Virginia Equine PLLC

01/17/2025

And the answer is…..

This week's Diagnose-a-case answer is...

C) INGUINAL HERNIA

Minutes after arrival the foal started to roll and not willing to stand. These are signs characteristic of colic. An ultrasound was placed on the swelling and noted small intestine under the skin, which is abnormal. This case involves a direct inguinal hernia, in which the small intestine becomes positioned under the skin through a tear in the vaginal tunic. A diagnosis was made by palpating the swollen area and using an ultrasound.

Inguinal-scrotal hernias are typically soft tissue swellings on one side of the scrotal area; they are rarely bilateral. Most inguinal-scrotal hernias are indirect, that is the intestine passes through the vaginal ring into the vaginal tunic Initial management is directed at repeated manual reduction of the scrotal contents . Successful manual reduction is typically achieved in the first month. Foals with a irreducible, direct inguinal hernia will present with signs of colic several hours after birth (4 to 48 hours). This is caused by rupture of the common vaginal tunic, such that the jejunum migrates into the subcutaneous space associated with the sc***um and prepuce. This condition is life-threatening and is considered a surgical emergency. Our surgery department performed surgery to correct the hernia, and the foal was discharged without complications. Surgical correction of a direct inguinal hernia involves making an incision into the abdomen and sc***um region. Once the intestine is back in the abdomen, it will be thoroughly assessed. Sometimes, resections are necessary due to extensive injury to the small intestine’s blood supply. A unilateral castration is usually performed, and the inguinal ring is closed.

The schematic image provided is from the "Color Atlas of Diseases and Disorders of the Foal" (Saunders), edited by Dr. Siobhan McAuliffe, a graduate from Hagyard's Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Dr. Nathan Slovis, one of the Internal Medicine doctors at Hagyard. Note the tear in the vaginal tunic.

Did you guess correctly? Stay tuned for the next case!

01/15/2025

It’s not often we have an earthquake in Virginia! Did your horses let you know something was coming before you felt it? Comment below.

01/15/2025

Our colleagues at Hagyard have an interesting case! Can you guess the problem? Answer on Friday!

Ready to play Diagnose-a-case?

Comment your guess below and we’ll share the correct answer on Friday!

A 1-hour-old Thoroughbred c**t was presented to the neonatal intensive care facility with symptoms of fetal diarrhea and weakness. During the physical examination, significant sheath swelling was noted. What is your diagnosis? How would you make the diagnosis?

a) Enlarged testicle
b) Hematoma (resulting from difficult foaling)
c) Inguinal hernia
d) Congenital tumor

01/06/2025

Folks, we have no power at this time, so our apologies but the office will be closing early today. So sorry for any inconvenience! Keep your horses blankets dry, their water ice free, their hay stacked high, and you stay warm! We always have an on-call veterinarian for true emergencies.

01/06/2025

With our client area in the 3-7” snowfall band, further complicated by an expected glaze of ice on top, some special precautions are in order for your horses.

1). If you blanket, Prepare for multiple blanket changes! A wet blanket is not going to keep your horse remotely warm. The precipitation is going to change forms from Snow to ice to rain and back to ice as the storm progresses; get out there and check blankets throughout the entire storm duration. One waterproof sheet over top of a winter blanket can save you a lot of headaches.
2). If you don’t blanket, these anticipated conditions are exactly the kind of precipitation that can soak and freeze a horse’s coat. This would be a good night to make that exception, and use a waterproof blanket, especially for horses who are thin or aged.
3). Offer/Feed more simple forage under roof or indoors if possible. Stack it in their run-in sheds so they don’t have to stand in the freezing sleet to get hay from a feeder out in the open. The digestion process for such roughage increases your horse’s core body temperature, helping them keep warm.
4). Offer warm water if at all possible; the colder the water, the less your horses will drink. Be sure to break any ice on the top of the troughs or buckets so they CAN drink.
5). If the snow is the wet heavy kind that makes snowballs, your outdoor horses hooves will be snowballs too. Pick them out several times if they are outdoors.
6). Keep your horses on their routine as much as possible. Change is not your friend when it comes to equines and severe weather!

Edited to add: We never proactively close; we will assess conditions for our veterinarians and staff in the morning. Be safe!

01/02/2025

A good one from
Our friends at Rood & Riddle! If you don’t get the joke, ask someone with a thoroughbred.

🎆✨ Happy New Year from all of us at Rood & Riddle! 🎉 As we welcome 2025, we’re grateful for our amazing clients, patients, and team. Here’s to another year of health, happiness, and success for you and your equine partners. Let’s make it a great year together! 🥂

01/01/2025

Wishing our clients, friends and family the happiest of New Years! Today we present an innovative wound closure. Dr Laura Patterson Wornom says “we use closures like this at times for difficult lacerations, to reduce tension on the wound.” Our thanks to our friends at North Bridge Equine Associates for this photo of their similar work! Is your vet innovative and creative? Join the Virginia Equine family in 2025 for the very best in veterinary care for your equids without the super premium price.

12/27/2024

The potentially fatal form of Equine Herpes Virus, EHM, emerged as a risk with two horses displaying symptoms at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington Va in June of 2024. Why do we bring this up now? Because it’s a good time to look at the healthcare highlights of the year for our horses, and Virginia is being lauded by the Equine Disease Communication Center for its superb handling of what could have been a 90
Horse outbreak. Biosecurity is where it’s at, folks! How is your biosecurity game?

Rapid response, communication between horse show management and state veterinarians, and a biosecurity plan saved an Equine Herpesvirus outbreak at the Virginia Horse Center from spreading and cancelling horse shows from coast to coast. 

12/24/2024

Rushing in on this Christmas/Hanukkah eve to tell you we are grateful to our clients and friends this year, you mean the world to us! Our offices are now closed for the holidays, with access to true emergency services as always. We will reopen December 27th at 9am. We will close a half day on Dec 31 and are off New Year’s Day. Jan 1. May you and yours be warm, be loved, and find joy in this beautiful season!

12/20/2024

When horses take holiday lyrics a little too literally!🔥🐴
🎶 Chestnuts roasting by an open fire... 🎶 🎄

12/20/2024

Whether you’re rushing or resting, the holidays are upon us! Please take a moment to note our hours through this season:

Virginia Equine will be closed December 24, 25, 26 and half a day on December 31st. In observance of New Year’s day, we will also be closed on January 1, 2025. As always, a veterinarian will be on call for true emergencies only throughout this time. Take care, friends, and make a little time to kick back and enjoy.

11/26/2024

Wishing all our clients family and friends a happy Thanksgiving holiday! We have much to be thankful for! So that our busy veterinarians and staff can celebrate with their families in and out of state, our offices will be closed Thursday, November 28th and Friday, Nov 29th, and through the subsequent weekend as usual. We reopen for business at 9am on Monday December 2nd. Should you have a true emergency, we will always have a vet on call to support you. Thank you all!

11/21/2024

Did you know that EPM is not transmissible between horses?

EPM is widely considered the most important infectious neurologic disease of horses in North America and is caused by protozoal infection of the central nervous system. Horses are infected by consuming food or water contaminated with opossum s**t containing sporocysts.

Horses with EPM do not present a biosecurity risk to other animals because the disease is not transmissible between horses. An effective vaccine has yet to be developed, so the best preventative approach includes eliminating access of opossums to feed and water in order to minimize contact with opossum s**t and improving your horse's immune defenses by decreasing stress and optimizing health.

To learn more about EPM, visit the following resources:
https://aaep.org/resource/equine-protozoal-myeloencephalitis-epm/
&
https://www.equinediseasecc.org/EPM

As always, consult your veterinarian for more information and for advice tailored to your horse's specific circumstances.

11/19/2024

Dr Neist’s patient was very appreciative at his vet visit today and said thank you with a neck hug❤️

11/19/2024