Surgery

Ashbrook Equine Hospital has a full surgical suite as well as the equipment for most standing surgical procedures performed in the horse. The surgery is fully equipped to deal with routine surgeries such as castrations and orthopaedic procedures, as well as emergency procedures such as penetrating wounds and colic surgeries.

Routine surgeries are booked in advance and prepared fully for anaesthesia in the twenty four hours preceding the operation. Operations are usually performed in the morning allowing adequate recovery time whilst the hospital is fully staffed. We do however offer a twenty four hour service for any emergency procedures for which our staff are on call at all times.

Ashbrook offers a wide range of surgical services. Castrations can be undertaken at the yard or the hospital providing both testicles are descended. In older horses or where only one or no testicles are apparent then general anaesthesia at the hospital is required. We also have the ability to remove testicles from the abdomen using keyhole surgery. Ovaries can also be removed using this technique when they are diseased. The laparoscope can be used in other abdominal conditions for taking biopsies or to allow us to make a diagnosis when an abdominal problem persists, such as recurrent colic.

Many soft tissue surgical procedures are carried out for skin and eye problems. Colic surgery is undertaken at Ashbrook Equine Hospital; we know that when a horse has a surgical colic every minute really does count. We are equipped with an array of stapling devices used in colic surgery to minimise surgical and therefore anaesthesia time, thus improving the horse’s prognosis.

Orthopaedic procedures are performed commonly with a lot of procedures now being able to be performed using keyhole techniques. This allows us very good visualisation of the inside of joints and tendon sheaths and minimises recuperation time for the horse.