Ingestion of slaframine stimulates secretion of saliva, sometimes to the point that copious amounts escape the mouth when opened. What triggers saliva production? Salivary glands secretion is mainly controlled by the autonomous nervous system. Parasympathetic stimulation produces abundant quantities of watery saliva, whereas sympathetic stimulation produces more viscous saliva (Bardow, Read more…
Investigation with blood tests is necessary to check if the horse has any functional testicular tissue. Abnormal testicles can be difficult to remove. The condition can be hereditary so affected stallions should not be used for breeding. How do you test if a horse is a rig? Tests and treatment Read more…
Horses are being bred to win races, not to sustain a long healthy life. The sad reality is that once the horse is worn out- “retired”- most will be killed. The public does not hear about race horses that had to be put down due to broken bones, unless it Read more…
The Stallion Although most stallions begin to produce sperm as early as 12 to 14 months, most are at least 15 months or older before they can successfully breed. Few stallions are used at stud before two years of age and most stallions acquire full reproductive capacity at around three Read more…
Once a stallion has been castrated, he can no longer reproduce. A vet removes both testicles and all of the supporting structures. Can a proud cut gelding reproduce? Proud-cut geldings are usually infertile. If your vet suspects that your horse has a retained testicle, they will use diagnostics, including the Read more…
While geldings are sometimes less desirable than stallions, they can actually make great racehorses. Geldings are typically more focused. easier to train and more even-tempered than stallions. Are geldings allowed to race? Typically, only a few days are lost in the horse’s training schedule, as exercise is an important part Read more…
Approximately week after castration, your horse will no longer be able to impregnate a mare but hormone levels may take 4 weeks to subside. Many geldings, particularly if they have been castrated when sexually mature, may retain some of the characteristics associated with a stallion. Can a gelded horse get Read more…
A horses’ ability to see depth is limited because their eyes are set so far apart. From most angles, horses cannot get a left-eye and right-eye view of the same object in one glance. Do horses have poor eyesight? Equine eyes are eight times larger than human eyes; in fact, Read more…
The most common involves the placement of a chemical irritant over the injured area of a distal limb and then placing it under bandage. The thought process behind blistering is that the increased blood flow caused by the blister will lead to a faster rate of healing to a chronic Read more…
Activated charcoal and mineral oil may be administered through a nasogastric tube by your veterinarian to help evacuate toxins from the gastrointestinal tract and delay potential absorption. Gastric protectants may decrease gastrointestinal discomfort and colic. Antibiotics are mainly prophylactic (preventive). How can you tell a blister beetle? How to identify Read more…