Equestrian Clinics

Rabies. The word conjures up chilling images from old movies: a snarling dog, foaming at the mouth, attacking anything that moves. But did you know horses are very susceptible to this disease?

 Skunks, foxes, bats, and raccoons are the main wild animals that transmit rabies. These all live in habitats bordering typical horse farms. Wild animals with rabies behave abnormally, and as horses are curious, it is easy to imagine how they can be bitten by a rabid carrier. A single bite can transmit enough virus to kill.

During the recent summer Olympics, some of the world’s finest equine athletes competed in various equestrian events. These were some of the elite performance horses attended to by team veterinarians. Many of these veterinarians utilized veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic in their treatment regimens for these outstanding athletes.

The horse's largest and most visible organ is his skin. Its job is to protect the internal organs from the outside environment; to help maintain constant temperature, water, and mineral balance; and to provide the sensations of pain and touch. The skin is composed of the epidermis--a dried cellular layer--and the dermis--the live portion of the skin. The dermis holds the nerve endings, hair follicles, blood vessels, and sweat glands. Most skin problems originate in the dermal layer.

The use of “complementary” therapies continues to increase in veterinary practice. While there are a myriad of modalities that fall within this broad term, the two most utilized are veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic (sometimes referred to as manual therapy). It is felt that as more of the population turn to complementary therapies for their own health care, those individuals then seek out such therapies for their animals. It should be stressed that the term “complementary” is the correct term for the use of veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic.