All horses, ponies and donkeys in England, Wales and Scotland must be microchipped by law. This allows local authorities and the police to track the owners of abandoned, lost or stolen horses, so they can be reunited with their owners more easily.
We routinely check your horse or pony for microchips at vaccination time. All foals must be checked before they are six months of age or before December the 31st in the year in which they are born whichever is earlier’ we usually combine this with an identity drawing for your passport but we prefer to do the microchip after tetanus cover has been provided. (Tetanus is an initial vaccine course, 4 weeks apart, given at four to six months of age)
A well-handled foal makes this job much much easier!
Microchips are now much smaller than before and are injected into the left mid crest region of the foal’s neck.
Any adult horses donkeys or ponies without a chip can be done for you in the same way at routine consultation, provided tetanus cover is up to date. It is a legal requirement to have all horses chipped and it allows you to be reunited with your horse more easily if, heaven forbid, they become lost or stolen.
It is important to keep your horse microchip details up to date. Some microchipping databases charge a small fee when you change your horses microchip details.
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What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture utilises the body’s nervous system to block pain signals and encourage the central nervous system to release natural painkillers.
In non painful conditions acupuncture can help to reset the body to normal functioning.
We offer acupuncture in horses by Kayleigh who is a qualified veterinary acupuncturist.
What conditions can be treated with Acupuncture?
How will my horse respond to Acupuncture?
Most of the time they accept the fine needles very well and often become
relaxed and sleepy during the treatment Often they appear to look forward to the next treatment when they come back to the practice.
Sometimes horses may react to the sensation as though they are expecting pain, but then relax because it does not occur.
Treatment Regime & Costs
We recommend a weekly treatment plan for the first 4-6 weeks and then a maintenance plan will be drawn up for your horse.
The cost is £42 per treatment at the practice. Visit fee applies if you have the treatment at your yard. Group bookings can be accommodated. Please call the team to discuss and book your consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Frequently Asked Questions
It is uncommon for horses to need to be sedated.
The usual course is once a week for 4 weeks. After this initial course we will know whether acupuncture is working for your pet. Depending on the condition and how they have responded, we will work out a maintenance plan that involves tailoring the timing of treatments so the effect is maintained for as long as possible.
Acupuncture is very safe, in the right hands. Legally it must be performed by a veterinary surgeon. There have been no official reports of problems in animals, but there are some in humans and these can usually be avoided with care and a good knowledge of anatomy. There are a very few cases in which we would have to be very cautious about using acupuncture, but your veterinary acupuncturist can advise you of these.
After examination, needles will be put into various parts of the body and moved or stimulated a few times. There is no set “dose” of acupuncture as there is for medication, so your vet will judge how much to do based on your horse’s response both at the time and after the treatment. They may become sleepy and relaxed during the treatment.
It is not uncommon for pets to be more sleepy after treatment. This is a good sign and shows that your horse will probably respond well to acupuncture. There is no need to worry, however, if they are not sleepy – this does not mean that they will not respond.
Sometimes your horse may seem a little more euphoric than usual – this is also a good sign. However, it is advisable to keep them quiet for the rest of the day or they may overdo things.
Otherwise treat your horse normally after acupuncture. Do not change exercise, diet or medication unless it has been discussed with your vet.
Responses to treatments vary between animals:
- They may seem a little stiffer or more uncomfortable. This shows they should respond to treatment and after a day or two they will improve again and should be better than before. However, you must tell your vet so that they can adjust the treatment next time.
- You may see no response. It may just be that they will take a little longer or that their improvement after the first treatment was too brief or small for you to see. Not all animals or humans are acupuncture “responders”, but about 80% will be.
- You may see an improvement. This may occur anytime in the 3 days after treatment. The signs that we are trying to treat may then return before the next treatment, but this is fine. After each subsequent treatment the effects should last for longer, so that your horse’s maintenance treatments may be quite far apart.