Rhinebeck Equine

Rhinebeck Equine Rhinebeck Equine LLP is dedicated to improving the health and welfare of the horse.

Rhinebeck Equine is an independently owned, exclusively equine, practice located in Dutchess County in the Hudson River Valley about 120 miles north of NYC. The practice was founded in the 1940s by Dr. Kenneth Gumaer and began its equine focus in 1967 when Dr. Paul Mountan joined Dr. Ronnie Miller. Renamed Rhinebeck Equine in 1996, the practice’s veterinarians have been providing quality care to the equine population of New York’s Hudson Valley for over 50 years. This experienced and trusted practice has progressively grown into a comprehensive ambulatory and referral clinic with twelve veterinarians, five intern veterinarians, and over 30 support staff. The Rhinebeck Equine LLP team offers a full spectrum of services to horses of all breeds, providing comprehensive equine health care, including services in the areas of surgery, sport horse care, lameness evaluations, pre-purchase exams, reproduction, neonatal care, internal medicine, ophthalmology, dentistry, and wellness care. Our referral hospital is staffed by board-certified specialists in equine surgery, internal medicine, theriogenology (reproduction), ophthalmology, dermatology, interns, and a team of highly experienced support personnel. The hospital enables Rhinebeck Equine LLP to provide cutting-edge treatment to its equine patients. Ambulatory veterinarians serving the surrounding area provide care from their fully equipped mobile units.

10/11/2025

Ever wonder what those little pale, yellow dots are on your horse’s coat?

Gasterophilus intestinalis… aka horse bot flies!!

During the summer, female flies lay their eggs on the coat of equids where they are ingested while grooming. The larvae develop in the mouth and then travel to the stomach. They will continue development there until they are ready to be passed in the f***s where they become adults.

Thankfully botflies are generally innocuous, and are only of concern in cases of extreme infestation. They are often incidental findings during our gastroscopies!

It can be helpful to remove nits when they are seen, and deworming should still be performed according to your veterinarian’s recommendations.

This horse also has squamous ulcers at the lesser curvature of the stomach, which is to the right of the bot larva. He is now on treatment for the ulcers with GastroGard.

🐈‍⬛ It is Caturday! And that means Dorm and Torb need all of the love. With the cooler temperatures, we bet this dynamic...
10/11/2025

🐈‍⬛ It is Caturday! And that means Dorm and Torb need all of the love. With the cooler temperatures, we bet this dynamic duo will be spending a little more time inside assisting the hospital with treatments.

10/11/2025

🐈‍⬛ Torb being Torb! She’s so brave!

💍Last weekend, we had the joy of celebrating our own Lauren Holley, BVSc, DACVIM as she tied the knot to Jimmy! 🍂Lauren ...
10/10/2025

💍Last weekend, we had the joy of celebrating our own Lauren Holley, BVSc, DACVIM as she tied the knot to Jimmy! 🍂

Lauren and Jimmy first met in 2020 when she was an intern with us. As an Australian grad who began her internship in January, Lauren had two wonderful groups of intern mates — which made the wedding a veritable intern reunion! 🦘

Not surprisingly, the beer burros were very popular with all the equine vets in attendance! 🍻🐴

We’re so happy for the newlyweds and wish them a lifetime of love, laughter, and adventure together. ❤️

ridgeranchny

🦴 It looks like Dr. Haven Erengil is waiting for a chiropractic adjustment after some box jumps on the chiro blocks! It ...
10/09/2025

🦴 It looks like Dr. Haven Erengil is waiting for a chiropractic adjustment after some box jumps on the chiro blocks! It is probably safe to assume most veterinarians, technicians and assistants would benefit from a chiropractic adjustment.

🦴 Chiropractic is a holistic approach that focuses on the relationship between structure (primarily the spine) and function (coordinated action by the nervous system). Adjustments can help restore normal spinal column movement and promote healthy neurologic activity. This, in turn, supports biomechanical and musculoskeletal function and contributes to improved overall health for patients.

🦴 Equine chiropractic is a form of manual therapy that uses high-velocity and low-amplitude controlled thrusts. Performing chiropractic adjustments is the art of applying thrusts to specific articulations or anatomic regions to induce a therapeutic response.

🦴 Horses that could benefit from chiropractic care present with many signs, the most common of which are pain or discomfort. While chiropractic care will not reverse degenerative changes it can alleviate pain in horses with chronic conditions. Routine adjustments might contribute to the rehabilitation of most cases by helping restore normal nerve, muscle, and skeletal function. This therapy’s benefits are greatest when used as a preventive approach in conjunction with traditional veterinary care—to help keep a horse balanced, healthy, and performing at their best.

🦴 If interested in chiropractic services, please call or text the office at (845) 876-7085 to setup an appointment.

🐴 We know how frustrating it is when you get out to the barn, groom and tack up your horse then shortly into your ride y...
10/08/2025

🐴 We know how frustrating it is when you get out to the barn, groom and tack up your horse then shortly into your ride you feel something isn’t quite right. And that is when you call your veterinarian to schedule a lameness exam.

🐴 A lameness exam generally begins with a physical exam followed by hoof tester exam and palpation of the limbs, back and neck. Depending on the severity of the lameness, the horse is observed in hand at the trot or jog for a baseline lameness reference. Yes, the technicians and assistants get their daily steps in jogging horses. The horse might be observed on different surfaces too. The veterinarian may ask to observe the horse on a lunge line and/or under saddle too. The veterinarian will move on to flexion tests.

🐴 What is a flexion test?

A flexion test is the manipulation of a horse’s joint (or soft tissues in some cases) for a period of time then observing the horse trot or jog after the manipulation. Flexion tests are used to identify areas of pain.

🐴 Additionally, objective gait analysis using the Equinosis Lameness Locator is available at RE.

🐴 In order to isolate the lameness, the veterinarian may recommend “blocking.”
A peripheral nerve block is when a local anesthetic is injected around a nerve. The horse is observed in hand to determine if the “block” effectively eliminated or improved the degree of lameness. Depending on the improvement of the lameness more specific “blocking” may include intra-articular blocks. Intra-articular blocks is the sterile injection of an anesthetic into a joint. Again, the horse is observed in hand for signs of improvement.

🐴 Following the lameness exam and nerve blocking, diagnostic imaging is the next step. This may include radiographs, ultrasound, nuclear scintigraphy, or referral for advanced imaging such as MRI or CT.

🐴 Next, the veterinarian will recommend a treatment and rehabilitation plan for your horse. This may include joint injections, regenerative therapies, medications, extracorporeal shockwave therapy, and integrative treatments to name a few. And shoeing recommendations too. In certain cases, surgery may be recommended.

🐴 It is important to note that every veterinarian has their own way of evaluating horses for lameness.

🐴 We hope everyone is enjoying their horse and the beautiful Hudson Valley weather.

📸: A coffin joint being injected.
📸: Dr. Gus Abuja ultrasounding a patient. Sophia Donohue Photography
📸: Dr. Jesse Tyma shockwaving a patient.
📸: Dr. Nina Deibel palpating the distal limbs.
📸: Dr. Jeff Williams injecting the SI.
📸: Dr. Cara Rosenbaum flexing a hindlimb.
📸 : Dr. Cassandra Shores acupuncturing a patient.

🗣️ It is another Testimonial Tuesday! And we love hearing about how we have made a positive impact on you and your horse...
10/07/2025

🗣️ It is another Testimonial Tuesday! And we love hearing about how we have made a positive impact on you and your horse.

Lindsay Paulsen had this to say, “Wow, these folks are AMAZING. They helped my horse get through a scary colic episode and every single person (front desk, vets, techs, etc.) I interacted with was extremely kind, professional, friendly and helpful. They made an awful week infinitely better and got my horse healthy! I am truly deeply grateful to them for their help.”

Thank you Lindsay for your kind words! And we are happy to hear that Quincy is doing well at home.

📸: Lindsay’s mare back at home and doing well.

‼️ It seems our post about rabies has gone feral. So let’s breakdown rabies just a bit further.🦇 What is a rabies vecto...
10/06/2025

‼️ It seems our post about rabies has gone feral. So let’s breakdown rabies just a bit further.

🦇 What is a rabies vector species?

A rabies vector species is an animal that can transmit rabies to humans and other animals.

🦝 What are rabies vector species?

In the United States, bats, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs, foxes, and coyotes are rabies vector species. Horses are not a vector species for rabies. However, horses are a vector for other diseases such as EHV, flu, and strangles.

🦊 How is rabies transmitted to other animals or a person?

The viral disease is transmitted through an affected animal’s saliva, brain tissue or fluid from the central nervous system of an infected animal. It enters another animal or person through a break in the skin such as a bite or scratch or contact with mucous membranes such as the eyes, mouth and nose.

🦨 Rabies is a fatal neurologic disease. An exposed animal may incubate the virus for several months before showing any clinical signs. Last year, in the state of NY, the Wadsworth Center Rabies Laboratory confirmed rabies in 313 wild and domestic animals.

💉 We strongly recommend vaccinating your horses yearly with the rabies vaccine. The rabies vaccine is effective in horses. It is important to note that the rabies vaccine is a core vaccine based on the risk of severe disease and potential public health significance.

👀 We advise you to remain vigilant when you see wildlife around your farm. If a wild animal, especially a rabies vector species, is displaying signs of unusual behavior such as aggression or friendliness, please contact your local animal control officer.

🦴 It is another Medicine Monday! And since it is the month of Halloween we think it is fitting to discuss bones and Osph...
10/06/2025

🦴 It is another Medicine Monday! And since it is the month of Halloween we think it is fitting to discuss bones and Osphos.

🦴 What is Osphos?

Osphos, a clodronate, is an injectable bisphosphonate.

🦴 What is a bisphosphonate?

Bisphosphonates inhibit bone resorption by encouraging osteoclasts, a type of cell that breaks down damaged bone then makes room for new bone growth, to undergo cell death which decreases the breakdown of bone. In other words, bisphosphonates affect bone modeling and remodeling.

🦴 What is Osphos labelled to treat?

Osphos is labelled for the control of clinical signs associated with navicular syndrome in horses at least four years of age.

🦴 How is it administered?

Osphos is available as an IM injection. For most horses, 15mL is to be administered IM split into three different injection sites. In smaller horses and ponies, the dose administered is based on the 1.8mg/kg dose. In some cases, due to the side effects of colic and discomfort the patients are lightly sedated. It is important to monitor patients for a few hours post-injection and over the next few days for any of the common side effects.

🦴 What are the common side effects?

🦴 Discomfort
🦴 Nervousness
🦴 Colic
🦴 Renal failure
🦴 Polyuria
🦴 Polydipsia
🦴 Anorexia
🦴 Lethargy
🦴 Hypercalcemia
🦴 Behavioral disorder
🦴 Hyperkalemia
🦴 Hyperactivity
🦴 Recumbency
🦴 Hyperthermia
🦴 Injection site reactions
🦴 Muscle tremors
🦴 Urticaria
🦴 Hyperglycemia
🦴 Fracture


⛔️ What are the warnings about using Osphos?

Horses with a history of renal disease and/or function should not receive Osphos. In addition, NSAIDs should not be used concurrently with Osphos as it may increase the risk of renal toxicity and acute renal failure. If a horse is on NSAIDS, a washout period is strongly recommended prior to Osphos administration.

🦴 What do studies show?

In a 6-month Field Efficacy study, Osphos was to be effective in controlling the clinical signs associated with navicular syndrome by decreasing the lameness grades of affected horses. Additional research continues to be conducted on the safety of bisphosphonates, off label use and administration in young horses.

🩺 Always discuss with your veterinarian if Osphos is an appropriate medication for your horse.

👑 It is Surgerizing Sunday! And sometimes we need to utilize some little friends to help us manage certain surgical site...
10/05/2025

👑 It is Surgerizing Sunday! And sometimes we need to utilize some little friends to help us manage certain surgical sites. Now, we wear exclusively, handmade and customized sized maggot wrangling crowns designed by Dr. Kate Loonie. How nice it is to feel like royalty when playing with maggots.

🐛 What is maggot therapy?

Maggot therapy is the controlled, therapeutic use of live blow fly larvaeto treat skin and soft tissue wounds. Maggots are germ-free and come from medical grade larvae of therapeutic fly species. Generally, the maggots are applied to the wound for 2 to 3 days being contained by special dressings.
No one wants runaway maggots especially due to the fact that once they are done cleaning up the wound they want to vacate the premises in search of other infected wounds.

🐛 What do maggots do?

The three primary actions of medical grade maggots on wounds are:

1.) Debride the wound by consuming dead and infected tissue.
2.) Disinfect the wound by secreting antimicrobial molecules.
3.) Stimulate the growth of healthy tissue.

🐛 Is maggot therapy a new treatment modality?

Maggot therapy is not a new treatment modality. In fact, it has been around for centuries when military surgeons observed soldiers wounds that had been infested with maggots had better outcomes. More scientific experimentation was done in the 1920s by Dr. William Baer at John Hopkins University. He raised specific species in the lab to treat children with osteomyelitis and soft tissue infections. He presented his findings at a surgical conference in 1929. Two years later, after treating 98 children, his findings were published posthumously.

🐛 Why is maggot therapy still used as new medications and treatments have developed?

As new antibiotic therapies and surgical procedures were developed, maggot therapy use decreased and only was used when antibiotics, surgery, and modern wound care failed. However, additional studies have shown that maggot therapy is still effective in today’s modern medicine. And of course, has use today in veterinary medicine.

📸: Maggots from Monarch Labs with our maggot wrangling crowns. 👑
📸: Dr. Rachel O’Connell and Dr. Kate Loonie, maggot wrangler crown designer, posing with a patient that received maggot therapy.

10/04/2025

When caring for the Chincoteague Ponies on Assateague Island, VA, the vet team is always attentive to horses laying down and rolling. This stallion, Chief, quickly rolled, stood then shook off.

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26 Losee Lane
Rhinebeck, NY
12572

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(845) 876-7085

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Rhinebeck Equine is an exclusively equine practice located in Dutchess County in the Hudson River Valley about 120 miles north of NYC. The practice was founded in the 1940’s by Dr. Kenneth Gumaer, and began its equine focus in 1967, when Dr. Paul Mountan joined Dr. Ronnie Miller. Renamed Rhinebeck Equine in 1996, the practice’s veterinarians have been providing quality care to the equine population of New York’s Hudson Valley for over 50 years. This experienced and trusted practice has progressively grown into a comprehensive, caring medical and surgical center employing eight veterinarians, four intern veterinarians, and 28 support staff. A “State of the Art” referral hospital, completed in 2002, is staffed by two board certified equine surgeons, a board certified internal medicine specialist, interns, and a team of highly experienced support personnel. The hospital enables Rhinebeck Equine LLP to provide cutting edge treatment to its equine patients. Seven ambulatory veterinarians serving the surrounding area who will provide on the farm care from their fully equipped mobile units. The Rhinebeck Equine LLP team offers a full spectrum of services to horses of all breeds, providing comprehensive equine health care, including services in the areas of surgery, sport horse care, lameness evaluations, pre-purchase exams, reproduction, neonatal care, internal medicine, ophthalmology, dentistry and wellness care.

For more info, visit us at http://www.rhinebeckequine.com/