Routine Healthcare
Services
Vaccination & annual health check
We recommend all horses are vaccinated for at least tetanus, a fatal disease preventable by a vaccination every 2 years. We also recommend flu vaccination – flu is highly contagious, and the greater the proportion of the equine population that is vaccinated, the less prevalent the disease.
At your vaccination we will do a health check – this can help give us background knowledge on your horse should future problems occur.
We have a mobile weigh bridge that helps us to monitor your horse accurately. The number on the scale is only part of the story – body condition is equally if not more important – but can be helpful for horses prone to laminitis, to monitor elderly horses who may be prone to losing weight, or to accurately dose some medications. If you’d like to book the weigh bridge please let us know when you book your appointment.
Dentistry
We recommend annual dentistry checks – it may be that no work is required, however regular attention ensures issues that may cause a problem later are not overlooked.
We work with Stuart Lindsay, an excellent qualified Equine Dental Technician who we believe does a fantastic job, and will have regular dentistry days to facilitate combined visits to enable sedation for routine dentistry. Please enquire if you are interested.
Parasite treatments
We have an in house ovocyte machine that allows accurate faecal worm egg counting, reliably informing parasite treatment regimes. Our advice on the ideal parasite control programme changes in line with emerging research and industry recommendations, however it will always be the case that monitoring and management to reduce the use of medication is safer, cheaper and perhaps most importantly more sustainable than blanket worming. We are happy to discuss your horses individual situation with you or can help with programmes at a yard level.
Laboratory Services
We have an inhouse blood analyser, allowing us to get prompt results when required. We also have mobile analysers that allow us to check key measurements in emergency situations such as colic.
Where it is necessary to outsource testing we will make you aware of this.
Lameness Investigations & Imaging
We can perform many lameness investigations at your premises, including nerve blocks and imaging, though may be limited by the facilities available and temperament of your horse.
Our x-ray and ultrasound is fully mobile, allowing us to perform these services at your yard and obtain quick results. We will usually need a covered, clean area. Our equipment is battery powered, so there are no power requirements or cables to worry about. We will discuss your facilities at the time of booking.
Depending on your specific situation it may be helpful for us to discuss with specialists or refer your horse. It is also really helpful to involve your farrier – the best results are always obtained with a whole team approach.
Endoscopy
We can perform endoscopy either for imaging purposes or sample collection, for example guttural pouch washes for strangles testing. Our video endoscopy equipment is mobile, however does require a power source and flat, clean covered area.
Castration
We perform castrations under general anaesthesia at your premises for suitable patients. Please phone to discuss – what is right in terms of timing, location and procedure for one colt may not be right for another. Please note we only provide this service for our registered clients.
FEES
Visit Fees
We hope to increase efficiency – and therefore keep both our and your costs down – by planning sensible rounds.
Visit fees will therefore be cheaper if able to pre plan – using our regional visit days for routine work will allow a cheaper visit fee than urgent cases which are more difficult to attend.
If we are seeing multiple horses at the same yard at the same time, visit fees can be split.
Dates and details will be announced
£110 weekend daytime or 6pm-11pm weekdays
£160 11pm-8.30am
During an initial clinical exam (typically 15-20 mins) we will take a full history and examine your animal. It may be that we can fully address your concern at this initial visit, sometimes however we need to do further tests or revisit your horse. We will endeavour to provide likely treatment costs along the way – if you are ever unsure, please ask.
Flu/tetanus combined or flu only vaccination – £48
Tetanus only – £35
We have invested in modern imaging equipment that allows us to take high quality images at your yard without the need for a power source. Costs will vary with the situation, but as an example;
Laminitis or foot balance series £175 (front feet only) £200 (front and hind feet)
To facilitate one of our services £38.
We will also endeavour to coordinate with your chosen farrier or dentist to sedate on their behalf, or to allow you to clip your horse, fees will depend on the situation.
We may find it difficult to compete with online pharmacies for long term medications (often they are sold online cheaper than we can buy them even wholesale) however we are happy to provide a written prescription for you to source medication elsewhere if you are able to find a cheaper source.