New horse owners might wonder how often their horse needs to see a veterinarian. The short answer, according to Anna Bracken, DVM, clinical instructor in equine field service at Colorado State University, is “it depends.”
The average healthy horse that’s living at home and not traveling should see a vet at least once a year for a thorough wellness exam, vaccines, a dental exam, a fecal sample, and additional exams as needed. “Seeing your vet once a year establishes a veterinary-client-patient relationship that’s necessary for us to be able to treat your horse appropriately and write prescriptions if they need it,” says Bracken. “If you call and have a question, I need to know who that horse is so that I can answer appropriately and ethically.”
She notes that older and younger horses and those that travel might need more frequent exams because of their different vaccination indications and exposure to other horses.
“If your horse develops any changes, if there’s weight loss or gain, if there’s a wound, if there’s an illness, a cough, a fever, those are all signs that your horse should have a vet exam for that specific problem,” says Bracken. “But on an annual basis, your horse should have a minimum once-yearly exam.”
Related:
- Is My Horse Sick, and Do I Need to Call the Vet?
- When to Call the Vet for a Horse
- How To Find an Equine Veterinarian for Your Horse
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