AN INDEPENDENT EQUINE VET REFERRAL SERVICE IN SCOTLAND
Our focus is always clients and their horses
The practice was founded in 2005 and is the only family run, independent private practice in Scotland with surgical facilities. Since 2013 the team have been working from our purpose-built surgical facility, ideally located 1 mile off the M90, near Kinross.
The move provided the chance to offer the complete service to our clients, offering continuity of care and the high level of service they know to expect.
We have also been providing this service to referring veterinary practices who share in our ethos of wanting the same high quality service and care for their own clients and professional and timely communication to ensure that they are still involved in their clients care and kept updated throughout their stay with us.
Referral Facilities
Welcome to our purpose-built clinic with modern surgical facilities, padded knock down box, extensive diagnostic equipment and home-from-home in-patient facilities within five minutes of the M90.
Referral Services
We offer a wide range of planned and emergency surgical procedures, 24 hours a day, under both general anaesthetic and standing sedation.Alongside surgical cases, we also welcome diagnostic referrals.
Senior Surgeon
Our dedicated equine team is led by Surgeon Hugh Somerville BVSc Cert AVP (ESO) (VDI) MRCVS RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Equine Surgery – Orthopaedics. Hugh has over 25 years of experience and has a passion for orthopaedics.
WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE HORSES IN OUR CARE
We know how important a good referral service is. We passionately believe that it is essential for both the Veterinary Surgeon referring the case and the owner of the horse to get continuity of care and receive an exceptional level of service.
Our Advanced Practitioner led team will always liaise directly with the referring Veterinary Surgeon before and on the day of any examination or surgery, as well as keeping you informed both during the horses stay and at point of discharge. A written report will then follow within 24-48 hours.
Clients can also expect to receive a high level of service and will be kept fully informed and updated throughout their horses stay. We understand that this can be an upsetting time for clients, and our compassionate team will ensure that this is as stress free as possible. Our team understand that effective communication is essential to allow a smooth transition when the case is handed back to the referring Veterinary Surgeon.
CONTINUED SUPPORT
We believe in working with you, we are delighted to provide any further advice or assistance you want once the client is back under the care of your Veterinary Practice.
Vets can make a referral by completing this online form. If you need to make a referral out of office hours please call 07789 684245 and our team will be happy to help.
EQUINE VETERINARY REFERRAL
The purpose-built padded knock-down box has a swinging crush door for safer anaesthetic inductions as well as a rope recovery system which is invaluable in making the recovery from anaesthesia as safe as we can. The operating theatre as a specialized Haico Telgte table, an equine specific anaesthetic circuit and ventilator along with all the monitoring equipment our fully trained veterinary anaesthetist use to reduce the risks associated with anaesthesia in horses.
Much more surgery is performed under standing sedation and the Clinic also has excellent facilities for this, with a sealed non-slip rubberized floor in the exam rooms, and stocks and a gantry mounted x-ray generator in the main examination room.
We currently have 5 indoor Lodden stables and 4 outside stables. The facilities enable us to provide inpatient care and a medical and surgical service for both routine and emergency cases 24 hours a day.
In addition, the clinic allows for a complete lameness examination as we have a combination of fenced soft and hard lunge circles, an indoor trot-up and a loading ramp – all managed by nursing staff who are excellent at compassionately and safely handling all sizes and types of horses.
The practice prioritizes investing in new technology, equipment and training ensuring our team can provide a gold standard specialist equine service.
EQUINE VETERINARY REFERRAL SERVICES
We offer surgery 24 hours a day, 365 days a year under General Anaesthetic. We offer number of surgical procedures under standing sedation and other medical and orthopaedic services:
- Arthroscopy
- Septic joints, tendon sheath and bursa (including navicular bursa)
- OCD chips
- Stifle, fetlock, coffin, tarsal and carpal joint arthroscopy
- Tendon sheath (including annular ligament desmotomy)
- Navicular bursoscopy
- Closed castration
- Sarcoids (SMART surgery, laser surgery)
- Hernia repair
- Check ligament desmotomy
- Periosteal strip and physeal stimulation
- Penile amputation and urethrotomy
- Lateral plantar neurectomy and fasciotomy
- Palmar digital neurectomy
- Ruptured bladder (foals)
- Splint bone amputation
- Alar fold resection
- We also work with visiting Specialist Geoff Lane MRCVS to provide wind surgery, including Tie-Back, Tie-Forward, and Hobdays.
- Enucleation
- Sinoscopy
- Sinus Surgery (incl bone flaps)
- Kissing Spines – Interspinous Ligament Desmotomy & DSP resection
- Pedal bone resection, sepsis and keratoma
- Molar extractions, including ‘MTE’s
- Diastema flushing and widening
- Infundibular Caries
- Liver biopsy
- Laser Surgery for sarcoids, melanoma
- Colic (eg impactions, displacements),
- Foal care
- Weight loss investigation
- Gastroscope
- Guttural Pouch disease
- Lameness evaluation
- Poor performance
- Remedial Farriery
- Radiographic interpretation
SENIOR SURGEON
Hugh Somerville BVSc Cert AVP (ESO) (VDI) MRCVS
RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Equine Surgery – Orthopaedics & Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging
Since qualifying in 1997, Hugh has always worked in equine practices. These have all had surgical and in-patient facilities and so much of his time has been spent developing this interest. This has included attending specialist surgery courses in Germany, Switzerland and the USA as well as at home in the UK.
Hugh then pursued this further and was amongst the first group in the UK to study for and receive the Advanced Certificate in Equine Orthopaedic Surgery. Hugh is recognised by the RCVS as an Advanced Practitioner in both Equine Surgery – Orthopaedics and Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging meaning that referring vets can be assured Hugh will continue to be up to date in this field with the extra CPD required above the RCVS minimum requirement.
Hugh is supported by a team other Certificate holders and Advanced Practitioners and dedicated equine only Vets and Nurses.
