Rounding Off Week Four in Ohio

It has been four weeks for me here in Ohio! I have already learned so much at the clinic. I am getting much better at reading ultrasound and radiographs. I am also learning tricks to restraining difficult horses, how to quickly and accurately do a physical exam (identified my first AV block this week), and practicing leg palpation. I am continually amazed at how hard each member of the Cleveland Equine Clinic works!

This past Saturday I rode with one of the doctors who was on the emergency cases that day. We began at about 8:30 am and drove an hour to our first call, where we were told that the horse “ripped her nose off.” When we arrived we did indeed see that the mare had somehow mysteriously ripped her entire nostril apart on one side. However, the skin and cartilage flaps were still attached and after a through scrubbing, the doctor was able to suture the flaps back together using a line of subcut and a line skin sutures. The doctor finished off the few hours of suturing by spraying the wound with AluSpray for protection. It is going to be up to the owner to ensure that the horse does not rub the stiches out, but if all goes well the wound should heal very well. The rest of the day involved preg checking and inseminating mares, another open wound exam, and an emergency colic case. Just a typical day at the Cleveland Equine Clinic!