New Ross Veterinary Services

 Treatment with Care and Compassion               

 

 

 

 

 

Horse care

 

Vaccinations Recommended for Adult Horses:

Pleasure Horses

  • Encephalitis (Eastern & Western) and Tetanus Vaccination should be done yearly.
  • Rabies vaccination should be done yearly.
  • West Nile Virus should be done every 6 to 12 months.  

Show Horses

  • Encephalitis (Eastern & Western) and Tetanus Vaccination should be done yearly.
  • Rabies vaccination should be done yearly.
  • West Nile Virus should be done every 6 to 12 months.  
  • Rhino/Flu vaccination should be done every 6 months (spring and fall).
  • Strangles-optional. 

Pregnant Mares

  • Should be vaccinated against Rhinopneumonitis at 5, 7, & 9 months of pregnancy ONLY with Pneumabort-K.  This helps prevent abortions due to infection with Rhinopneumonitis .

Vaccinations Recommended for Foals:

  • Same as for pleasure horses, starting at 5-6 months, but must be boostered in 3-4 weeks after first vaccination. 
  • Vaccinate for tetanus within 12-24 hours after foaling, if mare is not current on tetanus vaccination. 
  • May also want to vaccinate for Rhinopneumonitis and Influenza.

Deworming Your Horse or Foal:

Parasites are a very serious health problem for horses, and all horses need to be dewormed on a regular basis. Deworming should be done a minimum of 4 times yearly, depending on your individual situation. We can design a deworming program for your horses.

Dental Care:

Horses should have their teeth assessed yearly for wear, and other abnormalities. As horses chew, they can wear sharp edges on their teeth, which need to be "floated" (another name for filing the teeth down). More serious problems can develop, especially as the horse ages, so it is important to have your horse checked on a regular basis.

Normal Parameters for The Horse:*
  • Temperature 98-102 degrees (foals may be at the higher end)
  • Pulse 28-36 beats per minute (foals 70-100 bpm)
  • Respiratory rate should be 10-24 at rest.
  • Gut sounds should be present at least every 30-60 seconds.
  • Gum color should be pink, and capillary refill time should be less than 2 seconds.  (Press your thumb against the gums and see how long it takes to fill in.)

Normal Parameters for Foals After Birth:*
  • Gestational Length: 315-365 days
  • Time to Suckling Reflex: 20-30 minutes
  • Time to Standing: less than 2 hours
  • Time to Nursing: 1- 3 hours
  • Able to Stand on Own: less than 3 hours
  • Body Temperature : 99-102 degrees (for first four days).
  • Heart Rate: 60-80 bpm (for first five minutes).
  • First Urination: 8 hours after birth
  • Passage of Meconium: within 12 hours
  • Mare should pass placenta within 3-4 hours.
  • Foals should be given an IgG Blood Test and a general exam by a veterinarian within 12-18 hours after birth.

*Anything above or below these ranges can indicate a sign of illness, and should be brought to our attention, especially if the horse is "not acting right."

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