Starting new rotations at LEqMC

During the last two weeks, I've had some changes in my schedule.  I still work in ICU three days a week, but I now spend one day a week with a field veterinarian and one in surgery.
I spent my first field day with Dr. Dunbar who does most of the dentistry for the practice.  We went to a miniature horse farm where she spent most of the day sitting on the ground floating their teeth.  Because of their small size, it is easy to forget that minis are horses too and need regular dental care as much as and even more than regular sized horses do.  The horses we saw that day had fairly good mouths, but it is common for minis to have severe malocclusions and maleruptions.  Dr. Dunbar did have to removed several caps (baby cheek teeth) that were hindering the eruption of the underlying adult teeth.

My second field day was spent with Dr. Tisher, at the Colorado Horse Park where there is a six week long horse show going on.  We saw a few lame horses, one of which had multifocal swellings on its hind legs.  The same horse had strangles several months ago, so Dr. Tisher was concerned that it may have been developing purpura hemorrhagica, a Type III hypersensitivity reaction that sometimes occurs after strangles infection.   Antigen-antibody complexes become deposited in the lining of capillaries and cause an inappropriate immune response leading to vasculitis and subsequent edema, especially in the legs.  The horse had none of the other signs like petechia on mucosal surfaces, but Dr. Tisher still decided that further evaluation would be needed later at the clinic. 
This last Saturday, Littleton Equine Medical Center sponsored a Grand Prix at that same horse show.  Everyone who works at the clinic was invited.  One thing I have learned about Colorado, though, is that you really can't be too firmly set in your plans.  The day can start out sunny and bright with not a cloud in the sky then have severe thunder storms in the afternoon.  Sure enough, They had to delay the competition for about half an hour as it haled and then sheeted rain. 

 

Until next time
~Rebecca