West Metro Equine Practice, Veterinary Medical Center

10/06/2026

“These aren’t just doctors; they love them like we do.” For two decades, Tracy Adams Kooman has trusted her horses with CVM's West Metro Equine Practice for emergencies, recoveries and even the tough goodbyes 🐴 🫶

“My passion is horses and care for horses,” Tracy says. “I believe West Metro is top-notch in this lane, supporting me through many old and new challenges along the way. Dr. Bergin and his team have consistently been there with me through many emergencies and general care. I am so deeply grateful for their commitment and generous giving of their time and talents to the entire equine community. So many of us rely on their kindness and skills.”

09/28/2026

Make sure to check your pastures and fence lines for these common toxic plants. Another plant to check for is Hoary Alyssum (see photo below).

07/17/2026

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🔥 Wildfire Smoke & Horse Health 🐴💨

Poor air quality can be harmful not only to us but our horses too. Smoke from wildfires can irritate a horse's respiratory system and cause fatigue, coughing, difficulty breathing, etc.

You can monitor local air quality at www.airnow.gov. During periods of poor air quality, you can protect your horse's health by:

🐎 Limiting or avoiding exercise.
💧 Providing free access to fresh water.
💦 Controlling dust such as watering dry lots and soaking or feeding dust-free hay.
🕰 Allowing time for recovery: airway damage from wildfire smoke takes 4 to 6 weeks to heal after air quality returns to normal.
☎️ Consult your vet if you notice signs of smoke irritation.

For more information visit: ceh.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/health-topics/wildfire-smoke-and-horses

06/05/2026

New World Screwworm has been identified in the US after a calf in Texas was found to be positive. This can affect other animals such as horses, dogs, and others. Please use these links to find up to date and fact-based information about the current situation in Texas.

Please reference the following resources for additional information regarding New World Screwworm (NWS):

1. Equine Disease Communication Center Factsheet: https://equinediseasecc.org/handler/managedfilehandler.ashx?id=103&ext=pdf

2. USDA Map of Current Outbreak: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animals/animal-health/livestock-and-poultry-disease/current-status?page=1

3. USDA Myth Buster Sheet:https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/nws-myth-busters.pdf

4. USDA New World Screwworm Webinar for Animal Industry: https://youtu.be/0ZdBU0mBXKE?si=Vi7_Aqe8V-3Jy72X

5. AAEP Alert to Equine Practitioners: New World Screwworm Enters the United States:https://aaep.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Alert-to-Equine-Practitioners-FINAL.pdf

04/23/2026

Always start slowly when transitioning horses onto Spring pastures.
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🐴 Hold your horses! Before turning them out to pasture, here’s what you need to know:

🛑 Wait until plant heights average 6 to 8 inches. Waiting allows plants to recover from winter, produce leaves necessary for regrowth, and reach lower nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) levels.

🌾 Slowly ease horses onto pastures in 15-minute daily increments.

⏰ Begin with 15 minutes of grazing on the first day, 30 minutes the second day, and continue adding 15 minutes per day until you reach 5 hours. After that, unrestricted grazing can occur if adequate forage is available. Slow transitions in diet provide time for the horses' microbes to adjust, which reduces the chance of laminitis and colic.

🍽️ To further support a slow transition, feed hay prior to pasture turnout to discourage horses from overconsumption early on.

ℹ️ https://extension.umn.edu/horse-pastures-and-facilities/fall-and-spring-pasture-do-lists -your-pasture-for-grazing-in-spring-69710

02/26/2026

Let us know if you think your horse might benefit from acupuncture! We love offering this service for horses of all ages.

🐴✨ Wellness Day ✨🐴

Today, our amazing therapy horses enjoyed a session of equine acupuncture — a gentle, holistic treatment that supports both body and mind. 💚

For aging horses especially, acupuncture can be incredibly beneficial. It helps:
🌿 Reduce arthritis and joint pain
🌿 Improve mobility and flexibility
🌿 Support circulation and digestion
🌿 Ease muscle tension and stiffness
🌿 Promote relaxation and overall comfort

As our therapy horses give so much of themselves to support others, it’s important we give that same care back to them. Acupuncture helps keep our senior partners feeling their best, so they can continue doing what they love — connecting, healing, and teaching us every day. 🐎💫

02/17/2026

Wishing you and your herd a year of strength, speed, and good hair 🐎✨

Learn more about Piper Hospital at the Leatherdale Equine Center and West Metro Equine Practice: https://vmc.umn.edu/

01/23/2026

With the extreme cold temps and wind chill forecasted for tomorrow, please ensure horses have plenty of forage available as well as access to fresh water. Risk for colic increases when horses reduce their water intake. Our offices will be closed and emergency services are available via our office number if needed. Please stay safe and warm!

The biggest concern for horses in winter is maintaining their body temperature. To stay warm during the cold season, a horse burns extra calories and this can negatively impact their health and body condition — particularly if the horse went into winter in only moderate condition, or if he is elderly or ill.

The graphic shows five things you can do to make sure your horse stays healthy through the cold months. Be sure to consult your veterinarian about any diet or lifestyle changes that may be necessary for your horse to maintain his condition this winter, and don’t forget to monitor your animal's water intake to minimize the risk of impaction colic.

Read more and find additional useful winter care information on our educational partner Equus’s website athttps://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/cs_srgb/MTc3MjU5MjQyNjYxNjE4ODQ5/equus-extra-37-.pdf

12/02/2025

A heads up to our clients- the West Metro Veterinarians will be headed to the American Association of Equine Practitioners Annual Convention Saturday December 6 through Wednesday December 10. All emergencies will be directed to other practices during this time. Our staff will be available during regular office hours to help triage non-emergency calls.

11/21/2025

As we continue to monitor the current outbreak of the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus (EHM) infection, let's take this opportunity to discuss once more the importance of biosecurity measures to stop disease spread. We recommend the following biosecurity precautions for horse owners, particularly if their horses have recently traveled to horse shows or were exposed to horses that have traveled:

1) Monitor horses for clinical signs (including fever, discharge from the nostrils, toe-dragging or a lack of balance) and take the temperature twice daily. Temperature greater than 101.5 F is considered a fever.

2) Immediately isolate any horse(s) showing clinical signs. Equine herpesvirus is an aerosolized virus and is spread through shared airspace, direct contact, and contaminated caretakers or equipment. A good isolation area is a separate barn or shelter that does not share airspace with healthy horses.

3) Implement movement restrictions until the situation is evaluated.

4) Contact your veterinarian to evaluate your horse and to propose a comprehensive biosecurity protocol.

5) Increase biosecurity measures that include extensive cleaning and disinfection of surfaces and equipment that come in contact with affected horses: wash or sanitize your hands between interacting with horses; take time while filling water buckets and feed tubs, do not cross contaminate; minimize the use of shared equipment and tack.

6) Make sure your horse is up to date on vaccinations.

7) Establish communication with all parties involved (owners, boarders, trainers, etc.).

More resources and information regarding biosecurity are available on the Equine Disease Communication Center's website at https://equinediseasecc.org/biosecurity

To learn more Equine Herpesvirus (EHV), visit: https://www.equinediseasecc.org/equine-herpesvirus