Basic Preventative Care

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Annual Wellness Exam

OC Equine patients are required to have a complete wellness exam at least once a year to assess their general well-being and maintain active client status. Problems can be identified and treated early before they lead to bigger, more painful or costly problems. 

At this exam we:

  • Review medical history, medications, and current diet/supplementation

  • Listen to heart, lungs and gut

  • Examine eyes and skin

  • Evaluate body condition and weight

  • Palpation of neck, back, and legs

  • Hoof quality evaluation

  • Basic gait assessment

For our performance horses we recommend:

  • Soundness evaluation on lunge line and/or under saddle

  • Complete set of flexions

Vaccinations and deworming

Vaccinating horses is crucial because it provides individual and herd immunity from potentially fatal diseases.

Vaccine and deworming recommendations can be found at this link

Oral Exam/Floating

All horses, regardless of age, should have a complete oral exam performed once a year, or more often for horses with certain oral problems.

Additional dentistry information can be found at this link

Sheath Cleaning (Geldings and Stallions)

An annual sheath cleaning is recommended for all gelding and stallions to remove the excessive buildup of smegma and remove any beans from the urethra.  

We recommend this typically be done at the same time as your horse’s oral exam, as light sedation is typically needed.

Microchips

Microchips are unique and permanent numerical identification that cannot be altered. They are required for USEF and FEI show horses, and allow for owners and horses to be reunited during natural disasters.

Electronic devices the size of a grain of rice easily implanted in the nuchal ligament in the neck half way between the poll and withers, just below the mane.