Bunbury Equine Hospital

⚒️ Exciting news!! ⚒️

Introducing our Advanced Skilled Farrier Service to Bunbury Equine Hospital

We're excited to announce a new partnership with farrier Kim Broad, who will be working alongside our team of equine vets to provide a regular service at our hospital for complex podiatry cases.

With international recognition for excellence in farriery, Kim brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our team, helping us provide an additional level of expertise and service to our clients.

This service will be a collaborative approach; combining assessment and diagnostic imaging to develop an individualised treatment plan for complex cases including:
* Laminitis treatment and rehabilitation
* Chronic or complex foot lameness
* Hoof imbalance and conformation/related concerns
* Cases requiring therapeutic or corrective farriery
* Cases requiring coordinated veterinary and farriery management

For more information and expressions of interest please call the equine clinic on
9796 5800

We would like to inform our clients that we are no longer treating horses and have decided to move to chickens

💡You don’t need to be good at math to remember this simple 1,2,3 rule of what to expect when your mare is expecting!

The 1-2-3 Rule of Foaling:
1️⃣ The foal should be standing within
ONE hour of being born
2️⃣ The foal should be suckling within
TWO hours of being born
3️⃣ The mare should pass the placenta within
THREE hours after the foal is born

The 2-4-6 Rule of When to Seek Veterinary Attention:
2️⃣ If the foal is not standing within
TWO hours of being born
4️⃣ If the foal has not suckled within
FOUR hours of being born
6️⃣ If the mare has not passed the placenta within SIX hours of foal being born

‼️ If you are concerned with how things are progressing during birth or after, please don't hesitate to call us on 9796 5800 - our dedicated equine vets are available 24/7 for emergencies and we would rather you call too soon rather than too late!

Welcome back Nic!

Dr Nic (the original Dr Nic- we have 3 in the clinic 😆) has been on maternity leave- not only raising a human baby, but also two horse babies! Nic’s lovely mare Nimbus2000 had two foals last season via our embryo transfer program- even though they were carried by surrogates you can’t half tell who their biological mum is!

All three babies, human and horse, are doing great, but we have really missed Nic so we are very excited they are happy to share her with us again 🥰

It may feel like the last one just finished… but it’s foaling season again! Our studs have started welcoming their 2026 crop, like this little beauty from Greenfields Lodge

⛵️ If you’re foaling down at home, please take some time to prepare to have the best chance of smooth sailing. Here’s some info to help you get ready, and watch this space for some upcoming helpful tips as that exciting (yet nerve wracking) time approaches!

🩵 The gestation period of the mare is highly variable between 320 and 365 days (340 days is average)

🩷 In the lead up to foaling the mare should be monitored closely for udder development and vaginal discharge. If a vaginal discharge is noticed or the mare starts to run milk then contact your vet as she may lose precious colostrum and this will affect the foals immunity

🩵 Is your mare caslicked? If so, this should be removed by your vet 3wks prior to the due date

🩷 Broodmares should be up to date with routine worming and vaccination prior to foaling. The new born foal acquires immunity from the mare via colostrum. A booster tetanus vaccination is recommended 4wks prior to foaling

🩵 Mares should be housed in the foaling paddock for 4 weeks prior to foaling to allow their immune system to make antibodies against local bugs. An ideal paddock is one which can be discretely observed during the day and night, and where help can be easily given if problems arise

📋 Now is a good time to put together a foaling kit to have on hand:
✅ Foaling alarm
✅ Torch/head lamp with new batteries
✅ Clean towels
✅ Tail wrap or bandage for mare
✅ Disposable gloves
✅ Chlorhexidine or betadine for dipping umbilical cord
✅ Halter and lead rope to restrain mare
✅ Phone number of your local vet
(Ours is 9796 5800)

📞 If you’re not 100% confident about foaling down your mare yourself, or if you’re concerned about your facilities, the risks, or your distance from a vet clinic, give us a call to chat

Last week Dr Ness and nurse Indi attended the EVA Bain Fallon memorial lectures in Melbourne- a great week of learning and socialisation with like-minded peers. This year the topics focussed on sports medicine and rehabilitation. Ness also attended the weekend practical workshop focusing on necks and backs, furthering her skills in this area of interest. They are back in Bunbury today and are keen to put their new knowledge and skills into practice!

Get Your Kids To The Dentist!

It’s not just your human children that need to go to the dentist, it’s important for your foals too!

We recommend their first dental examination to be at 18m old, and a recheck just before they are broken in.

Recently we saw this filly the week before she was to be started, and her owner is so glad we did! She had a few things going on including three wolf teeth that needed removing- you can imagine the discomfort these would cause with a bit knocking against them!

See the photos below which show…
🔴 Three wolf teeth
🔵 Sharp points
🟢 Ulcers on gums and tongue
🟣 A damaged incisor

This little lady may have been labelled as ‘naughty’ when being trained to accept a bridle, when in fact she would have just been in pain.

As so much can quickly change in a young horse’s mouth, it’s a good idea to have their teeth checked every 6months or if you notice any discomfort to the bridle or changes in behaviour. As the ‘baby teeth’ (or Caps) begin to loosen, they can be quite uncomfortable and often cause a young horse to misbehave.

Let’s set our youngsters up for success from the start!

Did you know...

All of our vets are well trained and experienced in equine dentistry! We can perform dentals in our hospital or at your property if you are within our travel zone.

We have top-of-the-range dental equipment, experienced equine nurses to assist with handling and we work closely with specialists for more complex cases - ensuring your horse's teeth get the best possible care.

Keeping your horses’ teeth well maintained helps prevent expensive dental complications, discomfort under saddle and lowers the risk of choke, colic and weight loss. We are currently seeing a lot of colics, so at this time of year we also recommend abdominal radiographs at the time of your horse’s dental to check for sand burdens, which we now offer for only $150 in addition to another procedure.

✅ Dental exam with General Health Check
✅ Sand Radiographs
✅ Parasite Prevention Plan
✅ Vaccination

This winter checklist will give your horse the best chance of staying healthy and keeping condition throughout the colder months. Call us on 9796 5800 to chat to one of our equine staff

🦷🩵🐴🩵🦷🩵🐴🩵🦷🩵🐴🩵🦷🩵🐴🩵🦷

This is a very timely article! Great to see WA research with results supporting our treatment plans 👌👌