Frequently Asked Questions

How do I schedule an appt?

Appointments can be made by a referring vet or directly

Referral:

Your veterinarian calls and after consulting with someone on our staff, makes arrangements for your horse to be examined.

Direct appointment:

You may call the Large Animal Clinic Admissions office directly without a referring veterinarian.

To schedule an appointment, call 530-752-0290 during our regular office hours
8:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Our admissions department will inquire the nature of your animals’ problem in order to route you to the appropriate clinician.

We provide 24hours/7 day - a - week Emergency service out side our regular business hours, call 530-752-5438 and our emergency staff will contact the appropriate clinician to handle your emergency.

For Equine Field Service appointments, call 530-752-0292 during our regular office hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Our Field Service staff will inquire the nature of your horse’s problem and location of equine in order to route our veterinarians.

Information to have when calling in for your appointment:

• Name and current information of owner {address and phone numbers}
• Patient species, breed, age, sex and color
• Presenting complaint or patient problem
• Referring veterinarian name if applicable

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Regular hours - 530-752-0290

Emergency - 530-752-5438

Field Service - 530-752-0292

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Horses are seen by appointment only and are generally scheduled between 10:00 a.m. thru 4:00 p.m..

Can I talk to a veterinarian?

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We can try to contact a vet, but if they are unavailable we can have you leave a message on their voicemail and someone will contact you in a timely manner.

Do I need a referral from a veterinarian?

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You may call the Large Animal Clinic Admissions office directly without a referring veterinarian.

Do students work on my animals?

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Upon arrival to the VMTH a team of clinicians, residents, technicians and students will assess your horse and ask several questions. This gives us an opportunity to get to know your animal’s medical history and make certain our medical records are complete. Students are involved in each case, because our entire hospital is a classroom for the trainiing of veterinary students. However students do not perform any procedures. All aspects of your animal’s health care will be performed or directly supervised by our clinical faculty and or residents.

Directions

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How long will my appt last?

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Be prepared to be here several hours and possible all day. Because we are a teaching hospital the appointments do take longer depending on any tests that may need to be done. So it is advisable not to bring small children and pets.

Payment Information

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Total costs at the VMTH are usually comparable to those of veterinarians in private practice. The veterinary medical needs of animals vary widely, according to their problems. Please discuss the estimated cost of your animal’s medical treatment with the veterinarian in charge of the case when your animal is admitted. You should be aware, however, that it is not possible for our veterinarians to determine the exact cost of diagnosing and treating your animal’s problem. Since no two animals’ problems or responses are identical, the numbers and kinds of tests and treatments required can seldom be precisely predicted at the time of admission.

Full payment is required for all outpatient services. (The VMTH accepts VISA, Mastercard, American Express, Discover Card, Care Credit and personal checks, as well as cash). If hospitalization is necessary, a deposit equal to half the total estimated charges will be required. Payment in full is expected at the time of discharge. When in the course of treatment it becomes apparent that the cost of your animal’s treatment will exceed the original estimate, it is our policy to notify you. If you elect to continue treatment of your animal, an additional deposit may be required. You should also be aware that, even though payment in full is required at the time of discharge, our discharge office may not always be aware of all the charges for which you will be responsible. Therefore, you may be billed for “supplemental” charges.

Can my veterinarian get a copy of visit report/diagnosis?

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Your veterinarian will get a copy of your animal's visit to the hospital mailed to them 10 days after the visit.

Can I get a copy of the medical record/x-rays?

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You can request a copy of your medical records by calling 530-752-0290.

What are visiting hours?

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If you have an animal in the hospital, you will make arrangements to visit your animal with the clinician and student that are working with your animal.

Can I leave my trailer overnight?

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At this time, we do not have room for you to leave your trailers overnight.

What time do I need to pick up my animal?

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We would prefer you pick up your animal by 12:00 noon but no later than 4:00 pm.

Will my animal be used for experiments or research?

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Client-owned animals are not used for research. Our veterinarians are committed to the advancement of knowledge in veterinary medicine, and your animal benefits from these advances. Occasionally, you may be asked to participate in a clinical trial or clinical study to help us improve the health and well-being of your animal. This participation is voluntary, and you will be informed about the benefits and risks of your involvement in these studies.

Can I bring my own feed or treats?

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If your animal is on special diet, we recommend that you bring it with you. We do offer several kinds of feed and hay (alfalfa, grass, oat hay)

How do I measure my horse’s rectal temperature?

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You can use a glass thermometer or a digital thermometer. A glass thermometer has the risk of broken glass if damaged. Digital thermometers are more durable, but they need to be supported in place while the temperature reading is measured.

Temperature readings are measured rectally in the horse, which means that you have to insert the thermometer through your horse’s sphincter, under the tail, into the rectum. Be careful that your horse doesn’t kick you!


If you use a glass thermometer, remember to shake it down, and use a string to clip it to your horse’s tail, in case it falls out while you are waiting. For glass thermometers, wait approximately 2 minutes before reading the thermometer. Digital thermometers will beep when ready. For both digital and glass thermometers, apply a small amount of lubricant to the tip of the thermometer before inserting it into the rectum.

Normal rectal temperature is usually between 99 and 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

How do I measure my horse’s pulse rate or heart rate?:

Counting a horse’s pulse rate or heart rate takes practice. You need a watch with a second hand or seconds displayed. Count the pulse or heart rate for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to get the rate per minute.

The easiest method is to use a stethoscope to listen to your horse’s heart and count the heart beats. You can hear the heart by placing the stethoscope on the horse’s chest, just behind the left elbow.

A pulse rate can be measured by feeling and counting the pulsating sensations in a horse’s artery. Many arteries can be used, but the easiest one to find is the mandibular artery, which is located where it passes under the horse’s jaw in front of the large muscles that cover the side of the horse’s jaw.

Normal pulse rate or heart rate is usually 28 to 44 beats per minute.

How do I measure my horse’s respiratory or breathing rate?

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It is best to count the horse’s breathing rate when your horse is not eating and not interested in what you are doing.

The horse’s breath can be counted as one in and out movement of the horse’s flank. The respiratory rate is typically slow and should be counted over a period of 30 seconds (and multiply by 2 to get the rate per minute).

Difficulty or increased effort in breathing is as important as rate of breathing.

Normal respiratory or breathing rate is 8-20 breaths per minute.

How can I prepare for an emergency?

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1. Keep your veterinarian’s phone number by every phone.
2. Find out which veterinarian should be called if your regular veterinarian is not available.
3. Be able to use or borrow a horse trailer in case your horse needs to go to a veterinary hospital.
4. Know names and phone numbers of friends or neighbors who can help you in an emergency.
5. Make a first aid kit.

What are some items that I should keep in a first aid kit for my horse

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Stethoscope
Syringes
Rectal thermometer
Gauze pads
Clean bucket
Gauze rolls
Bandage scissors
Padded bandages
Disposable gloves
Adhesive wrap
Pliers, wire cutters
Adhesive tape
Flashlights and batteries
Disinfectant
Duct tape

What are some problems that should concern me?

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Fever
Wounds
Diarrhea
Colic
Difficulty breathing
Lameness
Depressed attitude
Bleeding
Not eating
Swelling
Straining to urinate or defecate
Eye problems
Red, white, or blue gum color
Foaling difficulties
Seizures
Paralysis or lack of coordination

What should I do in an emergency?

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1. Keep yourself safe.
2. Keep your horse as calm as possible.
3. Move your horse to a safe area if possible.
4. Get help.
5. Call your veterinarian. Be prepared to tell your veterinarian exactly what is wrong.
6. Listen closely to your veterinarian and be prepared to write down your veterinarian’s instructions so that you don’t forget.
7. Do not give your horse any drugs or medications without your veterinarian’s approval.

What should I do if my horse has a wound?

1. Keep yourself safe.
2. Catch your horse and keep the horse calm.
3. Get help to check the wound.
4. Stop the bleeding.
5. Do not give any medications without your veterinarian’s approval.
6. Do not put anything on the wound except clean water and a clean bandage without further instructions from your veterinarian.

When should I call my veterinarian to treat a wound?

1. Lots of bleeding, swelling, or pain
2. Wound is all the way through the skin (full thickness)
3. Puncture wound
4. Wound is near a joint, on head, near eyes or over chest or belly
5. Wound is dirty
6. You can see muscles, tendons, or bone
7. Horse is lame, depressed, or off feed

What is colic and what are the signs of colic?

• Colic is a term to describe abdominal pain.
• There are many signs associated with colic, but some common signs are pawing, rolling, kicking at belly, looking at sides, lying down, stretching, not eating, and passing manure.

When should I call my veterinarian to treat colic?

• Severity of colic signs does not equal severity of colic!
• Call your veterinarian immediately if you see signs of colic

What should I do if my horse has colic?

1. Call your veterinarian.
2. Remove feed, although usually water is okay.
3. Try to keep your horse from injuring itself—but keep yourself safe!
4. Do not give any treatments without consulting your veterinarian.

What to expect if: My horse is seen at the UC Davis VMTH for COLIC?

Colic is a symptom of abdominal pain and can be the result of a range of problems, varying in severity from benign to a potentially life-threatening. Emergency services are available at the UC Davis VMTH 365 days-a-year, 24 hours-a-day but you or your veterinarian must first call to let us know the nature of the problem, information regarding you and your horse, and your estimated time of arrival.

Upon arrival at the VMTH, you should first alert us to your arrival by pressing the red button on the emergency alert intercom located to the left of the main client entrance to the Large Animal Clinic on the west end of the VMTH. Shortly thereafter, you will be greeted by an emergency veterinary team (veterinary student, veterinary surgical resident, board certified veterinary emergency surgeon, and veterinary nurses). The emergency veterinary team will perform a colic work-up to help determine the cause of your horse’s colic and to prescribe the optimal course of treatment, which could include medical treatment or emergency abdominal surgery in severe cases.

A typical colic work-up at the VMTH includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Physical examination and history
• Passage of a naso-gastric tube to decompress the stomach and potentially administer oral fluids and mineral oil
• Rectal examination
• Bloodwork, including a CBC (complete blood cell count) and serum biochemistry profile
• Abdominocentesis (belly tap) to collect a sample of fluid from the abdomen
• Abdominal radiographs
• Abdominal ultrasound examination
The veterinary team may also decide to place an intravenous catheter to administer intravenous fluids and drugs at that time.

Depending on the diagnosis, we may recommend that your horse be hospitalized in the VMTH Large Animal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where he or she can be monitored closely for signs of colic signs and treated with intravenous fluids and other medications as needed.. The ICU is staffed 24 hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week with highly trained registered animal health technicians at a patient to technician ratio of 2 to 1. The attending emergency surgeon will direct the technicians in the hour-by-hour management of your horse.

If your horse needs emergency colic surgery quickly, a team of highly trained anesthesiologists is standing by to expedite this process. The emergency surgeon will stay in contact with you and you will be informed of findings and critical events occurring during surgery, as appropriate. After the surgery is completed, your horse will be transferred to a padded recovery stall where he or she will be assisted to stand. Anesthetic recovery can be protracted in some cases (lasting up to 2 hours). A veterinarian will contact you as soon as your horse is standing. Following recovery, your horse will be walked to a stall in the Large Animal ICU, where he or she will be hospitalized for intensive monitoring and treatment until being discharged from the hospital (typically 5 to 10 days after surgery, but occasionally longer).

How do I bandage my horse’s legs?

It is better to leave a leg unbandaged rather than bandage it incorrectly.
Have your veterinarian or an experienced horse person show you how to bandage your horse’s legs.

Bandages are dangerous if:
   There are wrinkles or bunches.
   There is not enough padding.
   The bandage is too loose or too tight.

A bad bandage will not fulfill its purpose and may make the horse uncomfortable, restrict blood flow, and can damage tendons and other tissues.

1. Make sure that the horse’s legs and bandage materials are clean and dry.
2. Apply a wound dressing, if needed, and as directed by your veterinarian.
3. Use a thick, soft, clean, padded bandage to protect the leg. Lay the padding evenly around the leg, so that it lies flat and wrinkle-free. Start the padding on the side of the leg and roll it evenly around the leg.
4. Start the wrap (e.g. polo bandage, flannels, or adhesive wrap) at the side of the cannon bone above the fetlock joint. Do not begin or end the wrap over a joint.
5. Wrap the leg in the same direction as the padded layer from front to back, outside to inside.
6. Wrap the leg in a spiral pattern, working down the leg and up again, overlapping by about half the width of the wrap.
7. Use smooth, even pressure to compress the padding.
8. Be careful not to wrap too tightly.
9. Do not wrap the bandage too loosely.
10. The bandage should cover the top of the hoof.
11. Leave a ˝ inch border of padding at the top and bottom of the bandage. The wrap should not go beyond the padding.
12. Secure the end of the wrap with tape.
13. Monitor bandages for loosening or slipping, uneven pressure, swelling above or below the bandage, or any signs that the horse is irritated by the bandage or chewing the bandage. Remove the bandage immediately if there are any problems. Replace the bandage every day or sooner if there are problems.