McGonnell & Gillatt Equine Veterinary Practice
24 hour telephone 01488 657575

To cover our large range of clients’ needs and remain fully ambulatory we have  direct digital X-Ray machines which we bring to you. All we need is a clean, dry stable with a flat surface and a mains power supply, and all your X-Rays can be performed at home. Some of our xray machines are battery powered and totally wireless so can be used in a field or stable with no power supply.

X-Rays are usually used to diagnose bone problems, and some joint issues, but also problems relating to the teeth and sinuses in the head. The images are available instantly on a laptop screen, allowing a quick diagnosis in most cases. Sometimes we will need a better view on our larger screen in a darkened room back at the practice, which also gives us the ability to use specialist software to enhance the images for diagnosing more subtle problems. Occasionally we may need to e-mail the images to an orthopaedic or a dental expert for a second opinion, and the digital X-ray systems allow us to do this very rapidly, and get the answers we need.  When working with your farrier the digital xrays allow us to give an instant picture for the farrier to trim the feet more accurately for the condition being treated. 

We have several high quality portable ultrasound scanners which are generally used to diagnose soft tissue injuries, such as tendons, ligaments and joint structures, but also abdomens, chests, eyes, and any other concerning lumps and bumps. Once again, the images are visible on screen in real time, but are also recorded digitally for comparisons during the healing process, or to be able to e-mail the images for an expert second opinion.

We also have ultrasound scanners which are solely dedicated for use in reproductive work, so enough ultrasound scanners are available for all purposes all year round. See our Reproduction and Stud Services section for more details.

Endoscopy is a procedure that we can readily perform at your premises primarily to examine the respiratory tract, from nostrils to lungs, using a fibre optic camera. There is also a biopsy channel which allows us to take tracheal wash samples and examine any discharges at a cellular level for an accurate diagnosis.

The endoscope is usually used for investigating coughing or wheezing horses, unusual respiratory noise at exercise, horses with a nasal discharge or bleeding, or often just to investigate possible reasons for “poor performance”, whether at pleasure riding or at top class FEI or National Hunt Racing level. Horses may need to be sedated for the procedure, but many racehorses are regularly “scoped” for monitoring of tracheal secretions without sedation.

It is also invaluable in the monitoring of a Strangles outbreak, where we can visualise and sample the Guttural Pouches at the back of the throat, where the Strangles bacteria may remain hidden (and therefore still contagious) long after the clinical signs have resolved.

It can also be used to visualise the inside of the bladder to investigate urinary problems, and sometimes to visualise the inside walls of the uterus.

Gastroscopy is similar to Endoscopy in that it also uses fibre optics, but in a longer cable which can go far enough to reach all parts of the horse’s stomach, and out into the start of the small intestine where the bile duct discharges. The practice now has a portable video Gastroscope, which enables us to perform this procedure at your premises, with the live pictures on the laptop screen in the stable.

Gastroscopy is the only guaranteed way of diagnosing Gastric Ulcers in a horse, and will often work out more cost effective in the long run than the “trial and error” methods of diagnosing by response to costly trial treatments. Signs that your horse may be suffering from Gastric Ulcers include weight loss (or difficulty maintaining condition), lack of appetite, poor performance, repeated bouts of mild colic, or grumpiness when girthing or grooming the abdomen.

Laser Therapy uses a drug-free, surgery-free beam of laser light to deeply penetrate the tissue.  The laser energy is absorbed by the cells, and this initates a chemical change in the cells that reduces pain, reduces swelling, reduces inflammation and speeds healing. 

The laser light is delivered to the affected area through a noninvasive handpiece.  Many horses feel immediate relief, and are often calmed by the treatment.  Laser Therapy is beneficial for almost any condition where inflammation or pain are present.  In addition to treating pain and inflammation, many veterinary professionals also use it to prevent injury and to maintain peak performance in equine athletes. 

Laser Therapy has been scientifically proved to be successful in treating post-surgical pain and many acute and chronic conditions.  Among these are:

     Tendon and suspensory injuries such as tears, tendonitis and desmitis.

     Degenerative joint disease

     Osteorthritis

     Back disorders

     Wound healing

The practice has a mobile shock wave machine. This is a recent innovation for treating musculoskeletal disorders i.e. lameness and back problems. A high powered focused acoustic wave is generated through the tissue which when treating injuries has an action which both stimulates healing and has a pain killing effect. We have used the shock wave machine to treat a wide range of injuries including foot lameness, tendon and ligament injuries, joint problems, back and sacroiliac (pelvic) disorders.

The practice also has an ECG machine to investigate heart abnormalities.

The aim of the Pre-Purchase Examination/Vetting is to carry out a thorough clinical examination on behalf of a potential purchaser to identify and assess factors of a veterinary nature that could prejudice the horse’s suitability for its intended use. Each pre-purchase examination is carried out on behalf of a specific prospective purchaser so that the opinion can be based on that purchaser’s individual needs and intended use of the horse.

A standardised clinical examination is performed. Its findings will be assessed by the veterinary surgeon, who will form an opinion as to their significance and any possible adverse implications for the prospective purchaser’s intended use of the horse.

The pre-purchase examination provides an assessment of the horse at the time of examination to help inform the potential purchaser’s decision whether or not to continue with their purchase.

It is not a guarantee of a horse’s suitability for the intended purpose.

For the full British Equine Veterinary Association / Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons information on vettings guidance, insurance and liability, please follow the link below:

https://www.beva.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/ResourcesForVets/BEVA.RCVS%202%20Guidance%20Notes%20on%20Pre-Purchase%20Examination.amended%202012.pdf

THE EXAMINATION

Stage 1 - Preliminary examination

This is a methodical examination of the animal’s body to assess general appearance and condition. It includes examination of the teeth, the resting heart, the eyes by ophthalmoscope, the skin, the limbs and feet, and flexion of the limb joints to reveal pain or limitation of movement. The examination does not include examination of the inside of the prepuce (sheath), a detailed mouth examination with a speculum, a height measurement or any examination for pregnancy.

Stage 2 - Trotting up

The animal is walked and trotted on hard, level ground in order to detect gross abnormalities of gait and action. Flexion tests are performed at this stage placing the limb under tension for a set period before trotting the horse off to see if any lameness is present. The horse may also be lunged or trotted round on a hard surface at this point, if the vet considers it safe and appropriate. These tests often show up or exacerbate low grade underlying lameness not present at a straightforward trot up.

Stage 3 - Strenuous exercise

The animal is given sufficient strenuous exercise (1) to make it breathe deeply and rapidly so that any unusual breathing sounds may be heard, (2) to increase the action of the heart so that abnormalities may be more easily detected, and (3) to tire the animal so that strains or injuries may be revealed by stiffness or lameness after a period of rest. We recommend that the animal is ridden rather than lunged to examine any effects of the rider on the horses back or action.

Stage 4 - A period of rest and re-examination

The horse is allowed to stand quietly for a period. During this time the breathing and the heart are checked as they return to their resting levels. The identification drawing is often completed during this time, and a blood sample for storage is usually taken now.

Stage 5 - The second trot and foot examination

The horse is walked and trotted again, turned sharply and backed, in order to reveal abnormalities exacerbated by the strenuous exercise stage.

It is recommended that a blood sample is taken for storage (usually for 6 months) for possible future analysis to detect substances present in the horse’s system at the time of the examination that might have masked any factors affecting the horse’s suitability for the purchaser’s intended use. This is done at our professional indemnity insurer’s request.

Each Vetting can take from 1½ to 2 hours.

In addition we can also carry out X-rays, endoscopic examinations and tendon scans if required.

We recommend a full Five Stage Vetting for any purchase of a horse or pony. In exceptional circumstances we can carry out a Two Stage Vetting but we require you to sign a disclaimer form explaining that this is a limited examination and some problems may be missed.

All of our vets are experienced in routine dentistry using our extensive range of manual and motorised dental equipment, and carry a Hausmann Gag (to open and fully examine the mouth) and a full set of manual dental rasps at all times. Whilst there are many well qualified, experienced and trustworthy Equine Dental Technicians in the area, it is worth remembering that many complex dental procedures can only be undertaken by a qualified Veterinary Surgeon by law, and specifically dental extractions.

Some patients can be treated without the need for sedation, however it is worth considering that it is difficult to carry out a thorough examination and rasping if the patient gets distressed or excited, or even just keeps their head very high. Many owners have concerns about sedating their horses for what is considered a routine procedure. We examine the cardiovascular system beforehand to make sure there are no problems, as modern sedatives are extremely safe drugs when used in healthy animals. They can be used in much lower doses if used before the patient gets excited, and the additional cost is relatively low, making the whole procedure much quicker and safer for all concerned, and less stressful for horse and owner! Although there are some sedatives available for the client to administer to their horse themselves, by far the cheapest and safest form of sedation is an IV injection by the vet.

It is recommended that all horses, ponies and donkeys have a dental examination at least once a year (tie it in with vaccinations?). Their teeth grow continually throughout life, as they are continually being worn down by the grinding process of chewing forage, and will build up very sharp edges if unmanaged. These sharp edges will cause ulcers which may affect their eating due to the pain of chewing, or may affect their behaviour when ridden due to the pressure of the bit and the bridle. Dental disease is the biggest life-limiting factor in wild horses and ponies, and we expect our own animals to live a lot longer. Their teeth will need routine rasping if we are to expect them to cope with domestic demands and live a long, healthy life. Even young, unbroken animals need a regular dental check-up, to ensure that their deciduous (baby) teeth are being shed at the correct times, and not causing problems for the erupting adult teeth below by becoming impacted. Baby teeth can also get very sharp edges and hooks which need rasping, and it is vital that a full dental examination is carried out before attempting to bridle and break a youngster.

Should your horse require surgery or hospitalisation we are happy to refer them to one of the local equine hospitals with which we have close relationships. As a practice we are not tied in to any of the hospitals so we able to refer to any hospital depending on the particular case, location and surgeons’ specialty.  Non urgent cases can be referred to specialists further a field.  

We are able to utilise the services of visiting specialists who visit the practice for specific cases for example standing laser surgery, dental cases, ophthalmology, and heart cases.  

Castrating or gelding a young colt in order to sexually neuter him is considered a routine procedure in veterinary practice (although not without its risks)

We normally recommend that the colt is at least 6 months old, in good condition, vaccinated and weaned before we would consider castration, but most importantly, both testicles must be fully descended into the scrotum if it is a procedure which we can do at your premises. It is preferable to castrate colts before they start showing signs of sexual activity, so ideally before 1 year old. This also means that the testicles are smaller and easier to remove with less blood supply to cause post-op haemorrhage.

The simplest and cheapest way of doing it is using heavy sedation, local anaesthetic into the testicles, and with the animal remaining standing. For smaller colts (under 12.2hh) we may use a short general anaesthetic and carry out the castration with them lying down. In practice, we use an “open” technique, where the incisions we make through the scrotum remain open after we have finished, allowing drainage of fluid or any mild infection. A “closed” technique where the scrotum is stitched up afterwards may be used in hospitals under general anaesthetic and totally sterile conditions, but post-op swelling is often a problem. If both testicles have not fully descended into the scrotum, then a trip to hospital and a general anaesthetic will be necessary in order to remove them both safely.

We carry out most castrations in the spring and autumn – when there is hopefully less mud splashing around and up into the wound, and hopefully less flies around to infect the wound. We can, however, do them at any time of year if suitable facilities can be provided.

We prefer a deep straw stable, or a nice clean, grassy paddock for either the standing or the GA procedure. We need a very clean bucket, and plenty of clean water – preferable with a kettle of boiling water available too!

Afterwards it is important to keep your new gelding calm, but moving around. Ideally this would be dry turnout with a nice calm companion so he can move around slowly to dissipate any swelling without causing himself harm. Otherwise a nice clean straw-bedded barn area is perfect.

Post-op complications involve 3 main concerns, in the order that they may happen:

We are happy to work with the Farrier on site with any remedial farriery that may be required to alleviate any problems your horse or pony may have.

By working closely with the Farriers and the digital x-ray machine we are able to make a quick diagnosis and treat accordingly. In addition all treatment can be carried out under sedation if necessary.

Please discuss with your Farrier and Vet if concerned.

Since 2005, all equines in the UK are required by law to have a passport which identifies the animal, states whether or not it is intended for human consumption and shows the current owner.

All passports issued since 1^st July 2009 also require that the animal is microchipped and the microchip number is recorded in the passport. This is a simple procedure if your horse or pony does not already have a microchip, and is also the best way of being reunited if your animal is lost or stolen.

Due to recent changes in the law, all equine passports issued after 1^st January 2016 must also contain markings/silhouette completed by a Veterinary Surgeon.

The passport should be with the animal at all times, even when travelling, and should especially be available to the vet when administering vaccinations or medicines. Passports enable us to continue using certain drugs, such as Phenylbutazone (Bute) which would otherwise be banned from being used on horses, as they are considered to be food producing animals in the rest of Europe. The passport MUST be signed by the owner indicating that the animal is NOT intended for human consumption before we can administer certain drugs at all. If the passport is signed such that the animal IS intended for human consumption then every medication administered must be recorded in the medicines section of the passport, and our treatment options become more limited. PLEASE sign your animals out of the human food chain, and have your passports available at all times!

We are happy to work closely with alternative therapists such as:-

• Chartered Physiotherapists
• McTimoney
• Bowen Therapy
• Chiropractors
• Acupuncture

We work closely with several chartered physiotherapists carrying out physiotherapy and mobilisation techniques under supervised sedation. In extreme cases we can also carry this out under general anaesthesia.

Please consult with your Vet with regards to alternative therapies and treatments.

A highly absorbable and extremely palatable
Iron, B-complex and Cobalt-enriched syrup
on a Sorbitol base. Recommended for
performance horses, Veterinary Blood Tonic
will also act as an exceptional pick-me-up
for post viral uses and post-operative cases
where Horses may have lost appetite or for
Horses which have poor overall condition.
High levels of Vitamin B12 ensure red blood
cell formation is and important metabolic
functions are maintained.
Free From
Prohibited Substances FFPS TESTED
Palatability