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EDUCATION
We all care about our companions, which is why we do our best to learn about the basics of good horse care. The key to caring for your companion is taking preventative steps, and being able to understand and identify health problems and treat them promptly.
How to Apply a Standing Leg Wrap
Learn how to apply a medical bandage. Step by step guidance shows the materials needed, preparation and applying the bandage.
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How to Apply a Standing Leg Wrap
How to Apply a Foot Bandage
The Henneke horse body condition scoring system is a numerical scale used to evaluate the amount of fat on a horse's body. It is a standardized system that can be used across all breeds without specialized equipment; condition is assessed visually and by palpation. Scores range from 1 to 9 with one being poor and nine being extremely fat; the ideal range for most horses is from 4 to 6.
Biosecurity Guidelines
ANYTHING that touches an infected animal or carries secretions or manure from sick animal has the potential to transfer pathogens to other animals. Learn more about proper personnel and management practices.
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Biosecurity Guidelines
Coronavirus
Coastal Elite Veterinary Services has always held ourselves to the highest biosecurity standards but we have taken this opportunity to streamline and heighten our protocols. We are dedicated to providing your animals with care and will remain operating under regular hours, including 24/7 emergency coverage, during this time. Here are some of the ways our team is working to protect you, your loved ones, and ourselves:
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Coronavirus Guidelines
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Castration
Castration is a surgical procedure to remove the testicles. It is performed in colts to modify their behavior and prevent their ability to breed. Although castration can be performed at any age, most colts are gelded before the age of 18 months.
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About Castration
Common Equine Dentistry Questions
Why is routine oral care important?
Horses of all ages depend on the ability to chew. If food is not properly chewed, it is not digested efficiently, which can lead to chronic colic, choke, weight loss, and nutritional deficiencies. Regular, preventative, dental care prolongs the life of the horse’s teeth (and the horse) by recognizing and treating abnormalities early on, before they become major problems.
Oral problems, such as infections of the teeth roots, gum disease, and oral ulcers from sharp dental points, cause pain and discomfort and can affect athletic performance. A painful horse will not perform to its full potential or have a good quality of life.
Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis (EOTRH)
What is EOTRH?
EOTRH is a recently recognized, painful condition most often found in older horses. This disease mostly affects incisors and canine teeth, but can affect molars as well.
In this disease, the body starts to resorb the affected teeth. The teeth then try to regain strength by laying down more calcified tissue (cementum) around and in the teeth. The teeth can’t keep up in some places and lay down too much calcified tissue in other places. This calcified tissue is not as strong as the tissue it is trying to replace and the teeth sometimes become loose, fractured, or fall out. This allows bacteria to enter the tooth and the surrounding structures, causing gingivitis (inflammation in the gums) and pulpitis (inflammation in the pulp horn- live part of the tooth).
Deworming Guidlines
Recent research has shown that 80% of the parasite egg population comes from 20% of the equine population on a given farm indicating most horses are resistant to parasites. Parasite resistance to dewormers is increasing due to frequent deworming and no new classes of dewormers are currently being developed.
Low Shedder
June 1 – ivermectin (Zimectrin)
November 1 – ivemectin + praziquantel (Zimectrin Gold or Equimax)
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Moderate Shedder
June 1 – ivermectin (Zimectrin)
August 1 – moxidectin (Quest) * see note below
November 1 – ivermectin + praziquantel (Zimectrin Gold or Equimax)
High Shedder
April 1 – pyrantel pamoate (Strongid)
June 1 – ivermectin (Zimectrin)
August 1 – moxidectin (Quest) * see note below
November 1 – ivermectin + praziquantel (Zimectrin Gold or Equimax)
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Note for Quest: Accurate weight determination is important. A weight tape can be used to estimate your horse’s weight. Do not use Quest in severely underweight horses.
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Sample collection: A fecal sample should include 2-3 fresh (collected in the past 4 hours) fecal balls stored in a plastic bag with all air squeezed out, submitted immediately or stored in a refrigerator for up to a day.
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Rinse horse’s mouth with water or wait until mouth is empty before deworming to ensure accurate dosing.
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New horses to the herd – have fecal egg count performed, deworm with ivermectin, and isolate for 4 days.
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Please call for a deworming schedule for horses less than 1 year of age and pregnant mares.
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We recommend using brand name products for ivermectin (Zimectrin) and pyrantel pamoate (Strongid) as these products may be more effective.
* All deworming products mentioned in the schedule are available through our office for your convenience.
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Deworming Small Ruminants and Camelids
Disaster Preparedness
In the event of a natural disaster, it is always in the best interest of the horses for the owner to be prepared. Each type of disaster requires different measures to keep your pets safe. Below are useful links to help prepare for such an event.
American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP): Emergency and Disaster Preparedness
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Disaster Action Guidelines for Horse and Livestock Owners
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Office of Emergency Management for facilities & farms without sufficient/potable water supplies
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): Disaster Preparedness information
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Making a Plan: Caring for Animals
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When Disaster Strikes: Protect Your Pets
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The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): Disaster Preparedness Resources
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Petfinder.com: Disaster Preparedness Information
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NJ Department of Agriculture Emergency Preparedness
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The AVMA is the nation's leading advocate for the veterinary profession.
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Diet Awareness
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Equine Nutrition Questionnaire
Nutrition is one of the most important components of preventative medicine that owners are able to control from home.
We offer nutrition evaluations and help you build a fully encompassing nutrition plan based on your individual horses needs.
We can also perform hay analysis by sampling bales and giving you it nutritional breakdown to help you decide if that is the right hay choice for your horse.
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To the left is a nutritional analysis document that you can download, fill out, and email back to us at myhorsevet@aol.com for us to get started on adjusting your horses nutrition program.
Colic Prevention Programs
Have your supplements go the extra mile for you! Here is a comparative chart showing all the current "colic prevention programs" to help you decide which option and supplement best fits your loved ones needs!
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Colic Prevention
Emergency Horse Care
Before approaching any sick or injured horse, remember:
Your safety comes first!
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1. Always have an escape route and two people (one to hold the horse). Even a calm horse, when sick or injured, may behave in an unexpected manner.
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2. Next, assess the horse; take note of vital signs, appetite, attitude, and when the horse was last “normal.”
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3. All the problems listed below are emergencies. Please call our office if you notice any of the signs.
Lacerations
Signs: Wounds associated with lameness or over a joint may affect important structures.
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What to do: Bandage to keep clean, keep horse confined, apply pressure bandage if bleeding.
Severe Lameness
Signs: Will not put weight on limb, reluctant to move, and sometimes limb swelling.
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What to do: Bandage if limb swollen, keep horse confined, do not give any medications unless instructed by vet.
Choke
Signs: Saliva discharge from nostrils, coughing, retching, extending the neck.
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What to do: Take away any remaining feed and try to keep horse quiet.
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Eye Injuries
Signs: Squinting, tearing, eyelid swelling, blue appearance, lacerations, discharge.
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What to do: Keep horse in barn or stall out of bright light.
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Foaling Kit
First Aid Kit
It's good to make sure you're prepared for unexpected health issues. See the important items needed in your equine first aid kit.
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First Aid Kit
From the large breeding shed row to the individual pleasure horse mare, Coastal Elite can help your horse produce a healthy foal.
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Foaling Kit
Managing Equine Metabolic Syndrome
Equine Cushing’s disease, or pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), is one of the most common diseases of older horses. PPID causes the body to produce too much steroid, which can negatively impact several bodily systems and quality of life.
Ready for Spring?
It's that time of year again! Whether you are preparing for the upcoming show season or just hoping to hit a few of the local trails in your area this summer now is the time to familiarize yourself with specific rules and requirements, prepare your documents, and beef up your disease prevention plan for your horse.
Health Certificates
This is an official document that is required for transporting horses across state lines. To obtain this form, a veterinarian must examine the horse(s) before they travel to determine that they are healthy and free of transmissible diseases.
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Rules for Horses in Competition
Regulations for showing need to be followed meticulously in order to prevent restrictions of you competing as well as potential spread of disease. Discuss showing schedule and expectations with one of our FEI licensed vets to assure your companions are ready for competition!
Vaccinations
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Vaccines protect against many fatal diseases as well as many non-fatal diseases that require significant layup time. All horses in New Jersey should be vaccinated for rabies. Eastern and Western equine encephalitis, tetanus, and West Nile encephalitis.
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Deworming
Determine if your horse is a low, moderate or high shedder of GI parasites. Use a dewormer that is effective for your horse. Decrease your horse's exposure to parasites.
Coggins Test
(EIA)
This blood test is performed to determine if horses are infected with the virus. Equine Infectious Anemia. The EIA virus can infect all equids (including donkeys and mules).
Wellness and Oral Exam
Every horse should have an annual wellness examine. We perform this exam when we administer your horse's encephalitis/tetanus vaccine. This is also the time to discuss any problems or questions you have.
Toxic Plant Guide
Of the hundreds of toxic plants in North America, only a handful are likely to bring serious harm to horses. Here are the ones most dangerous to horses in the United States.
A horse gallops with his lungs,
Perseveres with his heart,
And wins with his character.
– Tesio
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