Virginia Tech Veterinary Teaching Hospital

06/18/2025

The first day of summer is June 20! ☀️ As temperatures climb, it's important to be aware of heatstroke in pets. This condition can wreak havoc on almost all of your pet's body systems, causing serious damage.

As we move into summer, it's important to know the signs of heatstroke in your pet and what to do for their safety and health.

05/22/2025

They might not be very handy with a spade, but pets enjoy spending time in the garden, too! Here are some tips for keeping your garden safe for pets.

Gardening offers the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine and make your yard prettier. Here are some ways to create a safe garden you and your pets can enjoy.

05/09/2025

News Release: Bringing back rare stallion bloodlines

A pair of positive pregnancy tests at the Virginia Tech Veterinary Teaching Hospital on Monday, 4/28/2025, mark a landmark event for the rare and ancient Akhal-Teke horse, and for the Akhal-Teke Foundation (ATF), dedicated to preserving the breed, as veterinary science gives two stallions from the 1970s and 80s a chance to create new foals.

Drawing on frozen semen collected at the pioneering Roanoake A.I. Laboratory going back to the 1970s, before today’s standardized practice, each of these historical Russian-born studs represents a traditional Turkmen stallion line that is rare in North America today.

Often called “the world’s most beautiful horse,” the Akhal-Teke breed is acutely rare, and shrinking. Some 300 horses in North America represent only about one in 20,000 horses overall. Scientifically considered a primitive breed, the Akhal-Teke is elegant and refined, with a natural athleticism that makes them the greyhounds of the horse world. Roughly 5000 Akhal-Tekes worldwide harbor more deep genetic diversity than all the world’s Thoroughbreds — of which the Akhal-Teke/Turkoman breed is precursor.

Akhal-Teke stallion Arik (Ametist x Aishat, 1978), a grandson of Olympic Gold Medal dressage stallion Absent, representing the Arab sire line, has a confirmed pregnancy with Anadana, a lovely Akhal-Teke mare who is the only offspring of her outstanding dam Merdana.

Akhal-Teke stallion Goklen (Gilkuiruk x Gerel, 1989) representing the Kaplan sire line, has a confirmed pregnancy with Zenus, the consensus best filly at historic Shenandoah Farm at the time of its closing in 2020. Zenus is a granddaughter of the outstanding Akhal-Teke eventing stallion Sengar, who was long listed for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team.

These new pregnancies are landmark successes for the standard-setting conservation breeding program of the nonprofit Akhal-Teke Foundation (ATF). Planned in consultation with the Livestock Conservancy, the ATF program is developing a breeding herd as a genetically diverse resource to maintain the inherent excellence of the rare and ancient Akhal-Teke horse, while gradually raising the total number of Akhal-Teke foals born annually in North America upward from 10 currently, which is estimated to be less than half of the minimum replacement rate.

Visitors to the breeding herd, including mares, foals, and stallions, are welcome at the national Akhal-Teke Center in Lexington, Virginia. Call 541-514-4766 or visit the website for reservations.

More about ATF programs here…
https://www.akhaltekefoundation.org/programs.html

Join the ATF email list here…
https://www.akhaltekefoundation.org/email_list.html

References:

Arik (Ametist x Aishat, 1978) Arab line
http://www.akhaltekeregistry.com/Database?id=377&searchField=Horse+name

https://beta.allbreedpedigree.com/arik-gWRMAl1a/pedigree

Goklen (Gilkuiruk x Gerel, 1989) Kaplan line
http://www.akhaltekeregistry.com/Database?id=2639&searchField=Horse+name

https://beta.allbreedpedigree.com/goklen-iQAs8M3N/pedigree

📷 Akhal-Teke stallion Arik (Ametist x Aishat, 1978), grandson of Absent

05/08/2025

04/24/2025

April 23: The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) has confirmed an Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-Respiratory) case at a training facility in Washington County, VA.

The affected horse, a 3-year-old c**t, developed clinical signs on April 15, including fever and inappetence. He is reported to be recovering while under voluntary quarantine.

04/18/2025

Our ICU is enhancing critical care for our most vulnerable patients with a new, state-of-the-art oxygen system featuring safer, advanced technology.

The Virginia Tech Veterinary Teaching Hospital has enhanced care in its Intensive Care Unit with a new, state-of-the-art Vet Flex ICU oxygen system — improving outcomes for critical patients, easing staff workload, and advancing its teaching mission.

04/17/2025

Spring flowers are beautiful, but many common lilies are fatally toxic to cats. All parts – even pollen or vase water – can cause severe kidney failure from just a small exposure.

's Dr. Virginia Edwards talks more about how to keep your cats safe from this popular flower. 🔽

Lilies may be beautiful, but they are extremely toxic to cats — even small exposures can be fatal — so pet owners should keep them out of their homes and gardens.

04/16/2025

We are experiencing issues with Zoom Phone services due to a nationwide outage and are unable to receive calls.

If you have an emergency, please proceed to the hospital and check in at the front desk.

Clients with patients currently in the hospital will be contacted by alternative means.

03/13/2025

Is your older cat suddenly acting like a kitten again? Hyperthyroidism, a common issue in senior felines, can mask as increased energy, but it's crucial to watch for other signs like weight loss and increased appetite to ensure a long, healthy life for your feline friend.

Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine disorder for cats middle-aged and older cats, but early progression of the disease might fly under the radar for many cat owners.

02/19/2025

Thank you for your support! 🥰

02/11/2025

Due to inclement weather, the hospital will be open to emergency cases only. Stay safe everyone!

When a situation arises in which the university determines that immediate action is required, a campus-wide VT Alert is issued. VT Alerts allow students, faculty, and staff who subscribe to the system to receive urgent notifications by a phone message, text message, and/or desktop alert.

02/06/2025

🐴 FREE Horse Castration Clinic! 🐴

The Virginia Tech Veterinary Teaching Hospital castration clinic on Thursday, April 3, is now accepting applications! Spots are limited, so book early. A waitlist will be available.

Your horse must be:

Halter-broke
Negative Coggins test
Vet-confirmed 2 testicles
5 years or younger
~1000 lbs or less

Call the Large Animal Hospital front desk at 540-231-4621 to sign up.