Field Trips and More

            This week has brought some interesting adventures, both medical and non-medical. I started off the week on the backside of the Thistledown Thoroughbred Racetrack. I don’t have much exposure to racetrack medicine, so I tried to absorb everything as we went from barn to barn giving Lasix (a diuretic), scoping horses with respiratory issues, and looking over the horses after they raced for any sign of problems. Since it was Memorial Day, Dr. Berthold ordered BBQ for the vets working the track. It was great to see practitioners from different practices come together to share a meal and collaborate over cases. To even things out, I went to the Northfield Standardbred Racetrack later in the week to check over a mare that came into the clinic on emergency for a traumatic injury during a race. She presented with a laceration to the right hind that severed the superficial digital flexor tendon and the check ligament. At the clinic, we flushed the wound, left it open to drain, and placed a pressure bandage on it. This week, the mare is doing well, but tendon injuries can be challenging, so we will continue to check in on her. Our last field trip was to check out an orphaned foal that was acting colicky at an animal sanctuary. We gave him banamine, fluids, and an enema with minimal effect, so we referred him to a specialty practice. While there, we got to look in on the other residents, including monkeys, peacocks, and the big cats. I have never been so close to lions and tigers before; it was a little unnerving as they rubbed up against the fences, begging for scratches.

            Back at the clinic, we brought out the toys. With Dr. Paradine and the gastroscope, we went searching for stomach ulcers. Fortunately, the esophagus, stomach, and even beginning of the duodenum of the horse looked normal, but it kind of reminded me of the Magic School Bus episode when they go through the digestive system. Then, with Dr. Berthold and the respiratory scope, we found two large ethmoid hematomas in the nasal passage of a racehorse. He treated it by piercing each hematoma and injecting formalin, which should cause them to regress. To be honest I was very surprised that the procedure did not cause massive bleeding considering how large the hematomas were. Lastly, I assisted Dr. Hill with several MRIs. The procedure itself is pretty dull, but it is amazing the amount of diagnostic information gained. Cleveland Equine has a standing MRI, which means that the horses just need to be sedated, not anesthetized. It also means that a couple of handlers are needed to ensure that the limb in question does not move during the hour or two time period. Dr. Hill has shown me the low-level schlerosis, articular degeneration, tendonous adhesions, and ligament disruption causing lameness in our cases. I am amazed by how easily she interprets the thousands of images to reach a diagnosis. It is all Greek to me, but hopefully it will become clearer by the end of the summer.