Specialized Services for Internal Medicine

24-hour emergency/critical care includes full medical and surgical services (e.g. management of colic or colitis, trauma and respiratory distress). Advanced intravenous care, parenteral nutrition, blood and plasma transfusion, dialysis, intensive cardio-vascular monitoring, airway support and mechanical ventilation are just some of the treatments our team can offer.

We diagnose a range of disorders from acute colic to chronic weight loss. We routinely perform gastroscopies, intestinal biopsies with in-house pathology and comprehensive abdominal ultrasounds.

A free-standing isolation unit providing six independent stalls with dedicated treatment spaces ensures unmatched biosecurity for horses. We offer full diagnostic capabilities and intensive care for patients with infectious gastrointestinal (salmonella, rotavirus, coronavirus, clostridia), respiratory (strangles) and neurologic diseases (equine herpes virus). Two stalls are equipped with two-ton hoists for recumbent animals that require sling support.

We are equipped to handle medically complex or special quarantine needs.

Optimum respiratory function is critical for athletic performance. Our specialists diagnose and treat a range of infectious and non-infectious respiratory disorders.

Equine Asthma (Inflammatory Airway Disease)

We have one of the first clinical lung function centers in the country, with a long history of innovation and inquiry into the diagnosis and treatment of equine asthma. Learn more about equine asthma at the Tufts Equine Respiratory Health Lab.

BAL Interpretation

In bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), the cells and fluid that occupy the farthest reaches of the lungs are sampled. We usually use a bronchoscope to perform this test, allowing a thorough assessment of the upper and lower airways, looking for any evidence of inflammation, mucus production, foreign bodies or infection before retrieving fluid for cytologic assessment. After we have inspected the airways, a volume of sterile fluid is infused into the lower airways and then retrieved – this can be thought of as a liquid biopsy. The fluid is processed for the types of cells present, and the sample is evaluated on-site by Dr. Mazan, a sought-after speaker and author on the assessment of BAL cytology. Precise treatment plans for the type and extent of inflammation present in the lungs can be crafted after this assessment.

Visit the Tufts Equine Respiratory Health Lab for more information

Diagnostic testing is performed for insulin dysregulation (equine metabolic syndrome) and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, equine Cushing’s disease) and other endocrine disorders.

A comprehensive assessment of endocrine risk factors is recommended for horses presenting laminitis. All members of the service diagnose and manage endocrine disorders. Nicholas Frank, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, is a pioneer in researching equine endocrine disorders and is available for consultations and outpatient appointments on Fridays.

For more information, please visit https://sites.tufts.edu/equineendogroup/

The transition from intra- to extrauterine life can be fraught with problems for the newborn animal. Critically-ill foals that come to Tufts Equine Center receive the best care available in New England. In consultation with a reproduction specialist, we can assess the dam during her late pregnancy and be present for the parturition birth.

Learn more about Reproductive Services at Tufts Equine Center

Tufts Equine Center provides diagnostics and treatment for complex conditions involving the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, cervical vertebrae and peripheral nerves. Advanced diagnostic imaging (myelogram, CT, MRI, radiography, nuclear scintigraphy and ultrasound) and diagnostic testing (cerebral spinal fluid sampling) are available.

Learn more about Ophthalmology at Tufts Equine Center

Learn more about Cardiology at Tufts Equine Center

Horses are affected by a range of muscle disorders such as polysaccharide storage myopathy, rhabdomyolysis (“tying up”) and HYPP (hyperkalemic periodic paralysis). The Internal Medicine Service can provide diagnostic testing and recommend specific treatment and management plans for these complex conditions.

Symptoms of urinary disease in horses are subtle and therefore sometimes overlooked. Our specialists are trained to diagnose and treat kidney and bladder conditions in the horse.