Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine
The Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine Service at Oklahoma State University prides itself on providing outstanding care for your equine athlete or companion. Utilizing state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, the service strives to deliver the highest possible standard of compassionate veterinary care to all horses, from high-level competitors to those struggling with illness or injury.
The service is staffed by two equine faculty members, board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) in Large Animal Surgery. Additionally, one of these specialists is also board-certified
by the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation (ACVSMR). These specialists are aided by three other equine veterinarians completing post-graduate
training: one ACVS equine surgery resident, one equine surgery and sports medicine
specialty intern, and one equine medicine and surgery rotating intern. These veterinarians
are also complemented by fourth-year veterinary students completing their final year
of training. Many veterinary nurses specifically trained in equine surgery and sports
medicine assist our veterinarians and students while they complete examinations, diagnostics,
and procedures.
In addition to routine day-time appointments, emergency services are available 24/7
(including holidays). Primary afterhours emergency services and care for our equine
patients is provided by a large animal emergency clinician, residency-trained in equine
surgery. The emergency clinician is supported by resident and intern veterinarians,
veterinary students and a staff of veterinary nurses trained in large animal nursing
care.
The Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine Service utilizes theGaylord Center for Excellence in Equine Health – Equine Performance Suite, the Oxley Family Sports Medicine Arena, designated soft
tissue and orthopedic surgical suites with controlled anesthesia induction area and
padded recovery stalls, a 28-stall inpatient hospital. and a second large examination
room.
Services Available
The equine surgery and sports medicine service provides extensive services for equine athletes and companions including evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of:
- general poor performance
- simple and complex lameness cases
- airway disease
- heart irregularities
- behavioral vices
Comprehensive Pre-Purchase evaluations are also routinely performed.
Soundness/lameness evaluations are complemented with the use of an inertial sensor gait analysis system called the Equinosis Q with Lameness Locator® which provides objective evaluation of gait symmetry.
The service performs a wide variety of routine, specialized, and emergency surgical
procedures including:
- Emergency orthopedic surgery (fracture repair)
- Emergency abdominal surgery (colic)
- Cesarian section
- Upper respiratory surgery (airway and sinus)
- Dental Surgeries
- Urogenital surgery
- Minimally invasive joint surgery (arthroscopy)
- Minimally invasive abdominal procedures (laparoscopy)
- Advanced wound management procedures
- Advanced musculoskeletal surgery
- Reconstructive surgery
- Tumor removal and treatment
- LASER surgery
- Electrochemotherapy
The service also offers:
- Diagnostic Imaging
- 1-meter and 3.5-meter endoscopes used to perform examinations of the upper and lower respiratory tract, esophagus and stomach, and urogenital tracts (urethra, bladder, and uterus)
- Overground dynamic endoscopy system to evaluate the upper respiratory tract while the horse is exercised
- Overhead and portable digital radiography systems capable of obtaining diagnostic x-rays of the limbs, head, neck, back, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis
- Digital ultrasonography machines for the diagnosis of injury or disease of areas including tendons, joints, heart, lungs, and abdominal organs.
- Nuclear scintigraphy (Bone scan)
- Computed tomography (CT scan) – 64 slice helical CT system
- Therapeutics
- Advanced pain management techniques
- Intra-articular medication/joint injections
- Extracorporeal Shockwave therapy
- Game Ready® cryotherapy/compression therapy
- Acupuncture
- Regenerative therapies including Platelet rich plasma, Autologous conditioned serum (IRAP ProEAS®), Autologous protein solution (Pro-Stride®), and Liquid amnion allograph (Renovo®)