Douglas Novick, DVM Veterinary Care for Horses

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San Jose, CA
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, e

ndurance 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.

06/23/2025

Did you know you don’t have to be local to get expert care for your horse? Dr. Novick offers long-distance consultations and X-ray reviews. For personalized guidance from an experienced vet, email drdoug@novickdvm.com with any questions.

06/22/2025

Did you know that Dr. Novick is also a columnist? Contributing articles to newsletters for the Los Altos Hills Horsemen’s Association, the San Mateo County Horsemen’s Association, and the California Gymkhana Association.

His work has also been featured in California Horse Review and the American Endurance Ride Conference’s national magazine, Endurance News.

06/20/2025

The best way to protect your horse’s long-term health is through preventive care—catching issues before they become problems.

That means staying on top of:

• Vaccinations
• Parasite (worm) control
• Dentals
• Lameness prevention for both active and senior horses
• Managing chronic lameness

06/18/2025

Cold therapy has long been trusted for its anti-inflammatory benefits, commonly used to treat sore tendons, joints, and hooves. But one question always comes up:
What’s the most effective way to apply it? Read more on the topic here: https://bit.ly/4fdZfxd

06/16/2025

Enteroliths are hard, stone-like mineral masses that form in a horse’s large intestine. They develop when minerals, mainly magnesium ammonium phosphate, come out of solution and build up around a small object called a nidus—often a stone, but sometimes a nail, pin, or coin.

Growth rates vary, but in some horses, an enterolith can become large enough to cause an intestinal obstruction within a year. Among breeds, Arabians and Morgans appear to be at higher risk.

06/15/2025

Wishing everyone a Happy Father's Day!

06/13/2025

Did your horse recently see Dr. Novick? We’d love to hear about your experience—leave a review on Google!

06/11/2025

When horses stand in mud for extended periods, the moisture softens the sole of the hoof, making it vulnerable to tiny cracks—especially along the white line (where the hoof wall meets the sole). Dirt and bacteria sneak in through these openings, setting the stage for infection.

Trauma or penetrating objects (like nails) can also introduce bacteria deep into the hoof, and over time, this can lead to the formation of a painful hoof abscess.

What to Watch For:

• Your horse may seem slightly lame one day... and severely lame the next—sometimes unable to bear weight on the leg.

06/09/2025

Ever wonder what happens when your horse gets their teeth floated?

Dr. Novick uses a special file to gently smooth out sharp edges on your horse’s teeth. Since horses don’t have nerve roots in their teeth like we do, the process is painless—but that doesn’t mean they always love it.

About half of horses object to having floating blades in their mouth, which is why vets often use a short-acting sedative to keep things calm.

06/08/2025

New Clients Save $40 on Veterinary Services!

Get $40 off services like dental floats or examinations when your visit totals $50 or more. Offer valid for new clients only.

06/06/2025

Did you know parasites are a common cause of colic in horses? Colic can range from mild discomfort to life-threatening conditions—but studies show a strong parasite control program can significantly reduce the risk.

We recommend de-worming your horse at least every other month. The program we use has helped countless clients keep their horses healthy.

06/04/2025

Did you know that using progesterone-type treatments can sometimes help reduce cranky or distracted behavior, allowing horses to focus. Mares especially benefit, as these medications prevent them from coming into heat, eliminating common issues like sudden mood swings or disruptive behavior around other horses.

Even some hyper geldings show improvement, making this a valuable tool for managing focus and behavior in performance horses. Read more here: https://bit.ly/3NLUVtw

Address

PO Box 10190
San Jose, CA
95157

Telephone

+14089466888

Website

http://www.novickdvm.com/

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