Equine Services

Learn more about our equine services below.

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Equine Services In Yakima, WA

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Equine Reproduction
Dr. Harfst specializes in equine reproductive health and provides cutting-edge broodmare services such as ultrasonography, breeding exams, and artificial insemination with fresh-cooled or frozen sperm. Upon arrival, each mare brought to Animal Medical Service for breeding work will undergo a reproductive soundness test that includes palpation and ultrasound. We also consider the mare’s overall health and soundness, as these factors are important for reproductive success. If additional testing is required, the veterinarian may recommend treatments such as a vaginal exam, uterine culture, cytology, and perhaps biopsy.
Equine Dental Care
Horses, unlike dogs, cats, and people, require a distinct type of regular preventive dental treatment. Horse teeth erupt at a pace of 2 to 3 millimeters every year. This means that the teeth continue to develop into the mouth and must wear down at the same rate by grinding on coarse fibrous food. Malocclusions, or incorrect tooth positioning, can cause uneven wear patterns and have a poor impact on periodontal health, leading to severe oral illness.

Before receiving dental care, your horse should get a thorough oral examination, which can be aided by anesthesia, a speculum, a light, and a mirror or camera. Specific therapy procedures will be guided by the information gathered during the evaluation. Dental floating is a procedure that eliminates uneven, unworn, sharp points from the cheek teeth and modifies the chewing surfaces as needed. Periodontal disease should be addressed if it is present when your horse is sedated to have its teeth floated.

Well-Horse Exams
Taking care of a horse necessitates a lifelong commitment to receiving high-quality veterinary care. We’re happy to work with you to keep your individual horse or equine herd healthy. Horse wellness checks are performed by the Animal Medical Service team to ensure that they are healthy and happy.
Equine Lameness Exams
Examine your horse’s ability to move about. Physical examination and palpation, flexion tests, and joint and nerve blocks are all used to determine the source(s) of lameness. We can use digital radiography, ultrasonography, and laboratory tests to assist us determine the cause of your horse’s lameness.
Equine Pre-Purchase Exams
Prior to acquiring a horse, we provide a thorough physical examination, lameness evaluation, neurologic examination, and drug screen. The information acquired is utilized by the potential buyer and/or agent to decide whether the horse is fit for its intended purpose. Laboratory tests, digital radiography, endoscopy, and ultrasound exams are all possible parts of the evaluation.
Equine Endoscopic Exams
An endoscope is a long, flexible tube with a small camera at the end. The veterinarian can put a number of small instruments into a channel inside the tube to acquire biopsy samples or remove foreign objects.
Equine Vaccinations & Deworming
It’s critical to keep your horse up to date on vaccinations and dewormings. As a precautionary measure, Animal Medical Service will establish a vaccine regimen suited exclusively to your horse from birth to adulthood.
Equine Laser Therapy

If your horse experiences a soft tissue injury, chronic pain, or a wound that needs some more help healing, our doctors may add Laser Therapy to your pet’s treatment plan. Therapeutic laser is the application of light energy to areas of the body to stimulate and accelerate healing. Therapeutic laser reduces pain by decreasing inflammation, as well as by decreasing tissue chemicals that stimulate pain and by affecting nerve conduction. The therapeutic laser also enhances healing by increasing microcirculation (blood flow through the smaller blood vessels of the body), stimulating cellular activity, and increasing growth factors.