Premier Equine Veterinary Services

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Premier Equine Veterinary Services Equine vet Sinead Gleeson covering the Mornington Peninsula and South East Melbourne regions.

30/07/2026

🐴 Horse Owner Information 🐴

❤️ Do You Know Your Horse’s Normal TPR?❤️

ℹ️ Knowing what’s normal for your horse is one of the best ways to recognise the early signs of illness or distress. Early detection can make a real difference.

🌡️ Get into the habit of checking your horse’s TPR (Temperature, Pulse and Respiration) when they are healthy and relaxed. This helps you establish their normal baseline, making it easier to notice when something isn’t quite right.

ℹ️ Normal Adult Horse TPR

🌡️ Temperature 37.5 to 38.5°C

❤️ Heart Rate 28 to 40 beats per minute

🌬️ Respiration Rate 8 to 16 breaths per minute

⚠️ If your horse seems dull, lethargic, uncomfortable, anxious, or has a TPR outside these normal ranges, contact your equine veterinarian for advice.

☀️ Remember! Exercise, hot weather, humidity, excitement and stress can all temporarily affect your horse’s vital signs. 🩺🩺 Ask your veterinarian to show you the correct technique for taking your horse’s TPR and what is considered normal for your individual horse. 🐎

We currently have availability for new clients in the Mornington Peninsula, Cranbourne and South East Melbourne. To regi...
16/06/2026

We currently have availability for new clients in the Mornington Peninsula, Cranbourne and South East Melbourne. To register your horse call Sinead on 0468790040

Case Spotlight: This lovely young pony presented out of hours after the owner identified a blackberry twig lodged within...
28/05/2026

Case Spotlight:
This lovely young pony presented out of hours after the owner identified a blackberry twig lodged within the medial canthus (inside corner) of the eye. Fortunately she was quite relaxed about the whole situation and had only mild epiphora (tearing) and ocular discharge.

The twig was embedded horizontally within the conjunctival folds of the lower eyelid anchored by two thorns. It was carefully removed under sedation and the eye assessed for any secondary trauma or corneal damage. The pony was given a single dose of anti-inflammatory medication and some antibiotic eye drops and has recovered well.

Foreign bodies involving the eye can cause significant discomfort and have the potential to result in corneal ulceration, infection and more serious ocular injury if not addressed promptly.

Commonly, horses with ocular foreign bodies show signs of pain including blepharospasm (squinting), epiphora (tears), swelling and light sensitivity.

Fortunately, prompt recognition by the owner allowed for early intervention and a straightforward favourable outcome.

25/05/2026

Early morning trackwork at Cranbourne

While most horses can cope with the warm temperatures we are having when given adequate shade, water and ventilation, ho...
27/01/2026

While most horses can cope with the warm temperatures we are having when given adequate shade, water and ventilation, horses with the unusual condition of anhidrosis require special management and attention.

It’s also worth noting that we have seen poor recoveries post strenuous exercise in the days following extreme heat so this is a timely reminder to keep your horses electrolytes topped up if you are planning to compete, gallop or race in the days immediately following the extreme heat days.

Thank you to all our wonderful clients for your trust and support throughout the year. It's been a privilege to care for...
16/12/2025

Thank you to all our wonderful clients for your trust and support throughout the year. It's been a privilege to care for your horses since we opened last year and we truly appreciate being part of your equine team. We wish you and your horses a very happy Christmas and a healthy, successful New Year.

Understanding “Thumps” in Horses (Synchronous Diaphragmatic Flutter)As the weather warms up we are seeing an increase in...
02/12/2025

Understanding “Thumps” in Horses (Synchronous Diaphragmatic Flutter)

As the weather warms up we are seeing an increase in cases of the “Thumps” post race/intense exercise.

Thumps is a rhythmic, twitching movement of a horse’s flank caused by the diaphragm contracting in time with the heartbeat. It appears as regular hiccup-like movements in the flanks.
It’s most frequently seen post race/eventing in heavily sweating horses and is linked to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, especially low calcium.

Treatment:
Contact your vet for assessment—many cases need calcium or electrolyte supplementation to correct the imbalance. Offer rest, water, and electrolytes.
Acute episodes of the thumps may require calcium supplementation.

Prevention:
Heavy sweating, dehydration, or intense exercise can overwhelm dietary calcium alone so it is important to provide adequate electrolytes (particularly calcium, sodium, potassium and chloride) during hot weather or hard work.
Ensure consistent hydration.

Did you know?
Feeding lucerne pre-exercise may help to prevent the thumps.
Lucerne is naturally high in calcium, and low blood calcium is a major contributor to thumps.
Lucerne can reduce the risk of thumps as part of a well-managed electrolyte and hydration plan by supporting more stable calcium levels but it doesn’t reliably treat an episode on its own.

With the arrival of warmer weather we have started seeing summer sores (cutaneous habronemiasis). These are seasonal ski...
24/11/2025

With the arrival of warmer weather we have started seeing summer sores (cutaneous habronemiasis). These are seasonal skin lesions caused by Habronema larvae. These parasites normally mature in the stomach, but when infective larvae are deposited by flies onto moist areas or open wounds, they trigger a marked granulomatous reaction instead of completing their life cycle.

Common sites include the medial canthus of the eye, prepuce, urethral process and corners of the mouth and lips. Lesions typically appear as ulcerative, proud-flesh–like granulation tissue with crusting and occasional yellow “sulfur granules”.

Diagnosis is usually based on seasonality, lesion appearance, and the presence of flies. Biopsy often reveals eosinophilic granulomatous inflammation, though larvae are not always found. Important differentials include proud flesh, sarcoids, and bacterial dermatitis.

Treatment combines anthelmintics (ivermectin or moxidectin) with anti-inflammatories and occasionally antibiotics depending on location and severity of the lesion. Surgical debridement is occasionally necessary for chronic or proliferative lesions.

Prevention includes the use of fly control, wound protection and strategic deworming program.

The photos below are before and after treatment with ivermectin wormer and topical ointments.

We are delighted to sponsor the Grade 3 Pony Club class at Langwarrin Pony Club horse trials today. We wish all competit...
15/11/2025

We are delighted to sponsor the Grade 3 Pony Club class at Langwarrin Pony Club horse trials today. We wish all competitors the very best of luck.

Sunrise ahead of Mornington jump outs this morning
19/03/2025

Sunrise ahead of Mornington jump outs this morning

Address

Melbourne, VIC
3199

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Saturday 7:30am - 10:30am

Telephone

+61468790040

Website

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