Immunizations

Vaccination is a key part of preventative disease. Vaccinations work by training the body’s immune system, through the production of antibodies, to fight off infectious diseases. Hub City Veterinary Clinic follows the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) guidelines when determining which vaccinations are appropriate for your horse. A link to the AAEP vaccination guidelines can be found below. Also listed below is a general breakdown of the vaccinations we commonly recommend in Lubbock and surrounding areas. Please call us today if you have any questions or concerns.

Core Vaccinations: Vaccines that are recommended for all horses

  • Rabies
  • Eastern/Western Equine Encephalomyelitis
  • West Nile Virus
  • Tetanus

Risk Based Vaccinations: Vaccinations that are recommended, in addition to core vaccinations, for horses exposed to many other horses from different environments and/or herds (stables, boarding facilities, shows or performance events, etc)

  • Strangles-particularly young horses
  • Equine Herpesvirus
  • Equine Influenza

Please call us today for more information on creating and carrying out a vaccination program for your horse.
https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines

Nutrition

Nutrition is vital to every animal species. Nutrition recommendations are made on a case by case basis and tailored to your horse’s needs. Nutritional requirements depend on your horses’ age and lifestyle. Ask us how we can help. Dr. Ledford is available for nutritional recommendations.

“Coggins”

A “Coggins” test is a laboratory test used to determine if a horse or other equid has the virus known as Equine Infectious Anemia. This is an incurable disease, and prevention is the gold standard. The “Coggins” test looks for antibodies to the virus within the blood. If antibodies are present, then that means the horse has been infected/exposed to the virus. This disease is reportable, therefore all positive cases must be filed with the Texas Animal Health Commision (TAHC) and the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS).

Hub City Veterinary Clinic recommends always maintaining an up to date negative “Coggins” record. A blood sample is drawn by our veterinarians and sent to a registered laboratory. The official test record is filed in our records and given to you for your records and travel purposes. Call us today to inquire about “Coggins” testing today.

For more information refer to the links below:
https://www.tahc.texas.gov/news/brochures/TAHCBrochure_EIA.pdf
https://aaep.org/horsehealth/equine-infectious-anemia-only-protection-prevention

Parasite Control

Parasite control is a major issue of concern in southern states where temperatures are ideal for parasite maturation during large parts of the year. Not all situations are created equal when making recommendations for proper parasite management in horses. Therefore we follow the general guidelines that were published by the American Association of Veterinary Practitioners (AAEP) when making recommendations for your horse in regards to parasite management. The guidelines listed below are from the “AAEP Parasite Control Guidelines” publication. A link to this publication can be found below.

Drug resistance is becoming a major concern in the control of internal parasites. Listed below is the Hub City Veterinary Clinic general guidelines. However, this should not replace the use of fecal examinations to determine the need and/or efficacy of treatment with de-wormers. Please call us today if you have any questions or concerns.

Foals: High Round Worm Risk

  • 2-3 Months- Panacur
  • Weaning- Panacur
  • 9 Months- Quest Plus
  • 12 Months- Quest

1-3 Year Olds: High Strongyle Risk
Treatments are ideal when average temperatures are 77-91 degrees Fahrenheit.
Three yearly treatments with Quest Plus

3-15 Year Olds:
Spring- Quest Plus
Fall- Quest/Quest Plus/Ivermectin

>15 Years Old:
Annual or Biannual treatment is generally recommended.
Annual Treatment

  • Spring-Quest Plus

Biannual Treatment

  • Spring-Quest Plus
  • Fall- Quest/Quest Plus/Ivermectin

https://aaep.org/sites/default/files/Guidelines/AAEPParasiteControlGuidelines_0.pdf

“Given the information provided in this document, what is a rational worm control program? Worm control programs are best viewed as a yearly cycle starting at the time of year when worm transmission to horses changes from negligible to probable. Furthermore, it is critical that all treatment recommendations be viewed in the proper context. All treatment and nontreatment recommendations are made within the context of a preventive program where FEC surveillance is being performed. These recommendations, which are based on epidemiological principles, may not apply to individual horses on farms. Thus, if presented with a horse showing evidence of parasitic disease during the times of the year when treatments are not recommended (e.g., summer in south, winter in north), then this horse should be treated – and if the horse is showing overt symptoms of intestinal parasitic disease then moxidectin would be the treatment of choice since it is important to kill the encysted mucosal larvae in these animals. The larvicidal regimen of fenbendazole (10 mg/kg for five consecutive days) can be applied for this purpose, if a FECRT reveals full efficacy of this drug.

It is important to keep in mind that these are just suggestions; thus, there are many variations of these suggested programs that would still meet the same goals and follow the same principles. Ultimately, each farm (with veterinary guidance) should develop its own program tailored to the specific needs of the farm and each animal. There is no such thing as a “one size fits all” program.

As outlined, all adult horses should benefit from a basic foundation of one or two treatments per year. Low egg shedding horses with naturally strong immunity to cyathostomins will need no other treatments because the two treatments have covered the needs of the other parasites and these horses are generally protected naturally from disease caused by cyathostomins by their immune state. In traditional deworming programs, repeated treatment of low shedder horses every 2-3 months accomplishes little to improve their health, but it does promote drug resistance. Moderate and high egg shedders will need a third and sometimes a fourth treatment for cyathostomins. Daily pyrantel tartrate (if no pyrantel resistance is present) or moxidectin can be considered for suppression of egg shedding in consistent high strongyle shedders.

Any additional treatments would be given on an “as needed” basis depending on whether a specific parasitic infection or disease is diagnosed. For example, if Anoplocephala eggs are seen when performing FEC, a second tapeworm treatment during the year might be warranted. Likewise, if pinworms are diagnosed, any horse showing symptoms should be treated with an effective anthelmintic. Ivermectin and moxidectin remain the foundation for control of strongyle parasites, although signs of emerging resistance have been reported. In contrast, resistance to these drugs is common in Parascaris spp. Thus, efficacy should be proven with a FERCT before using these drugs to control Parascaris spp. in foals.

Strongyle resistance is well documented against pyrantel, fenbendazole, and oxibendazole, but these drugs can still be effective against cyathostomins on some farms and can therefore be used if a FECRT has documented good efficacy. In addition, resistance in Parascaris spp. is still uncommon for these drugs, thus these are often solid choices when targeting this parasite.”

Dental Health

Annual dental evaluation is an essential aspect to your horse’s healthcare. Horses may suffer from a number of dental problems, and treatment/prevention of these problems is vital to your horses comfort and overall health. Below is a list of common problems associated with equine teeth:

  • Sharp Enamel Points
  • Tongue and Cheek Lacerations
  • Retained deciduous (baby) teeth
  • Pain from bit contact with wolf teeth
  • Hooks and Ramps on Cheek teeth
  • Lost or broken teeth
  • Excessive tooth wear
  • Abnormally long teeth
  • Infected teeth and/or gums
  • Malalignment of teeth
  • Periodontal disease

Common clinical signs recognized by owners related to abnormal dental pathology include:

  • Dropping feed while eating
  • Losing weight
  • Undigested feed particles in manure
  • Head tilting or tossing
  • Bit chewing
  • Fighting the bit
  • Foul odor from mouth or nostrils
  • Nasal discharge
  • Facial swelling

To avoid malocclusion of the teeth as they wear, “floating” is often performed on an annual basis and tailored to each individual horse. This involves filing the teeth to remove sharp enamel points that cause pain and discomfort, as well as correcting alignment and occlusion of the teeth. Prevention is always the best medicine. Dr. Ledford performs thorough dental physical exams prior to treatment, and provides annotated notes for owners to have for their records. Dr. Ledford is able to perform dental exams and occlusal adjustments in the field on a mobile basis. Schedule your appointment today.

There are many myths surrounding the field of equine dentistry. Click here for a very informative article regarding this topic, we have summarized these concepts below:

MYTH- Floating is the only dental care my horse needs
Floating does not summarize equine dental care. Floating is a process that removes sharp enamel points that cause pain and damage to soft tissue structures in the mouth. However, horses also get broken teeth, loose teeth, infected teeth, periodontal disease, etc. Dental examination is a critical component of the diagnostic and treatment process. Dr. Ledford performs dental exams and reviews his findings prior to treatment at every dental appointment.

MYTH- Dropping feed means my horse needs its teeth floated
While it is true that sharp enamel points, broken teeth, infected teeth, and cheek abrasions cause pain that can result in inappetence, pain, and “dropping feed”, there are other diseases that can mimic this issue. RABIES virus can cause difficulty swallowing, choke, and colic symptoms. It is imperative that a licensed veterinarian examine your horse to determine if an abnormality is a dental problem prior to sedating and treating your horse.

MYTH- Sedation is not required to perform dental work
In order to properly examine a horse’s teeth and mouth, sedation is required. If sedation is not administered, then a thorough and detailed exam is not possible. A survey exam for age, incisor malocclusion and front cheek teeth may be performed without sedation, but this is not a thorough exam that can rule out many of the problems previously listed.

MYTH- Motorized instruments are bad
Motorized instruments do not remove too much tooth or cause thermal injury. The operator of the instrument is responsible for removing too much tooth during a floating procedure. That is why it is important to have a well-trained veterinarian perform this procedure. Motorized instruments allow for more precise and accurate floating, and they are much more comfortable for the horse.

Mobile Equine Services

  • Annual Physical exams, Immunizations, and “Coggins” Testing
  • Dental Evaluation and Occlusal Adjustments i.e. “Floating”
  • Lameness exams and Digital X-Ray Imaging
  • Field Surgery
  • Lacerations and Trauma
  • Internal Medicine
  • Alternative Therapies
    • Laser Therapy
    • Acupuncture
    • Chiropractic (coming soon)

Equine Emergencies

We are not currently offering after hours equine services. If your horse has an emergency outside of our normal business hours please call Brock Veterinary Clinic in Lamesa, TX at (806) 872-3183.