Surgery
Arthroscopy:
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive (“keyhole”) surgical procedure to evaluate joints and synovial structures. We offer a full service arthroscopic service, including high definition video camera, high quality instruments, synovial resector and more.
It is commonly used for removing chips from joints (aka OCD/osteochondral fragments) or treating joint infections. We also perform tenoscopy, which is keyhole surgery of tendon sheaths, such as the digital flexor tendon sheath or bursoscopy, which is surgery of bursas, such as the navicular bursa.
Colic surgery:
Colic is one of the most common emergency conditions encountered with horses and a relatively small number will require surgery. All horses admitted for colic get a full diagnostic workup including bloodwork, rectal examination, ultrasound exam and belly tap and based upon these diagnostic factors and the horse’s clinical condition, a decision can be made about whether the horse needs colic surgery.
We have an experienced team of vets and nurses who are well equipped to deal with hospitalised colic patients pre- and post-operatively to ensure the best possible success.
Fracture repair:
Fracture repair in horses has come on a long way from the traditional view of a hopeless prognosis, in part due to new technology in fracture repair materials such as the locking plate, which we have available here at Endell. There are multiple fracture configurations that are amenable to fixation, including some with the horse standing, with a good prognosis and likelihood of return to athletic performance. Our fracture fixation kit also allows us to perform surgical arthrodesis (fusion) of arthritic joints (most commonly the pastern), to allow the horse to have a comfortable life.
If you have queries on specific fracture types, please call us for further information.
Laparoscopy:
Laparoscopy is minimally invasive surgery of the abdominal cavity. It allows for minimally invasive examination of the abdominal cavity, for example in chronic/recurrent colics and it is the approach of choice for some procedures such as ovariectomy and cryptorchidectomy (rig). This is because the whole surgery can be done in the standing horse, through small incisions (<2cm) and the horses return to work much faster.
Click here to visit our dedicated laparoscopy page.
Musculoskeletal surgery
We perform various musculoskeletal surgeries such as kissing spine surgery, or neurectomy and fasciotomy for proximal suspensory desmitis. Arthroscopic surgeries and facture fixation are mentioned above, however there are a host of other injuries that horses sustain requiring surgery. Additionally, a large number of lameness stem from the foot - we often perform hoof surgery standing, in combination with one of our experienced farriers.
Upper airway surgery:
We offer a full range of upper airway surgeries at Endell Equine Hospital in the standing horse or under general anaesthesia, depending on the procedure. We also have a surgical laser that allows us to perform a number of airway surgeries standing. We also have access to a dynamic endoscope, which allows for overground endoscopy, which is the gold-standard method of diagnosing airway-related performance and noise issues in horses, as they can wear the scope while being ridden in a realistic setting. Click here for further information on the overground scope.
Soft tissue surgery:
Soft tissue surgery in horses encompasses many different body systems and procedures, including the abdomen (non-colic), thorax, urinary and reproductive tracts, hernia repair, skin grafts and wound care and reconstruction.
Sinus and dental surgery:
It is not uncommon for horses with nasal discharge, for the sinuses to be involved. With a combination of digital x-rays, endoscopy and minimally invasive sinoscopy, we are able to diagnose a host of different problems and provide treatment options from sinus lavage to performing a surgical sinus flap.
If the sinusitis has a dental component, we can perform routine dental work as well as molar extractions. For more advanced dental procedures, Alasdair Graham from Frome Equine and Pete Ravenhill from B&W Equine Vets, come to Endell on a regular basis to provide their expertise.
Please be aware that some horses will be admitted to the hospital which require emergency treatment such as colic surgery, fracture repair, or septic joints. These cases have to take priority in surgery and this sometimes means your horse’s surgery might be postponed until the following day.
There are too many individual surgeries that we perform to list on this page. If you have a questions about a specific surgery, please call us on 01722 710046