Valley Equine Hospital

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 🐎🫏🩺

20/08/2025

Electro-acupuncture for Trigeminal-Mediated Headshaking 🐴

Our Vet Helen is excited to be offering electro-acupuncture (EA) as a treatment option for horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking for our VEH clients and for referring Vet practices!

🔹 Research shows EA is an effective treatment for TMHS
🔹 Most cases require a course of 4 treatments (at ~5 day intervals), and we’ll tailor the schedule to each horse’s response.

If your horse is struggling with headshaking, this could be a promising management option. Please feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss whether EA might be suitable for your horse or your case on 01488 71999

11/08/2025

Regular dental care is an essential part of maintaining your horse’s health, comfort, and performance. Horses are designed to chew for 16+ hours a day - but modern management, limited grazing, and selective breeding can all lead to dental imbalances that require attention.

Equine dental care is far more than a quick rasp. Regular dentistry is key to preventing oral pain, improving feed efficiency, and supporting bitting comfort and ridden performance.
We offer routine and advanced dentistry both on the road and in the hospital. While many horses are examined on yard visits with sedation, those requiring further investigation can be referred in for detailed in-hospital evaluation.

Routine dentistry helps to:
- Identify sharp enamel points that can cause painful ulcers
- Maintain proper molar alignment for efficient chewing
- Detect loose, fractured, or missing teeth early
- Prevent behavioural issues linked to oral discomfort
- Support optimal bit contact and ridden comfort

On the road and at the hospital, we have access to:
- Head radiography
- Video endoscopy
- Oroscopy (intra-oral camera)

These tools allow us to assess the entire oral cavity in detail, identify hidden issues (such as diastemata, periodontal disease, or fractured teeth), and plan targeted treatment when required.

📆 Most horses benefit from a check at least every 12 months, but some (especially younger horses, older horses, or those with known abnormalities) may need more frequent assessments.

Not sure when your horse was last seen or if your horse is or is showing signs like quidding, head shaking, or bit resistance, it may be time for a review. Give us a call on 01488 71999 to book in for a dental exam - prevention is always better than cure.

08/08/2025

Fracture Friday – Let’s talk Condylar Fractures! 🐎

These occur in the distal third metacarpus/metatarsus, especially in racehorses under high training loads.

They’re typically caused by repetitive stress, bone fatigue, and biomechanical forces, and affect either the lateral or medial condyle.

Surgical Repair:
🔩Lateral condylar fractures are more common and often incomplete.
They are repaired with lag screws placed in compression and can be performed standing under sedation or under general anaesthesia. Prognosis is excellent, especially with early detection.
🔩Medial condylar fractures are less common, but more severe and often spiral proximally up the bone. They require more extensive surgical repair, typically under general anesthesia. Repair can involve multiple screws or plates to stabilise the complex fracture. These fractures carry a higher risk of catastrophic failure if undetected or untreated.

01/08/2025

Everyone is Valley is saddened to hear the the news of Geoff Lane’s passing.

For many years, Geoff was a regular and much respected visiting surgeon to Valley Equine Hospital, where he carried out hundreds of wind ops with unmatched skill and dedication. More than just a gifted surgeon, Geoff was a true gentleman - always kind, always humble, and always ready with a warm smile or word of encouragement. His visits were genuinely looked forward to by the whole team.

Geoff’s influence extended far beyond our clinic. He was a pioneer in the field, leaving a lasting mark on both equine veterinary medicine and the racing industry.

We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and everyone who had the honour of knowing him.

Rest easy Geoff.

It is with great sadness that BEVA reports the passing of Geoff Lane, former BEVA president. He died at home with his family on 30 July 2025.

A full obituary will be published in due course, but current President Bruce Bladon, who was supervised by Geoff during his residency, said "Geoff was always, first and foremost, a true gentleman. He showed how enjoyable a career as an equine surgeon could be and was an absolute inspiration to me."