Cotts Equine Hospital

04/09/2026

Did you know that clients can request a written prescription for most medications?

At Cotts, we're happy to provide written prescriptions, but many clients prefer to get medications directly from us, so they can take advantage of our quick turnaround times, emergency access, hundreds of stocked medicines and consumables, and competitive pricing. That includes pay at time discounts on selected long-term prescriptions.

Repeat prescriptions can be requested via our website using the following link, and clients on our premium health plan receive free written prescriptions.
If you need any help, just contact our office on 01834860871.

https://www.cottsequine.co.uk/repeat-prescription-form

02/09/2026

We're a little late introducing Annie, but she's been part of the Cotts team at Narberth for a little while now!

Annie is always happy for a chat, whether you catch her on the phone or at the reception desk. Having ridden horses all her life and grown up on a family farm, she's just as comfortable around the yard as she is behind the desk.

She's also a proud member of her local Young Farmers Club and has put her stock judging skills to the test on more than one occasion. And if you'd prefer a chat in Welsh, you're in luck, as Annie is a fluent Welsh speaker!

Annie, We're lucky to have you on the team! 💙

27/08/2026

FEI vaccinations: important update for clients.

From 1 July 2026, FEI requirements for recording equine influenza vaccinations are being strictly enforced. New vaccinations must be entered into the FEI HorseApp by a veterinarian on the exact day of vaccination, while in the presence of the horse.

To help avoid delays, incorrect records or potential sanctions, please tell our office at the time of booking that your horse is FEI registered. This allows our vets to update the offline database within the FEI HorseApp before the appointment. This is crucial for yards in areas with poor mobile service.

If you are unsure whether your horse's vaccination history meets current FEI requirements, please contact the office before booking your vaccination and we can help clarify what is required.

26/08/2026

🇦🇺 It’s been a seriously busy month for our CT service, with horses travelling to us from across the UK and Ireland for pre-travel screening ahead of the spring racing carnival in Melbourne, Australia.

Racing Victoria has strict screening protocols to help reduce the risk of injuries in horses travelling to compete, including advanced imaging such as CT. Our Cardiff hospital is proud to be one of the recommended clinics now providing this screening.

While the Thoroughbreds have been keeping us particularly busy lately, our CT scanner certainly isn't just for racehorses! From investigating subtle lameness and complex orthopaedic conditions to assessing injuries and helping plan treatment, standing CT is a powerful diagnostic tool for horses across all disciplines.

Advanced imaging, standing sedation and no need for your horse to leave the ground.

Racing Victoria
Equina by Asto CT

24/08/2026

🔬 New PCR Testing Now Available at Cotts Equine

We’re excited to announce an important investment in our laboratory services. Our new PCR machine at Cowbridge means we can now offer rapid, same-day PCR testing for a wider range of equine infectious diseases.

Our PCR testing includes:
• Strangles (Streptococcus equi)
• Equine Influenza
• EHV-1, EHV-2, EHV-4 and EHV-5
• Strep. zooepidemicus

We can test nasopharyngeal swabs, nasopharyngeal washes and guttural pouch washes, with results usually available within an hour.

These faster results help support quicker decisions around movement, isolation, treatment and ongoing management, particularly when infectious disease is suspected or for pre-movement strangles testing.

The new equipment also allows us to offer a wider range of testing from our Pembrokeshire hospital, further expanding our in-house diagnostic capabilities.

We’re happy to receive samples from referring practices, and clients of other veterinary practices can also arrange to bring samples to Cowbridge for same-day testing.

For more information or to discuss testing requirements, please contact the practice on 01834 860871.

20/08/2026

We're delighted to congratulate Anna on successfully completing her internship with Cotts Equine and to announce that she's now joined our expanding veterinary team in Swansea.

Anna grew up on a dairy farm in Somerset before studying at the University of Nottingham. Over the past year, she's gained valuable experience working across our Cowbridge and Pembrokeshire hospitals, and many of you will already have had the pleasure of meeting her.

Outside of work, Anna enjoys exploring the Welsh countryside with her Springer Spaniel, Willow. And when the Welsh weather inevitably puts a stop to the hiking plans, you'll find her at home with a cuppa and baking something sweet!

We're delighted to have Anna staying with the Cotts team and look forward to seeing her carer continue to develop with us.

Congratulations, Anna! 💙

18/08/2026

Your feedback means the world to us.

It helps us shape and deliver the highest possible level of care and service, and it's the best way for us to keep doing right by you and your horses.

If you have a spare moment, we'd love for you to fill in our quick feedback form. Adding your personal details is entirely optional, so if you'd prefer to stay anonymous, just leave it blank.

Thank you for helping us continue to do our best for you.

Your feedback is hugely important to us. It allows us to shape and offer the highest possible level of service we can. We would appreciate you taking the time to fill in the attached form so that we can continue to do our best for you. Adding personal details is optional. If you would like a respons...

17/08/2026

Would you know what to do if a fire threatened your yard?

Following our post on Friday about the dangers of smoke inhalation for horses, we're encouraging horse owners to think beyond fire prevention and consider what would happen if they actually needed to evacuate.

A fire risk assessment is an important part of fire safety, but British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association highlights the importance of turning that assessment into a working fire plan that everyone on the yard understands and has practised.

This includes considering:

Human safety: who raises the alarm, evacuation roles, assembly points and communication with the fire service.
Equine safety: which horses would be evacuated or sheltered, where they would go and who is trained to handle them.
Operational effectiveness: access for the fire service, water supplies, emergency information and how the emergency plan would work in practice.

For larger or more complex yards, BARTA also recommends considering a pre-visit from your local fire and rescue service so they can familiarise themselves with the site and your emergency arrangements.

Most importantly, don't wait until there is a fire to discover that your plan doesn't work.

BARTA has produced some excellent resources and videos taking you "from paper to practice”, including guidance on developing and testing a practical fire plan for your yard.

👉 Read the guidance at the following link and start developing your own plan:
https://www.bartacic.org/resource/fire-evacuation-owning-your-fire-plan/

A plan that has been discussed, practised and understood by everyone on the yard could make a crucial difference when every second counts.

14/08/2026

Smoke pollution and your horse

Following the recent fires across the Welsh valleys, we’ve had a few enquiries about whether smoke pollution could affect horses.

The good news is that most healthy horses exposed to smoke for a relatively short period will be absolutely fine. However, smoke contains particles and irritant gases that can affect the respiratory tract, particularly in horses with pre-existing airway disease.

How can you monitor your horses and donkeys?

Keep an eye out for:
• Increased respiratory rate or effort at rest
• Coughing or nasal discharge
• Flared nostrils or abdominal effort when breathing
• Reduced exercise tolerance
• Noisy or laboured breathing

A normal resting respiratory rate for an adult horse is approximately 8–16 breaths per minute. If your horse is consistently breathing faster than this at rest, particularly once they are away from the smoke, or you notice increased respiratory effort, contact your vet.

What can you do?

If smoke levels are high:
• Keep horses away from areas where smoke is concentrated where possible.
• Improve stable ventilation, while avoiding directing smoky outdoor air into the stable.
• Avoid exercise while air quality is poor, as increased breathing rates mean more particles are drawn deeper into the lungs.
• Provide plenty of clean, fresh water.
• Feeding forage from the ground can help encourage natural airway clearance.
• If appropriate, soaking forage can help reduce airborne dust and particles around feeding which can add additional irritation to the airway.
• Allow your horse plenty of time to recover before returning to normal exercise.

If your horse has a history of equine asthma or other respiratory disease, they may be more susceptible and may need additional management.

If you’re concerned about your horse’s breathing or they develop persistent respiratory signs following smoke exposure, give our office a call on 01834860871.

13/08/2026

😰 Hot, sticky weather means dehydration can sneak up on your horse. Here are three quick checks you can do in seconds to check for dehydration.

1. The skin pinch. Lift a fold of skin on your horses neck and let go. It should flatten within a second or two. If it stays tented, your horse may be dehydrated.

2. The gum press. Press your finger or thumb on the gum for a couple of seconds and then remove. The pale patch should turn pink again in a couple of seconds, and the gums should feel moist, not tacky.

3. Water watch. Keep an eye on how much your horse is drinking, and always offer clean, fresh water.

If you have any concerns about your horses level of hydration, please give our team a call.