 As they say, “no hoof, no horse”. What that means is when a horse’s hoof hurts, the horse cannot perform or move as they should, and they are in pain. But keeping your horse’s hooves healthy is usually as simple as regular farriery work and good footing (though some horses seem to have less than ideal hooves that require more careful maintenance). My horse sees his farrier every 7 weeks. He is barefoot with great hooves, so he can go a little longer between trimmings. If your horse is shod, they may need new shoes/pads every 4-6 weeks (though I have heard some go as long as 8 weeks). My advice, talk with your farrier. They know your horse best and will help you determine the best schedule. And remember, not all farriers are the same. A good farrier will have a good education under their belt and have gone through an apprenticeship for a few years. Don’t be afraid to ask them about their background. Even a well educated farrier may not be right for your horse however. I tired one guy that would smack my horse for the slightest shift. He trimmed Harley exactly once; I was not going to have him smacking my horse around like that.
Spring can be the worst time of year for keeping healthy hooves. If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, the mud that results can be a breeding ground for bacteria. That bacteria can enter into a tiny hole or crack in the hoof or coronet band to create the dreaded abscess. I can hear you groaning from here. Every horse owner will have to deal with an abscess at some point in time. Some are worse than others (apparently my horse had one once, but never knowed signs of lameness, my farrier found the divet). Thrush is another headache for horse owners to deal with. Less painful than an abscess, it still needs to be treated. Thrush occurs from bacteria getting into the frog. This usually happens when the hoof is constantly in moisture without anytime to dry out. Best way to avoid an abscess or thrush, is to try and keep your horse on dry footing as much as possible during the wet months; either with mats, gravel, shavings or some combo of all three. Daily hoof cleaning and application of treatments like Thrush Buster (my personal favorite but that stuff will stain anything purple) can help keep hooves healthy before bacteria seeps in. Treating abscesses and thrush is best done under supervision of both your vet and farrier. Need some extra help keeping your horses hooves healthy? You may want to consider a supplement like Farrier’s Formula or a biotin supplement. Adding some canola or vegetable oil to their feed is another budget friendly option. Keeping your horse on a regular exercise program can also help them maintain healthy hooves. Exercise helps to promote good circulation and proper hoof growth. Your horses' hooves are a vital part of keeping them healthy. Make sure to inspect/clean them daily, treat as necessary and maintain regular farrier visits. Resources: Thrush Buster: https://bit.ly/2OUUSjO https://horseandrider.com/health/hoof-care-help https://www.lifedatalabs.com/farriers-formula
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Valentine's day is just around the corner! Don’t have a significant other? That's okay; you have your pet!! While you may not be able to celebrate in the traditional fashion, who cares as long as you’re having fun with your furry friend?
Have a significant other but want to include your pet? Keep reading as well. One fun thing you can do is make your pet a special meal (just be sure not to make it too rich or with too many fatty foods or it could cause stomach upset) or add something special to their regular food like small amounts of cheese, whipped cream, nut butter (check to make sure that it is free from Xylitol) or raw beef. For dessert you can make them some homemade Pupcakes made with peanut butter and bananas. (Click here for the recipe) Then snuggle up on the couch under the blankets with your dog or cat, with your favorite warm beverage, and turn on your favorite RomCom to enjoy the best night ever. A few safety things to consider though (after all, this wouldn’t be a wellness blog without the safety considerations). Be sure to keep all chocolates out of the reach of your pets. While milk chocolate is not as deadly as dark chocolate, it can still cause stomach upset, diarrhea and nasty gas. If you suspect your pet has eaten chocolate, call your vet immediately. You may be wondering what it is about dark chocolate that makes it so dangerous; it's the caffeine and theobromine which are both toxic to dogs. Click the link here to learn more about chocolate toxicity in dogs. If you purchase flowers or receive flowers as a gift, make sure they do not have lilies in the bouquet. Lilies are very toxic to dogs and deadly for cats. Click here for more information on why lilies are toxic. Also, if you choose to imbibe during Valentines Day, do not offer your pet any alcohol --this is also very toxic to your pet! One final thing: If you do have a significant other who does not live with you and you are inviting them over for Valentines Day, be sure your pet is comfortable having them around. Your cat may hide when they come over. Let them hide and feel safe in their spot until they are ready to meet your guest. If your dog is nervous, be sure to properly introduce your guest to your dog, let your dog smell them and approach at their pace. Never force an animal to interact with any guest in your home. February is pet dental health month. Just like the health of your teeth and mouth is important to your overall health and wellbeing, same goes for your pet. The best way to help your pet maintain a healthy mouth is to brush their teeth. Now you don’t need to brush twice a day like we humans do, but a few times a week is recommended to prevent dental disease. But before you go at your dog or cat with a pet safe toothbrush loaded with pet safe toothpaste, you first need to get them used to it. Start by rubbing your pets gums with your finger, reward them for accepting it. Next, introduce the brush to your pet, by letting them smell it, chew it if they like, rub on it, reward them for accepting it. Then start to touch their teeth with the brush (don’t move it across their teeth yet), reward them for accepting it. Slowly start to move the brush back and forth across a few teeth until you’ve worked your way up to all the teeth, reward each step as they accept it. Let them smell and taste some of the pet safe toothpaste, reward them for accepting it. Finally, put some pet safe toothpaste on the pet safe toothbrush and start brushing, reward them for accepting it. All of these steps will take days to weeks to implement. It all depends on the pet and their tolerance for the brush and the paste. Cats may take longer than a dog. Never force your pet to accept any of these steps. This is meant to be enjoyable or at least train them enough to accept it.
If you tried and your pet absolutely will not accept the toothbrush/toothpaste combo (looking at you Chester and Lilly!) you can try hard chews such as those that are fully edible and made from ingredients such as milk, cheese, human grade tapioca or potatoes (or compressed vegetables), NO RAWHIDES!! They’re not as healthy as you think! Another good choice is a recreational bone made from big beef or bison bones. These bones should still have some meat and soft tissue attached to it and I hear you “ew gross that sounds awful”. It may be to us, but to your dog, all that leftover meat and soft tissue is floss for their teeth. Sadly for cats, there aren’t a lot of good options on the market for dental chews. Greenies are popular, but they’re honestly not a great option, just look at the first few ingredients: Chicken meal, wheat, brown rice, corn gluten meal, poultry fat. These are not ingredients for good dental health. It would be like your dentist telling you to eat potato chips to keep your teeth clean. Please, please, please do not buy “dental diet”, “prescription/veterinary/special” food either. It’s exactly the same as the Greenies. You can try adding a dental additive to their water, just make sure they also have another option of fresh clear water. Cats are notorious for not drinking enough water and you don’t want to give them an excuse to drink less. Another option I like is Plaque Off powder or a similar seaweed product. It’s a simple additive to their food and it helps to keep their teeth clean and no bad ingredients: Ascophyllum Nodosum (seaweed) and (some contain) Brewer's Yeast, that’s it. So in summary, DO NOT: feed any rawhide. I’ll link a video down below explaining the truth about how rawhides are made (disclaimer: if you have a weak stomach, don’t watch). Avoid Greenies for dogs and cats, they’re made from ingredients that don’t actually help with dental health. Avoid the “dental diets” as they are just as bad as the greenies. Stay away from pigs ears, nylabones, plastic bones, or anything they can chew and break off and possibly swallow. DO: teeth brushing with pet safe toothpaste and toothbrushes, seaweed powder, recreational bones with meat and soft tissue still attached. Helpful Links: PetMd Tips for Brushing Teeth Healthy Pet Detal Treet |
AuthorMy name is Jenn Hodge, CPPS. I've been a professional pet sitter since 2009 and I have a passion for helping your pets live their best life! I have 2 adorable and sassy cats, 1 horse and a fish tank with guppies and an aquatic frog. My husband, Ryan Hodge, CPPS and author, also works in my pet business. Archives
October 2024
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