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Starwood Equine Veterinary Services, Inc.

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United States
Woodside, CA
Starwood Equine Veterinary Services, Inc.

Starwood Equine provides comprehensive veterinary care and health management planning services for your equine partner and athlete.

Starwood Equine Veterinary Services provides comprehensive veterinary care and health management planning services for your equine partner and athlete. We believe the path to horse health and wellness begins with personalized, accessible care. Our philosophy is by working together with owners, riders, trainers and equine specialists, we will be able to optimize performance, preventing injury and maintaining overall wellness.

06/20/2025

We love to see the in action!

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06/18/2025

What are your feeding and hydration practices when it comes to transporting your equine partner? Here are some things to consider:

- Hydration is crucial for maintaining normal body functions and regulating body temperature. Make sure your horse starts the trip well-hydrated and has a plan to stay hydrated while traveling and at the destination.

- If a horse refuses to drink during a rest stop, keep offering water throughout the break. Bringing water from home and using familiar buckets can encourage drinking.

- Feeding hay (not grain) before loading can help buffer stomach acid. Hay digests slowly and stimulates thirst, so always pair forage with regular access to clean water.

- For trips scheduled to take six hours or longer, it is recommended to provide hay in the trailer. For trips shorter than six hours, it’s generally best not to feed during travel.

- If feeding during travel, offer soaked hay, steamed hay, or soaked hay cubes to reduce dust and mold exposure. Be mindful that soaking in hot weather can encourage mold on long trips; steaming is an alternative that reduces both dust and potential pathogens.

- Horses fed during transport should be watered at least every four hours, or every two hours in hot/humid conditions.

- Whenever possible, limit continuous hauling to under 12 hours at a time.

Research is ongoing, and every horse is different, adjust these strategies to suit each horse and trip for the best results.

06/17/2025

Traveling with your horse? Here are a few important tips to help ensure their health and welfare on the road. While this list isn’t exhaustive, the team at Starwood Equine is always here for more personalized recommendations!

• Manage Feed and Water Carefully
Inadequate access to food and water during transport can lead to colic, gastric ulcers, and heat stress. Make sure your horse is well-hydrated and fed before the trip, during regular rest stops, and immediately upon arrival.

• Stay Up to Date on Vaccinations
Ensure your horse is immunized against respiratory pathogens to reduce the risk of illness during travel.

• Schedule Proper Rest
Your horse should be well-rested before the journey, given breaks during transport, and have time to recover once at the destination.

• Ventilation is Key
Use a well-ventilated trailer to help prevent respiratory issues and overheating.

• Drive Mindfully
Travel with care—avoid texting, eating, or driving when fatigued. Smooth, attentive driving provides a safer, more comfortable trip for your horse and helps minimize stress or injury.

06/16/2025

While many snakes are harmless, rattlesnake bites can be dangerous and cause serious, sometimes life-threatening medical complications for your horse. Knowing what to expect if your horse is bitten can help you and your veterinarian respond quickly and effectively.

We hope you and your horses never cross paths with a rattlesnake, but if it happens, our latest blog post explains what treatment involves and how the Starwood Equine team can help: bit.ly/SWblog-rattlesnakes

06/14/2025

One of the side effects of the heat for some horses is the inability to sweat properly. This condition, called anhidrosis, can be dangerous as it compromises a horse's ability to thermoregulate, even in weather that doesn’t seem particularly hot, putting them at a higher risk of heat stress.

The cause is not fully understood yet; it is more prevalent in the hot and humid regions of the southeastern United States and the Gulf states, but it is also widely reported elsewhere during the summer, particularly during heat waves. Studies have revealed no age, s*x, breed, or color predisposition, and this condition can affect any horse in varying degrees.

If your horse has a high respiratory rate and does not seem to tolerate turnout on hot days, be sure to discuss it with your veterinarian. Signs may include patchy or absent sweating, poor heat tolerance, and a decreased ability to perform during work.

Until a long-term plan is in place, careful management is key to keeping your horse comfortable and safe. Work the horse during the coolest parts of the day, provide shade, safe barn fans and misters if possible, and know that for some horses, moving to a cooler and less humid climate may be the only effective solution.

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06/12/2025

Horses, like most animals, are susceptible to heat stress, but there are numerous factors that can play a role in the development of clinical signs. Horses that are obese, dehydrated, very old, or very young may be at an increased risk.

Also, horses with an underlying condition such as a current illness, or a chronic condition like Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID or Cushing's disease) or anhidrosis (inability to sweat properly) may require close monitoring.

Heat exhaustion should not be underestimated as it can advance to heat stroke quickly, so remain vigilant while you enjoy some fun in the sun with your equine partner. If heat stroke is suspected, call your veterinarian immediately; it’s a medical emergency.

06/11/2025

Horses with white markings and unpigmented skin—especially around the eyes and muzzle—are more prone to painful sunburn and photosensitivity. Repeated sunburn incidents can also increase the risk of developing skin cancer.

Help prevent sunburn with a three-part approach:
✔️ Apply sunscreen (baby-safe, high-SPF formulas are ideal)
✔️ Provide shade during peak daylight hours
✔️ Use UV-protective fly masks (>90% protection) and lightweight summer sheets

Even if your horse hasn’t had issues in the past, sensitivity can develop. Certain plants, liver conditions, and medications can all increase reactivity to sunlight—so it’s important not to rely on past experience alone.

If you have concerns about sun sensitivity or suspect your horse is reacting to sun exposure, contact the Starwood Equine team for more tailored recommendations.

06/10/2025

As temperatures rise, keeping your horse hydrated becomes even more important. Most horses need 10–15 gallons of water per day, and that number increases with heat, exercise, and travel.

💧 Basic hydration tips:
• Always provide clean, fresh water
• Offer free-choice salt (loose or block) to encourage drinking
• Always offer a source of clean water if using electrolyte supplements for horses in regular work or heavy sweat conditions (check with your vet if you haven’t used them before).

🚫 Don’t wait to rehydrate.
It’s safe to offer water right after work! Because of the equine stomach’s relatively small capacity, offer small amounts of water every 20 minutes until the horse drinks their fill rather than letting the animal drink it all at once.

✈️ On the road?
If your horse drinks less while traveling, try flavoring water with a splash of apple juice or sweet feed to encourage intake.

Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing more hot weather horse health tips all week!

06/09/2025

As we enter the summer months, it’s a good time to review how heat and sun exposure can affect our horses. While there’s no strict rule for when it’s too hot to ride or compete, the AAEP and USEF have shared helpful infographics (included in this post) to guide horse owners in making informed decisions.

General guidelines:
- Below 130 – Riding is generally safe
- 130–150 – Use caution; monitor your horse’s breathing and recovery
- 150–180 – Conditions are more taxing; shorten sessions or ride during cooler hours
- Over 180 – Use extreme caution; cooling becomes less effective, and risk of heat stress is high

Even light exercise can increase a horse’s internal heat production by 10–20× over resting levels. When humidity is high, sweat evaporates less efficiently, making it harder for horses to cool down.

🧊 Offer cool water, shade, and frequent rest breaks
🕗 Ride early or late in the day
🩺 Watch for signs of heat stress: poor recovery, rapid breathing, or lethargy

Keep in mind: conditions can vary throughout the day and from coastal to inland areas. What feels comfortable in the morning may feel very different by mid-afternoon.

Every horse is different, and those with underlying health conditions or poor heat tolerance may need a more conservative approach. Your veterinarian is the best source for personalized guidance.

Stay tuned—we’ll be sharing more tips throughout the week to help you navigate summer safely.

Note: This rough index is not the same as the human-focused Heat Index calculated by the National Weather Service. It's a simplified model for quick assessments, not for general weather reporting.

06/07/2025

Did you miss the recent AAEP webinar on equine biosecurity? No worries, the recording is now available at https://aaep.org/guidelines-resources/ horse-owner-resources/horse-owner-education-webinars/

Listen to AAEP members Drs. Elizabeth Gorrell and Nikki Scherrer for a webinar discussion that will help you reduce your horse’s risk of exposure to infectious diseases when traveling off the farm - and how to prevent bringing those risks back home.

Additional related resources (biosecurity handout) are also available at https://aaep.org/wp-content/uploads/
2025/05/AAEP-Biosecurity-Handout-2025.pdf

Brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

06/06/2025

Having your veterinarian administer vaccines is always safer, easier, and a better value in the long run.

Benefits for your horse when a veterinarian administers vaccines include:
- Safe and Accurate Administration
- Proper Handling of the Vaccine
- Documentation for Manufacturer Guarantee
- Vaccination Protocol Tailored to Your Horse
- Availability for Treatment of Adverse Reactions

Veterinarians are keenly aware of the effective life of a given vaccine. They know the best time of year to vaccinate and whether vaccinations would react with any medications being administered to the horse. In the event of a manufacturer's recall, It's important to have documentation of vaccines and when they've been given. Any injection can result in adverse effects. A veterinarian will know what to do to counteract a reaction.

Call the Starwood Equine Office today to discuss your vaccination protocol. 650-275-3091.

06/04/2025

Monitoring your horse for 20-30 minutes after vaccination is always a good practice. Most vaccine reactions occur quickly, so keeping an eye on your horse can help you catch any issues early and communicate them to your veterinarian. In addition to treating or advising on managing the reaction, your veterinarian can report it to the vaccine manufacturer and develop a plan to prevent future reactions, such as pre-medicating or spacing out vaccinations.

Mild swelling, low-grade fever, and local soreness are the most common reactions and tend to resolve quickly. However, severe reactions, though rare, require immediate veterinary attention. Watch for signs like hives, difficulty breathing, or colic shortly after vaccination.

Address

1725 Woodside Road
Woodside, CA
94062

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16502753091

Website

http://starwoodequine.com/

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