Windmiller Equine

05/29/2026

What actually is a Coggins test?!

Most equine owners know that a negative Coggins test is a document required to be able to transport their animal across state lines, enter them in a competitive event, or board at someone's barn. But what does the phrase "negative Coggins test" actually mean?

A "Coggins" is a blood test that can only be performed by USDA-approved laboratories and checks for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) antibodies in the blood. Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is a potentially fatal blood-borne infectious viral disease that produces a persistent infection among equids nearly worldwide. Transmission through blood transfusions or contaminated needles/syringes, surgical instruments or dental equipment is most common. The virus can also be transmitted through vectors via fly bite.

The clinical signs of disease can vary dramatically from an acute infection to an inapparent form, but what is important to know is that it produces a persistent infection. Once an animal tests positive for EIA it becomes a lifelong source of disease transmission, so the owner can only choose between quarantine for life or humane euthanasia to ensure that large outbreaks of the disease don’t occur. There is no vaccine or treatment for EIA.

Take-home message: While a Coggins test is a necessary travel document, don’t forget that it's also first and foremost a way to identify and remove EIA carriers to keep the disease under control.

To learn more about EIA, visit our website at: https://aaep.org/resource/equine-infectious-anemia/ or visit the Equine Disease Communication Center's website: https://www.equinediseasecc.org/equine-infectious-anemia

04/27/2026

It's Mythbuster Monday! Today's myth...
❌ Grass sugar stays the same throughout the day. ❌

While we all love the sight of horses grazing on lush, green pasture in the spring afternoon sun, it's not always the picture perfect scenario for some of our equine friends. Horses that have Equine Metabolic Syndrome, PPID, or are overweight, or are a breed prone to insulin dysfunction may still be able to enjoy grazing if we are smart about when they do so. Timing turnout can be a positive game changer for "easy-keepers" and keep them happy AND healthy.

Grass sugar content can vary widely depending on season, stress, and other factors, so the above Grazing Clock should be taken as a guideline when managing insulin dysfunctional horses. Further questions? Dr. McPherson loves to chat about grass!

Get those muzzles out!

04/26/2026

A well-written explanation of the uncomfortable reality for the equine community. Worth a read, worth a reflection, especially during the spring rush that places even more pressure on equine veterinarians everywhere. To all our clients, we appreciate your patience and understanding while we navigate our busiest time of year.

04/01/2026

No April Fool's trick here—the Adequan rebate has been extended for another year! 🎉🎉🎉

Starting today and continuing through March 31, 2027, you can continue to save $20 when you buy a 7-vial box or 50 mL multi-dose vial directly through your veterinarian!

Which horse needs Adequan? Pretty much all of them! Adequan supports the joints of young, working horses and promotes a healthy joint environment while helping restore and protect older joints affected by osteoarthritis.

Reach out to us if you would like to know more—Dr. McPherson loves to chat about Adequan! 🐎

03/26/2026

Please allow Dr. McPherson a few extra days to respond to text messages, phone calls, and emails while she and her family navigate the loss of their beloved dog, Stark. For equine emergencies, please listen carefully to the voicemail recording or follow the instructions of the auto text-reply. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. 💔

03/26/2026

LET'S TALK KISSING SPINE! 🔎

“Kissing spine” is a common cause of back pain where the bony points along the top of the spine (dorsal spinous processes) sit too close together and rub or “impinge.” It’s most often seen in the mid-back area (around T13–T18), but it can also involve the lumbar spine.

Important note:
Many horses can have kissing spine changes on X-rays and not show obvious problems, but horses with kissing spine findings are about 3x more likely to have back pain.

Common signs owners may notice:
• Vague “poor performance” or not wanting to work as usual
• Change in head/neck carriage
• Unwillingness to move a certain direction or bend
• Behavioral changes under saddle such as bucking
• Back soreness when pressed firmly
• Sometimes hind-end lameness at the same time

Treatment & outlook:
• Many cases can be managed medically, especially when paired with core strengthening and conditioning.
• Some horses benefit from injections at affected sites for short-term relief, but recurrence can be common.
• Surgery can be an option (especially if a horse needs repeated injections to stay comfortable). One surgery type (interspinous ligament desmotomy) can be done standing, and published outcomes have been strong.

If your horse suddenly resists work, won’t bend, changes topline use, or seems back-sore, talk with your veterinarian. Back pain can have multiple causes, and X-rays are only one piece of the puzzle.

03/03/2026

Spring is only a few weeks away! 🙌 It’s not too early to start thinking about a deworming plan for your horses.

If deworming is something you’ve been doing the same way for as long as you can remember, this year we encourage you to break tradition and work with your veterinarian instead. Thanks to tools like the f***l egg count, your horse doctor can help you devise a treatment tailored to the needs of your equine friend plus monitor the efficacy of the dewormer used last.

Before you dismiss this notion because you’ve been “doing it for years,” you should know that the old-school approach to deworming is quickly becoming outdated. Not only is it a waste of money, but it also builds drug resistance in the parasitic fauna of equines, which means we are running out of drugs that can effectively help us control parasite infections.

For more information, the AAEP Parasite Control Guidelines can be found on our website: https://aaep.org/resource/internal-parasite-control-guidelines/

Key take-home messages from these Internal Parasite Disease Control Guidelines include:

• Perform f***l egg count reduction tests (FECRT) annually to ensure that you are using effective dewormers in every herd or barn.

• Recognize that no anthelmintic will eliminate all parasitic stages from a horse.

• Continue using f***l egg counts (FEC) once or twice a year to stratify horses into low, medium, and high shedders to reduce pasture contamination.

• Deworm all horses at a baseline rate (once or twice a year) and target selected horses more often based on FEC (strongyle high shedders).

• Do not use FEC to diagnose disease in horses; there is no correlation between FEC and disease-causing parasite life stages.

• Discontinue deworming all horses with fixed intervals year-round (e.g., every 2 months), and stop blindly rotating anthelmintic classes.

As always, consult your equine veterinarian to learn more and for questions specific to your horses!

03/02/2026

March may have come in like a lion (why is it snowing again?!? 😭) but it also brought new smiling faces with it—meet Corinne and Abra! We are very excited that they are joining the Windmiller Equine team and can't wait to introduce these lovely ladies to you all! Be sure to say hi when you see them out and about assisting Dr. McPherson!

02/28/2026

🚨Calling all horse owners!🚨
Don't miss this opportunity to hear one of the best and brightest equine veterinarians speak at Equus tomorrow!

February 24th, 2026 Equus Now! Hosts Free Educational Seminar Series to Support Horse Health & Owner Education in Columbus Equus Now! is excited to announce a comprehensive Free Educational Seminar Series designed to empower horse owners, riders, and equine professionals with practical knowledge...

02/27/2026

As February comes to an end, we also must say farewell to two beloved members of our team: Danielle and Mary.

Danielle has been working with Dr. McPherson long before she opened Windmiller Equine and we were thrilled when she came out of "retirement" to help us build our practice in 2021. We will miss her dedication, compassion, and tenacious commitment to keeping Dr. McPherson on task.

Mary came aboard in 2022 and dove right in with zeal even when Dr. McPherson threw her into an enucleation on her first day! We will miss her enthusiasm, good sense of humor, and kind heart.

We wish both of these ladies all the best and hope to see them out and about in the equine community! ❤️