Health
August is Make a Will Month: Planning Ahead for Your Horse’s Future
If you’re a horse owner, August is a timely reminder to think about your legacy—and the future of your equine companions. Horses are more than pets; they’re partners, athletes, and family. And just like any dependent, they deserve a plan for their care if something happens to you. Who Will Look After Your Horse? It’s…
What Diagnostics are Available for Common and Complex Equine Lameness?
Dr. Taralyn McCarrel’s journey into equine lameness began with her early experiences riding and working at a hunter barn. Recognizing the critical importance of soundness for both horses and riders, she developed a keen eye and ear for detecting lameness issues. Her passion for veterinary medicine led her to graduate from the Ontario Veterinary College…
March Kicks off Vaccination Season!
Safeguard Your Equine Partner Equine Guelph’s Vaccination Equi-Planner is a cutting-edge healthcare tool designed to help horse owners protect their valuable equine partners. This innovative tool provides a starting point to discuss a comprehensive vaccination schedule with your veterinarian that will be tailored to each horse’s unique needs, aiming for optimal health and performance. Provide Protection for Your…
Equine Guelph’s “Colic Prevention Month” Serves Easy-to-Digest Tips
February is Colic Prevention Month at Equine Guelph, when all horse owners are encouraged to raise their awareness about colic, the number one killer of horses. Take 10 minutes and visit the FREE interactive Colic Risk Rater (TheHorsePortal.ca/ColicTool). Valuable feedback is provided on the risk of colic to your horse(s) based on your current management practices. Horse owners that…
World Rabies Day ‘One Health’ Approach and the Horse Owner
On September 28, 2024, Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) coordinates World Rabies Day and this year’s theme is ‘Breaking Rabies Boundaries’. In the ‘One Health’ approach, every sector takes responsibility in the effort to tackle rabies. Rabies is a viral infection of the nervous system known to be problematic in carnivores and bats, although…
Senior Horse Education Month Features Arthritis and Pain Recognition
Chronic pain and lameness resulting from osteoarthritis (OA) and other musculoskeletal conditions are the most common causes of poor quality of life in senior horses. In the month of September, Equine Guelph promotes Senior Horse Education, increasing awareness of ways caregivers can be the best advocates for the health and welfare of their senior equines. …
Preventing Dehydration in Horses
Authors: Dr. Mike Lindinger & Gayle Ecker With exercise, the body temperature rises. This heat must be dissipated, or the horse will literally “cook”! The body cools itself through the evaporation of sweat, so sweating is especially important for the exercising horse. The sweat contains water and electrolytes, or salts. The main electrolytes are sodium,…
Equine Guelph Healthcare Tools for the Win!
One can go down many rabbit holes searching on the internet for horse health advice and Dr. Google is known to serve up many popular myths. Over the years, Equine Guelph, the Centre for the horse at the University of Guelph has developed twelve free interactive online healthcare tools to help horse owners provide optimal…
Your Vaccination Program may be Impacted by Climate Change
Learn more during Equine Guelph’s Vaccination Education Month in March Have you noticed bug season starting earlier and finishing later? Have changes in the weather caused more standing water in your paddocks? If you answered yes to these questions and wonder how climate change may impact your horses, not to mention your vaccination program, read…
Colic Prevention Education Month 2024 Focuses on GI Health for Your Horse
February is Equine Guelph’s Colic Prevention Education Month when we tackle the number one killer of horses with our highly popular free healthcare tool, Colic Risk Rater (http://www.thehorseportal.ca/ColicTool). After you complete the free risk rater to assess your horse’s risk, you will have the option to learn more by signing up for Equine Guelph’s short…
A Stable Gut: The Key to a Healthy Equine
Equine Guelph 2024 Research Annual Volume 21 – cover story by: Jackie Bellamy-Zions Gastrointestinal issues (GI) are the number one cause of morbidity in horses other than old age. An unhealthy digestive system can cause poor performance, pain, discomfort, diarrhea, and a whole host of issues that can sideline your horse. It’s no wonder researchers…
September 28 is World Rabies Day
Did you know there is a Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC)? On September 28, 2023, GARC coordinates World Rabies Day and this year’s theme is: All for 1, One Health for All. This date also marks the anniversary of Louis Pasteur’s death, the French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the first Rabies vaccine. The…