Dusty Moon Veterinary Services

11/21/2025

BEVH explains when and what testing is necessary to keep our horses safe. If you fit this criteria please call your large animal veterinarian and have them screened. Let us know if we can help!

11/21/2025

Update!

11/20/2025

On November 18, Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) received information that multiple horses are exhibiting clinical signs of equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM), the neurologic disease linked to equine herpes virus (EHV-1).

The extent of this EHV-1 outbreak is not yet fully known. Presentation of EHV-1 in these horses has been acute with rapid progression and high clinical severity. Investigation into the character and epidemiology of this disease event is ongoing but the need for rapid and proactive actions to curb the spread is clear.

Find additional resources here: https://www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_health/equine/

11/19/2025

EHV outbreak! Here is what you should know!

⚠️ IMPORTANT EHV NOTICE FOR OUR CLIENTS AND ALL HORSE OWNERS⚠️

There is an active Equine Herpesvirus (EHV) outbreak in Texas, traced to a recent event in Waco. This strain is believed to be highly aggressive and has been fatal, and we are taking it extremely seriously to protect your horses and our community.

⛑️ HERE IS HOW WE CAN HELP

To help keep everyone safe, we are implementing the following:

🐴 1. Temperature Monitoring at Home
• Please take your horse’s temperature twice daily (morning and evening), especially if:
• Your horse was at Waco, or
• Has been to any show or large event in the last 14 days.
• A re**al temperature ≥101.5°F is a concern. Call us if you see fever, nasal discharge, coughing, or any stumbling/neurologic signs.

🚚 2. “Stay on the Trailer” Policy for Suspect Cases
If you are worried about EHV exposure or your horse has a fever:
• Do NOT unload your horse when you arrive at the clinic.
• Park in our isolation lot and call the front desk from your vehicle upon arrival.
• We will send a team out to your trailer to:
• Check your horse’s temperature
• Perform an exam
• Collect nasal swabs or run stall-side EHV tests as needed

This is to minimize any risk of spreading the virus on our property.

📍 3. Waco Exposure Screening
When you call to schedule, our staff will ask:
• “Was your horse at Waco?”
• “Has your horse been to any large show in the last 14 days?”
• “What is your horse’s current temperature?”

Please be patient with these questions, they are in place to protect your horses and everyone else’s.

💊 4. Testing & Antiviral Support
We are working to ensure we have:
• Adequate stall-side testing for EHV
• Adequate antiviral medications for high-risk or confirmed cases

If warranted, we will discuss testing and treatment options with you on a case-by-case basis.

🧼 5. Biosecurity & Quarantine Measures
We are preparing an alternate isolation facility with designated staff, should it become necessary to quarantine EHV-positive horses in a separate barn under strict lockdown. This will help us continue to care for all patients safely.

If you suspect EHV exposure, please call us before hauling in, and remember:
✅ Take temperatures twice daily
✅ Do NOT unload if you’re concerned, we will come to your trailer

Thank you for working with us to protect your horses and the wider equine community.

👉🏻 How Horses Get EHV-1 👇🏼

Horses pick up EHV-1 when they’re exposed to the virus from another infected horse or from a contaminated environment. The virus spreads in a few main ways:

1. Nose-to-nose contact

This is the most common route.
An infected horse sheds the virus in nasal secretions, and another horse can inhale or come into contact with those droplets.

2. Aerosolized particles

When an infected horse coughs or sneezes, tiny droplets carrying the virus can travel through the air and be inhaled by nearby horses.

3. Shared equipment

Anything that touches an infected horse’s nose or mouth can carry the virus:
• Water buckets
• Feed tubs
• Halters/lead ropes
• Grooming tools
• Tack
• Thermometers
This is called fomite transmission.

4. People spreading it

Humans can carry the virus on:
• Hands
• Clothing
• Jackets
• Boots
• Equipment
and transfer it to another horse without realizing it.

5. From infected mares to foals

Pregnant mares infected with certain forms of EHV-1 can pass the virus to their unborn foal, leading to abortion or weak newborns.

👀 The tricky part

Horses can carry latent EHV-1, meaning the virus goes “silent” in their body. Stress (hauling, showing, illness, weather changes) can reactivate it, and the horse may start shedding virus again—even if they don’t look sick.

📸 Provided by: The Horse

11/16/2025

These are some good ones we educate clients on every day! Heartworm prevention is so important in our area! We can help keep your pet safe year round!

Heard any tall tales lately? Set the record straight!

11/16/2025

All the scratches! Pastern dermatitis, we can help!

Scratches, also known as pastern dermatitis, is a common skin condition that affects the lower legs of horses, especially around the back of the pastern and fetlock. It often looks like scabby, crusty, or raw patches and can make the area sore or swollen.

What Causes Scratches?
• Wet, muddy, or dirty conditions
• Irritation from sand, bedding, or rough surfaces
• Bacterial or fungal infections
• Sometimes, tiny mites or allergies

What to Look For:
• Redness, swelling, or heat in the lower leg
• Scabs, crusts, or hair loss
• Horse may be sensitive or sore in the area

How to Help Prevent Scratches:
• Keep your horse’s legs clean and dry
• Avoid letting your horse stand in wet or muddy areas for long periods
• Avoid sharing wraps or boots between horses, especially without cleaning/disinfecting between uses
• Check legs regularly for early signs

How to Treat Scratches:
• Clean the Area: Gently wash the affected area with a mild antiseptic shampoo or solution to remove dirt and scabs. Be gentle—don’t scrub hard or pick at scabs.

• Dry Thoroughly: After cleaning, make sure the area is completely dry. Moisture can make the problem worse.

• Apply Topical Creams: You can use creams or ointments recommended by your veterinarian, such as those containing silver sulfadiazine or other antibacterial/antifungal agents.

• Keep the Area Protected: If possible, keep your horse out of wet or muddy conditions while healing.

• Monitor for Infection: If you notice increased swelling, pain, or pus, or if the condition doesn’t improve, contact your veterinarian.

Remember, severe or persistent cases should always be checked by your veterinarian to make sure your horse gets the right treatment. If you have questions or concerns about your own equine, contact your veterinarian.

11/14/2025

11/12/2025

🚨👀👀We will be unavailable for emergencies during this time- Small animal emergencies please contact VCA on calder (281) 332-1678 or any emergency clinic of your choice🦮🐈 ; for large animal emergencies please contact Dr. Jenkins Santa Fe Equine Associates PLLC (409)316-1389 or be prepared to haul to one of the other emergency clinics such as Brazos Valley Equine Hospitals - Navasota (936)825-2197 or Texas A&M University large animal (979)845-3541. 🐄🐎🐐🐖🐑🚨

**If you need a hauler, we have those numbers available as well! Give us a shout and we will help in anyway we can!**
Staff will be available to answer calls and fill medications on Thursday and Friday 8am-5pm.

11/07/2025

Our veterinary technicians don’t get enough credit and this job can’t be done by just anyone! It takes a strong, intelligent, and witty person to keep both our patients and us as veterinarians in line. My job would be near impossible without them! Thank you Kaitlyn, Hannah, and Maddie, y’all rock!

11/04/2025

Influenza!
At risk equine should be vaccinated to help lessen the symptoms if your partner is exposed.
What constitutes at risk?
- taking your equid to a place where other equids of unknown health/vaccine status will be
- pasture mates to equids that leave property and return from places of potential exposure
- equids in boarding facilities
These are just the top ways of exposure, don’t forget, us as horse owners, trainers, veterinarians, vet techs are all potential fomites for these virus as well.

If you have any questions as to whether or not your equid is at risk and when you should be concerned with vaccinating them give us a call or your current equine veterinarian and we can help!

Did you know your equine can catch the flu, too?

While there isn’t a specific time of the year for “flu season” in the equine world, any time is good to learn more about this highly contagious respiratory condition—particularly because it’s one of the most common infectious diseases of the respiratory tract of horses, and recent years have been unusually active for Equine Influenza Virus (EIV) on a global scale.

EIV spreads rapidly through groups of horses in aerosolized droplets dispersed by coughing, and the severity of clinical signs depends on the degree of existing immunity within the affected individual, among other factors (i.e., correctly vaccinated horses are less affected than unvaccinated horses).

Any horse showing signs of respiratory disease (cough, nasal discharge, persistent fever) should be isolated immediately until your veterinarian can determine the exact cause.

To learn more about Equine Influenza Virus (EIV), visit these resources:
https://aaep.org/resource/aaep-infectious-disease-guidelines-equine-influenza-eiv/?fbclid=IwY2xjawN1uklleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFwaDY1NFRwbzVaTmdCTFE0AR6TSxMTSrZaaihGWeOQRU8FxN1nMjxT8a4pensUL-VTbU3gGDNXzK7K0GpGNg_aem_SvQrsEksul6n_6EyWcWgnA
&
https://www.equinediseasecc.org/equine-influenza?fbclid=IwY2xjawN1uk5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFwaDY1NFRwbzVaTmdCTFE0AR4prpxH7lNYI-Q9Y7cq5u2eG2iFlJDWbeElbxtZ0UZeZeQC6SwybCYYN-OD5g_aem_BIZyarOLwfLRAmRREAm8Xg

As always, your horse doctor remains your best source of information. Contact them to learn more about how to prevent this disease through an appropriate vaccination protocol and biosecurity practices.

10/31/2025

Most people know that a long, curly haircoat that doesn’t shed properly is a classic sign of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID; equine Cushing's disease) in horses. But did you know there are other, less obvious symptoms to watch for?

Other signs to watch for (note this is not an exhaustive list):

• Muscle Loss: Horses may lose muscle, especially along their topline (the back and rump), even if they seem to be eating well.

• Fat Pockets: You might notice unusual fat deposits, like above the eyes or along the crest of the neck.

• Frequent Infections: Horses with Cushing’s can get skin infections, hoof abscesses, or other illnesses more often than healthy horses.

• Slow Healing: Wounds or sores may take longer to heal.

• Lethargy: Your horse might seem more tired, less energetic, or just “not themselves.”

• Drinking and Urinating More: Increased thirst and urination can be a subtle sign.

• Abnormal Sweating: Some horses sweat more than usual, even when it’s not hot or they haven’t exercised.

If you notice any of these changes, especially in an older horse, it’s a good idea to talk to your veterinarian. Early detection and management can help your horse stay healthy and comfortable!

In addition, it's important to note that all horses are different, if you have questions specific to your animal, please contact your vet.