and targeted exercise help restore strength.
▪ Electro Acupuncture: Helps stimulate nerve function and support muscle recovery.
▪ Anti-inflammatories & Supportive Care: To reduce pain and inflammation around the injury.

🐎 Which Horses Are Most Susceptible?
Draft horses and heavily muscled breeds may be slightly more at risk, simply because of their bulk and the forces placed on the shoulder. But truthfully, any breed can develop Shoulder Sweeny.

📊 How Common Is It?
Thanks to better tack design and awareness, it’s less common today than it was historically. However, trauma-related cases still occur, and early recognition is key to the best recovery outcome.

👉 If you notice signs of shoulder muscle loss or abnormal gait in your horse, schedule an exam. Early veterinary care gives your horse the best chance to regain comfort and function.

09/04/2025

It’s Three Thumbs Up Thursday with Jackie and Cara. Yes, three. Don’t ask us how, just go with it.

Big kudos to Cara for attending her first arthroscopy surgery with Dr. Baxter and Dr. Lanham. Nothing like starting strong by looking inside a joint with a camera the size of a cocktail straw. Cara's verdict? Two thumbs up. Jackie adds hers for good measure. That’s three. That’s math.

Well done, Cara, you officially joined the “tiny camera, big deal” club.

09/03/2025

🩺 Veterinary Answer: The Weight of Comfort

Answer revealed! Dr. Mrad clipped three pounds of hair from this Cushing's horse.

Why was it necessary? This horse was dangerously overheated, with a respiratory rate over 100 breaths per minute, and anhidrosis (the inability to sweat). A full body clip and a cold hose were essential to bring his temperature down.

09/02/2025

🚨 Public apology time 🚨
Apparently, yesterday was Ginger Cat Appreciation Day. And somehow, brace yourself, we forgot to post about Crumpet. Yeah, the clinic cat who basically runs this place. The one who looks at you like you just asked him to pay taxes.

Look, we snubbed him. And judging by this face, we’re gonna be hearing about it for a while.

For the record: Crumpet is a ginger icon. A connoisseur of naps in inconvenient places. A critic of your fashion choices. A master of side-eye. And let’s be honest, his idea of team-building is knocking stuff off the counter.

We love him, even when he acts like he’s doing us a favor by showing up to work every day. So here’s to you, Crumpet, our ginger overlord, our fluffy tyrant, our feline HR department.

09/02/2025

🐴 Veterinary Trivia Tuesday: A Hairy Situation

Cushing's disease can cause horses to grow and hold onto a thick hair coat, even in hot weather. Recently, Dr. Mrad had to give one of our Cushing's patients a necessary clip.

👉 How many pounds of hair do you think we removed?
We will share the answer tomorrow!

09/01/2025

😴 Yeah, even the folks who keep your horses patched up need a day off. It’s Labor Day, after all. Our care team is catching a nap and pretending chores don’t exist for 24 hours.

Now, before you panic: a vet is still on call for emergencies.�
👉 Clients: you know the drill.�
👉 Non-clients: you’ll need to trailer in if something comes up.

So kick back, let the grill do the work, and let’s all enjoy one day where “labor” is just in the name.

08/29/2025

📢 Heads up, horse folks: we’re taking a break.

Mid-Rivers Equine Centre will be closed August 30 – September 1 for Labor Day. Our team’s putting down the stethoscopes, picking up the lawn chairs, and catching some well-earned rest. 💤

🚨 Don’t worry — a vet will still be on call for emergencies.�

We’ll be back to regular hours on Tuesday, September 2. Have a safe holiday weekend!

08/28/2025

Help Us Welcome Dr. Chelsea Zobrist to the Mid-Rivers Team! 🐴💙

We are so excited to introduce Dr. Chelsea Zobrist, DVM, MS, a talented veterinarian with an emphasis and extensive training in equine surgery.

Dr. Zobrist brings a wealth of experience from advanced internships at Oakridge Equine Hospital and a surgical residency at the University of Illinois. She’s honed her skills in a wide variety of procedures, including arthroscopies, colic surgeries, orthopedic work, laparoscopy, laceration repair, tie-back surgery, and sports medicine. Her dedication, training, and hands-on experience make her an incredible asset for our equine community, our horses, and the Mid-Rivers care team.

Horses have always fascinated Dr. Zobrist, not just for their athleticism and beauty, but also for their big, "goofy personalities". By her third year of vet school, she knew surgery was where she could make the biggest difference, helping horses overcome challenges, maximize potential, and return to a comfortable, active life.

You'll see Dr. Zobrist at Mid-Rivers the first full week of each month, handling both scheduled surgeries and urgent cases. When she's not in the clinic, she's spending time at home with her German Shepherd, Boone, her "heart dog" and loyal sidekick. 🐾

Please join us in giving Dr. Zobrist a big Mid-Rivers community welcome! 👋💬

08/27/2025

🚨 Collapsing Trachea in Miniature & Dwarf Horses

It’s not just small dogs, miniature and dwarf horses can also develop a condition known as collapsing trachea.

What’s Happening?
Firm cartilage rings normally support the trachea (windpipe) keeping it open. In horses with collapsing trachea, these rings are weaker, softer, or misshapen, allowing the airway to flatten during breathing. This narrowing makes it harder for air to move in and out of the lungs.

Why It Happens:
Genetic factors affecting cartilage strength and development
Congenital abnormalities are more common in minis and dwarfs
Chronic respiratory stress (allergies, infection, obesity, or poor air quality) can worsen the condition

What to Watch For:
Harsh, dry cough (sometimes described as a “honking” sound)
Trouble breathing, especially during exercise or hot weather
Wheezing or abnormal respiratory noises
Increased effort to breathe, with possible flaring nostrils or abdominal effort

Treatment & Management Options:
👉 While a collapsing trachea cannot be “cured,” veterinarians can help manage symptoms:

▪ Weight management to reduce strain on the airway

▪ Environmental changes (dust-free bedding, good ventilation, low-dust feed)

▪ Medications: bronchodilators, anti-inflammatories, or cough suppressants may be prescribed.

▪ Supportive care: limiting exercise in hot, humid weather, reducing stress, and preventing secondary respiratory infections

▪ In severe cases, surgical options (such as tracheal stents) are available in small animals, but are rare treatments in horses due to anatomical challenges.

👉 If you notice any of these signs, contact your veterinarian. Early evaluation and a tailored management plan can improve your horse’s quality of life and reduce respiratory distress.