- Overground endoscopy
- X-rays
- Ultrasound
- Blood tests
Overground (“telemetric”) Endoscopy has revolutionised what we know about the upper respiratory tract of horses and how diseases can affect performance. We use the finest and latest technology on the market to get crystal clear images of your horse’s throat during exercise, allowing us to diagnose subtle pathology that can severely limit performance.
When a horse is heard to make a noise during exercise the initial step would be to use a conventional endoscope (a long flexible camera) to examine the horse’s upper respiratory tract (throat and airway). Some conditions can be diagnosed at rest but others only occur during exercise. Overground endoscopy (OGE) is an advanced technique that allows us to examine the upper respiratory tract when a horse is galloping. The technique is also useful in horses that are not running or working as well as expected.
An endoscope is inserted up the nostril and positioned to focus on the larynx at the back of the throat. The camera is held in place on a specially designed bridle and is connected to a computer system mounted beneath the saddle. This records the video and also sends a live feed back to a wireless handheld monitor so that we can look at the horse’s larynx as it is exercised. The horse is then exercised normally, but at a good pace to exacerbate any issues, and we follow in a vehicle with the monitor.
Once we know what the problem is we can discuss options with connections and a few different surgeons and work out the best way forward to get the horse back to peak performance.
Where the overground is performed is dependent on the horse and the issue. For racehorses we would generally come to your normal gallop and for sports and pleasure horses we would generally come to your yard.
X-rays are a vital part of most lameness investigations, and we are very lucky to have three state of the art, portable Cuattro Slate DR x-ray systems. These digital radiography machines have been a huge asset to the practice. They, along with the generators are completely wireless, so are incredibly useful for our ambulatory vets who can take x-rays with ease out on yards. Not only do we have improved safety as there are no trailing wires, the machines are incredibly fast and provide extremely high quality diagnostic images. We are also able to use them in remote locations with no electricity, allowing us to provide a better service to all of our clients.
In addition we also have a CR30 radiography machine at our Poppleton Clinic. This is a computed radiography system, and means we always have the ability to x-ray horses being admitted to the Poppleton branches even if the other machines are in use out on the road.
At Minster Vets we are able to provide a full range of blood tests for a variety of conditions. We have our own in-house laboratory in which we can perform general haematology and biochemistry blood profiles, providing same day results. We also have multiple readers for measuring serum amyloid A, which can provide stable side results in just 10 minutes. We have good working relationships with multiple other laboratories across the UK which means all tests can be catered for, including but by no means limited to strangles serology, Cushing’s (ACTH) and equine metabolic syndrome, foal iGg, pre-breeding and export bloods.
