Tryon Equine Hospital, PLLC

01/09/2026

Happy Birthday Dr. Davern!

12/30/2025

Happy New Year from all of us at Tryon Equine Hospital!
As we welcome 2026, we want to thank our clients for trusting us with your horses throughout the past year.
Please note our office will be closed Wednesday, December 31, and Thursday, January 1. Our team will be available for emergencies.
Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year!

12/30/2025

Help us wish Dr. Baskett a very happy birthday! We’re thankful for all she does for our patients, clients, and team here at Tryon Equine Hospital. Wishing you the best day and new year ahead!

12/23/2025

Tryon Equine Hospital's office will be closed on Wednesday, December 24 and Thursday, December 25.
Our dedicated veterinarians and staff will remain available for emergencies.
We wish everyone a safe and joyful Christmas!

12/07/2025

Mother–daughter duo on the ground at AAEP in Denver! Dr. Baskett and Katie Hay learning, connecting, and exploring new frontiers in equine practice!

11/26/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from Tryon Equine Hospital!

Our office will be closed on Thursday, November 27, and Friday, November 28.

As always, our dedicated veterinarians and staff will be available for emergency care throughout the holiday weekend.

We are grateful for the trust you place in us to care for your horses. Wishing you and your loved ones a warm, safe, and joyful Thanksgiving!

11/21/2025

An update and overview from Dr. Emilie Setlakwe for our clients on the recent EHV-1 outbreak:

1. EHV Overview: Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) is a family of DNA viruses (EHV-1, -2, -3, -4, -5) that occurs in horse populations worldwide. The most common strains are EHV-1 and EHV-4.
2. Forms of Disease: EHV-1 and EHV-4 typically cause a respiratory disease that is usually mild and self-limiting. These strains can also cause abortion. More rarely, EHV-1 (and very rarely EHV-4) can cause the neurological form of the disease, known as Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM), which damages the spinal cord and can lead to permanent neurological deficits or be fatal.
3. Current Outbreak: An outbreak of a particularly aggressive strain of EHV-1 began in early November 2025. It was linked to the World Championship barrel racing finals held in Waco, Texas, from November 5th to 9th.
4. Outbreak Spread: Following the initial cases in Texas, positive horses with the neurological manifestation (EHM) have been identified in Oklahoma and Louisiana. As a result, many equestrian events have been canceled as a precautionary measure.
5. Transmission: EHV is spread through direct nose-to-nose contact, coughing, and contact with contaminated surfaces such as shared equipment, and the clothing and boots of handlers etc.
6. Clinical Signs:
- Respiratory Form: Fever, nasal discharge, depression, lethargy, and enlarged lymph nodes.
- Neurological Form (EHM): Fever, swelling of the legs, ataxia (wobbliness), weakness of the hind end, urine dribbling and recumbency (down horse that cannot get up).
- Other associated signs: Abortion and neonatal foal death.
1. Diagnosis: A veterinarian can diagnose EHV by taking samples from a nasal swab and from the blood for PCR testing. Antibody testing is also an option.

Actionable Takeaways
1. Quarantine and Monitoring: Any horse that was exposed to a positive horse or a horse exhibiting symptoms should be quarantined and monitored for the development of clinical signs.
2. Treatment: Treatment is generally supportive care. For the neurological form (EHM), specific medications such as anti-thrombotics and antivirals may be administered.
3. Vaccination: Vaccination is recommended to help prevent the respiratory form of the disease. While the current vaccines do not prevent the neurological form, having horses well-vaccinated improves herd immunity and decreases the chances of large-scale outbreaks. Vaccination strategies will differ based on a horse's exposure risk and should be discussed directly with a veterinarian.
4. Biosecurity: Proper biosecurity is critical since the disease is spread via aerosol particles from nasal discharge and contaminated surfaces. This includes the disinfection of surfaces and equipment that come into contact with horses.
5. Management Practices: Recommended practices include maintaining up-to-date vaccinations on all horses on a property, practicing good biosecurity when traveling and showing, and quarantining any new horses or horses returning to a farm after travel for at least 21 days (3 weeks).
6. Veterinary Consultation: Owners with direct questions pertaining to their horse's individual risks should contact their veterinarian to decide on the appropriate course of action.

Additional Notes
- The incubation period for EHV is typically from 2 to 10 days.
- Horses can shed the virus and be contagious before they develop clinical signs during the incubation period.
- Horses with clinical signs should be considered contagious until cleared by their veterinarian through testing, quarantine, or both.
- Most horses with the respiratory form of EHV make a full clinical recovery in a couple of weeks.
- Horses that develop the neurological form (EHM) can take much longer to recover and may not ever fully recover from the neurological damage. In some cases, this form of the disease is fatal.

Resources and References
- For direct questions pertaining to your horse's risks, please feel free to contact your veterinarian at Tryon Equine Hospital. We are happy to help and answer questions.

Sincerely ,
Dr Emilie Setlakwe, DVM, MSc, Dipl. ACVIM (LA)

Equine herpesvirus (EHV) is a family of equine viruses named by numbers including EHV-1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 with EHV-1,3,4 posing the most risk for domestic horses. EHV is a common DNA virus that occurs in horse populations worldwide. The two most common species are EHV-1 and EHV-4.

10/27/2025

Farewell and Best Wishes to Dr. Katie Marsh - We will miss you!

We are saddened to share that Dr. Katie Marsh, a long-time and deeply valued member of our veterinary team, will be leaving Tryon Equine Hospital as she moves back to the Michigan area to be closer to family.
Dr. Marsh has been an integral part of our hospital family, providing exceptional care, compassion, and dedication to her patients, clients, and colleagues over the years. Her expertise and kindness have left a lasting mark on all of us.
While we will miss her dearly, we wish her all the best in this next chapter and know she will continue to make a difference wherever she goes.
The good news is she promises to come back down every now and then, and we’ll look forward to those visits!
Please join us in thanking Dr. Marsh for her many contributions and in wishing her the very best in her new adventures!

10/18/2025

🎉 That’s a wrap on Vet Tech Week 2025! 🎉

We had such a fun time celebrating our incredible technicians — the heart of Tryon Equine! 💙 Each day was filled with good food (thank you to our amazing sponsors!), laughter, and a little friendly competition with our daily trivia questions.

Our trivia winners got to pick from some awesome themed prizes — from S’mores Night and Spa Day baskets to Popcorn & Movie Night, Game Night with Snacks, Coffee Lovers (complete with a heated mug!), and a Fall Cozy Day Set. 🍁☕🎬🎮

Thank you to our hardworking techs for all you do — not just this week, but every single day. You truly keep this place running! 🐴💙

10/17/2025

🎉 A HUGE thank you to all our amazing sponsors for keeping our bellies very full during Vet Tech Week! 🥐🍕🥗 From breakfasts to lunches (and everything sweet in between), you truly spoiled us.

We’ve all had to loosen our belts a notch or two after this week — and we’re not complaining one bit! 😋

Thank you for making our celebration even more special. 💙 @altanocareers

10/16/2025

💫 Team Member Spotlight

For the past four years, Emma has been an integral part of the Tryon Equine team. Drawn by her passion for equine veterinary medicine and the opportunity for growth, she’s built a career rooted in compassion and teamwork.

Her favorite part of the job? “Helping horses in need of medical attention and working with a great team,” she says. With a particular interest in surgery and anesthesia, she loves being part of the process that helps horses recover and return home to their owners.

When asked what she wishes clients knew about her role, she shares, “I love and care for each horse as if they were my own.” That care and dedication shine through in every case she touches. Seeing patients improve and reunite with their owners is what makes all the hard work worthwhile.

Her advice for anyone considering joining the Tryon Equine team: “It’s a lot of learning and dedication, but it’s so rewarding being part of a great team and saving horses every day.”

Fun & Personal

Outside of work, Emma’s life is filled with animals and adventure. She has a loyal pup named Laney, two cats (Dally the bully and Charlie the sweetheart), and her 12-year-old OTTB gelding Cappy, who she competes with in low-level eventing.

When she’s not in the barn or the clinic, you’ll find her hiking, riding, or relaxing with a bowl of ice cream — her go-to comfort food after a busy day. Despite long hours, she powers through without caffeine!

A few fun facts? She can lick her elbow (yes, really!) and if she could instantly learn a new skill, she’d become a mechanic. Her dream trip would take her to Montana in the summer, and her favorite time of day is sunset.

Currently, she’s into Stranger Things, and if given the chance to have dinner with anyone, she’d choose Jesus. The three words that best describe her? Bubbly, outgoing, and fun.

And if she ever won the lottery? You’d definitely know — she’d be living on a beautiful piece of land surrounded by goats and chickens! 🐐🐓

10/16/2025

🌟 Team Spotlight: Rylee – Passionate, Loyal, and Driven 🌟

This month, we’re thrilled to introduce one of the newest members of our Tryon Equine family — Rylee, a veterinary technician whose passion for horses and dedication to learning have already made her a standout part of our team.

Though she’s only been with us for a month, Rylee says working at Tryon Equine has been a dream come true. “I’ve always admired Tryon Equine and wanted to be part of this team since I started in vet med,” she shared. What’s impressed her most so far is the supportive and respectful dynamic among the doctors and techs — “Everyone has been so welcoming and sweet throughout my first month.”

Rylee is still exploring all areas of equine medicine, but she’s found herself drawn to surgery and medicine in particular. “I’m constantly learning here,” she says. “Everyone sincerely backs each other up whenever we need one another — that’s one of the most rewarding parts of being here.”

For those thinking about joining the Tryon Equine team, Rylee has this advice: “Go for it! Just remember that TEH has a high reputation, and we all work hard to uphold that standard with our clients and patients. You’ll learn so much and gain even more.”

Outside of work, Rylee’s heart belongs to her two dogs — Diesel, her 5-year-old German Shepherd (and soul dog, whose portrait is tattooed on her forearm!), and Mack, her 2-year-old Cane Corso. “They’re my literal children,” she laughs. “They both sleep with me every night and are the biggest sweethearts, but they definitely don’t play about their mama!”

When she’s not caring for horses or her pups, Rylee loves spending time behind the camera. “Photography lets me capture people in ways they haven’t seen themselves — that’s such a cool feeling.” Her perfect evening includes Mexican food or brisket mac & cheese, a sweet tea, and a beautiful sunset — her favorite time of day.

A few fun facts: she once met Paris Hilton and Ozzy Osbourne on the same night (before she even knew who they were!), and if she weren’t in vet med, she’d likely be an esthetician, combining her love of science and skincare. Her dream travel destinations? Wyoming and Montana — wide open spaces that match her adventurous, down-to-earth spirit.

And if Rylee ever won the lottery? You’d definitely notice — she’d be rolling up in a bigger truck with a matching horse trailer and running her very own farm rescue for animals in need.

Welcome to the team, Rylee — we’re so glad to have your passion, loyalty, and drive here at Tryon Equine! 🐴💙