Weeks 10 and 11 at SVEC

            With Dr. Williams now working at Saginaw Valley Equine Clinic, there have been no shortages of surgeries going on.  A 16 year old stallion presented with one testicle about 3 times the size of the other.  The owner still wanted to be able to use him for breeding, so she elected to only have the 1 affected testicle removed.  At surgery, the vaginal tunic was already open suggesting trauma, although, there was no history of trauma that the owner was aware of.  Once the testicle was exteriorized, it was clear that more was going on.  The spermatic cord was very edematous and there were 3 small, hard masses on the testicle surrounded by scar tissue.  The testicle was sent to pathologists for examination and I am curious to see what the results come back as.  The clinic now has an arthroscope/ laproscope and we had our first ovariectomy this week.  The mare is 2 years old and exhibits dangerous behavior towards people.  Assuming her behavioral issues were hormonal in nature, this surgery will hopefully help resolve those problems, though it can take about a month post surgery to see a change. 

            One of our medicine cases from about six weeks ago came back in and unfortunately did not have a good outcome.  This 4 year old gelding was sick as a foal and has never quite been a normal horse according to his owner.  He chronically colicked at least every 3 months, was thin, and would get edema in the throatlatch region due to low protein.  When we scoped him in June, he had horrible stomach ulcers – there were large, deep ulcers all over his stomach but especially near the margo plicatus and hyperkeratosis in between the ulcers.  He went on a course of sucralfate and gastrogard and when we checked him near the end of his month long treatment his stomach looked great, with all ulcers completely or very closed to being healed and he had gained quite a bit of weight.  However, when we checked him after 2 weeks off of treatments, his ulcers had already returned and he had another colic episode.  Unfortunately due to the severity and chronicity of his issues at such a young age combined with the owners financial situation, the decision was made to euthanize the horse.  It was sad to see a young horse go but I definitely think it was right decision for this horse and this owner.