Schedule routine dental exams for your horse based on age and lifestyle.
Routine dental care is essential for your horses health and longevity. Horses of different ages/life stages/lifestyles should be checked for different dental problems. Below is a timetable for routine exams and what you should be looking for.
Have your veterinarian perform a lameness exam to aid in diagnosing cause of lameness.
A lameness exam is a great way to get the diagnosis of your horses lameness started. The lameness exam is often broken up in to multiple steps:
Physical Examination: visually examining the horse of any visible signs of lameness, conformation defects, palpation and manipulation to view heat, pain or swelling.
Examination in Motion: examining the horse in its 3 gaits (if horse is capable of doing more then a walk). Often done in hand or ridden.
Flexion Tests: stress particular areas and structures in the horse to see if they show any lameness or worsened lameness. Flexion of a joint is often performed and horse is immediately asked to trot away.
Know signs of lameness before they get to far.
Knowing signs of initial lameness can help you to get a quick diagnosis before the lameness becomes a permanent of debilitating problem for your horse. Some signs of lameness include:
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