WEATHERFOD EQUINE MEDICAL CENTER

The emergency care team is ready 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Call 817-594-9100 to alert the team you and your horse are on your way!

1877 Mineral Wells Hwy, Weatherford, TX 76088
Office: 817.594.9100 • fax: 817.596.5770 email:hospital@weatherfordequine.com

Weatherford Equine Medical Center is a 16,000 square foot facility located just thirty miles west of Fort Worth.

We maintain an unprecedented level of services including sports medicine, surgery, internal medicine, podiatry, diagnostic and regenerative medicine.

Our state of the art facility Is the recipient of a merit award by the Veterinary Economics Hospital Design Competition.

Weatherford Equine Medical Center is a partner in Animal Imaging of Irving, TX which provides access to MRI and nuclear scintigraphy.

Weatherford Equine has established itself as a regional leader in equine veterinary care. Board certified specialists in both surgery and internal medicine allow us to perform the highest level of veterinary care to our patients. Dr. Foland accepts referral cases from around North, Central and West Texas and, with a state of the art facility and a trained nursing staff, are able to care for almost any equine condition.

Both specialists carefully communicate and work in coordination with referring veterinarians to provide a seamless level of care for all horses treated at the center that are not normal clients. Our practice also includes veterinarians with specific interests in lameness, podiatry, reproduction and dentistry, thereby offering a complete range of services to our local clients. Weatherford Equine offers both hospital based and farm based appointments.

Soundness Examination

Our hospital serves as a hub for performance and lameness evaluations. Our veterinarians will work with you to return and keep your equine athlete in top performance condition.

A common soundness exam includes:

Movement evaluation on different surfaces
Palpation of the limbs
Flexion tests
Hoof testers
Radiographs

It may also include:

Ultrasonography
Nuclear scintigraphy
MRI
Ridden evaluation

ADDITIONAL SPORTS TREATMENTS

Shockwave Treatment (ECSW)

A variety of musculoskeletal conditions benefit from extracorporeal shockwave therapy. Chronic pain and lameness are treated with high energy sound waves transmitted to the affected area. Focused shockwave therapy is a non-invasive treatment option that can be used in the standing horse under mild sedation. Such therapy is utilized to treat musculoskeletal disorders such as bowed tendons, suspensory ligament desmitis, stress fractures and sore backs.

Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein (IRAP)

This is a therapy for the treatment of joint or tendon sheath inflammation that may not respond to medication, rest or other conventional therapy. It uses the patient’s own blood to produce a serum concentrated with regenerative and anti-inflammatory proteins. These proteins are then injected into the synovial cavity to combat inflammation.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

For ligament or tendon fiber injuries, platelet rich plasma offers a therapy that is derived from the patient’s own regenerative abilities. Blood from the horse is collected and centrifuged to concentrate blood platelets and a variety of growth factors. These are then injected directly into the injury of the tendon or ligament. This serum matrix aids the body to produce a more correct healing and recovery from the insult.

Stem Cells

Autologous and allogeneic stem cells are available for treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal conditions that involve tendons, ligaments and joints. This may involve collections of bone marrow or fat that is then processed/purified/cultured and re-injected into the damaged tissue area. Stem cells can be injected for regional perfusion or locally to aid the body in repairing an injured condition. This technology can be combined with other regenerative therapies and well supervised rehabilitation program in order to provide optimal “functional healing”. This gives the horse the best chance to achieve athletic success post-injury.

Ultrasound Guided Injection Treatment (USGI)

This is a technique to more precisely deliver treatment to the appropriate region. This is particularly important for areas of the neck, back and sacroiliac area. USGI utilized high quality ultrasound to visualize the anatomical structure to be treated. Needles are placed along the plane of visualization to the desired spot and then medication can be administered. This optimizes precision of therapy and can be used for tendon, ligament, joint and bone injuries.

Risk Assessment Examination

The objective of the pre-purchase exam is to perform a risk assessment examination for the buyer in relation to the general health and athletic soundness of the horse for sale. The examination will help to determine any pre-existing problem or any potential problem that may affect future ability of the horse to excel in the desired discipline. The exam addresses concerns seen at that specific moment in time.

Soundness examination

Complete physical examination
Soundness examination
Radiographs
Upper airway endoscopy
Medication testing
Bloodwork

SURGERY

Major Surgery

The operating theater is fully equipped for major equine surgeries, including emergency colic sections.

Internal Medicine at Weatehrford Equine encompasses the following services

Our hospital serves as a hub for performance and lameness evaluations. Our veterinarians will work with you to return and keep your equine athlete in top performance condition.

At-Risk Pregnancy Management
Adult and Neonatal Intensive Care
Emergency Care
Endoscopy
Evaluation (stomach, duodenum, upper airway, uterus, bladder, etc)
Farm Call Services
Infectious disease isolation
Outpatient Treatment and Examination
Ophthalmology
A board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist is available when needed.
Neurologic Examination and Care
Ultrasonography
Worldwide Medical Consultation

ADDITIONAL INTERNAL MEDICINE

Dr. Heath Qualls specializes in emergency care, critical care and treatment of horses suffering from acute or chronic disease and injury. Areas of focus include: foal disorders, cardiac disorders, respiratory, autoimmune, gastrointestinal and dermatologic conditions, laminitis, neurologic, and ophthalmic diseases.

Weatherford Equine is now providing state of the art dental care for routine and advanced veterinary dental cases. The Dental Service at WEMC recognizes the improvement in Veterinary Dental Medicine that has occurred in the past 10-15 years. Medical advancements have come in the form of medications used during dental procedures, as well as vast improvement in available veterinary dental equipment . Technological advancements such as digital radiology and computed tomography, allow better management of endodontic disease and traumatic injuries (oral-maxillofacial fractures). Finally the use of diagnostic dental instruments that have made previously unrecognized periodontal disease identifiable and treatable.

ADDITIONAL DENTISTRY

Equine Dental Medicine is recognized as a critical part of a horse’s general health, as it is the entrance to the body both for nutrition and relating to the rider on their back. Equine Dentistry/Dental medicine is much more than just “floating” your horse’s teeth every year. The WEMC-Dental Service starts with a full body examination. This answers the question of “is this patient able to be safely sedated” and “are the sedatives/tranquilizers the veterinarian is planning on using appropriate”. Next, a tooth by tooth oral examination occurs evaluating the periodontal and endodontic structures of the tooth. Our doctors use dental instruments that you would commonly see in your own dental visit. The Dental Service at WE provides a range of services from routine examination/equilibration; recognizing, grading, and treating periodontal disease (gum disease); to minor and major oral surgery.

The podiatry center offers therapeutic and corrective shoeing for a variety of conditions. Some of the most common cases that present at the clinic are caudal heel pain as a result of imbalance, Acute and chronic laminitis, navicular syndrome, high/low syndrome, white line disease, club feet and pedal osteitis. Dr. Loe works closely with boarded surgeons; Jeff Foland and Chase Whitfield, in devising a treatment protocol for horses with soft tissue injuries and angular limb deformities.

Ultrasonography

A state of the art hospital ultrasound unit and 3 ambulatory units allow our doctors to image the equine patient in new, non-invasive ways. We are able to see the inside of joints, tendons, abdomens, chests and of course the reproductive tract of thousands of mares each season. The high quality ultrasound units also allow us to perform many ‘ultrasound guided’ procedures such as stem cell injections, cervical vertebral injections, sacro-iliac treatment and abdominal organ biopsy.