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(02) 6372 2105
Equine Services
Mudgee Vet Hospital offers a complete range of large animal services.
Our Services
ANNUAL HEALTH CHECKS
An annual health check is vital in the prevention and early detection of many health-related issues in horses. This often leads to improved treatment outcomes and reduced expenses, while maintaining optimal health in your horse.
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An annual health assessment is usually the time that a routine dental check can be performed, which should be performed on an annual basis. This checkup enables the vet to discuss other health-related topics such as parasite management and nutritional advice.
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All horses should be vaccinated for tetanus and strangles via an initial vaccination protocol, followed by annual boosters. We strongly encourage vaccination against Hendra virus as well, as this disease has been detected in close proximity to the Mudgee region.
MICROCHIPPING
Mudgee Vet Hospital offers a microchipping service for horses, for the purpose of identification and breed society registration. This can be performed by any of our veterinarians.
We also offer a microchipping and DNA collection service for Australian Stud Book, which is required for all racing thoroughbred horses. Dr. Steve Slack-Smith can perform this service.
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FREEZE BRANDING
Mudgee Vet Hospital has a registered brand available as well as a complete set of number brands for the branding of horses. Branding is performed under sedation to enable accurate alignment and achieve a clean brand.
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This branding service is also available for customers who would like to use their own brand.
CASTRATION SURGERY
Colt castrations involve a veterinarian visiting your property to perform surgery under anaesthesia. Castrations are performed in order to prevent stallion-like behaviour, unwanted pregnancies and improve ease of handling and management of your horse.
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The optimal age for castration is between six and eighteen months of age, however Mudgee Vet Hospital can castrate stallions of all ages.
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Freeze branding can be performed at the time of carrying out a colt castration surgery, to reduce the number of vet visits.
EQUINE SURGERY
Mudgee vet Hospital offers a range of surgeries in the field, including:
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Emergency Stitch-Ups
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Eye Surgery
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Wound Debriding
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Lump/Tumour Removals
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Hoof Surgery
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Umbilical Hernia Repair
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Dental Surgery
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Colic Surgery (miniature ponies)
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Euthanasia
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Depending on the procedure, our veterinarians can either perform surgeries under standing sedation or general anaesthetic.
LAMENESS
Lameness is the change in the normal gait of a horse, which is most commonly associated with pain in a particular limb or region. Lameness can also result from issues such as mechanical restriction, neurological impairment, metabolic derangement and endocrine related issues.
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Mudgee Vet Hopsital offers lameness investigation which can include:
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Palpation of affected joints and tendons
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Trot up and flexion tests
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Nerve blocks
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Radiography of joints or regions
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Ultrasonography of tendons and ligaments
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Treatment and preventative measures
ROUTINE CHECKUPS
A routine dental check and procedure should be performed on your horse on an annual basis. A standard dental check includes:
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Thorough clinical examination
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Floating of dental arcades with PowerFloat dental equipment
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Oral hygiene assessment
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Bit seating
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Removal of teeth
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Correction of anatomical issues (hooks/ramps/uneven wear)
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Sedation is always used for dental procedures as this allows for a thorough assessment of the oral cavity, and ensures a safe environment for the vets and patients.
X-RAYS
Mudgee Veterinary Hospital has a portable digital X-Ray machine which allows for rapid and accurate diagnosis of orthopaedic issues in the field. We also offer screening and repository x-ray series for thoroughbred yearlings. X-rays can be stored and emailed for speciliast advice and referals.
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ULTRASOUND
Mudgee Vet Hospital uses portable ultrasound machines for equine reproduction and diagnosing of soft tissue injuries, such and tendon scans.
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​ENDOSCOPY
We have portable fiber optic endoscopes for use in diagnosing upper airway issues in race horses and performance horses. These are the same endoscopes that are used in human medicine for internal examinations.
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
Mudgee Vet Hospital can assist your mare with foaling is she is experiencing foaling difficulty. This is a 24/7 service.
POST-FOALING CHECKUPS
We also provide routine post-foaling checkups to ensure the mare has dropped her membranes and there has been no undue foaling trauma.
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NEONATAL CARE
We provide neonatal foal health checks to ensure the foal is free from disease or abnormalities, such as:
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Retained meconium
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Patent urachus
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Umbilical infections
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Diarrhoea
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Pneumonia
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Angular limb deformities
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Flexural deformities
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Failure of passive transfer of immunity
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We can perform an IgG test to measure the foals immunoglobulin levels from colostrum absorption. If there has been failure of passive transfer, a plasma transfusion can be administered.
BREEDING
Mudgee Vet Hospital offers routine breeding services for chilled semen and natural service in horses. This involves scanning and controlling of mares cycles, insemination, post breeding management and detection of early pregnancies.
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PREGNANCY ASSESSMENT
Our vets can undertake ultrasound evaluation of pregnancies of all ages to determine the health and viability of the foetus and placenta.
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PROBLEM MARES
Some mares can have fertility-related issues that will require further intervention. This could involve additional diagnostics, treatments and intervention to attain a pregnancy. despite advancements in reproductive technology, not all mares are able to fall pregnant and/or carry a foal to full term.
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REPRODUCTIVE FACILITIES
Mudgee Vet Hospital has a state-of-the-art mare and foal crush located at the Mudgee Clinic to facilitate safe scanning and breeding of mares. A reduced consult price is offered for mares brought to the clinic.
IN-HOUSE PATHOLOGY
Mudgee Vet Hospital has a complete range of in-house IDEXX pathology equipment, including the capability to measure red and white blood count, clotting time, biochemistry (organ function), endocrine function and urine analysis.
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LABORATORY
Our in-house microscopes allow us to assess cytology (tissue and fluid analysis), in a timely manner.
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PATHOLOGY REFERRALS
For further investigation of bloods and tissue samples, Mudgee Vet Hospital can send samples to IDEXX or Vetnostics for analysis. Referral results are typically received within 3 days.
MEDICATIONS
In order to provide high quality service, Mudgee Vet Hospital keeps many quality prescription medications on hand so that treatment can begin without delay. All prescription medications require a consultation before they can be dispensed.
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Regular check ups are required for all prescription medications. Individual horses need to have been seen by a vet within the previous 12 months to allow for dispensing of any prescription medications.
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Many non-prescription medications are also available at Mudgee Vet Hospital. These can be purchased over the counter for worming, bandaging, wound cleaning, vaccinations (tetanus and strangles) and more.
As always you have the benefit of our trained staff to advise you on the selection and use of these products, so please do not hesitate to ask.
EMERGENCY AND AFTER HOURS
Mudgee Vet Hospital is equipped to treat and care for emergency cases during normal practice hours and outside of normal hours via our on-call service.
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If your horse is experiencing an emergency, please get in contact with Mudgee Vet Hospital as soon as possible. If this occurs outside of normal opening hours, call the practice to obtain the after hours contact number for our on-call veterinarian.
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After hours emergency consults incur a surcharge as this requires a veterinarian to attend the clinic outside of our normal open hours.
(02) 6372 2105
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