Dukes Equine Vets

26/02/2025

How do we treat sarcoids?

Video in the comments - *Warning potentially graphic content of blood and minor surgery*

In 2024 Jim presented the first ever clinical paper on the treatment of equine sarcoids with minimal excision surgery followed by combination therapy. We have been using this method for over 6 years now and have had outstanding results treating clinical sarcoid cases. It is always easier when the horse has not been previously treated by a different method as we don’t have extensive scar tissue to contend with. Also some sarcoids definitely get worse if they don’t get better with a lot of other treatments. These can then be very refractory to treatment.

So we thought we’d show you what the treatment looks like. This is a case that came in on Tuesday for the first surgery. We first saw the horse a month ago and put it on a course of an immune stimulant drug to try and damp down the growth rate. This treatment as far as we are aware is unique to us and there are no literature reports of its use. We have used the treatment in about 10 of our most difficult sarcoid cases over the past 2 years and currently all of the others are stable, in remission or clinically resolved.

This particular horse has some very unusual sarcoid locations including one on the inside of the nostril in a structure called the alar fold. Access to this area is very restricted so it gave us a bit of a challenge. There were also sarcoids on the external skin directly above this lesion, inside the forelimb and on the sheath. Previously suggested treatments included laser surgery, which in our view would be virtually impossible in the alar fold area without potentially causing massive wound healing issues.

It is really surprising but we were able to remove most of the sarcoids by blunt dissection following really good sedation and local anaesthesia. This results in a much shorter wound healing time and much less scarring than conventional treatments. This method of surgery/blunt dissection we call minimal surgical excision. You will note that the wounds created are really small compared to any other form of surgery. This results in a much shorter wound healing time and much less scarring than conventional treatments. Most horses can be ridden the week after treatment.

Conventional wisdom says that the sarcoids will regrow if you don’t take a wide margin of incision. The problem with this is you create a big wound that can take months to heal with significant scarring. We reduce the risk of regrowth of the tumour by a combination of cryotherapy and chemotherapy instead which has very little side effects and excellent treatment results. This horse will need more than one course of treatment, but we will report back in 4 weeks with how it is progressing

Dukes Equine Vets Ltd is an Equine only vet practice in Aboyne and Banchory, Aberdeenshire. We aim to provide a personal yet knowledgable service for all types of horses.

24/02/2025

Extracorporeal shockwave therapy - this is a useful tool in the treatment of soft tissue tendon and ligament injuries. Shown here with Jim treating hindlimb proximal suspensory desmitis, a condition which we commonly diagnose and treat in our equine patients.

We travel out of our practice area on a regular basis to see horses referred to us by our colleagues in mixed veterinary practices across the North East of Scotland, either for investigation of medical and lameness cases, or to provide additional tools for treatment such as this shockwave therapy.

Dukes Equine Vets Ltd is an Equine only vet practice in Aboyne and Banchory, Aberdeenshire. We aim to provide a personal yet knowledgable service for all types of horses.

21/02/2025

🎉 Have you joined the Healthy Horse Club yet - sign up via https://talon.merlinvetgroup.com/spsform/jmR3gpLTky 🎉


As a small independent equine only veterinary practice we are dedicated to helping our loyal clients across Aberdeenshire and Angus to save money, budget effectively and ensure routine preventative healthcare for your horse is covered!

07/02/2025

Young members at Hayfield Riding Club learning about why ponies need routine dental check ups and testing if they are brave enough to put their whole arm inside the mouth to reach the molars at the back. A great learning experience for their Pony Club teeth badge!

30/01/2025

🎉 Healthy Horse Club - sign up now via https://talon.merlinvetgroup.com/spsform/jmR3gpLTky 🎉

As a small independent equine only veterinary practice we are dedicated to helping our loyal clients across Aberdeenshire and Angus to save money, budget effectively and ensure routine preventative healthcare for your horse is covered!

30/01/2025

Suspiciously green grass for the time of year up at Dykehead and across Aberdeenshire! We have seen a few laminitis cases recently so please be aware of the risk! 🌱🧐

We are trying to help some clients to source good quality, low sugar hay. If anyone can recommend a supplier in aberdeenshire please do comment below 🙏

27/01/2025

Healthy Horse Club launching in one week! 🥳

Helping our loyal clients to budget effectively and save money with interest free small monthly direct debit payments to cover the cost of preventative healthcare.

Further information, T’s & C’s and the application form to sign up will be available through the office ([email protected] or 0345 095 9995) from Monday 3rd February.

21/01/2025

Is it too early to be thinking about sweet itch… we think not! 🧐 ℹ️ 🦟

Sweet itch is an allergic response to the saliva of biting culicoides midges. Management and fly repellents are fundamental in looking after affected horses and ponies.

In recent years, a sweet itch vaccine has become available, called Insol Dermatophyton. It is technically licensed for Ringworm, so use for sweet itch is off license. Effects are variable with limited scientific research to date, but there are some promising studies. Anecdotal reports suggest at least 50% efficacy in reducing symptoms of sweet itch. The vaccine works by reducing histamine release, hence preventing the itch scratch cycle before it starts.

The vaccine requires two injections, two weeks apart. These should be given before the onset of clinical signs, ideally in February/March before the fly population increases. We may give a booster in August.

The vaccine is currently unavailable in the UK, so we import it. It comes in a 2ml vial, and the dose given is 0.5ml. Once the vial is opened it has to be used that day. Therefore we try to coordinate up to 4 horses for vaccination on the same date.

If you would like to vaccinate your horse this year or would like to speak to a vet for more information, please get in touch with the office or Alice on 0345 095 9995 or [email protected]🐴☀️💉🦟

17/01/2025

We have just sent out our January newsletter. Lots of interesting stuff to read, plans for 2025, something on sarcoid treatments, a case report on equine cheek tooth extractions and the pitfalls therein plus more information on our new healthy horse plan and other news. If you would like to be added to our mailing list and get a copy of the newsletter send a message or email [email protected]

10/01/2025

Well hopefully that’s the last of the snow for a while. Warre Van de Copperlderjie, a fresian stallion, braved it up for his vaccination last week. As well as looking stunning he will be available this breeding season for AI with fresh, chilled or frozen semen. He really has an outstanding temperament, does everything and any type of discipline his owner wants from dressage to carriage driving and is a real gentleman wherever he goes. If you are interested in using him for your mare this breeding season we can put you in touch with his owner. If you want any information about the stud breeding services we offer please get in touch.

03/01/2025

Bit of snow around just now but the sun is shining and the driveway is clear. Main roads in Aboyne are good if anyone needs to visit the practice today. Hopefully we won’t get too much more of the white stuff! Happy New Year!

19/12/2024

FESTIVE OPENING HOURS

24/12/2024 - 8.30am to 1.00pm
25/12/2024 - CLOSED
26/12/2024 - CLOSED
27/12/2024 - 8.30am to 5.00pm
28/12/2024 - CLOSED
29/12/2024 - CLOSED
30/12/2024 - 8.30am to 5.00pm
31/12/2024 - 8.30am to 1.00pm
01/01/2024 - CLOSED
02/01/2025 - CLOSED
03/01/2025 - 8.30am to 5.00pm

THERE WILL BE A VET ON CALL THROUGHOUT THE FESTIVE PERIOD. IN AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL 07966 367746

18/12/2024

Interesting case yesterday
Horses do not always display symptoms of dental pain, even when it would appear to us that a diseased tooth would be extremely painful. This damaged tooth was picked up at a routine dental with no symptoms noticed by the owner. The horse came to the clinic for the extraction as it is much easier in the correct working environment with a decent set of stocks and all the equipment plus nursing assistance on hand to complete the task. This is an upper molar tooth about 30cm back in the horse’s mouth so access is not easy. The tooth was fractured in two along its length due to advanced stages of a disease known as infundibular caries. Removing a fractured tooth can be a tricky process as the roots are still deep and we did not want the tooth to fracture leaving a diseased root in the socket. You definitely need a bit of experience to take these out successfully. Following sedation and regional and local anaesthesia the tooth was extracted orally in two pieces. After removal we expect the horse to do quite well. The socket has been packed with soft dental impression material and will be removed in a week. All being well the horse should be able to be ridden again as soon as he is comfortable.

16/12/2024

HEALTH SCHEME COMING SOON

To reward our loyal clients and help with budgeting we are launching a new health scheme plan at the end of January 2025. This will have a monthly subscription for annual routine healthcare allowing you to spread the cost over a year. More info coming soon 👀

13/12/2024

Colic - how to minimise the risk 🤞

Now that we have freezing conditions, there is an increased risk of impaction colics. Colic is not entirely preventable but here are some top tips to reduce the risk :

❄️ Check water troughs regularly. Break and remove ice to slow re-freezing. Not a job for bare hands! Break ice at least twice daily, particularly at feed times as this stimulates drinking.

💩 Check that horses are passing a normal amount and consistency of droppings. If you notice a reduced output, or particularly hard/dry droppings, get in touch with the vet.

🐎 Try to maintain some kind of routine, and include turnout where possible. Research suggests that turning horses out for at least 4 hours a day significantly reduces the risk of colic. If you can’t turn out, try to find a safe place to hand walk.

🌿 Check your forage and do your best to ensure you feed only good quality! Harvest was tricky last summer so some of the hay/haylage is not great quality.

🥣 If you are giving a hard feed, add extra water, preferably warm.

🐛 Ensure your worming is up-to-date. A vast number of the colics we see are due to tapeworm or small redworm. If you have any questions about worming protocols, please get in touch.

Of course, if you have any concerns we are here 24/7 if you need us 👍