Equine Services

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That saying holds true for horses also. As part of our routine care, we provide vaccinations, deworming, Coggins testing, and dental care. At the time of service, we can discuss any issues you may have with your horse, including nutritional needs, training programs, geriatric care, etc. If you are unable to get your horse to us for whatever reason, we can bring your horse into the clinic for you.

An extensive physical examination, lameness evaluation, neurologic examination, and drug screen are offered by us prior to purchasing a horse. The information gathered is used by the prospective buyer and/or agent to determine whether the horse will be serviceable for its intended use. The exam can include laboratory testing, digital radiographs, endoscopy, and ultrasound exams.

Aged horses can have sub-clinical health care issues that can be identified and treated before they become a problem. If your horse is over 15 years of age, we recommend a complete physical examination and blood testing to establish baseline values.

Ultrasonography uses sound waves to evaluate soft tissues like tendons and ligaments, reproductive organs, lumps, and tumors. It is painless and non-invasive.

For over 20 years, the Pony Express Lab has been serving not only clients of Cobb Veterinary Clinic but other surrounding veterinary offices. The lab offers in-house testing and often same-day results of Equine Infectious Anemia, aka “Coggins Testing.” Tests are run twice per week, on Tuesdays and Fridays at noon. Urgently needed Coggins tests are also offered outside of the regular testing times when prior arrangements have been made by calling the clinic at 432-682-6405.

The lab has been an exceptional part of the clinic, offering the opportunity to our equine clients to test for EIA with minimal turnaround time keeping them rodeo ready. In the state of Texas, it is required that all equine (horses, ponies, asses, mules, and zebra) 6 months of age or older or when a change of ownership occurs, be tested every 12 months for EIA regardless of movement and use.

Additional Resources:
What is Equine Infectious Anemia?
Texas Administrative Code

Stallion management is key in ensuring a successful breeding season. We strive to make our stallions the most comfortable they can be while they stay with us. Studs standing at CVC will be housed in an 18×22 stall at night. We can accommodate special feed rations to maintain a healthy weight and body condition during their stay. Stallions living here are put on CVC’s deworming, vaccination, and hoof care program throughout the year. Some owners prefer to keep their stallion at home and haul in for day collections, which works well once he is properly trained.

The CVC staff have years of experience handling stallions who have had little reproductive training. We can work with your stallion that is having problems in the breeding shed such as low libido, failure to mount or ejaculate, aggression towards the mare or his handler along with other issues.

Each stallion brought to CVC is taught to mount our Phantom and be collected into an Artificial Vagina (A-V). We work with many stallions, young and old, each year that need to be trained to a breeding phantom. This not only ensures the stallion’s safety by not having to mount a mare but also reduces the chance of the people involved in the procedure getting injured. There is also a reduction in the risk of disease transmission by not allowing live cover. A tease mare is lead in and placed inside of our tease rail where they can show interest in one another, yet he cannot mount her. When the stallion is ready, he is led up to the breeding phantom, allowed to mount, and is collected in the A-V. For each breeding session, the stallion is expected to respect his handler and others around; however, he can show stallion characteristics.

At CVC, we have the capability to evaluate stallions for breeding soundness by examining the testicles, penis, and accessory sex glands along with their semen. Each ejaculate is examined for volume, color, concentration of sperm, sperm motility, and morphology; records are kept on stallion behavior as well. Stallions are evaluated for overall soundness in addition to breeding soundness.

We see quality mare care as a necessity at CVC. Mares staying with us for breeding work come into their own stall in the evening and then are turned out into large paddocks during the day (weather permitting). We have ample space for single mares as well as mares with foals. With our feeding regimen, it is simple for us to accommodate certain diets for each mare that stays with us.

Each mare that comes to CVC for breeding work will receive a reproductive soundness exam upon arrival by means of palpation and ultrasound. In addition, we look at the mare’s overall health and soundness as they are crucial to reproductive soundness. If further diagnostics are deemed necessary, the veterinarian may suggest procedures such as a vaginal exam, uterine culture, cytology, and perhaps biopsy. We send all cultures, cytology, and biopsies off to a diagnostic lab for evaluation.

Timing is critical when artificially inseminating mares with shipped semen. At CVC, when breeding with shipped semen, we monitor the estrous cycle very closely to allow breeding near ovulation, ideally only breeding a single time to keep shipping costs down for the mare owner. Once a mare is in heat, we use ultrasound and monitoring estrous behavior to fine-tune breeding timing.

Whether that is by diagnosing and managing lameness, helping your farrier with shoeing recommendations, treating respiratory infections, or applying alternative therapies, Cobb Veterinary Clinic believes in evaluating the whole horse. This comprehensive and integrative approach will help determine the cause of your horse’s poor performance. Our team is dedicated to seeing your horse achieve its full athletic potential.

• Lameness
• Mild neurologic disorders

AIRWAY PROBLEMS

• Exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (bleeders)
• Inflammatory airway disease
• Laryngeal hemiplegia (roarers)
• Dorsal displacement of the soft palate
• Texas Funk

HEART PROBLEMS

• Heart arrhythmias or murmurs

BACK PAIN

PERFORMANCE EXAMS

• Lameness examination
• Prepurchase examinations
• Arthritis Management
• Neurologic examination
• Dentistry

PAIN MANAGEMENT

DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING

• Digital Radiographs
• Tendon/Ligament Ultrasound
• Upper airway endoscopy
• Gastric endoscopy