Chine House Equine Veterinary Hospital is a modern, well equipped hospital, accredited by the RCVS.

Below are some of the facilities we offer:

• Stabling for up to 19 horses with designated stabling for mares and foals, as well as horses requiring isolation or intensive care
• Two large examination rooms, one of which has indoor stocks
• Fully equipped equine operating theatre for all types of equine surgery, with excellent aneasthesic equipment and assisted recovery system
• Hard and soft surfaces for the assessment of lame horses
• Large sand school that is used for pre-purchase examinations and lameness and poor performance evaluations
• Outside paddocks are available for grazing hospitalised horses
• Separate large boxes, paddocks and stocks for artificial insemination cases, designed to cater for the specific needs of mares and foals
• Our experienced, caring team of nurses provides 24 hour monitoring of all our in-patients

We are equipped to undertake around-the-clock observation and treatment of critically ill horses. Our isolation unit permits the hospitalisation and treatment of horses suffering from contagious diseases. Samples can be rapidly analysed in the on-site  laboratory (in use 24 hours per day).

We have ultrasound, a gastroscope, respiratory endoscopes (including dynamic overground scope), telemetric ECG and digital radiography. Services include, but are not restricted to:

• Gastroscopy
• Neurology including head-shaking and percutaneous electrical nerve stimulations (PENS) therapy
• Cardiology including telemetric ECG and echocardiography
• Muscle disorders
• Respiratory disease
• Oncology
• Foal medicine
• Endocrine disorders and laminitis
• GI disorders (recurrent colic, ulcers, diarrhoea, weight loss)
• Infectious disease and biosecurity
• Poor performance
• Overground endoscopy
• Ophthalmology
• Hepatic and renal disease

Please contact the surgery with any queries or to discuss your requirements, call the ‘Equine’ service on 01509 812 445 or click to make an enquiry.

Chine House Veterinary Hospital provides a 24/7 emergency service, 365 days a year

The care of your clients’ horse, pony or donkey is the most important thing to us. We employ RCVS specialists in both surgery and internal medicine and our team of hospital vets and anaesthetists are dedicated to providing your clients’ animals with the very best treatment and care.

Our nursing team includes RCVS diploma holders in equine nursing and is highly trained and dedicated to providing 24 hour nursing care. We could cut costs by employing fewer nurses but we recognise that the quality of the nursing team plays a huge part in the overall care that your clients’ animals receive.

Our equine hospital provides stabling for up to 19 horses, 2 isolation units, a large manège and dedicated trot up and lunging areas, fully equipped operating theatre, facilities for standing surgery and equine diagnostic imaging equipment, including digital radiography, videoendoscopy and ultrasonography. There is also a laboratory on site, enabling us to perform rapid testing.

We will send you a detailed report after we have seen the case. If at any stage you would like an update on a case in the hospital, or some advice about a case you are managing, please do call us or send an e-mail. We will fax or e-mail you a copy of the discharge instructions on the day the horse is discharged so that you know the patient has gone home and you will be up to date, should the client contact you before our final report arrives.

We are happy to support our referring vets with readily available advice on cases, even if they are not referred, and free verbal reporting of radiographs.

How to refer to us

We recognise that there are many different reasons to refer a case and we are always happy to discuss a case with you prior to committing to a referral.

Urgent referrals

NOTE — For urgent/emergency referrals, please call the hospital on 01509 812 445 and ensure you have following information available:

• Referring practice name
• Referring clinicians name
• Referring clinicians contact number and email address

• Clients name
• Clients address
• Client contact number and email address

• Patients name, age, breed.
• Case details
• Insurance provider details and policy number (if applicable)

Non-urgent referrals

For all non-urgent referrals, please complete our Equine Veterinary Referral application form or call us on 01509 812 445.

The form should be completed by the referring veterinary practice and only if the referral has not already been notified to us by telephone. Please note that referral applications that are submitted outside of normal hospital working hours may not receive an immediate response and will be dealt with the following working day.

Deposits and fees

Clients should be informed that we require a £500.00 deposit prior to or on the day of the appointment. This is to cover insurance excess and stabling fees and will be re-reimbursed as required.

If the patient is not insured an additional £1500 may be requested and full account balance is to be settled on discharge.

Appointments

Once a referral has been received, we will book an appointment direct with your client and you will receive a booking conformation email. following treatment you and your client will receive full discharge instructions and a Veterinary Report.

If you wish to refer a case, please contact the office on 01509 812 445, email your enquiry to equinehospital@chinehousevets.co.uk or click here to complete our Equine Veterinary Referral application form.

Generally, for non-urgent appointments, we will contact the owners directly to arrange the appointment details. We request that referring veterinarians should provide us with a full case history for any case they are referring, including the results of any diagnostic procedures they have already undertaken and any treatment or medication that the horse has received.

Important — Clients should be informed that we will require a £500.00 deposit prior to or on the day of the appointment. This is to cover insurance excess and stabling fees and will be re-reimbursed as required.

If the patient is not insured, £1500 may be requested in advance and the full account balance is to be settled on discharge.

Vaccinations are used as a method of protecting your horse from common diseases.

Horses and ponies in the UK are routinely vaccinated against equine influenza, tetanus and equine herpes viruses 1 and 4. Vaccination requires an initial course followed by booster doses, the time between these doses depends on the vaccine and disease.

The following is only a basic guide and detailed information about the diseases or advice should be obtained from a vet.

Equine influenza

Equine influenza is a highly contagious respiratory infection associated with coughing and a fever. This infection spreads rapidly between unvaccinated horses and, although not usually life threatening, can lead to affected animals being rested for several weeks.

Foals can begin their vaccinations when they are 4 – 6 months of age.

Protection against equine influenza usually requires 2 injections about 1 month apart followed by a third one about 6 months later. Booster injections are required every 6 to 12 months after that.

It is not possible to give strict guidance on this website as the rules (which have to be rigorously followed) vary depending on which organisation controls the equine activity that you take part in. These rules have changed recently and may change in the future.

Owners are advised to check with the various governing bodies (eg British Horseracing Authority, FEI, British Eventing, British Showjumping, British Riding Clubs etc) as to the vaccination requirements for their horse.

It is up to the horse’s owner to check the relevant rule books and make sure that the horse’s vaccinations are up-to-date.

Making sure that the dates are adhered to is the responsibility of the owner. If any of the vaccinations are late, the horse will have to re-start the vaccination course to be up-to-date.

Tetanus

Tetanus occurs when a bacterium in the soil, Clostridium tetani, enters the animal via a wound and produces toxins. The foot is a common entry site. Tetanus infection is often fatal and is characterised by muscle stiffness, hyper-responsiveness to noise or touch and third eyelid prolapse.

The initial course is two vaccinations 4-6 weeks apart. A third vaccination is usually given 18 months later. Thereafter a booster every two years is required.

Brood mares should have a booster 4-6 weeks before foaling to provide the foal with some protection from birth. Foals can start their own vaccination course from 6 months of age.

Tetanus and influenza vaccinations are often given at the same time as most manufacturers produce a combination product. Horses will alternate each year between influenza vaccination on its own and the combination vaccine, enabling yearly flu boosters and every other year tetanus vaccination.

Equine herpes virus

Equine herpes virus (EHV) can cause abortion, respiratory disease and occasionally neurological disease. Vaccination can guard against abortion and respiratory infection, however, cannot prevent neurological disease.

Brood mares should receive a vaccination during the 5th, 7th, and 9th months of pregnancy to help prevent abortion caused by herpes virus.

To protect against respiratory disease, horses receive two doses 4-6 weeks apart followed by a booster every 6 months. Vaccination can commence from 5 months of age.

Equine rotavirus

Equine rotavirus causes diarrhoea in foals, particularly where lots of foals are kept together such as large studs.

Brood mares can receive a vaccination during the 8th, 9th, and 10th months of pregnancy to prevent infection in foals. This boosts the amount of antibodies to rotavirus that the mare produces in her milk. Whether this vaccination is necessary for your mare should be discussed with one of the veterinary surgeons at Chine House Veterinary Hospital.

Please contact the surgery with any queries or to discuss your requirements, call the ‘Equine’ service on 01509 812 445 or click to make an enquiry.

Digital radiography

We have a state-of-the-art digital radiography system, allowing us to view radiographs immediately after they are taken. Our highly skilled team will assess your horse’s radiographs.

We have dedicated equine veterinary nurses, acting as radiographers, who are able to visit your premises with a vet, to take radiographs.

Ultrasonography

We have a large range of ultrasound scanners, including the latest digital systems. Ultrasonography can be used to image soft tissue structures, such as tendons and ligaments, and the abdominal and thoracic cavities. It is widely used in stud medicine for imaging the ovaries and uterus.

We have a number of portable scanners to allow most scans to take place at clients’ stables. We can also arrange for visiting equine medical specialists to perform particular examinations such as cardiac scans.

Endoscopy

We have hospital based 3m and 1.7m videoendoscopes to allow visualisation of the trachea, oesophagus, bladder, uterus, sinuses and stomach. We also have 2 portable fibre-optic endoscopes so we can examine the larynx and trachea at clients’ stables.

Overground exercising endoscopy

We now offer mobile, overground endoscopy. This allows us to assess a horse’s airway during exercise. The equipment can be attached to the horse’s tack and helps to diagnose problems such as respiratory noise and poor performance.

Please contact the surgery with any queries or to discuss your requirements, call the ‘Equine’ service on 01509 812 445 or click to make an enquiry.

We have an experienced team of surgeons, headed by Lewis Smith. Lewis has a particular skill set in surgery for young stock.  He has spent 10 years performing overground endoscopy and airway surgery. He has worked in the UK, USA and Australia. He has published research on a wide variety of surgery topics including fracture repair, joint medications and colic surgery.

Our modern surgical facilities include a large operating theatre and two padded anaesthetic induction / recovery boxes. Our theatre is equipped with a dedicated equine anaesthetic system, including extensive anaesthetic monitoring equipment and a ventilator.

Anaesthetics are always monitored by one of our vets. Some surgical procedures are performed standing, such as sinus surgery and laparoscopy.

We provide a full surgical referral service, including colic surgery, diagnostic and surgical arthroscopy, soft tissue surgery, laparoscopy and laser surgery.

Please contact the surgery with any queries or to discuss your requirements, call the ‘Equine’ service on 01509 812 445 or click to make an enquiry.

Advanced dental surgery and dentistry referrals

Our surgeons, Simon Turner and Lewis Smith, have a huge amount of experience of performing advanced equine dental procedures.

We have a dedicated standing surgery facility. This allows us to perform procedures, such as diastema widening, oral extraction of cheek teeth and standing sinus surgery, in a purpose-built environment.

If necessary, our hospital’s operating theatre allows more traditional means of dental extraction to be carried out in cases where this is indicated.

Click here for more information about our Dentistry Referral Service

Please contact the surgery with any queries or to discuss your requirements, call the ‘Equine’ service on 01509 812 445 or click to make an enquiry.

The aim of the pre-purchase examination (PPE) is to carry out a thorough clinical examination, on behalf of a potential purchaser, to identify and assess factors of a veterinary nature that could prejudice a horse’s suitability for its intended use.

Each PPE is carried out on behalf of a specific prospective purchaser so that the opinion can be based on that purchaser’s individual needs and the intended use of the horse.

Our team are happy to carry out pre-purchase vettings on behalf of our registered clients or on behalf of non-registered clients. Both limited (2 stage) and full (5 stage) examinations are available. Insurance examinations can also be carried out for an existing owner.

• We ensure that the more experienced members of the practice carry out vettings
• They have all completed pre-purchase vetting courses

Pre-purchase examinations can be carried out at the practice using our hospital facilities, which include a large manège and hard lunging area.

Please click here for more detail of what is involved in the PPE vetting procedure.

Click here to download our Limited Pre-Purchase Examination disclaimer

Please contact the surgery with any queries or to discuss your requirements, call the ‘Equine’ service on 01509 812 445 or click to make an enquiry.

There are a number of vets at the practice with a particular interest in equine reproduction and John Dickerson has gained a RCVS certificate in Equine Medicine (Stud Medicine).

We service a wide range of broodmare and stallion studs, including thoroughbred and non-thoroughbred clients.

Chine House Veterinary Hospital is a British Equine Veterinary Association approved centre for artificial insemination. We have a number of vets who have undergone further training in artificial insemination. We can inseminate your mare with either frozen or chilled stallion semen, and have also successfully undertaken equine embryo transfer.

The practice laboratory is HBLB approved for the culture of clitoral and endometrial swabs for CEM, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

For further information on artificial insemination, including the packages we offer, please click on the section below.

Please contact the surgery with any queries or to discuss your requirements, call the ‘Equine’ service on 01509 812 445 or click to make an enquiry.

Chine House Veterinary Hospital is a British Equine Veterinary Association approved centre for artificial insemination

We have a number of vets who have undergone further training in artificial insemination. We can inseminate your mare with either frozen or chilled semen.

Artificial insemination allows you to use stallions which may otherwise not be available to you. This is either because they are competing (so do not cover naturally), they are too far away to make travelling your mare practical or they have died.

Chilled semen

Once you have chosen your stallion, you must contact the stud and arrange a contract with them. It is important to find out contact details of the stud for when semen needs to be ordered and these need to be given to us when your mare is admitted.

Your mare will be admitted at the start of her oestrus period (heat, season). She will then be monitored daily by ultrasound examination to detect when she has a developing follicle. When the follicle reaches 35mm, the semen is ordered for delivery the next day. An injection of hCG is usually given once the order is confirmed which should ensure ovulation within 24 hours of insemination. The mare is then discharged after ovulation providing there are no problems.

The mare will then be scanned at 15-16 days post ovulation to check for pregnancy. If she is not pregnant, she can be readmitted for a further cycle. If she is pregnant, we advise at least one further scan at about 25 days.

It is important to note that problems can occur if semen is required at weekends when courier services do not offer next day delivery. If the semen is coming from the UK at a weekend, it is often easier for you to organise transport of the semen yourself.

If the semen is coming from abroad this can cause real problems as delivery is usually not possible on Saturday, Sunday or Monday and occasionally semen has to be ordered earlier than needed. Some studs on the continent also require 48 hours notice for semen collection which can also cause problems. We also regularly have problems with shipments of semen getting delayed when coming from abroad. If this occurs, often ovulation has occurred by the time the semen arrives and the chances of success are dramatically reduced.

If using a stallion from abroad, it is important to check that the semen will be collected at an export approved semen collection centre. The semen must travel with the ORIGINAL of the correct EU certification and this needs to be signed by a vet in the country of origin. If the semen arrives without the correct paperwork, it is illegal for it to be used. If semen arrives without the correct paperwork we will not inseminate your mare. This will safeguard the health of your mare.

Frozen semen

Frozen semen is ordered before the mare is admitted to the clinic and stored in one of our liquid nitrogen canisters at the practice. The number of doses delivered depends on the contract (usually 2 doses are delivered with a further one available if required). If frozen semen originates directly from abroad, the semen must travel with the ORIGINAL of the correct EU certification and this needs to be signed by a vet in the country of origin. If it has come via a storage centre in the UK, this paperwork is allowed to be a copy if the shipment has been split.

The procedure for frozen semen is similar to that for chilled semen in that the mare is admitted at the beginning of her oestrus period. She is then monitored daily until there is a 35mm follicle. A GnRH injection is then given which should make the mare ovulate within 48 hours. Examination then takes place more often until the follicle ovulates and the mare is inseminated.

Depending on the number of straws per insemination dose, half may be inseminated before ovulation and half after ovulation or the whole dose may be given immediately after ovulation. The mare is then checked 12-24 hours later to check for any reaction to the semen. If all is ok, she can go home at this stage.

The mare will then be scanned at 15-16 days post ovulation to check for pregnancy. If she is not pregnant, she can be readmitted for a further cycle. If she is pregnant, we advise at least one further scan at about 25 days.

The advantage of frozen semen is that there are no problems with the logistics of ordering semen during the mare’s oestrus period. However, it is more expensive per cycle as there is more frequent scanning involved.

AI packages

We offer competitively priced AI packages to help you budget for the costs of AI. This year we have included an in foal fee payable if your mare is in foal at her second scan (at approx. 25 days). This means that if your mare fails to conceive on her first cycle, the costs are kept lower.

The prices are as follows:

Chilled semen

• At grass – £340 inc VAT
• Stabled – £430 inc VAT

Frozen semen

• At grass – £510 inc VAT
• Stabled – £600 inc VAT

In foal Fee £160 inc VAT

Note – These prices do not include sedation and other treatments

The in foal fee is payable when the mare has her first pregnancy scan at 15 – 16 days. If the mare does not come back to us, it will be assumed she is pregnant and the fee will be payable.

Alternatively, you can opt out of the package and pay for all services individually.

The package includes:

• Initial examination to determine the stage of cycle of the mare and one dose of Prostaglandin to bring the mare into season if required. (Any further scans or drugs required to get your mare cycling will be charged extra.)
• Monitoring by regular ultrasound examinations for the following cycle at Chine House Veterinary Hospital
• Insemination of the mare, including liaison with the stud collecting the semen to arrange delivery
• Ovulation induction agent
• Endometrial swab and culture if required
• Post insemination oxytocin injections
• Single intrauterine antibiotic treatment post insemination
• Up to 7 days keep (either at grass or stabled depending on package)
• Two ultrasound examinations for pregnancy provided they are conducted at the hospital
• Caslick’s operation if required

Not included in the package:

• Post insemination flushing
• Livery beyond 7 days
• Sedation if necessary
• Repeat veterinary work on subsequent cycles (this will be charged at the same rate as the first cycle)
• Any other treatments which might be required by your mare or any treatment required by a foal at foot
• All treatment is conducted at Chine House Veterinary Hospital. Any visits will be outside the package

Waiting for your mare to foal is both an exciting and worrying time.

It is best to have some understanding of what to expect, so that you know if something is abnormal and the vet needs to be called.

Chine House operates a 24 hour on call service and you can ring for advice or a visit at any time if you think your mare is having difficulties at foaling. If want more routine foaling advice having read this article and please ring the practice and ask to speak to one of our vets who would be more than happy to answer your questions.

Please click here to download more information about ‘Foaling’ on PDF.

Equine Sinusitis

The most common clinical sign associated with sinus disease in horses is a unilateral (one sided) nasal discharge which is frequently foul smelling. Other less common signs include facial swelling, fever and signs of dental disease such as quidding or tooth fractures.

For more information about Equine Sinusitis, click to download our PDF fact sheet

Lameness is a common problem in all kinds of horses from children’s ponies and happy hackers to elite performance animals.

At Chine House Veterinary Hospital, our team of veterinary surgeons are very experienced in investigating lameness in the horse.

Lameness investigations usually start with a thorough clinical examination and gait assessment. Clinical examination will usually include observation, palpation and manipulation of the musculoskeletal system.

Gait assessment may include evaluation in a straight line, on the lunge, on hard and soft surfaces, and in walk, trot or canter. We will often observe the horse whilst being ridden because this may be the only time that lameness becomes apparent.

Facilities

We have a dedicated assessment area where the vets can observe horses walking and trotting in hand and lunging on both hard and soft surfaces. Additionally, there is a large manège where we can observe horses being ridden either by their usual riders or by our own experienced riders if necessary.

What is involved

Whilst in some cases the cause of lameness may be easy to elicit by clinical examination and gait evaluation, in others, more extensive and time consuming investigations are required. This may include diagnostic analgesia (“nerve blocks”), in which local anaesthetic solution is injected around a nerve or directly into a joint or a synovial cavity, thereby temporarily desensitising a particular area of the limb.

Following injection of local anaesthetic solution, the horse’s gait is reassessed to determine whether there has been improvement in lameness or performance. This enables the veterinary surgeon to determine which part of the limb is painful and contributing to lameness. In most lameness investigations, diagnostic imaging is used to help determine the cause of lameness. The type of imaging used will depend on the nature of the lameness but is likely to include radiography and ultrasonography.

In some cases, advanced imaging modalities such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or nuclear scintigraphy (‘bone-scan’), may be indicated. For these, we would refer you to another hospital which is equipped with these specific facilities.

In 2017 Chine House invested in a new tool for lameness investigation at the clinic, the Equinosis Q inertial sensor lameness system (lameness locator). The Equinosis Q system offers precise and objective identification of gait asymmetry using microelectric sensors positioned on the poll, pelvis and pastern of the horse.

The system is particularly useful in the investigation of subtle or multi-limb lameness as well as to gauge the effectiveness of treatment. It is also helpful when monitoring rehabilitation programmes. The system is used in combination with standard lameness investigation techniques and can be used on all surfaces.

Treatment

Once the cause of lameness has been established, we will be able to advise you on appropriate treatment and management strategies. This may include medication, surgery, farriery and exercise programmes.

In 2017 Chine House invested in a new tool for lameness investigation at the clinic, the Equinosis Q inertial sensor lameness system (lameness locator).

The Equinosis Q system offers precise and objective identification of gait asymmetry using microelectric sensors positioned on the poll, pelvis and pastern of the horse.

The system is particularly useful in the investigation of subtle or multi-limb lameness as well as to gauge the effectiveness of treatment. It is also helpful when monitoring rehabilitation programmes. The system is used in combination with standard lameness investigation techniques and can be used on all surfaces.

Loss of performance in a competition horse can occur for many reasons.

The most common of these are musculoskeletal disease (lameness or back pain), upper respiratory tract disorders (‘wind’ problems) and lower respiratory tract disease. Occasionally, internal medical problems (such as anaemia, viral infection, post-viral syndrome, gastric ulceration or cardiac disease), gynaecological problems (particularly in mares), dental issues or tack-related problems may be involved.

Investigation of poor performance can be challenging and involved. Specialist equipment, including telemetric ECG , gastroscopy and overground endoscopy, is available at the hospital. We can take the overground scope and ECG equipment out to nearby gallops if we are investigating poor performance in racehorses. Our on-site laboratory means that instant analysis and same day results are attainable for blood and other samples.

It is important that the horse’s normal tack is brought in and, where possible, that the horse’s usual rider is available at the time of initial consultation to ride the horse.

EquiPENS® Neuromodulation for Trigeminal Mediated Headshaking

Chine House Veterinary Hospital is now offering EquiPENS (per-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) neuromodulation therapy for equine trigeminal mediated headshaking. Clinical trials undertaken by the University of Bristol has shown EquiPENS to be a safe, well tolerated, repeatable management option for trigeminal-mediated headshaking, with encouraging efficacy for improvement of clinical signs.

Trigeminal-mediated headshaking:

Horses with trigeminal mediated headshaking show violent, usually vertical, shaking of the head, rubbing of the muzzle and snorting which we believe is caused by nerve pain. Such nerve pain is very difficult to treat and does not respond to anti-inflammatories and pain killers.

Research has shown that the trigeminal nerve (the main nerve providing sensation to the face) fires at an inappropriately low threshold in headshaking horses such that harmless stimuli e.g. rain, UV light are perceived as painful. The cause of this misfiring is incompletely understood but the nerve appears normal when examined under a microscope indicating that the nerve itself is not physically damaged and therefore the nerve dysfunction is potentially reversible.

PENS neuromodulation in people:

Trigeminal-mediated headshaking shares some clinical similarities to human trigeminal neuralgia which sufferers describe as itching, tingling, burning, electric shock-like sensations in the face. One therapy, available as a course of treatment on the NHS under NICE guidelines, for these patients is PENS neuromodulation.

A probe is placed under the skin next to the affected nerve and a small current applied. Patients report that, once the probe is in place, it is quite a pleasant sensation. The only side effect reported in people is slight bruising at the site of probe insertion. Not all patients respond but, if they do, pain relief lasts from a few hours up to a week following the first treatment, a few days to two weeks following the second treatment and an average of two months after the third and subsequent treatments.

It is important to repeat treatments as close as possible to the return of signs of pain. Some people only respond to later treatments. Equally, it is possible to respond to the initial treatment but then not respond to later treatments.

EquiPENS neuromodulation in horses:

A published clinical trial of EquiPENS neuromodulation in seven headshaking horses at the University of Bristol has shown the procedure to be tolerated well under standing sedation. Five horses returned to ridden work following their third procedure, with an average remission time of 15.5 weeks. One horse responded to the first procedure but not to later ones. A few horses had minor bruising at the site of probe insertion.

The University of Bristol has now performed the procedure 138 times on 48 horses. Of these, 39% returned to their previous level of ridden work for at least 2 months, some up to 2 years and ongoing. Some horses have a few bad headshaking days after one or more procedures but may still cease headshaking.

Length of remission may increase with repeated procedures. However, some horses have not responded and others have responded for too short a time to be practical. Results suggest that three procedures should always be performed before deciding if the horse will respond to treatment.

For further information please call  01509 812445,  or click to make an enquiry.

As with any animal, worms can seriously affect the health of your horse or pony.

With so many worming products available and reports of growing resistance within parasite groups, getting your head around a successful worming programme can be difficult. We hope that the links below can help explain the best way to control your horse’s worm burden without further increasing worm resistance to anthelmintics.

The heavy use of wormers in horses over the past 20 years has unfortunately led to a significant amount of worm resistance within the equine population. This means that some wormers are no longer effective at eliminating worm burdens in some horses.

These problems can be overcome relatively easily by monitoring the faecal worm egg count (FWEC) of all horses at regular intervals. This ensures only those individuals with a significant worm burden are treated using appropriate wormers at appropriate times, thereby reducing the problem of resistance.

The FWEC is a relatively simple procedure. To do this we need you to provide a small amount of your horse’s droppings, a heaped teaspoon size (selected from more than one nugget). The sample should be as fresh as possible, ideally being delivered to the practice within 24 hours of collection.

Alternatively, samples can be sent by first class post. We prefer samples to be placed into one of our FWEC pots and sent with a completed FWEC submission form. Pots and submission forms can be collected from the practice or from one of our vets.

Click HERE for a simple guide to collecting a faecal worm egg count sample.

Click HERE to download a FWEC submission form.

For samples arriving from a larger yards, it helps to call the practice in advance on 01509 812 445

Following analysis of each sample, we aim to contact you with your results within 48 hours. This gives your vet the opportunity to advise you on any further treatment, considering our knowledge of your horse. This also gives you the opportunity to ask any questions, a service of which is all included in the lab fee.

Unfortunately tapeworms are not detected by routine worm egg counts. Tapeworm blood or saliva tests are used to assess the presence of tapeworm.

Pinworms can sometimes be hard to identify and may need a specific test.

Unfortunately there is no available diagnostic test (this may be changing soon) to determine if horses are carrying large burdens of ‘encysted’ (immature) small strongyles. Therefore, it is advisable that all young horses or others at risk are treated for this type of worm once a year. Our vets can advise you further if you have any questions.

When to castrate

Colts can be castrated at any age. It can be done standing under sedation if both testicles are in the scrotum. If the testicles are very small, it may not be easy to do standing and so the vet may elect to leave them to grow a bit larger.

Standing castration

The operation can be performed at home providing conditions are suitable. A well-lit stable with a clean, deep straw bed is ideal. Sedation and local anaesthesia are used.

If colts are castrated standing then the entrance to the abdomen cannot be closed and there is a very small risk that intestine may come out of the castration incisions. This can be fatal. It is also not always possible to close off all the blood vessels and, therefore, there is a risk of haemorrhage. This can be fatal if it is profuse and it is not dealt with promptly. The skin incisions are left open to help post-operative drainage.

Castration under general anaesthetic

If the castration is performed at the surgery under a general anaesthetic then the entrance to the abdomen can be closed and the blood vessels properly tied off. This virtually eliminates the risk of intestine coming through the incision or excessive haemorrhage.

There is a 1 in 100 risk of death associated with general anaesthesia in horses.

Rig castration

If two testicles cannot be felt in the scrotum and the animal is very young, you could wait a while to see if they appear as they grow. If you cannot wait or they don’t appear then the horse is known as a rig and the castration will usually be done under a general anaesthetic. This may involve an incision into the abdomen to search for the testicles. Sometimes rig castrations may be performed standing or under a general anaesthetic by laparoscopy. This is a form of keyhole surgery.

Post-operation

Colts should be stabled for a few hours immediately post castration to monitor for excessive haemorrhage or anything coming through the incisions. Some bleeding is to be expected after castration but you should be able to count the drops of blood and it should only last for a few hours. The scrotum will usually swell to a certain degree but should remain non-painful and there should be minimal discharge.

If everything appears to be normal the day after surgery then the animal is usually best turned out to exercise. This will help reduce the post-operative swelling.

You should contact the practice immediately if you are concerned about the amount of haemorrhage, discharge or swelling or if anything can be seen coming through either incision.

We run our own in-house laboratory, manned by two staff.

• We have dry and wet biochemistry machines for running in-house blood samples
• Most routine samples can be tested in-house, and results are normally available on the same day
• More complex assays are sent away to external labs. However, our vets are able to interpret the results and advise on appropriate treatment
• We can perform in-house cytology and can carry out culture and sensitivity on bacterial samples
• The practice laboratory is HBLB approved for the culture of clitoral and endometrial swabs for CEM, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

For further general information or to discuss your requirements, call the ‘Equine’ service on 01509 812 445 or click to make an enquiry.

Why choose Chine House?

Chine House Veterinary Hospital is an RCVS Accredited Equine Hospital. Our hospital facility is led by a recognised specialist in equine surgery, with strong back-up from our team of hospital vets and anaesthetists. We also employ a specialist in internal medicine o provide a complete service. Each of our vets is dedicated to providing your animal with the very best treatment and care.

Our nursing team provides care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and we recognise that the quality of the nursing team plays a huge part in the overall care of your animal.

In addition to the nursing staff, there are always at least two vets, including one dedicated surgeon, on call throughout the night. We have extensive facilities and have a wide range of diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical equipment, as well as the expertise to use them.

What is a specialist?

An officially recognised veterinary specialist is an individual who has completed an advanced, supervised training programme in their field of expertise and achieved Diploma status in that field.

To be eligible to take the Diploma examinations, vets must fulfil stringent criteria and demonstrate that, not only have they completed an advanced training programme (minimum of 4 years), but also demonstrate their involvement in research and that they have publications in peer reviewed journals.

Each specialist has passed an in depth examination, usually lasting over several days. There are two surgical Diplomas that are recognised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the RCVS Diplomas and the European College of Veterinary Surgeons Diplomas.

Our surgeon has both. To be included on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) List of Recognised Specialists, an individual must have achieved a postgraduate qualification at least at Diploma level, and must additionally satisfy the RCVS that they make an active contribution to their specialty, have national and international acclaim and publish widely in their field.

Specialist status is extremely difficult to achieve and to maintain and is the highest level of recognition of expertise that can be attained in clinical veterinary work.

What should I bring?

Passport

Under current legislation, all horses must have a passport. Please bring it with you so that it can be checked on admission. According to EU law, many drugs can only be administered if that part of the horse’s passport that certifies that the animal is not for human consumption has been signed.

Whilst we will not decline treatment of your horse if the passport is unavailable, we will treat your horse as though you have agreed that it will not be used for human consumption. It will be your responsibility to complete the passport, when it becomes available, to this effect.

Insurance Details and Claim Form

If your horse is insured for veterinary fees, loss of use or mortality, please ensure that you bring details of your insurance cover and a claim form.

Rugs

If your horse is likely to be admitted as an inpatient, please bring any day or night rugs that your horse might need.

Feed and dietary supplements

We stock most usual feedstuffs. On admission the nurse will ensure that we know what your horse is currently being fed, so that we can feed an appropriate diet.

If your horse is coming in for a lameness examination

Please bring the tack that you normally use for the horse as it may be necessary for our veterinary surgeons to see the horse being ridden under tack. It is preferable that the horse’s regular rider is available in such circumstances although, if this is not possible, we can arrange for a member of our staff to ride your horse, with your permission.

In most cases we would advise you to rest lame horses before they come in for investigation. However, if your horse has a subtle lameness, we might ask you to keep it in light work until the appointment date. This ensures that your horse is lame at the time of admission. It is frustrating for owners to make long journeys to be told that their horse is not lame enough to allow a lameness examination to be performed.

All horses that are normally shod should remain so. We would prefer them to be shod in their normal way. Unshod horses often become foot-sore when trotted up for lameness examination. This can be confusing and complicate the diagnosis of the true lameness.

All anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesic medication (‘Bute’) should be stopped at least 48 hours before your appointment date, unless you have been advised otherwise by a veterinary surgeon. These drugs can mask lameness and make assessment of the horse’s true lameness difficult.

How do I arrange a referral?

Our surgeons are happy to accept elective and emergency referrals of horses, ponies and donkeys from veterinary surgeons from all over the UK.

If you and your horse or pony is already registered with Chine House as its normal veterinary practice, you are welcome to call the office to arrange a hospital appointment.

If your horse or pony is not registered with Chine House as its normal veterinary practice, for professional and ethical reasons, we are only able to accept animals that are referred by a veterinary surgeon.

Once the decision to refer an animal has been taken, the referring veterinary surgeon should discuss the case with one of our clinicians. An initial plan of investigation, together with an estimate of likely costs, can then be discussed.

Referrals can be made with our reception staff by calling 01509 812445 or emailing enquiries@chinehousevets.co.uk .

You can also click here to complete and submit our Veterinary Referral form…

Having received a request for a referral from a veterinary surgeon, one of our office receptionists or vets will contact you directly to arrange a mutually convenient time and date for an appointment.

It is essential that if your horse is insured for veterinary fees, loss of use or mortality, that you advise your insurance company of the circumstances prior to admission of the horse.

Payment and insurance

At the initial consultation, the veterinary surgeon will discuss the investigation and treatment options with you and can provide you with an estimate of costs, if requested.

Our Terms of Business are that full payment must be made before or at the time of your horse’s discharge, unless you are a registered, first opinion client and have an authorised account with us.

We accept most types of credit and debit cards.

Insurance

Please note that the role of the insurance company is to reimburse you for fees incurred for veterinary treatment.

If your horse is insured, it is your responsibility to contact your insurance company before your horse’s appointment. If your horse is admitted as an emergency at night, at the weekend or on a Bank Holiday, you should notify your insurance company as soon as possible after admission.

You will need to check with your insurance company about your level of cover, any exclusions that might apply and what excess you will need to pay. We will do our best to help with this process but insurance companies usually prefer to deal with the policyholder.

Irrespective of whether your horse is insured for veterinary fees, we ask that you settle your account at or before collection of your horse and that you claim back the costs from your insurance company.

Please ask your insurance company for an insurance claim form and give it to one of our receptionists or the veterinary surgeon attending your horse. We will complete the insurance form for you and send off the form on your behalf and your insurance company will reimburse you directly.

Please note that you will be liable for any shortfall in fees which is not covered by your insurance company.

If you anticipate any difficulty with payment, please telephone the Accounts Department 01509 814505 in advance to discuss whether alternative arrangements are possible.

Since 28th February 2005, owners have not been able to sell, buy, export, slaughter for human consumption, compete with or breed with any animal without a valid passport.

This was set out in the Horse Passports (England) Regulations 2004 making it compulsory for an owner to have a passport for any horse they own, including ponies and donkeys.

A list of passport issuing authorities can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/horse-passport-issuing-organisations

If your horse does not have passport, you should apply for one now so as to comply with the law. All horses and ponies born now must have a passport either by the time they are 6 months of age or before the 31st December of the year in which they were born, whichever comes later.

This law has brought England in line with the rest of the EU and has been put in place to prevent horses which have been treated with veterinary medicines, not authorised for food producing animals, being slaughtered for human consumption.

When a vet treats your animal, they must satisfy themselves that the animal in front of them corresponds to the one in the passport and will then check the declaration at Section IX of the passport regarding whether the horse is for human consumption.

If the passport has not been signed in section IX or the horse IS intended for human consumption, certain drugs will have to be recorded by the vet. If the passport is unavailable, the drugs administered should be put in writing elsewhere.

If the declaration has been signed stating that the horse IS NOT intended for human consumption, no drugs have to be recorded in the passport. Vaccinations will be recorded in the usual way.

You can appreciate that it is far easier for all concerned if your horse is considered not intended for human consumption.

When a horse is sold, the owner must transfer the passport over. The new owner then has 30 days to fill in the change of ownership details and inform the passport issuing authority. After a horse has died, the passport must be returned to the passport issuing authority within 30 days. Similarly, an owner has 30 days to apply for a replacement for any lost or damaged passport.

For further general information or to discuss your requirements, call the ‘Equine’ service on 01509 812 445 or click to make an enquiry.

When horses/ponies are exported to foreign countries, they will usually require a vet’s inspection within 48 hours of leaving.

An Export Health Certificate will have to be completed by the vet. Some countries will require blood tests, swabs or quarantine. This will be stipulated by the importing country and will be detailed in the Export Health Certificate. The Export Health Certificate needs to accompany the horse on its journey.

If quarantine, blood tests and/or swabs are needed, it is important to find this out from DEFRA as soon as possible after you have taken the decision to export the horse. These tests will have to be done in advance of the export and if quarantine is required, this will have to be set up.

The horse owner or transporter should contact DEFRA to apply for an Export Health Certificate and DEFRA will forward it to us. When it arrives, the receptionist will find a vet to carry out the inspection and complete the certificate.

The following vets are allowed to do this inspection:

• Kyle Black

• Lucile Creis

• John Dickerson

• Jonathan Garratt

• Tom Leaman

• Simon Turner

For further general information or to discuss your requirements, call the ‘Equine’ service on 01509 812 445 or click to make an enquiry.

Work Experience

Chine House Equine Hospital offer a limited number of work experience placements of one-week duration to school and college students, over 16 years of age, with a keen interest in equine and veterinary matters. This can be arranged independently, or through your educational institution.

At our hospital, the programme offers students the opportunity to experience life at an equine practice. This will include shadowing our staff with a varied equine caseload and helping our nurses and grooms with their duties, providing students with a useful insight into the work carried out within a busy equine veterinary practice by vets, vet nurses and support staff. For further information about work experience at Chine House please complete the application form below and return it by email to eqplacements@chinehousevets.co.uk

Click here for Equine placement information and application form.

EMS

We are able to offer one or two week placements for clinical veterinary students. This placement is varied and offers time within the equine hospital, working in all areas as well as time with the ambulatory team. Placements can be booked up to one year in advance. Please note that we cannot offer farm animal placements.

For more information or to book a placement please email eqplacements@chinehousevets.co.uk