"Wind Ops" are a hot topic in the racing and riding press these days. The surgeries we commonly perform to correct acquired or congenital infirmities of the equine upper respiratory tract are frequently debated within the racing press, and when the betting public get involved in the discussion it's clear that there's a belief that these procedures are no longer seen as treating a disease rather giving a horse a performance advantage.
We are now at a stage where the investigation of a "noise" or suspected upper airway disease has become very sophisticated. Dynamic "overland" endoscopes such as we use in our clinic allow us to film the upper respiratory tract whilst the horse exerts itself in a manner consistent with its job whether it be a sprinter, stayer or dressage horse.
The pace of the overland test is carefully overseen. Many of our patients only ever show evidence of a wind problem under the extreme duress at the latter stages of a race. Our circuit is 2 furlongs (400m) around so we are careful to limit the pace to within what we feel is safe and will opt to go for an increased distance over outright pace. There are some occasions where the extreme speed and rapidity of breathing rate are the route of the problem so in such instances we tend to relocate locally to a straight gallop.
Post exercise we put all our patients on a horse walker after being washed off to allow them to cool down safely, if we are concerned we'll leave the ECG heart monitor on as some cardiac arrhythmias are more identifiable during this recovery stage. Meanwhile this is the time when we sit down and analyse the video data recorded from the test, we encourage clients to sit with us during the diagnostic process and then a plan for treatment can be discussed. In most instances, if surgery is required then we can operate the same day and a large proportion of our case load will have gallop diagnosis and surgery and go home the same day.
We provide both resting and dynamic endoscopic examination of the larynx. We have a deep sand circle gallop on which to exercise the patient and can provide horse and jockey to work upsides to simulate race conditions. Telemetric ecg allows monitoring of electrical activity of the heart during exercise and recovery. We are happy to accept referral cases for work up and for surgery with discussion and reports given to the primary vets. We are also able to review overground scope videos and offer a second opinion.
Follow the A429 past Stow on the Wold heading for Bourton on the Water. Our entrance is 3/4 mile south of Stow, we are the first entrance on the left after the 50mph signs, 1/2 mile after the traffic lights at the bottom of Stow Hill.
M5 J11a follow signs to Stow/Andoversford, fork left at Kilkenny Inn, through Andoversford and over A40. Join northbound A429, after 1 mile Murco filling station on left , continue for approx 300 m. Our drive is on the right signed Dikler Farm. We are immediately after Gilder Recycling. DO NOT turn Right before hand by the sign for the vet hospital, its not us!
Coming along the Fosseway from Bourton-on-the-Water go straight over at the traffic lights, past the Texaco garage (ignoring signs to the equine hospital). We are the turning on the right immediately after Guilders Transport.
Coming from Stow-on-the-Wold head down the hill, straight over at the traffic lights at the bottom of the hill. About a mile along the road the speed limit changes to 50mph, we are the first turning on the left. If you reach Gilders Transport you have gone too far.