Equine Medicine and Surgery Services at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University

To find out more about the clinical services available at the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, click on the links below.

Abdominal (Colic) surgery WSU has a 24 hour emergency service that is available 365 days a year for diagnosis and treatment of abdominal crises in the horse. A team of internists, surgeons, and anesthesiologists are on call to provide state-of-the-art surgery and emergency intensive care for even the most critical patient.	Anesthesia Board certified veterinary anesthesiologists are available to assist with anesthesia of even the most critically ill patient. Anesthetized patients receive state-of-the-art monitoring and support.	Arthroscopic Surgery Arthroscopic surgery for joint problems in horses is less invasive than standard surgical techniques and most horses have a more rapid return to athletic function.
Cardiology Horses with cardiac problems are initially seen by the equine internal medicine service. These efforts are supported through consultation with Dr. Lynne Nelson, a board certified veterinary cardiologist. A variety of cardiac diagnostic testing is available including echocardiography, electrocardiography, 24 hour Holter monitoring, and treadmill exercise testing.	Computed Tomography (CT) WSU is one of only a very few veterinary hospitals in the world equipped to perform computed tomographic (CT) imaging on horses. We can provide quality imaging and interpretation for distal limb (below the carpus and hock) and head disorders of adult horses and full body evaluation of young foals. The availability of this imaging modality is rapidly moving WSU to the forefront of veterinary medicine in the evaluation of lameness and neurologic disorders.	Dentistry A full range of dental services are available for horses. These include routine �floating�, tooth extraction, and advanced dental surgeries. Both manual and power equipment are available for use. Much of the routine dentistry work at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital is done by a licensed veterinary technician with advanced training and expertise in equine dentistry, under the supervision of a staff veterinarian.
Emergency and Critical Care WSU has a 24 hour emergency service that is available 365 days a year for diagnosis and treatment of emergencies in the horse. A team of internists, surgeons, and anesthetists are on call to provide state-of-the-art surgery and emergency intensive care for even the most critical patient.	Endoscopy Videoendoscopy is also available for evaluation of a wide variety of equine disorders including upper airway (nose, throat, mouth) abnormalities, urinary bladder problems, and disorders of the esophagus, stomach or rectum. This equipment permits simultaneous viewing by a large number of people and video recording of the examination for later viewing.	Fracture Repair The orthopedic surgeons at WSU are experienced and knowledgeable in assessment and repair of fractures in horses. Repair of long bone fractures in the leg is facilitated by anesthetic recovery in a hydropool, greatly decreasing the risk of injury or refracture during recovery.

Gastroscopy Gastric ulcers are one of the most common causes of poor performance in athletic horses. WSU has the equipment and expertise to diagnosis these ulcers through videoendoscopy and counsel owners on therapeutic options.	High Risk Mare Management The equine medicine and theriogenology services at WSU work together to provide the optimal environment for foaling the mare at high risk for problems. The hospital is capable of 24 hour a day monitoring of mares, intensive foal care, and emergency Caesarean deliveries. Ultrasonographic monitoring of the late term mares is available.	High Speed Treadmill Evaluation A high speed treadmill is available for exercise testing of equine athletes. Treadmill testing can be an invaluable aid in the diagnosis of upper respiratory disorders, heart and lung problems, and muscle disorders.
Infectious Diseases The Veterinary Teaching Hospital has state of the art isolation facilities for treatment of horses with infectious or contagious diseases such as strangles or salmonellosis. A stringent infection control protocol is followed.	Internal Medicine A full range of diagnostic testing support is available for investigation of complicated or difficult internal medicine problems. The clinical pathology laboratory provides a wide range of blood tests and the internal medicine staff is experienced in interpretation of these and many other diagnostic tests.	Lameness Evaluation A complete array of diagnostic testing for evaluation of difficult lameness problems are available, including ultrasonography, nuclear scintigraphy, radiography, and advanced imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomographic (CT) imaging.
Laparoscopic Surgery Laparoscopic surgery is available for minimally invasive surgery for cryptorchid surgery, removal of stones in the urinary bladder and other problems of horses. While specific procedures may require general anesthesia, other procedures can be performed with only sedation and local anesthetic blocks. Because of the small incisions that are made with this technique, many horses are able to return to athletic usefulness much faster than if traditional surgery had been utilized.	Laser Surgery The equine surgery service can perform a variety of laser surgeries including correction of upper airway problems and removal of skin masses.	Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) WSU is one of only a very few veterinary hospitals in the world equipped to perform magnetic resonance (MR) imaging on horses. We can provide quality imaging and interpretation for distal limb (below the carpus and hock) and head disorders in adult horses and full body imaging of young foals. The availability of this imaging modality is rapidly moving WSU to the forefront of veterinary medicine in the evaluation of lameness and neurologic disorders.
Neonatal Intensive Care The hospital is equipped to provide the highest level of intensive care for premature and sick foals. The intensive care unit is equipped to monitor foals 24 hours a day and provide advanced life support including ventilatory therapy.	Neurologic Evaluation The equine internal medicine service can perform comprehensive neurologic evaluations on horses to localize lesions in the central and peripheral nervous systems of horses. Advanced diagnostic testing including myelograms, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, radiographs, and magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomographic (CT) imaging is available.	Nuclear Scintigraphy WSU is fully licensed to perform a wide array of nuclear scintigraphic imaging. This technique is most commonly used to aid in the diagnosis of lameness problems in horses. It is especially helpful in localizing the sources of lameness in horses with multiple limb problems and in assessing the causes of back pain.
Radiology The radiology service at WSU is world renowned for its imaging capabilities. In addition to standard radiography and ultrasonography, the radiology group at WSU can provide magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomographic (CT) imaging of distal limbs and heads of adult horses and full body imaging of young foals.	Reproductive Services The theriogenology (reproduction) service at WSU can provide a diverse range of services for horse owners. These include mare or stallion breeding soundness evaluations, infertility examinations, artificial insemination with chilled or frozen semen, and pregnancy diagnosis.	Ultrasonography The equine medicine and radiology services at WSU can provide a variety of ultrasonographic examinations including evaluation of tendons and ligaments, internal organs, Doppler blood flow analysis, and echocardiography. Ultrasound guided biopsies and aspirates are also available.