Types of Equine Veterinarians

A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine has completed four to eight years of study and passed national and state exams before becoming licensed. Because veterinarians deal with patients who cannot vocalize their needs, they are often compared to pediatricians and thus must have strong people and communication skills. An equine veterinarian relies greatly on information obtained from the animals' primary caregiver, diagnostic testing, and his own ability to use his hands, sense of smell and eyes to diagnose problems his patients can't convey verbally.

  1. General Practice Veterinarians

    • A general practice veterinarian is trained to diagnose animal health problems, vaccinate, medicate for diseases and infections, treat and dress wounds, set fractures, perform surgeries according to his ability, offer advice about feeding and behavior, administer preventive care and perform diagnostic testing.

      While some equine vets have facilities where they can treat animals or perform surgery, much of their practice involves traveling to their patients instead of their patients coming to them, which is the case for small animal practitioners. Equine vets are also trained in how to handle large animals for the purpose of restraint.

    Equine Dentistry

    • Horses' teeth continue to grow throughout their lifetime. Though most surfaces are ground down by lateral chewing, sharp edges (enamel points) can form that can impede the animal's ability to process food properly. "Floating teeth" refers to the filing down of sharp points, hooks, grooves or ridges so the teeth are better balanced and the surfaces meet evenly.

      Performance dentistry refers to the removal of the so-called "wolf teeth," the small, sometimes sharp teeth that in some horses erupt in the space between the incisors and the cheek teeth where they can be painful or get in the way of the bit. Wolf teeth have no real function and are often removed to avoid future problems. Performance dentistry also refers to the creation of "bit seats," which involves shaping the teeth on either side of the space where a bit sits to make it a more comfortable and effective tool for the horse.

      Corrective dentistry involves removal of any dental overgrowths such as hooks that develop, protruding teeth or correction of the height of teeth that impede normal chewing movement.

    Equine Internal Medicine

    • DVMs who specialize in internal medicine diagnose and treat such diseases as colic (a condition in which matter forms a blockage in the intestines, a leading cause of mortality in horses), respiratory and neurological disease, neonatal and foal disease, and endocrine disease, including thyroid and other metabolic abnormalities.

    Equine Fertility

    • Veterinarians who specialize in fertility handle every aspect of equine reproduction from artificial insemination to breeding management. This may include artificial insemination, pregnancy diagnosis, semen collection and storage, treatment of mares and stallions for breeding soundness, and embryonic transfer.

    Lameness in Horses

    • An important area of study for equine veterinarians is lamneness, the most common cause of which is trauma. Other causes can include genetic conformation such as a misaligned spine that can put undo pressure on the joints and arthritic types of lameness that improve with movement.

      Lameness in horses is a more serious problem than in small animals due to weight-bearing issues. Veterinarians often employ the use of diagnostic imaging such as radiography, ultrasound and thermography to pinpoint the cause of the injury.

      Methods of identifying and treating the point of injury can also involve nerve or joint blocks, joint injections anti-inflammatory drugs, rest, therapy and sometimes surgery to restore the horse's soundness.

    Veterinary Technicians

    • In most states, veterinary technicians are required to have a two-year associates or a four-year bachelor of science degree in veterinary technology. Those who wish to treat large animals must also pass a state exam.

      Vet techs work under the supervision of licensed veterinarians and are trained to administer injections, collect blood samples, read vitals and perform other duties as prescribed by the DVM. Techs for large animals may also be required to have an understanding of production medicine, which involves treating an entire herd as opposed to individual animals.