Equine Medicine & Surgery

What to Expect at Your Appointment

What Should I Expect When I Arrive?

1. When you arrive at the hospital, pull your trailer into the diagonal parking spaces on the southeast side of the facility (see our Map).
2. Come in the side entrance on the east side of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital building marked "Large Animal Reception."
3. A receptionist will greet you and inform the medical team that you and your horse have arrived.
4. You will be asked to sign a standard hospital release form, which allows us to examine and begin the work up on your horse, and a statement regarding your horse's potential exposure to any contagious disease, such as strangles or influenza. At this time, also let us know if you have been out of the country in the past two months. It is our priority to keep all horses safe from the spread of contagious disease.
5. A fourth year veterinary student will then greet you at your trailer to escort you and your horse into the hospital.
6. The student will review your horse's history, health, and current condition.
7. Then, working with a clinician and other members of our veterinary team, we will begin the workup on your horse as necessary. This may include examinations and/or diagnostics.
8. Once a diagnosis has been determined, we will work with you to develop the best course of treatment for you and your horse's circumstances.
9. Payment will be due at the time of service. Should you elect a treatment option that requires your horse to be hospitalized, half of the estimate given to you is due prior to services being provided and the final payment is due upon discharge.
10. Please also let us know if your horse is insured and if you will need forms filled out for your insurance company.

How Long Will My Visit Take?

It is our goal to deliver the most complete service as efficiently as possible. The length of your visit is variable depending on your horse's specific needs.

Give yourself plenty of time for the appointment. You are welcome to bring snacks/lunch and we have a bagel shop along with several vending machines in our lunchroom, as well as many local restaurants. You may wait in the breezeway where your horse's examination will be conducted or we also have coffee available for you in our Small Animal Reception area.

What If My Horse Needs To Be Hospitalized?

Our facility has 50 stalls and is equipped with dedicated areas for each specialty.

Should your visit require hospitalization, your horse will be monitored 24/7 by your primary faculty clinician, residents, veterinary nursing staff, and senior veterinary students.

We encourage patient visits between the hours of 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 4-6:30 p.m. Just stop by the reception desk and a receptionist will page someone to meet you and take you back to your horse's stall. If those times aren't convenient for you, please let us know and we will make arrangements for you.

You can expect a call once daily from your veterinary team regarding your horse's wellbeing unless other arrangements are made. You will be contacted as soon as possible if a problem arises.

You are welcome to leave your trailer at the VTH. You may park it along the east side of the parking lot.

What Happens When My Horse Goes Home?

At the end of your appointment or when you come to pick up your horse, you will go into the Large Animal Reception Desk where you will pay your bill and receive your discharge instructions. Once you have finished there you will proceed to the breezeway where you will meet up with someone from your veterinary team and go over your discharge sheet to be sure all questions are answered and that you have any medications you need. Now it is time to load up so you may pull your trailer into the breezeway. If you have additional questions or concerns after discharge do not hesitate to call us at (970) 297-4471.

How Can I Share Information With My Primary Veterinarian?

We also understand that the care of your horse involves many people. If you have not been directly referred by a primary care veterinarian, please let us know if there is a veterinarian we need to provide information to regarding the treatment of your horse.