Equine Endoscopy Now Available at Winner's Circle in Ocala
Winner's Circle Equine Veterinary Service in Ocala continues to be a leader in the care and nurture of the equine athlete. Now offering a full range of veterinary services that includes endoscopy for your racehorse, we're your go-to choice for care in the region.
About Equine Endoscopy in Ocala
Endoscopy in equines is a minimally invasive procedure that's able to detect multiple problems. It's especially helpful for owners and buyers of racehorses because it can spot common respiratory issues that may cause a horse to become short-winded, to cough, or to wheeze during and after exercise. Horses who have respiratory issues may suffer performance problems both on and off the track. As your vet, we can perform an equine endoscopy to diagnose and treat respiratory and other ailments in horses.
What Is an Equine Endoscopic Procedure?
An equine endoscopic procedure involves inserting an endoscope (usually fiber-optic) through an orifice or incision and looking around to see what may be the cause of a problem. It's a quick and relatively painless alternative to exploratory surgery or trial-and-error treatment that speeds up diagnosis.
A fiber-optic endoscope is constructed of narrow glass threads, called optical fibers, which are bundled together inside a water-proof casing. The endoscope includes a bright light source that allows your vet to see inside the horse.
In most routine examinations, the endoscope used is fiber-optic, but a video endoscope may also be used, which utilizes a tiny, microchip camera to transmit video back to your veterinarian's computer screen.
Both types of scopes have revolutionized the field of equine healthcare, and Winner's Circle is now an equine veterinarian in Ocala who offers this minimally invasive procedure.
Uses for Equine Endoscopy
The uses for this procedure are many, and it's especially popular for owners of equine athletes because it's a simple and cost-effective method of diagnosing a variety of common horse conditions, including:
- Laryngeal Hemiplegia
- Soft-Palate Displacement
- Nasopharyngeal Collapse
- Intermittent Epiglottic Entrapment
Many of these conditions have obvious symptoms, such as choking, whistling, roaring, head shaking, and nasal discharge, and most of them have huge impacts on racehorse performance. Because the airway becomes obstructed, the horse exhibits difficulty breathing, meaning the animal must slow down in order to catch its breath, which is not a choice condition for a horse that's been bred to race.
Stop By Winner's Circle Equine Veterinary Service Today
If you're seeing signs of respiratory distress in your horse, call us right away. We're an equine veterinarian in Ocala who can perform a simple endoscopy and easily diagnose the problem. We're available for both pre- and post-purchase exams for your convenience and for the convenience of your equine athlete. Stop in and book your appointment today.