Centennial Equine Sports Medicine, Professional LLC

07/24/2026

We're sharing some bittersweet news with our wonderful clients and community.

After more than 15 incredible years of building Centennial Equine Sports Medicine, Dr. Harris is moving on to a new chapter. While we're excited for what's ahead for her, it's difficult to imagine our team without her. Her compassion, dedication, and exceptional care have touched the lives of so many horses and clients over the years.

We are incredibly grateful for everything she has contributed to the practice and the relationships she has built with our clients. She will be deeply missed by our team and by the many clients who have trusted her with their beloved horses. Please join us in thanking Dr. Harris for her 15 years of outstanding service and wishing her all the best in her future endeavors.

As we begin the search for a third veterinarian to join our team, we want to reassure you that we remain committed to providing the high-quality care you and your horses deserve. To help ensure continued access to veterinary services, Drs. Bell and Stone will be increasing their appointment availability during this transition.

We appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued trust in our team. Thank you for allowing us to care for your horses—we look forward to continuing to serve you and your horses.

05/05/2026

This week Centennial Equine celebrates our 15th year in practice in southwest Colorado. From one truck and two vets in 2011, to three trucks, three vets, two offices, four technicians and one office manager in 2026! We're so grateful to our clients, patients, friends, and family for their support these past 15 years.

04/06/2026

Three programs. One standard. All under one roof.

03/27/2026

Cortez Montezuma County Fairground Appointment dates are open! We're planning on a visit every other week (with some exception for MCFG events) April - September, 2026.

01/29/2026

We see occasional spikes in cases of inflammatory liver disease in this area. Diagnosis can be tricky, as culturing the virus from liver biopsy samples is the primary identification method, but it's definitely something to be aware of.

Have you heard of Equine Parvovirus-Hepatitis (EqPV-H)? Here's some important information to know about the disease.

How Does It Spread?
• The preponderance of evidence currently suggests direct contact and nasal transmission as the most likely major route of horizontal transmission.
• The virus is shed in nasal secretions, saliva, and f***s of recently infected horses.
• Direct contact or a high burden of biting flies is likely required for transmission.
• In rare situations, it can also be transmitted through biologic products (these are special treatments like plasma, serum, or antitoxins).
• Chronic carriers do not appear to be contagious.

What Should You Watch For?
⚠️ At this time, it is unknown what causes some horses to develop the clinical form. While most horses stay healthy, a small number may develop:
• Tiredness or depression
• Not wanting to eat
• Yellowing of the eyes or gums (jaundice)
• Dark urine
• Unusual behavior or trouble walking (in severe cases)

What Can You Do?
• Watch for any signs of liver trouble, especially if your horse has recently received biologic products.
• Maintain a clean environment and avoid sharing needles or equipment between horses.
• If your horse seems unwell, contact your veterinarian promptly.

Key Takeaways:
• Although we just discovered it, this is not a new virus or new emerging threat to horses. There's no need to panic as some 15-20% of horses are already infected.
• Horses become long-term carriers, so they can test positive for years without any current disease or risk of developing liver disease.
• Horses in early infection and during liver disease are contagious for a few months.
• Carriers with low viral load do NOT appear to be contagious and we don't recommend isolation based on current knowledge.
• Because of the carrier status, a positive test for parvovirus does not mean it is causing disease, other causes of liver disease need to be thoroughly ruled out.
• There’s currently no vaccine for EqPV-H, but the risk of serious illness is low for most horses.

As always, if you have concerns about your specific equine, contact your veterinarian.

📸 Dr. Mason C. Jager (this photo shows a liver biopsy)

12/25/2025

Centennial Equine Sports Medicine wishes all our equine friends and their families a very Merry Christmas! May your day be filled with joy, love, and plenty of treats! 🎄🐎🥕❤️

12/07/2025

It's that time of year again! Drs. Bell and Harris are attending the American Association of Equine Practitioners annual convention held this year in Denver, CO. Dr. Temple Grandin is giving the Keynote address.
(On a personal note, we're very grateful to Dr. Katie Stone for holding down the fort. The last time the two founding doctors attended the same AAEP Annual Convention was San Diego in 2008!)

12/02/2025

Check out some helpful cold weather facts from American Association of Equine Practitioners to keep your horses warm and healthy this winter. ❄️❤️🐴

THE COLD WEATHER IS UPON US! ❄️

Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice; good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal, and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

11/27/2025

🍁From our family at Centennial Equine Sports Medicine to yours (including the horses, of course), may this Thanksgiving be filled with joy, love, and gratitude.🍂

11/26/2025

EHV-1 Updates for horse owners!
Click the link below to learn more about the recent EHV-1 outbreak. Feel free to contact our office with any questions or concerns you may have.

This is the recording of a webinar held November 25, 2025. Please note that the current EHV-1 situation is changing rapidly. To get the most updated informat...