Equine
We provide internal medicine evaluations, surgical procedures, dentistry, reproduction and farm visits for our equine patients. Through the advancement of technology over the last several years we are able to offer performance floats that aid in both the health of the horse and their performance through the use of full-mouth speculums and motorize dental tools. Ultrasound technology aids in evaluations of the reproduction tract of broodmares in determining when to artificially inseminate mares as well as early pregnancy detection.
Equine Vaccination Schedule
Vaccination schedule for Adult Horses
Vaccination schedule for Foals
Gibson Veterinary Clinic offers comprehensive equine services, customized for the needs of the individual, whether you raise horses for pleasure, work, or show. Consult with Dr Tucker for your individual equine or herd wellness care needs, including:
- Vaccinations
- Equine reproduction
- Nutritional needs
- Equine dental care
- Preventative care for horses
Equine Dental Care
We provide comprehensive dental care for most equine needs. All horses, from weanling to senior, benefit from annual dental examinations. This simple routine care can reduce the amount of tooth loss, diagnose other medical conditions such as choke and colic, and may ultimately prolong a horse’s lifespan.
Power equipment is used in our dental work under sedation, increasing accuracy, promoting efficiency, and aiding in precise and complete correction of dental problems. These services are offered at either our clinic or your farm for your convenience and the comfort of your animals.
Equine Reproductive Services
Aside from basic herd wellness and care, we offer extensive equine reproductive services, including artificial insemination and reproductive ultrasounds.
Equine Artificial Insemination
We provide equine artificial insemination services with cooled semen. Breeding mares with cooled semen requires that all parties involved—mare owners, stallion managers, and veterinarians—need to coordinate semen shipments with the mare’s ovulation before shipping semen.
Some potential items to consider:
- Cost of stallion collection
- Cost of preparing semen for shipment, number of collections provided per breeding, the cost of shipping by air, and how shipping containers must be returned
- Days of the week stallion is collected
- Times when stallion is unavailable
- Days notice stallion manager needs before semen shipment
- Latest time one can call to obtain semen
- Longevity of semen
- First cycle conception rate of the stallion
- Method of transport used
- Number of times mare can be bred if she does not conceive, according to the contract
First cycle conception rates tend to be slightly lower with shipped semen than with natural breeding. Cooled semen opens up increased opportunities for available stallions, decreases some risks, and eliminates transport of the mare to the stallion’s breeding facility. Artificial insemination does require more intense breeding management, and veterinary costs are higher. Mares need to be examined regularly and bred within 24 hours of ovulation. Using HCG can influence ovulation, although response can be variable between mares.
Equine Reproductive Ultrasound
The use of reproductive ultrasound for breeding evaluation, as well as insemination timing, can increase the likelihood of pregnancy in your brood mares. Pregnancy diagnosis can be performed at or around 15 days post-insemination, giving sufficient time to reorder semen if needed.
The technology of reproductive ultrasound is safe and relatively low in cost, making it a necessary tool for the equine breeder. Gibson Veterinary Clinic offers skill and experience in the use of reproductive ultrasound.
Contact us for any questions you may have or to schedule your appointment with our Dr Tucker.
For the industry’s best information about equine care, visit the website of the American Association of Equine Practitioners.
For information about horse vaccines, see the links above or view the American Association of Equine Practitioners website.