Based in Dorset, we were first established in the 1950s, and have since gone from strength to strength. Our equine care practice has grown in line with the quality of the treatment we want to provide for you and your horse. Expanding from two vets to seven in our practice, we’ve ensured that we can provide you with full diagnostic and surgical facilities, all in one convenient and easy to reach location operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Clients also have the benefit of being seen at their own stables or in the field. We aim to provide the best equine care facilities with a friendly efficient approach to a thoroughly modern equine veterinary service for horse owners in Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset.
State-of-the-art equine care facilities at The Barn
Our equine care facilities, based in Dorset include a large concrete area for lameness investigations, modern stabling for in-patients, a car park large enough for lorries and trailers, a 40m x 20m manege for ridden assessments and lunging as well as a range of diagnostic and surgical equipment in a modern hospital style clinic.
We also have nursing accommodation inside the clinic to give owners peace of mind that their horses are well cared for when they stay with us.
Professional, efficient and compassionate equine vets
The Barn Equine Surgery has an experienced team of 7 veterinary surgeons, 2 qualified nurses and 2 trainee nurses all dedicated to providing routine, advanced and emergency care for your horse 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Benefitting horse owners across Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset.
Driven with a love of looking after your animal, our equine veterinary team have expertise in specialist areas including equine dentistry, vetting’s, wound and orthopaedic surgery, lameness investigation and treatment, internal medicine including gastroscopy and colic surgery.
Full Equine Care & Support Services & Facilities
EQUINE PRACTICE / EQUINE DENTISTRY / EQUINE SURGERY / EQUINE INTERNAL MEDICINE
View our full range of services and capabilities here >
We have four examination / treatment rooms with rubberised safety flooring and impervious walls, stocks for safe examination of patients, large double doors for entry/exit and insulation and space heaters for optimum working environment.
Radiography
Two portable DR x-ray machines capable of imaging thoracic spine, head, stifles. Also a clinic based Agfa CR x-ray machine and processing system with high definition large screen monitor. All of the equipment has been purchased/replaced in 2016.
Scintigraphy
First UK installation of brand new Scintron Gamma Camera Scintigraphy Unit (installed 2007). This allows diagnosis of difficult to isolate causes of lameness and poor performance often related to back or hind limb problems which cannot be diagnosed by other modalities. We also accept referrals from other practices for scintigraphy.
Ultrasound
Four diagnostic ultrasound machines – portable unit for mare reproductive and mobile tendon and lameness work, and a larger clinic based unit for high quality tendon/limb work and abdominal/chest/heart scanning. Two machines were purchased in 2016.
Arthroscopy
Diagnostic surgical arthroscope (‘keyhole’ surgery for diagnostics and treatment of joint and tendon diseases) with video monitor and recording,
Endoscopy
Two flexible fibre optic endoscope for upper respiratory tract investigations.
Oroscopy
We are able to perform oroscopy both in-house at the practice and out on the yard. Our oroscopes allow a very thorough and detailed visual examination of the oral cavity and occlusal surface of the teeth to be performed, allowing identification, investigation and treatment of pathology, such as diastema, periodontal disease, infundibular caries, dentinal defects, fractures and soft tissue masses.
Oroscopy enables owners to view any pathology present on a separate screen or tablet, allowing for increased understanding when it comes to decision making with treatment options and for being involved in monitoring progress.
Gastroscopy
3.5 meter digital gastroscope that enables us to examine the stomach and first part of small intestine in even the largest of our patients.
We have a padded operating theatre, a purpose built hydraulic operating table with overhead hoist, gaseous anaesthesia, blood pressure monitoring (direct and indirect) with assisted recovery system to minimise post-operative complications.
Some surgical procedures are performed standing using modern sedative infusions and local anaesthetics, however many require general anaesthesia, and our surgical and in-patient facilities enable us to perform both elective and emergency surgeries.
Operations include ‘closed’ castrations, ‘rig’ operations, arthroscopy for joint disease, eye operations and emergency colic surgery. For colic surgery we always have two veterinary surgeons operating and one vet closely monitoring the anaesthetic. Post-operative care is very important for colic surgery and our team provides round-the-clock care in such cases.
The in-house laboratory allows us to perform blood profiles, full haematology and biochemistry panels, and report back the results the same day, saving us valuable time in diagnosing and starting appropriate treatment of patients.
We are also able to perform blood gases and electrolyte profiles on in-patients and whilst operating with our I-Stat machine, allowing essential patient side analysis and monitoring in critical cases.
Microscopy allows us to perform faecal worm egg counts, providing personalised analysis and targeted worming advice to individual horses. It also allows us to perform smears and cellular differentials on blood, as well as synovial fluid from tendon sheaths and joints, and peritoneal fluid in colic cases.
We are also able to perform bacteriology, with culture and sensitivities being carried out to allow us to tailor treatment and ensure the antibiotics prescribed are correct and effective.
Urinalysis, snap tests for serum amyloid A (an inflammatory marker) and immunoglobulins in foals, and patient side glucose and lactate monitoring can also all be performed in our laboratory.
Immunoglobulin assays on newborn foals can be performed ensuring foals are treated early on with plasma should they be considered immunodeficient.
All nurses are trained in laboratory procedures, enabling us to offer a 24/7 service and ensuring that our patients are able to be diagnosed and monitored in the middle of the night and at weekends and bank holidays.