Equine Medicine In-House Service
Medical Emergency, Critical Care and Neonatology
The Medical Emergency, Critical Care and Neonatology Service
provides 24-hour access to specialized emergency medical and
intensive care services for diagnostic evaluation and management of
adult and neonatal equine patients with life-threatening infectious
or non-infectious medical illnesses involving all body systems. In
addition, this service evaluates and monitors mares with high-risk
pregnancies, as well as mares and their foals that have experienced
dystocia. In order to maximize the quality of patient care while
minimizing the risk of nosocomial infection, patients are received and
managed in one of three dedicated ICU facilities, namely the Lucy
Whittier Neonatal ICU Unit, the Equine ICU Unit, and the Equine
Infectious Disease ICU Isolation Unit, each staffed by well trained
teams of ICU nurses.
Availability of customized equipment for lifting and slinging
recumbent horses, multiple stalls equipped with overhead electric
hoists, and a fully padded stall, provide unique capabilities for
managing horses with neurologic or musculoskeletal disorders and
those that are recumbent for other reasons.
Medicine and Dentistry
The Equine Medicine and Dentistry service provides advanced
diagnostic evaluation, therapeutics, and patient care for horses with
a variety of infectious and non-infectious medical disorders involving
all body systems. Clinicians avail themselves of advanced imaging,
laboratory diagnostic, and other support services to address the needs
of patients, clients, and referring veterinarians. The service coordinates
diagnostic evaluation of horses with neurologic and neuromuscular
disorders, including use of electrophysiology studies such as EMG,
EEG, and BAER, and immunohistochemical evaluation of muscle
biopsies. In addition, the service provides advanced dental procedures
including occlusal adjustment (floating), periodontal prophylaxis,
restorations, and extraction of incisor and cheek teeth in standing,
sedated horses. The Equine Medicine service works with the Behavior,
Cardiology, Dermatology, Oncology, and Ophthalmology services to
receive, evaluate and treat equine patients requiring these specialty
consultations (see below).
Medical Specialty Services
- Behavior
- Cardiology
- Dermatology
- Oncology and Radiation Therapy
- Ophthalmology
- Neurology and Neuromuscular Disease
Behavior
Veterinary behavior specialists who are also experienced horsemen and
horsewomen provide consultations to horse owners and veterinarians
as part of the nation’s largest veterinary behavior program. The range of
equine behavior problems addressed is broad and includes headshaking,
head tossing, problems with loading, stall kicking, bucking, aggression,
self-mutilation, narcolepsy, and a variety of stereotypic behaviors such
as crib biting and weaving.
Cardiology
The Cardiology Service performs in-depth evaluations on large
animal patients presented with evidence of congenital or acquired
cardiovascular disease or in which cardiovascular disease is suspected
based on a history of poor performance or detection of a murmur
or arrhythmia during cardiac auscultation. The range of diagnostic
services provided includes electrocardiography, echocardiography with
color flow Doppler, cardiac catheterization, and angiography.
Dermatology
The Dermatology Service provides a range of diagnostic and
therapeutic options for large animal patients presented with
acquired or congenital disorders of the integument.
Oncology and Radiation Therapy
The Oncology Service provides contemporary diagnostic and
therapeutic options for equine patients with cancer involving the
skin and deeper structures. Tumor types commonly treated include
sarcoid, melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and lymphoma.
Treatment modalities may include surgical excision or debulking,
intralesional or systemic chemotherapy, radiation therapy,
immunotherapy, or combinations of these approaches. Radiation
therapy is performed in a recently installed, state-of-the-art linear
accelerator designed to accommodate horses. Additionally, patients
may be eligible for enrollment in one of several clinical oncology
trials currently ongoing within the VMTH. Referring veterinarians are
encouraged to consult with a faculty oncologist to enquire about such
opportunities
Ophthalmology
The Ophthalmology Service provides a full complement of diagnostic
and therapeutic medical and surgical ophthalmologic services to
address diseases of the eye and adnexa in horses and other large
animal species. Surgical services include installation of subpalpebral
lavage systems, repair of eyelid lacerations, excision of neoplastic
adnexal, conjunctival or corneal lesions, repair of corneal lacerations,
conjunctival grafting for treatment of deep corneal ulcers or corneal
trauma, keratectomy, aspiration from or injection into the anterior
chamber, cataract removal, laser surgery of the retina, and enucleation.
Neurology, Neuromuscular, and Muscle Disease
See Medicine and Dentistry service, above.
