Douglas Novick, DVM Veterinary Care for Horses

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Douglas Novick, DVM Veterinary Care for Horses

Dr. Douglas Novick is a veterinarian in the San Francisco Bay Area who limits his practice to the treatment of horses. .

Dr. Douglas Novick provides mobile veterinary care, emergency care and pre-purchase examinations for horses throughout Silicon Valley and surrounding areas including south Santa Clara county, the Peninsula and the East Bay. His special interests are equine sports medicine, equine dentistry and equine reproduction. Dr. Novick’s patients range from back yard pets to highly competitive show horses, endurance horses and western performance and reining horses. He also will treat goats and sheep and vaccinate horse owner’s dogs and cats as well. In addition he as consulted as an equine legal expert in matters related to equine veterinary care and horsemanship. An experienced horseman of over 40 years, Dr. Novick now competes as an amateur in the jumper divisions. As a competitor he earned multiple honors including Year-end Amateur Owner Champion of the Northern California Hunter Jumper Association in 2006 and 2015. He is also a two time division champion of High Junior/ Amateur Owner Jumpers at the Menlo Charity Horse Show . He has treated horses in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1988. Prior to that time he treated racehorses and performance horses while on staff at the New Jersey Equine Clinic, a six-veterinarian racetrack and surgical referral practice. Dr. Novick is a graduate of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts. He received his undergraduate degree from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina where he was graduated with honors, Phi Beta Kappa and summa cm laude. Dr. Novick is a columnist, writing articles in newsletters related to horse care for the Los Altos Hills Horsemen’s Association, the San Mateo County Horsemen’s Association, and the California Gymkanna Association. His articles have also appeared in the California Horse Review, and the American Endurance Rider’s national magazine, Endurance News. He has served as an expert on equine sports medicine for the San Jose Mercury News and KNBR radio. Dr. Novick has been featured for his work, in preventing horse theft by implanting Identification Microchips, in numerous publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Jose Mercury News, Horse Illustrated, Horse Show Magazine and the Quarter Horse Journal. His primary practice area includes Santa Clara, San Mateo and Alameda Counties.

01/28/2026

An experienced horseman for over 40 years, Dr. Novick now competes as an amateur in the jumper divisions. As a competitor, he has earned multiple honors, including Year-End Amateur Owner Champion of the Northern California Hunter Jumper Association in 2006 and 2015. He is also a two-time Division Champion in the High Junior/Amateur Owner Jumpers at the Menlo Charity Horse Show.

Dr. Novick has treated horses in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1988. Prior to that, he treated racehorses and performance horses while on staff at the New Jersey Equine Clinic, a six-veterinarian racetrack and surgical referral practice.

01/26/2026

An ID microchip is a tiny device—about the size of a grain of rice—that is implanted into the ligament at the back of your horse’s neck. The procedure is quick, taking approximately three minutes, and is similar to a routine injection.

Each microchip is encoded with a unique 15-digit (or longer) alphanumeric identification number that is never duplicated. When a handheld scanner is passed over the area, it reads and displays this number instantly.

Unlike tattoos, which can fade or blur over time, or freeze brands, which may be difficult to interpret, a microchip provides permanent, reliable identification. The encoded ID number remains readable for over 25 years and does not change, offering a secure and lasting method of identification for your horse.

01/25/2026

When you schedule a lameness exam, the evaluation follows a process of elimination. It begins with assessment of the horse as a whole and progressively narrows to smaller areas until the precise source of pain is identified.

Dr. Novick brings extensive expertise in sports medicine and lameness, with more than three decades of experience treating patients, along with valuable perspective as an active competitor himself.

01/23/2026

During wind-sucking, or cribbing, horses grasp a fixed surface with their upper teeth, arch their necks, and draw in air.

This abnormal behavior is thought to be triggered by boredom or frustration, by observing other horses that wind-suck, or by accidentally discovering the behavior during play. Read more on the topic here: https://bit.ly/48VlR4b

01/21/2026

Many older horses—just like people—have lived long, athletic lives and developed arthritis along the way. In more advanced cases, they may struggle to get up or lie down, have difficulty going downhill, or fall behind their pasture mates.

For these horses, targeted joint therapy can make a tremendous difference. Treatments may include injections into specific joints, such as the hocks, or systemic injectable medications like the combination of Pentosan and Acetyl-D-Glucosamine. These therapies can help improve comfort, mobility, and overall quality of life.

Read more on this important topic to learn how joint support can keep your senior horse feeling their best.

01/19/2026

Dr. Novick cares for horses of all types—from backyard companions to highly competitive show, endurance, and Western performance and reining horses.

01/18/2026

Did you know that horses who compete frequently or are in racetrack environments should receive Influenza and Rhinopneumonitis vaccinations every 3 months? In some high-risk situations, boosters may be recommended every 2 months.

01/16/2026

Chronic, low-grade colic; changes in appetite; decreased performance; a dull hair coat; a poor attitude toward training; or even stall kicking can all be signs of stomach or colon ulcers in horses.

Dr. Novick can scope your horse’s stomach and run a f***l blood test to help diagnose ulcers and recommend a treatment plan.

01/14/2026

Did you now that horse buyers may elect to run bloodwork as part of a pre-purchase exam with Dr. Novick? A complete blood count, which checks for anemia and infections, and a chemistry profile, which checks for indications of liver, kidney or muscle disease, are two of the simplest tests to run.

A drug screen may also be run. This tests for many of the drugs used to mask symptoms of lameness or drugs used to sedate which present a picture of a calm horse in order to fool a potential buyer.

01/12/2026

Melanomas are skin tumors most commonly seen in grey horses, appearing as firm, dark brown or black raised nodules. They are the third most common skin tumor in horses, following sarcoids and squamous cell carcinomas.

These tumors typically form beneath the tail, around the re**um, and near the ge***al area. Less commonly, they may be found behind the jaw, along the neck, or around the ears. Melanomas can occur as single nodules or cluster together in groups that create a distinctive cobblestone appearance.

In most grey horses, melanomas grow slowly and remain localized, but some may become large enough to interfere with normal functions—such as defecation—or cause irritation and discomfort.

01/11/2026

New clients are invited to save $40 on important veterinary services, including dental floats and examinations. This offer is valid for new clients only on visits with standard fees of $50 or more.

01/09/2026

Navicular disease is a condition affecting the hoof in which pain arises from the navicular bone—a small structure located just behind the coffin bone. When horses don’t respond to first-line treatments, two newer options are increasingly used: navicular bursa injections and treatment with the drug Tildren®.

Read more on the topic here: https://bit.ly/48agcqt

Address

PO Box 10190
San Jose, CA
95157

Telephone

+14089466888

Website

http://www.novickdvm.com/

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