Simon Constable's Equine Vets

16/06/2026

Good luck to everyone, especially our clients, competing at the Royal Cheshire Show over the next few days.
Enjoy the day and hopefully the weather will stay fine?

15/06/2026

My annual warning about ragwort starts again!!
Horses do eat ragwort, either deliberately or by accident, and it contains toxins called Pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are an accumulative poison that damages the liver.
The clinical signs are subtle initially and progress insidiously as the toxins accumulate and progressively damage the liver, eventually causing liver failure and death. This can take many years to accumulate such a large amount of liver damage to kill a horse or pony but in rare cases can cause death in a matter of days or weeks if enough ragwort is ingested.
NOW is the time of year to remove it from horse paddocks before it has an opportunity to seed and further spread.
Despite picking and removing (burn or destroy, DO NOT LEAVE IT ON THE PADDOCK because it becomes more palatable when dry) it for over 25 years, I still have to remove it from my pasture.

The overwhelming scientific evidence confirms its toxicity and danger to horses so please don’t contribute to this post with hearsay, anecdotes or pseudoscientific information.

10/06/2026

Eye ulcers have been a common finding recently with the warmer weather and flies contributing to infection and/or causing irritation which leads to rubbing of the ye and potentially “poking” something against the cornea.
Any closing of the eye, severe pain or if in any doubt whatsoever, an eye ulcer should be suspected.
Eye ulcers are genuine emergencies which cannot be left overnight to see how they are.
Early, aggressive treatment is absolutely necessary to treat the infection and prevent deterioration of the ulcer and, in bad cases, loss of vision in the eye or loss of the eye itself!
Often there is a constriction of the pupil which, if left untreated, can leave to a permanently narrowing of the pupil with limited vision as a result!

06/06/2026

02/06/2026

Laminitis is rearing its ugly head once again which is hardly surprising in view of the weather- warm with the occasional downpour followed by a lot more rain.
We have been proactively checking horses for Insulin Dysregulation (ID), otherwise know as Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMA), in an attempt to identify any potential “victims” of this dreadful disease. The intention is then to provide preventative medication and management in order to prevent laminitis before it occurs or, at worst, in the very early stages.
Time is of the essence with laminitis and it is a genuine emergency requiring prompt intervention (blood sampling), management changes and aggressive treatment to limit the symptoms and prevent further deterioration.
If you suspect it, do not hesitate! As the saying goes, he/she who hesitates, is lost!

27/05/2026

Jonathan who is the dad of one of our vets, Ben, is running the Great Manchester Run on Sunday 31st May for a cause very relevant to him, namely Bowel Cancer.
Bowel Cancer is one of the commonest cancers in the UK and the NHS provides a testing service-

https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/bowel-cancer-screening/

https://www.justgiving.com/page/jonathan-hayes-5?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

26/05/2026

The hot weather is looking to continue and it is vital we take extra precautions to look after our horses and ponies.
Making sure water is clean and plentiful to prevent dehydration and potentially colic as a result. Check water levels several times daily. Mashes with lots of water a will help fluid intake and most have electrolytes as part of the mash. Alternatively, horse electrolytes are readily available.
The grass has grown very well and the usual risks of laminitis are here even with the bigger horses.
Overnight grazing is often a better answer provided the stables during the day are not too hot but fly rugs and masks are important all the time.
Sunscreen over pink areas prevents sunburn if daytime turnout but this can wash off.
Enjoy the sun but keep your horses and ponies safe!!