Haven Veterinary Services

09/22/2026

This sweet gal decided to take a porcupine up on a free acupuncture session. I don’t think that critter was trained in TCVM because we don’t recognize any of those points 😂🫣

Fortunately, we were able to remove them uneventfully and the SSD cream will both soothe and help prevent infection.

09/20/2026

Great info on feeding overweight and metabolic horses!

HAY SOAKING TRUTHS 🟨💧

If I had a pound for every time I get asked about this, I'd be rich!

There always seems to be nutribaloney circulating about soaking hay - for example whether or not it should actually be soaked.

Some Q&As to help...
__________
Q: Does soaking hay strip it of nutrients?
A: Yes - that's the whole point (unless you're soaking for up to 30 mins for respiratory health) - we're long- soaking to reduce BOTH calories (energy) & water soluble carbs (sugar & fructan)
___________
Q: Can we replace the useful nutrients lost e.g. minerals?
A: Yes - that's why we add a balancer or vitamin & mineral supplement to the diet, because soaking may reduce some mineral levels
___________
Q: Do we soak for just sugar reduction?
A: No No No No!!!! For overweight horses & ponies or those with insulin dysregulation we soak hay to reduce calories (energy) as well as water soluble carbs (WSC) = sugar AND fructan!!

(Fructan is not sugar. It's made up of sugar units joined by bonds that are not broken by digestive enzymes, but fermented by gut microbes.

The reason some may get confused about fructan is they either think it's a sugar or they think it doesn't affect insulin response... both are incorrect).
________
Q: Is it safe to test hay for just sugar & starch and then feed it to laminitis / ID / EMS horses & ponies if it's under 12%?
A: Absolutely, categorically NO!! This is really important. Both calories and fructan (WSC) can be highly variable in hay and you could cause laminitis by feeding unsoaked hay of unknown energy (calorie) and WSC content. Furthermore, analysing hay is only an estimation of what that particular sample contained and results should be used with care.

To focus solely on sugar and starch and insulin response and forget calories (dietary energy) and body fat level for all horses and ponies - especially laminitics - is plain bad advice and shows a complete lack of nutrition knowledge and understanding.
______
Q: Do I need to be worried about soaking hay, about mineral losses??
A: Absolutely not. We just need to balance soaked hay with suitable products. Soaking hay is sometimes the only way we can get unhealthy overweight, laminitis-prone, EMS/ID horses & ponies to lose weight without half-starving them.
__________
Q: How long should I soak my horse's hay?
A: 15-30 minutes for allergies e.g. equine asthma. 2 to 12 hours for reductions in water soluble carbs (sugar and fructan) AND energy (calories). The length of time depends ENTIRELY on your horse's response. You're aiming to feed enough to avoid more than a 4h fast daytime and 6h fast overnight, whilst maintaining a healthily-slim body condition. Soak for as little time as you can but for as long as necessary (max 12h, less in hot weather)

I hope this helps to calm the worry about soaking hay and clarify some nutribaloney.

If you want to join me for a no-nutribaloney experience where you will leave behind confusion, doubt and going around in circles about nutrition and feeding, then comment confidence and I'll message you,

Feel free to share 🐴🍏🟨💧

09/08/2026

At VMX 2026, Dr. Amy Stieler Stewart presented a synopsis about diagnosing and managing equine strangles infections.

She reminded attendees that incubation of this highly infectious bacteria takes 3-14 days, with a fever occurring about 2-3 days before shedding. This bacteria can survive for 4-6 weeks in water and up to a month on buckets and other equipment in cool weather. A horse infected with 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪 subsp. 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪 can shed for at least two to three weeks and often for six weeks.

Read more at the link in the comments.

09/03/2026

How well does AI actually know horses?

A new study from CSU Department of Animal Sciences put three artificial intelligence platforms to the test, asking 40 questions across general horse care, facilities management, nutrition, genetics, and reproduction. Responses were evaluated for accuracy, relevance, thoroughness, and source quality.

The results were a good reminder that AI can be a useful tool—but it isn’t an equine expert.

ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot were more accurate than ExtensionBot, while ChatGPT produced the most thorough answers. However, performance declined as questions became more complex, and reproduction questions received the lowest accuracy scores of any equine topic tested.

The takeaway: AI has tremendous potential for quickly accessing equine information, but it works best as a tool - not a replacement for Equine Extension specialists, veterinarians, scientists, or other trusted experts. Knowing when to question an AI-generated answer may be just as important as knowing how to ask the question.

Congratulations to undergraduate researcher Sonya Aldworth-Yang and mentor Dr. Devan Catalano on this timely work published in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science!

08/22/2026

Miss S has chronic wind-up pain. With just a short laser and acupressure session, we were able to get her to a point where she was content enough to want to play with the lead rope. “I’ve never seen her want to play,” her owner said on the verge of tears, an astonished smile on her lips. Acupuncture is more than just pain relief, it brings with it the emotional release that so many animals hold pent up.

We’re to support the WHOLE animal.

08/20/2026

For the next month, Haven Veterinary Services will not be accepting non-client emergency cases.

This decision does not come lightly. We are currently at full capacity, and in an effort to preserve both adequate patient care and family time, we need to temporarily limit the emergencies we can take on. Our hope is to offer this service again later this fall.

We will continue accepting new-client appointments for routine and non-emergent care, including wellness visits, lameness evaluations, non-emergent illnesses, and, of course, acupuncture and holistic care.

What does this mean for you?

1. Current HVS clients: If we have seen your animals within the last year, we will continue to make every effort to attend to your urgent and emergent needs.

2. New clients: If you would like to establish a relationship with HVS, please call or text us. We would be happy to schedule a wellness visit so we can get to know you and your animal before an emergency arises.

3. If you don’t currently have a regular veterinarian: We strongly encourage you to establish a relationship with a local practitioner. Having a veterinarian who knows you and your animals before you need urgent care is one of the best things you can do for them.

Veterinary medicine is demanding—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Our goal is to maintain the integrity of the care we provide to every animal entrusted to us.

We are incredibly grateful for the trust our community places in Haven Veterinary Services. We want to continue serving you with the prompt, reliable, compassionate care you have come to expect from us. This change allows us the bandwidth to do so.

Thank you for understanding and for allowing us to continue doing this work with the care and integrity it deserves.

08/17/2026

There’s something remarkable about earning the trust of a donkey

08/15/2026

With my tech off yesterday, the barn kittens offered their assistance.

08/02/2026

Nutmeg was 100% perfect lady for her physical exam the other day. Gold ⭐️ Kune Kune.

07/29/2026