Surgery
UQ VETS Equine Specialist Hospital is staffed with highly trained veterinary specialists who perform a wide range of general, soft-tissue and orthopaedic surgeries for horses.
Our skilled veterinarians carry out routine and complex surgical procedures for performance and pleasure horses. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergency surgery.
Supported by our gold-standard diagnostic imaging services, our veterinary surgeons can provide a diagnostic examination (work-up) of your horse's condition and discuss surgery and treatment options with you.
Surgeries take place in our world-class facilities using specialised equipment to safely anaesthetise, transport, image and operate on your horse.
Surgical procedures
Soft-tissue surgery
- Laparoscopy (abdominal keyhole surgery)
- Tie-back surgery and other upper airway procedures
- Complicated wound repair
- Sinus surgery
- Laser surgery
Emergency surgery
- Dystocia/caesarean section
- Colic surgery
Orthopaedic surgery
- Arthroscopy (joint surgery through an incision)
- Fracture repair
- Angular limb deformities
- Flexural limb deformities (tendon surgery)
- Podiatry surgery (foot surgery)
- Back surgery for cranial wedge osteoctomy (kissing spine)
Reproductive surgery
- Mare reproductive tract surgery
Modern surgical facilities
Our two operating theatres for general or orthopaedic procedures are stocked with:
- high-definition endoscopes (for laparoscopy or arthroscopy)
- fluoroscopy
- locking compression plates
- a diode laser
- an arthroscopy tower with surgical cameras to display images during surgical procedures.
Tailored equipment for large animals
- Two fully padded, anaesthetic stalls for induction or knock down and safe recovery
- Two purpose-built crushes for standing procedures
- A gantry (overhead hoist) to safely transport patients with difficulty standing to the surgery table and then on to recovery.
