Thus far my experience has been amazing! All of the doctors and staff work together to provide top notch medicine and diagnostics.
I have been exposed to more lameness cases in the first week here than I have ever seen. Watching Dr. Genovese work is a very humbling experience. With over 40 years of equine lameness experience he is able to pin-point lamenesses with just a few jogs of the horse. I am only just starting to learn how to watch every part of the horse on each jog, and listen for lameness with the sound of each hoof strike. Seeing such a large lameness caseload has helped me start to recognize some gait abnormalities, palpate limbs, and identify radiographic changes as well. The clinic also uses a tool called Lameness Locator to help diagnose the more subtle lamenesses, those that sometimes only the rider can feel. It works by placing three inertial sensors on the horse; on the head, above the pelvis, and on the right front pastern. The horse is then jogged 4 times up and down the lameness work up area outside. The data from the sensors are sent to and processed by a tablet, from this we are able to see if there is an impact or push off lameness and in which foot. The data helps then determine the next step, radiographs or nerve blocks or other options. Blocking out part of the affected limb can help determine where in that leg the lameness is. By performing regional carbocaine nerve blocks at certain diagnostic sites, the horse is unable to feel from the bock distally. Therefore if the problem is distal to the nerve block, when jogged again the horse will improve greatly. I will definitely continue to learn and absorb all I can, my goal is to be able to identify lamenesses by the end of the summer.
I have also been with a variety of the ambulatory doctors. With the end of breeding season approaching there is still some reproduction work to be done. This includes culturing mares, flushing, inseminating, and ovulation checks. There are also some foals that we've seen to do a basic physical and IgG check to ensure there has been proper colostrum consumption and passive transfer. We have injected joints and I've helped scrub hocks, coffin joints, and more!
Just this week we had two miniature ponies come in the clinic for some work. We extracted a tooth from one, which was a difficult job, as the tooth was the size you would find in an average horse but stuck in the maxilla of a mini. The next one got his teeth floated and was castrated. This was an amazing experience for me, as I was able to actually participate in the castration! Under supervision of the Dr. I stripped away the tunica albuginea over one of the testicles for the open castration! This Saturday has also been busy. A horse came in with colic and has been staying at the clinic. I was able to help take the physical exam, and hold for NG tubing. I was also given the chance to palpate him and feel some of the colon, though I will definitely need more practice with that skill. Late last night we also ultrasounded him to see if there were any other abnormalities, and after the initial exam I was able to practice finding some of the organs.
I am learning so much for all of the doctors, technicians, and staff, and am so appreciative of all of their expertise and time to teach me! I could not have asked for a better summer experience. Everyone at the clinic is amazing and very skilled, I am honored to have the opportunity to be a part of their clinic this summer.
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