Virginia Tech's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center

06/20/2025

Dr. Krista Estell, Clinical Associate Professor of Equine Medicine, utilizes echocardiography (heart ultrasound) as part of a cardiovascular examination. 💝🏇

This valuable tool provides clarity on the severity of heart conditions such as heart murmurs, arrhythmias, and other performance-limiting or life-threatening cardiac conditions.

06/13/2025

Tiny hooves, big dreams! A gorgeous chestnut filly by American Pharoah has arrived! 🐎✨

This long-awaited foal's birth was especially meaningful, given her dam Philanthropic's challenging foaling history. Read how hope, perseverance, and expert care brought this special filly safely into the world: https://loom.ly/5lCopNo

06/05/2025

🚨 Emergency Care, Anytime!🚨

The Equine Medical Center is open 24/7 to provide immediate, expert care from our board-certified emergency and critical care specialists when your horse needs it most. Whether it’s day or night, our team is always ready to respond.

With two fully equipped operating rooms, we’re prepared for even the most critical situations, because every second counts in an emergency.

Your horse’s health is our top priority. Always.

06/03/2025

🌟 Foaling Season Update!

We’ve officially provided emergency and critical care for 82 foals so far this season here at the Equine Medical Center, and we’re not slowing down! 💪 Each tiny arrival receives the expert care and compassion they deserve.

Our team is prepped, our stalls are ready, and we’re standing by for any little ones that may be on their way. Bring on the babies! 🍼🐎

05/28/2025

Debbie Purvins of Bushwood, Maryland, shares a special bond with her once-in-a-lifetime horse, Stanley. So, when he began stumbling and showing signs of confusion late last fall, it was deeply alarming, especially for a dressage horse known for his elegance and precision.

Stanley’s remarkable recovery is a powerful reminder that it takes a dedicated team with diverse expertise, all working in full support of one another, to successfully treat a life-threatening virus like EHV-1.

Read the full story by clicking the link below!

Stanley’s amazing recovery from life-threatening equine herpesvirus highlights the work of a team of dedicated individuals with differing skill sets in full support of each other.

05/21/2025

Why are you pulling that tail?

Dr. Krista Estell, Clinical Associate Professor of Equine Medicine, applies a firm but gentle sideways pull on a horse’s tail. This allows her to assess the horse’s balance, strength, and reaction time. 🐎🐎🐎

The tail pull test can reveal signs of underlying neurological problems, such as weakness or impaired balance. A healthy horse will actively resist the pull and maintain their balance, while a neurologic horse may stumble or overcorrect their gait when the pressure is released.

05/19/2025

Guinness, a rather substantial three-year-old Clydesdale, is held by EMC Vet Tech Rosie Barwick as he is prepared for tibiotarsal arthroscopy surgery.

This procedure, performed by Dr. Norris Adams, Clinical Associate Professor of Equine Surgery, was done to remove "joint mice” or loose osteochondral (OCD) fragments floating in his hock joint that were causing him some discomfort.

After an overnight stay at the hospital, Guinness was ready to head back home!

05/16/2025

Congratulations 🎉 to Dr. Krista Estell, Clinical Associate Professor of Equine Medicine, and former EMC resident Dr. Kevin Connolly on the publication of their paper, “Dysphagia in an equine referral hospital: 182 cases”, in the Equine Veterinary Journal, on May 15.

Read the full paper here: https://loom.ly/dFmRTMQ 🐎🐎🐎

05/16/2025

Congratulations 🎉to Equine Medical Center Resident Dr. Bruno Malacarne for passing the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) Phase 1: Surgical Knowledge exam!

05/08/2025

On May 7, the Equine Disease Communication Center announced that the Maryland Department of Agriculture had identified two Strangles cases in Maryland, one in Cecil County and another in Carroll County. Both horses are under official quarantine. A total of seventy horses may have been exposed between the two facilities.

The incubation period for Strangles is 3 to 8 days, at which point the following clinical signs may appear: fever, abscesses in the mandibular lymph nodes, nasal discharge, which is often thick white and yellow mucus, difficulty swallowing, wheezing, and coughing.

05/07/2025

On May 5, the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) reported that the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services had confirmed an Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) case in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

The affected horse is quarantined at a private facility and does not pose a risk to other horses in the area. The positive result was identified during routine Coggins testing, a laboratory test that detects EIA in susceptible animals.

Clinical signs of Equine Infectious Anemia may include fever, depression, low platelet count, anemia, red or purple spots on the mucous membranes, muscle weakness, and muscle atrophy.

05/06/2025

Shelley L. Duke and Cynthia (Cindy) H. Ingram have been awarded emeritus status on the Equine Medical Center Advisory Council.

This distinction is the highest honorary recognition for Advisory Council members and is reserved for individuals whose service has made a profound and lasting impact. Their emeritus status reflects a deep commitment to improving the lives of horses and supporting the people who care for them.

Click on the link below to read the full story!

In recognition of their leadership, advocacy, and years of dedicated service, Shelley Duke and Cindy Ingram were honored with emeritus status on the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center Advisory Council.