Valley Equine Hospital

16/10/2025

Alex’s presentation shared valuable clinical insight into this challenging condition, helping to advance understanding and improve the welfare and performance of equine athletes worldwide 🌍🐎

Fantastic to see such expertise and passion showcased on an international stage - Well done Alex Davis⭐️

15/10/2025

13/10/2025

Please call this number to get through to our office !
07741779211

04/10/2025

Colic can be scary and you may feel overwhelmed if your horse requires emergency referral to our hospital for further investigations. Here’s what to expect during a colic referral:

The moment your horse steps off the trailer a full colic exam is performed. This includes full bloodwork, an abdominal ultrasound, a re**al palpation examination, nasogastric intubation and a peritoneal fluid sample to help determine if your horse may require medical treatment or emergency surgery.

Whether your horse requires medical stabilisation or surgical intervention, we take pride in our collaborative team approach. Your horse will be monitored 24/7 by our in house Intern Vets, Nurses and Grooms overseen by our Surgical and Internal Medicine Specialists, and Ambulatory Vets.

You will receive regular updates, and when your horse is ready to go home, we’ll send your horse home with full discharge instructions and a plan for recovery.

Early referral saves lives! If your horse needs hospital care, react-ing quickly gives them the best chance at a full recovery.

Have questions about colic referrals or emergency care? We’re here to help on 01488 71999!

17/09/2025

Lets talk about Poisonous Plants 🍂🌳
As autumn arrives in the UK, certain trees drop seeds, leaves, or berries that are toxic to horses - even in small amounts. Recognising the risks can help keep your horses safe.

Here are 5 autumn culprits:
🌰 Acorns (Oak trees)
* Appearance: Shiny brown nuts falling from oak trees in autumn
* Toxin: Gallotannins
* Signs: Colic, constipation or bloody diarrhoea, dark urine, kidney damage, weakness.
🍁 Sycamore (Maple seeds)
* Appearance: Winged “helicopter” seeds scattered under sycamore trees in autumn
* Toxin: Hypoglycin A
* Signs: Atypical Myopathy - muscle weakness, stiffness, sweating, difficulty moving, dark brown urine, sudden death.
🌼 Ragwort
* Appearance: In autumn, plants often look dried and brown with fluffy white seed heads or low green rosettes at ground level. Still toxic even when dead or dried in hay.
* Toxin: Pyrrolizidine alkaloids
* Signs: Chronic liver disease - weight loss, poor coat, behaviour changes, photosensitivity, incoordination.
🌲 Yew
* Appearance: Evergreen tree with dark green needles and red berries
* Toxin: Taxine alkaloids
* Signs: Often sudden death from cardiac failure. Tiny amounts can be fatal.
🌿 Privet (Garden hedge)
* Appearance: Dense hedge with small green leaves and clusters of white flowers or black berries
* Toxin: Glycosides
* Signs: Colic, salivation, weakness, tremors, collapse. Often from garden clippings thrown into fields.

Top Tips:
✔️ Fence off oak and sycamore trees during autumn seed/fruit drop.
✔️ Never dump garden clippings in horse fields.
✔️ Check hay and haylage for toxic weeds.
✔️ Provide extra forage to reduce risk of horses grazing harmful plants.
✔️ Unsure about a plant? Take a photo and ask your vet!

12/09/2025

Standing keratoma removal surgery 🐴🔎

A keratoma is a benign mass that develops inside the hoof, usually between the hoof wall and the underlying bone. As it grows, it can put pressure on sensitive structures in the foot, often causing recurring or unexplained lameness.

Because keratomas do not resolve on their own, surgical removal is the treatment of choice. By carefully resecting the section of hoof wall and removing the mass, we can relieve the pressure and allow the hoof to regrow normally over time.

Standing surgery is often preferred in these cases, as it avoids the risks of general anaesthesia and allows for a smoother recovery. With good farriery support and follow up care, most horses return to full athletic function.

09/09/2025

Thinking of buying a horse?
A Pre-Purchase Examination (PPE) or Vetting is one of the most important steps you can take before making your decision.

🔍 2-Stage PPE – a thorough clinical examination of the horse and assessment of suitability.
🏇 5-Stage PPE – a more comprehensive examination including exercise and recovery.

Both give you valuable insights into your horse’s health and suitability for their intended purpose helping you make an informed choice with peace of mind

Contact our team on 01488 71999 to discuss which option is right for you!

05/09/2025

The last of our Fracture Friday series for now – Let’s talk Proximal Sesamoid Fractures! 🐎

Proximal sesamoid fractures are common racing injuries in Thoroughbreds, usually caused by overextension of the fetlock and high biomechanical loads.

Surgical Repair:
🔩 Lag screw fixation – mid body fractures may be repaired with cortical screws to restore joint stability.
🔩 Fragment removal – apical, abaxial, and basilar fragments are often removed arthroscopically if too small or unstable for fixation.
🔩 More severe cases – basal or comminuted fractures require multiple screws or occasionally fetlock arthrodesis in career-ending injuries.
🔩 Prognosis – depends on fracture configuration: small apical fragment removal have an excellent prognosis for return to work, while mid-body, basal and comminuted fractures carry a more guarded prognosis.

All of the fractures in this series have been repaired at VEH this year!

01/09/2025

❗️Graphic surgery content❗️
Case Study: Investigating and Treating an unusual Elbow Mass 🐴

In late May, this gorgeous filly was referred to Jessica Kidd at Valley Equine Hospital with a large swelling on her left elbow that had been slowly developing over 8 months. Although initially painless, the mass had started to affect her gait.

On examination, the swelling was soft and fluctuant. Ultrasound revealed distinct pockets of fluid and two usual masses with different tissue types. Given the unusual appearance, a neoplasic origin was considered possible. A biopsy and fluid sample were taken, which showed organised fibrin and modified transudate fluid - consistent with a chronic seroma or organised haematoma, and not a tumour.

Due to the persistent size and location, surgical excision was performed successfully under general anaesthesia by Jessica and Tom. Histopathology confirmed no neoplasia - the masses were organised fibrin and seromas.

This lovely filly recovered smoothly following surgery and stayed with us for two weeks until her sutures were removed. During recovery, she developed some inflammation and fluid accumulation - a common occurrence with this type of procedure. With anti-inflammatories, routine cold hosing, and regular hand-walking and the swelling reduced steadily.

Fast forward two months… her elbow swelling has completely resolved, her incisions are barely visible, and she’s moving freely and comfortably again!

We’re so pleased with her progress and grateful to her devoted owner for being key to her success. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for her 🌟!

22/08/2025

Fracture Friday – Let’s talk Split Pastern Fractures! 🐎

Split pastern fractures are longitudinal fractures of the proximal phalanx (P1), commonly seen in Thoroughbreds.

They develop from repetitive concussion, biomechanical stress, and bone fatigue.

Surgical Repair:
🔩Lag screw fixation
Typically, 4.5 mm cortical screws are placed across the fracture line in lag fashion to achieve rigid compression.
🔩Single parasagittal fractures are often repaired with 2–3 screws, giving an excellent prognosis for return to athletic function.
🔩More complex or comminuted fractures may require multiple screws or even a plate to stabilise the bone.
🔩If the fracture involves both joint surfaces or is highly unstable, arthrodesis (joint fusion) may be required.

20/08/2025

Please welcome Sonia Gonzalez-Medina to the team at Endell Equine Hospital. Sonia joins us as our new specialist in internal medicine. She loves treating all horses from high performance to donkeys, and has a particular interest in ophthalmology and neurology, but enjoys all things medicine!

She’s looking forward to meeting you 🐎🫏🩺