Routine work
The things we do day to day may be small, but they are the backbone of keeping your horse, pony or donkey healthy and happy.
The team at Gibbs Marsh have extensive and wide-ranging experience in treating equines of all shapes, sizes and disciplines. We are always available to talk you through any queries you may have regarding your horse's health, however mundane they may seem. We also regularly work alongside a multitude of veterinary paraprofessionals such as farriers, physiotherapists and nutritionists to bring you a cohesive and well-rounded approach to your animal's wellbeing.
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Equine dental care
Horses have very different dentition to dogs and humans, with hypsodont teeth that are continuously growing throughout their lives. As the horse is designed to grind coarse grasses for many hours of the day, the teeth are continuously worn down at an equal rate to their growth. In our modern management of horses, they spend fewer hours grazing, eat in unnatural positions and wear bridles, all of which make their dental health of great importance. Dental issues account for one of the most common causes of poor weight, difficult ridden behaviour and pain in horses.
We recommend a routine dental exam once a year for all horses, and twice a year for those identified as needing specific dental work. We preferentially use motorised dental equipment with the horse sedated for its comfort and our safety, however we also carry hand-held rasps if required.
Equine laboratory
We partner with AXIOM, an external Devon-based veterinary laboratory that provides a dedicated courier service and next-day results for a multitude of diagnostic samples. AXIOM have resident specialists in clinical pathology and internal medicine to support us in critical interpretations of diagnostic samples. We are able to analyse a wide range of joint fluid, faecal, urine, tissue and blood samples, from a comprehensive blood panel to a specific PPID/Cushing's test.
Vaccinations
Vaccines reduce the risk and severity of disease. There are vaccines available for a large range of infectious diseases depending on the age and lifestyle of your animal. Some vaccinations may be mandatory if you compete with a registered organisation, intend on breeding your horse or are on a public yard.
Equine influenza
Influenza is a highly contagious, viral upper respiratory tract disease, characterised by coughing, fever and malaise. Vaccines are given as a starting course of two vaccinations one month apart, followed by a third six months later, then annually thereafter. Some competition organisations require that competing horses are within six months and 21 days of a vaccination, necessitating six-monthly vaccinations for those competing all year round.
Tetanus
Tetanus is a bacterial disease caused by Clostridium tetani, which leads to fatal whole-body paralysis. The bacteria is found in soil, but the disease is very rare due to effective vaccination protocols. Vaccines are given as a starting course of two vaccines one month apart, then every two years.
Equine herpes virus
There are multiple viral strains of this disease, however two strains cause disease most commonly in the UK: EHV-1 and EHV-4. Once a horse has been infected with EHV, they remain infected lifelong and the virus may trigger symptoms at any point in the future. EHV-1 causes respiratory disease in young horses, abortions in pregnant mares and, in the most severe cases, neurological signs. EHV-4 also causes abortions in pregnant mares. In the UK we usually only vaccinate on specific request for at-risk horses. For pregnant mares, EHV vaccination is recommended at 5, 7 and 9 months of gestation.
