Dr. Andrew Willis: The Vet You Call When Nobody Else Knows What to Do

Two weeks before this conversation, I walked into Weatherford Equine Medical Center at 5 a.m. with a sick colt. Dr. Andrew Willis — board-certified equine internal medicine specialist — was on call. The outcome wasn't what anyone wanted, but it led to this episode, recorded so other horse owners don't have to learn the hard way. Andrew didn't grow up around horses. A summer job weeding flower beds on an Oklahoma ranch at 14 turned into four years of working cattle, roping, and showing cutting horses. One afternoon in vet school, watching a mentor diagnose a horse just by looking at it, he knew exactly who he wanted to be. In this episode, he explains: The #1 preventable issue in newborn foals — and why the first 24 hours matter A practical foal-to-yearling protocol: core vs. risk-based vaccines, deworming, and fecal egg counts Why he adds tetanus every six months, pairs intranasal and injectable flu vaccines, and boosts West Nile in the fall in Texas The warning signs every owner should know — and how colic looks different in foals The decimal point that cost a horse its life early in his career, and the lesson he never forgot Why AI may soon bring specialist-level care to rural horse owners The conversation every owner should have before the 2 a.m. emergency — including what your insurance actually covers Enjoy the show! This episode is brought to you by Kimes Ranch, Bluebonnet Feeds and Kerry Kelley Bits and Spurs.