The Atlantic hurricane season is active from June through November. Advance disaster planning for your family, pets and horses is crucial to minimize panic and consequences, should a storm strike your area. This checklist will help you prepare. Download a printable Hurricane Checklist for…
UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones With extreme drought conditions throughout Florida, many areas are currently under threat of wildfire. For horse owners, it is important to develop an evacuation plan now, before mandatory evacuation orders are placed. The information below can be printed as a checklist here:…
December 23, 2025 Update: Second Case of Neurologic EHV-1 Confirmed in Florida December 11, 2025 Update: Single Case of Neurologic EHV-1 Confirmed in Florida December 2025 USEF Webinar on EHV-1 and Biosecurity On December 1, US Equestrian Federation’s head veterinarian Dr. Katie Flynn and UF Large Animal Hospital’s Dr. Sally…
Key Points The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) recommends that all horses be vaccinated for tetanus, encephalomyelitis, rabies, and West Nile virus. Individual vaccination programs should be developed and delivered by your veterinarian to ensure that your horse receives the right vaccines at the optimal time of year. Vaccination generally requires…
What is Equine Influenza? Equine influenza, or “horse flu,” is a highly contagious respiratory virus that affects horses of all ages. Similar to the human flu, it spreads through: Direct contact, especially nose-to-nose Inhalation of airborne droplets from coughing Contaminated hands, grooming tools, and shared surfaces Common Symptoms…
The UF Large Animal Surgery Service is informing horse owners about the dangers of cribbing, a stable vice that can lead to epiploic foramen entrapment, a type of colic that can cause death if not treated promptly by surgery.
Although certain illnesses and conditions will have obvious signs and indicators that a veterinarian should be called, others may not. It is critical to know the normal behavior, attitude, and gait of your horses, since changes that could require veterinary attention may be subtle at first. No one knows your…
Anhidrosis is defined as a decreased ability to sweat in response to increased body temperature. Failure to sweat manifests primarily in hot and humid climates, like Florida and other Gulf coast states. It is an important problem particularly in performance horses because thermoregulation is mainly accomplished by sweating. In the…
Strangles is one of the most commonly diagnosed contagious diseases in horses worldwide, and was first reported in 1251. The bacteria typically infect the upper airway and lymphoid tissues of the head and neck, causing enlarged lymph nodes, nasal drainage, and abscess formation. Strangles is highly contagious in horse populations and can cause outbreaks when an infected horse is introduced into a new group or herd.
Although it’s the end of Florida’s rainy season, the rain has not stopped! Horse owners need to be aware of a persistent disease threat to horses called pythiosis. Pythiosis is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by the pathogen Pythium insidiosum, which can lead to painful and debilitating skin lesions.
University of Florida
As part of both the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and UF Health, Veterinary Medicine is dedicated to advancing animal, human and environmental health through teaching, research, extension and patient care.
University of Florida
Need animal care? Visit the UF Small Animal and Large Animal Hospitals. From dogs, cats, birds and exotics to horses, cattle, llamas, pigs and many other large farm or food animals, our experienced veterinary staff is ready to assist.
Syndicated Podcast
Animal Airwaves is a daily radio series that features one-minute segments relating to animal health, ranging from insights into animal behavior to veterinary patient care breakthroughs and trends.
