Clinical Services
Our ambulatory practice is conveniently based in East Seattle within easy driving distance to many locations throughout the region for examination and treatment at your facility. For clients who are outside of our routine service area, we offer appointments at one of our existing client facilities that generously allow haul-in appointments. We also routinely visit the Olympia area.
Lameness Examination/Performance Evaluation
This hands-on evaluation of the horse is the cornerstone of our practice. We take a holistic approach to the horse, starting with gathering a thorough history and listening to your specific complaint/problem. We thoroughly evaluate the horse both in the stall and in motion and collaborate with the owner/trainer to develop a plan for further diagnostics or treatment.
Pre-Purchase Examination (PPE)
When investing in a horse, our client benefits from a solid overall evaluation of the health, fitness and soundness of the horse. We understand that this decision deserves well beyond a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ evaluation, and that many factors are at play when making the decision to purchase your next partner in the show ring. Radiographs are commonly performed as a part of this exam.
Digital Radiographs
Radiographs are used to look at the bones of the musculoskeletal unit of the horse. Our portable digital system allows us to take radiographs on the farm or at horse shows, providing a very crisp, detailed image instantly, allowing us to make decisions quickly. The images can then be sent through email, making them available to our clients, referring veterinarians and other clinicians worldwide at any time.
Ultrasound
Diagnostic ultrasonography is used extensively for the evaluation of tendons and ligaments to identify injuries and monitor healing. Ultrasound can also evaluate bony surfaces in areas that are not easily assessed with other imaging modalities. Seattle Equine Performance offers the unique advantage of having the only fellowship-trained ultrasonographer in the Northwest in Dr. Rachel Gottlieb, who is also available for ultrasound referrals and consultations in addition to ultrasound as a part of daily evaluations.
Nuclear Scintigraphy (Bone Scan)
If a bone scan is recommended for your horse, we confidently refer our cases to Northwest Equine Performance just south of Portland, Oregon, where we ensure top quality imaging and interpretation to accurately diagnose the most complex cases of lameness or poor performance. To find out more about nuclear scintigraphy, see our partner page.
CURO
A new diagnostic tool, CURO uses acoustic myography, which detects the sounds made by contracting and relaxing muscles and ligaments to create a graph of how well muscles are working and how healthy large ligaments are. This is helpful to identify problems with the hind proximal suspensory ligaments, by providing an objective measurement regarding the function of the ligament and whether it is functioning in a normal or abnormal way. This is a powerful tool in helping us identify suspensory ligament injuries early and intervene before major injury has occurred.
Standing MRI
MRI imaging of the horse has revolutionized our ability to diagnose lameness localized to the lower limb. Northwest Equine Performance, offers the only standing MRI in the Northwest, which is commonly used for diagnosing causes of lameness localized to the foot, pastern and fetlock regions, and is capable of imaging as high as the carpus or hock if indicated. The horse is sedated for the procedure, avoiding the risks associated with general anesthesia. Find out more about our MRI here.