Vintage Springs Performance

11/20/2025

Very interesting!

11/08/2025

An interesting topic

🩸 Recently, a 17 year old draft gelding in Virginia tested positive for Equine Parvovirus. And we thought that we would break this disease down for horse owners with Dr. Lauren Holley, ACVIM.

🩸 Did you know horses can get Parvovirus too?
Unlike dogs (who get GI signs), Equine Parvovirus causes liver disease (hepatitis).

💡 EqPV-H has been linked to Theiler’s Disease (Serum Hepatitis) — once thought to occur only after blood transfusions, but we now know horses can get it without any blood product exposure.

👉 We test all of our blood donors for Equine Parvovirus, and our plasma comes from rigorously screened, verified sources.

🩸 Most horses with EqPV-H don’t get sick — only 1–2% show signs of hepatitis. Mild cases often resolve on their own in a few weeks (1-12 weeks), with the only indication being elevated liver enzymes on blood work.

🪧 Typical signs of liver disease or hepatitis include:
💤 Lethargy
❌ Inappetence
💛 Yellow discoloration of the mucous
membranes (eyes, gums, v***a)
🌞 Photosensitization - abnormal
sunlight sensitivity causing blistering
and sunburn on the ‘non-pigmented’
or ‘white’ areas of the coat.
🤢 Colic
🛏️ Recumbency

🧠 In severe disease - Neurologic signs (hepatic encephalopathy) including altered behavior, head pressing, staggering and blindness.

🩺 Diagnosis
Clinical signs, elevated liver enzymes on blood work (AST, SDH, GLDH and GGT) and changes in markers of liver function (ammonia and bile acid concentrations).
PCR testing for the virus (in both blood and liver samples). A positive blood test doesn’t always mean active disease — horses can test positive up to a year after infection.

💊 Treatment and Prognosis
Only symptomatic horses require treatment → aggressive supportive care and secondary treatment of liver dysfunction - especially in the case of neurologic signs.
The prognosis with mild to moderate clinical signs is excellent. Severe disease, fulminant liver failure and neurologic signs, the mortality rate can be high.

💉 Prevention
No vaccine available
When administering biologic products (stem cells, plasma, etc), it is best to use autogenous biologics (from the patient's OWN blood) or commercial products that are known to be negative.

☣️Biosecurity
Not enough is known about EqPV-H. Traditional approaches to limiting the spread of diseases in outbreaks and good quarantine practices when introducing horses to barns are recommended.

📸: A foal receiving a blood transfusion.

09/09/2025

07/26/2025

When you fill your horse's water buckets, especially if you are away from home, do not immerse the nozzle in the water.

This is because hose nozzles can be a major culprit in the spread of diseases.

“We’ve found with strangles that one of the best conduits of disease was a water hose, and you see this all the time at shows, where competitors and grooms use the same hose in a barn,” says Robert C. Stout, DVM. “What better way to move the disease from stall to stall and between horses who never actually come in contact with each other? We had one major strangles outbreak at a racetrack where we could track it right down the barn aisle where the same hose was used to top off water buckets.”

04/19/2025

As of 2 days ago, only 2 spots left! If you know any vet techs or vet tech students who’d be interested over on that side of town, let them know!

🐴 Save the Date! 🤠 ONLY TWO SPOTS LEFT - REGISTER TODAY

Giddy up, Minnesota Vet Techs! It’s time to hit the trail for hands-on CE!

Join us on May 10th for a 4-hour interactive session designed to keep your skills sharp and your boots dusty.

Spring Equine Wellness and Hoof care for Veterinary Technicians with Jenna Lindquist, CVT, CERP & Marcus Lindquist, CJF at the Lee Mar Ranch Equine Center in Granite Falls. Earn 4 hours of CE, lunch included with registration!

Registration is $40 for MAVT members and $60 for non-members. Seats are limited, so register TODAY!

https://mavt.net/events/register.aspx?id=1951017

Don’t miss out!🌵🐎

04/17/2025

Product review-

▫️have an older horse that can no longer chew hay?
◾️have an older horse that either doesn’t like soaked alfalfa pellets or cubes or beet pulp as an alternative?
▫️have an older horse that has a tendency to choke on soaked pellets or beer pulp?
◾️have an older horse that just prefers hay?
▫️need a cheaper option than of forage alternative when you have the hay already in the barn?

Purchased this Worx brand mulcher off Amazon this past winter for an older mare of ours who has minimal teeth. Ground down soft quality alfalfa hay
💥Works great! Makes one hell of a dusty mess, but chops fine enough (for our mare) for consumption with minimal hay balls & no choke.

*this mare is still on a complete senior feed

👉older horses are not a one size fits all

👉consult with a trusted equine nutritionist to see what is best for your horse!

Cheers

04/03/2025

A very common misconception.
Read full description for a better understanding of sugars in grass and how the time of day has a direct impact!

DO YOU KNOW WHAT CAUSES GRASS FOUNDER?

Spring is a wonderful time of the year, but it may be the beginning of some serious problems for horses vulnerable to grass founder — like horses that are over the age of 10, easy keepers, overweight or cresty-necked.

Laminitis or founder, as it is commonly called, is inflammation of the laminae of the horse’s foot. Laminae are the delicate, accordion-like tissues that attach the inner surface of the hoof wall to the coffin bone (the bone in the foot). A horse suffering from laminitis experiences a decrease in blood flow to the laminae, which in turn begin to die and separate. The final result is hoof wall separation, rotation of the coffin bone and extreme pain. In severe cases, the coffin bone will actually rotate through the sole of the horse’s hoof where it becomes infected and can ultimately lead to the horse having to be euthanized.

Laminitis can be triggered by different causes, like repeated concussion on hard ground (road founder), grain overload, retained placenta, hormonal imbalance (Cushing’s syndrome), obesity, and lush grass.

In cases of grass founder, the sugar fructans produced by rapidly growing grass stimulates an overgrowth of bacteria in the horse’s large intestine. The bacteria produce and release toxins (endotoxins) that are carried by the bloodstream to the foot where they cause damage to the laminae and small blood vessels.

The best way to deal with laminitis is preventing and managing the causes under your control. Consult your equine practitioner for further information and to formulate a plan tailored to your horse's individual situation. If you suspect laminitis, consider it a medical emergency and notify your veterinarian immediately.

03/25/2025

⚡️Before The Sunset⚡️

Coming Soon!!

Elevate your equestrian journey with our monthly e-newsletter!

▫️Expert training tips for a stronger bond
▪️Farrier advice for healthy hooves
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▫️Industry updates to keep you in the know

Join the community! 💫 DM us if you're interested in receiving exclusive updates and expert advice every month.

03/24/2025

💥Attention Veterinary Technicians💥 CE Opportunity! 💥

Marcus and I are fortunate to be clinicians for one of Minnesota Association of Veterinary Technicians (MAVT) events.

🐴 Save the Date! 🤠

🔸When? Saturday, May 10th
🔹Where? Lee-Mar Ranch Equine Center in Granite Falls MN
🔸Topics? Spring Equine Wellness and Hoof care for Veterinary Technicians
🔹CE Opportunity? 4 hours of CE

Registration: $40 for MAVT members, $60 for non-members. Lunch & CE included. Seats limited- register below! 👇

https://mavt.net/events/register.aspx?id=1951017

Don’t miss out!🌵🐎

"Saddle Up for CE!"

🐴 Save the Date! 🤠

Giddy up, Minnesota Vet Techs! It’s time to hit the trail for hands-on CE! Join us on May 10th for a 4-hour interactive session designed to keep your skills sharp and your boots dusty.

Spring Equine Wellness and Hoof care for Veterinary Technicians with Jenna Lindquist, CVT, CERP & Marcus Lindquist, CJF at the Lee Mar Ranch Equine Center in Granite Falls. Earn 4 hours of CE, lunch included with registration!

Registration: $40 for MAVT members, $60 for non-members. Seats limited, so register TODAY!

https://mavt.net/events/register.aspx?id=1951017

Don’t miss out!🌵🐎

03/23/2025

💥 We had a fabulous first clinic yesterday!💥
A great turnout with very interactive participants.
Our morning consisted of Marcus reviewing the shape and distortion of the hoof capsule & the effects of sensitive structures along with dissecting a lower limb and hoof explaining key anatomy, both external and internal.
I reviewed standard vital taking with different approaches in emergency situations, wound management reviewing and practicing bandage wrapping, along with reviewing some every day items you may have laying around that can be used in an emergency. A lot of hands on practice, a ton of engagement and questions, and we are looking forward to future the next!

A huge thank you to the barn owners, the horses we were able to use for practicing, and of course, our participants.

Cheers to the next!

03/18/2025

03/14/2025

This upcoming storm and 50 degree temperature change is a prime invitation for colic.
Horse folks, please pay close attention to your horses and be familiar with the early signs! 🩺