Ask the Vet

From AAEP’s Ask the Vet: Adjusting My Draft Horse’s Diet

I am in Pennsylvania and have a 6 year old, 16.2 h., athletic, Percheron x Paint/TB mare (Kit) who is an extremely easy keeper. I have had Kit for a little over a year but due to my current time constraints and the fact that she is boarded 25 miles away, I have trouble getting there consistently and thus, she is receiving very little organized exercise. She is turned out 23 hrs/day in rotated lush grassy (seasonal) pastures w/ access to the barn and plenty of water at all times…

From AAEP’s Ask the Vet: Post Colic Surgery Diet

What would you recommend for grain/hay and/or probiotics for a 15 yr old mare that has tied up before, ulcered and just had colic surgery. Her intestines were impacted with Corn Cob bedding. She is not forming manure yet, still cow patty style, she will be home a week March 3rd. Thanks, Brenda

Does Your Overweight Horse Need to Lose A Few Pounds?

I have acquired an overweight horse that needs to lose approximately 150 pounds. I plan to feed him mixed and grass hay with minimal to no grain. Because of this I feel he needs a vitamin/mineral supplement to make up for any deficiencies due to hay quality. Any suggestions? L.S.

10 Guidelines for Smarter Feeding Webinar

10 Guidelines for Smarter Equine Feeding Strategies (Presented live on February 21, 2012) Description: SmartPak Equine experts share their top priorities for a healthy feeding strategy for your horse. Come take a look! Listen to the SmartPak 10 Guidelines for Smarter Equine Feeding Strategies Webinar: 10 Guidelines for Smarter Equine Feeding Strategies View more presentations [...]

From Fat to Fit: Feeding the Overweight Dog

If my dog is overweight, how do I determine if he should be on a weight-loss food or if cutting the current food is best? SM, North Carolina

Using Oral Joint Supplements with Injectable Joint Medications

I have a wonderful vet who just put my horse on Adequan which I am very happy about. My only question is can I now stop with oral joint supplements, this can be very costly. Thanks CS, Florida

Moon Blindness—A Life Sentence?

My 10 y/o Warmblood mare was just recently diagnosed with ERU or Moon Blindness in her right eye. I was told by the vet that she would have to be on a daily dose of aspirin for the rest of her life. I am worried about ulcers, is there a specific aspirin that I should be using? How often should I have her checked for ulcers? She has never had a history of ulcers or other digestive issues (KNOCK ON WOOD). Thank you so much,
KP, Illinois

Dry Skin Solutions

My horse is 22 years old and is showing signs of very dry skin everywhere. What product is the best to use for this condition? Thank you! CM, Pennsylvania

Tail Chewing in Youngsters

I have about 15 young horses (a mix of weanlings and yearlings) turned out together. They have a large turnout area, but there isn’t much grass, so we provide them with free choice hay from a hay bunker (an alfalfa/grass mix). They also receive fortified grain and have access to salt/mineral blocks. We’ve been breeding horses for many years, and for some reason over the past year we’ve started to have a problem with some of these young horses chewing each other’s tails off…

Nephrosplenic Entrapment as a Cause of Colic

My gelding recently had a nephrosplenic entrapment. Treated successfully with rolling. What can be done to prevent this? Are there any early warning signs that I may have missed? How often does this recur? DG, Pennsylvania