West Metro Equine Practice, Veterinary Medical Center

06/19/2025

West Metro clients- if you have an emergency and need assistance tonight (Thursday June 19), please call the Piper Equine Center number 612-625-6700 and follow the prompt for an emergency. Representatives will connect you with the on-call veterinarian as needed. Do not leave a message via the regular office number (612-624-9637). Thank you!

04/28/2025

With today’s forecast, the summer severe weather season has arrived. Time to review your emergency preparedness plan for your horses and barn!

-Make sure you have plenty of feed, hay, and water on hand, and that your vehicle and trailer are serviced and ready just in case.

-Check your equine and human first aid kits and dispose of any expired meds or supplies.

-Have you considered getting your horse microchipped? While it may be required for certain competitions, it’s also a good way to ensure your horse can be easily identified in case of a natural disaster, or if they were loose or displaced for any reason.

Additional resources and suggestions are provided in the comments below. Stay safe!

04/26/2025

Today is World Veterinary Day! This year's theme is “Animal Health Takes a Team”, which focuses on the importance of teamwork and collective efforts in veterinary care. A huge thank you to all of the veterinarians out there who keep our beloved animals happy and healthy! Show some appreciation to your local veterinarians by sending them a card, calling and thanking them, or by scheduling an appointment that is needed and thanking them in person! Thank you, veterinarians, for all of your hard work! 🐾

03/01/2025

Today is Horse Protection Day, also known as World Horse Day! This observance is meant to celebrate the beauty and intelligence of horses. It's a day to raise awareness about the overall well-being of horses and promote protecting these amazing animals. Thank you, horses, and all of the people who care for them! 🐴

02/14/2025

To our wonderful pet caregivers and their beloved pets—you are absolutely purrrfect! We’re giving you a round of a-paws today for all the love you’ve shown us, and we’re barking it from the wooftops!

At the Veterinary Medical Center (VMC), there is always an abundance of pawsitive energy, fur-tastic moments, and tail-wagging love between pets and their families, our dedicated caregivers and their patients, and in the generosity of supporters like you.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day this year by sharing a photo of your animal and telling us why it holds a special place in your heart! ❤️

01/26/2025

Please help us in doing our best to help you in the event of an emergency!

Though we wish our horse doctors could be there for our equine friends in any emergency, the reality is that our horses' primary veterinarian cannot be available 24/7 and still juggle the needs of their own personal lives, health and happiness.

The most significant pain point for many veterinarians is caring for their clients during regular business hours and then also being on call for emergencies after hours. For single-doctor or small practices, this traditionally has been the case most nights of the week.

However, private veterinary practices and veterinary schools have more recently focused on developing new models for emergency care which ease the strain on individual practitioners. This includes the growth of emergency cooperatives where two or more practices in a geographic area work together to share after-hours care, as well as more emergency-only practices and the use of tele-triage services to address client concerns after normal business hours.

As equine veterinarians reevaluate what after-hours care looks like for their practices, the support of their clients is critical to creating a balance that works for both parties. If your horse doctor talks with you about changes in how after-hours care is delivered, we hope you’ll welcome the adjustments. This evolution of emergency care must take place in order for equine veterinarians to avoid burnout and continue to be at their best to treat all of your equine friends.

01/17/2025

Given the frigid temperatures heading our way, please note that some types of emergencies can't be treated in unheated facilities. Please have a plan in place in the event your horse needs to be hauled to another location for emergency management. Stay warm out there!

09/12/2024

CVM faculty and staff donned their helmets to take part in an exciting bike ride to the West Metro Equine Practice for their Open House, followed by a celebratory gathering at Luce Line Brewing! Employees from multiple departments, including the Dean herself, got to kick off the academic year by engaging with their colleagues while they sweat it out in the sun.

06/22/2024

PHONES ARE BACK ONLINE!
PSA: our phone lines are currently down. If you need assistance, please email [email protected]. We are doing our best to monitor emails until the phones come back online. Facebook will not be monitored, so please do not message us here. Thanks for your patience!

04/27/2024

Today, April 27th is World Veterinary Day! World Veterinary Day was established by the World Veterinary Association (WVA) in 2000 to honor the veterinary profession and promote the lifesaving work they do. Tell your local vet that you are thankful for them, send them a card, or appreciate them silently however you please!

02/14/2024

Thank you for being a friend of the Veterinary Medical Center! We’re giving you a round of a-paws today for all the love you’ve shown us, and we’re barking it from the wooftops!

01/20/2024

It is your last chance to sign up for Dr. Durward-Akhurst's AHES presentation on horse cardiac arrhythmia. The presentation will cover this common issue and how it may impact your racehorse. It will be this Tuesday at 6 pm but you can sign up now: https://z.umn.edu/96xs