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Hospitals

Comprehensive Care + 24 Hour Emergency

Soft Tissue Surgery

Equine
A horse is being wheeled into surgery on a gurney.

Meet Our Specialists

The equine general surgery service at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals provides outstanding surgical care for horses with a wide range of medical conditions. Our board-certified surgeons have decades of surgical experience and use the most advanced techniques available. They are assisted by skilled surgical residents and veterinary technicians.

The equine general surgery service provides both elective and emergency care. Diagnostic capabilities include high resolution radiology, CT and MRI scanning and endoscopy. Procedures are performed in state-of-the-art surgery suites fully equipped with equipment for both traditional and open surgery and for laparoscopic procedures. We work as part of a team with a broad range of specialists including anesthesiologists, internists, dentists, radiologists and other specialists to ensure our patients receive the most comprehensive care possible. Our experienced staff provides nursing care 24 hours a day.

Equine General Surgery - Common Procedures

  • Abdominal surgery including colic surgery, hernia repair, umbilical remnant resection
  • Laparoscopic surgery for cryptorchid castration, ovairectomy, exploratory and other procedures
  • Urogenital surgery including routine and cryptorchid castration, ovairectomy, Cesarean section, repair of foaling injuries, treatment of penile injury or neoplasia
  • Sinus surgery for cysts, neoplasia, dental disease
  • Wound management and reconstructive surgery
  • Therapy for skin tumors including equine sarcoid, melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma
  • Lameness evaluation

What to Expect During Your Appointment

Your scheduled visit to the General Surgery Service at the Cornell University Equine Hospital begins when you pull up to the circular driveway. Please park your vehicle in the driveway, come into the reception area and check in at the front desk. After a small amount of paperwork, a technician or student will help you unload and walk your animal to its assigned stall. 

Often times, you may leave your vehicle and trailer right in the driveway but, if the lot is full, the receptionist will provide you with directions to nearby longer-term parking where overnight parking for trucks and trailers is also available.

After your vehicle is parked, a technician and student will work together to conduct an examination of your animal and will take a medical history. We appreciate your patience and understanding in allowing our veterinarians-in-training to interact with you and your horse.

Next, the student will leave to report their findings to a resident or faculty member, who will return with the student to perform a second, comprehensive examination. The resident or faculty member will discuss all of the findings with you. 

Working together with you, a plan for further diagnosis and treatment of your animal will be developed. Patients that require surgery or advanced tests will often be admitted to the hospital at the conclusion of their initial appointment. Patients admitted for surgical procedures often need to remain hospitalized for several days or longer. Patients with conditions that do not require hospitalization will be discharged with detailed written instructions and a summary of the exam findings. A copy will be faxed to your veterinarian.

Related Info

The American College of Veterinary Surgeons
A specialty organization that certifies veterinary surgeons and provides a source of referrals to animal owners.