Surgery
What we do
Our surgery service is one of the region’s best resources for sport horses, food and fiber animals, and other large species. Our faculty pursue research in the areas of orthopedics and biomechanics, as well as soft tissue disorders.
Our faculty serve to mentor the next generation of large animal surgical leaders, the New Bolton Center surgery team undertakes research on large animal orthopedics, biomechanics, and soft tissue disorders.
Our Services
Range of Treatment
New Bolton Center’s surgery team, headed by boarded and dually boarded large animal surgeons, offers a full range of services from diagnosis through post-operative treatment.
Colic Surgery
Colic is the set of clinical signs we typically associate with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. There are numerous causes for colic and in horses, and some can prove fatal without surgical intervention.
Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center is a leader in large animal Emergency Critical Care, with a team of dual board-certified specialists, specifically trained in emergency/critical care, surgery and internal medicine.
Available around the clock, 365 days per year, our critical care experts are dedicated to answering all of your colic questions and providing comprehensive emergency medical and surgical care to all large animals suffering from life-threatening illnesses or injuries. We offer state-of-the-art intensive care in a compassionate environment, to respond to our patients when they need us most.
Dental Surgery
Advanced technologies have allowed more accurate identification of equine dental disease and the field of equine dentistry has expanded greatly over the past several years due to the need for specialized treatment and care. New Bolton Center’s equine dentistry team, along with our surgical team, provides comprehensive dental care.
Service highlights include:
- Routine floating and oral examination
- Management of periodontal disease
- Oral extractions, including tooth sectioning and partial coronectomy
- Minimally invasive transbuccal extraction (MITSE)
Food Animal Surgery
The Food and Fiber Animal Surgery Service provides complete state-of-the-art surgical treatments of farm animal patients (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and alternative livestock such as llamas, alpacas and deer).
Service highlights include:
Orthopedic Surgery
- Fractures, arthroscopy, joint and bone infections, limb deformities, etc.
Gastrointestinal Surgery
- Displaced abomasum, rumenotomy, rumenostomy, intestinal obstruction, cecal problems, laparoscopy, etc.
Urogenital Surgery
- Urolithiasis (urinary blockage), C-section, castration, cryptorchidism, inguinal and scrotal hernia, ovariohysterectomy (spay), vasectomy, etc.
Head and Neck Surgery
- Dehorning, enucleation, mandibular fractures, tooth root abscess, tracheotomy, sinusotomy, etc.
Other Types of Surgical Procedures
- Umbilical hernia and other complicated umbilical problems, mastectomy, teat disorders, tumor removal, etc.
Lameness
Our team of sports medicine specialists combined with the most advanced technologies, facilitates the accurate diagnosis and treatment of lameness in all types of horses. We are able to perform comprehensive lameness evaluations with access to highest quality radiology, ultrasound, MRI, and standing CT right on site.
Service highlights include:
- State-of-the-art indoor arena for lameness evaluations
- High-speed treadmill
- Standing CT
- Ultrasonography
- MRI
Ophthalmic Surgery
New Bolton Center’s ophthalmology team offers expert treatment of a wide variety of ophthalmic conditions in the horse. For patients requiring intensive treatment and close monitoring, hospitalization is available for round-the-clock care. In addition, we offer a range of ocular surgical options.
Service highlights include:
- Lid lacerations
- Deep corneal ulcers or perforations
- Periocular tumors
- Cataracts
Orthopedic Surgery
The surgical team and facilities at New Bolton Center offer an unparalleled level of treatment for all orthopedic conditions in the horse. Our long-standing commitment to advance equine orthopedic surgery is evidenced by expansion of CT-guided surgery, development of the pool-raft recovery system for recovery in fracture patients, and state-of-the-art surgical equipment.
Service highlights include:
- Fracture repair
- Arthroscopy
- Tenoscopy and bursoscopy
- Advanced cartilage resurfacing
- Regenerative medicine including stem cells and platelet-rich plasma
Reproductive Surgery
Our team of equine surgeons are equipped to perform reproductive emergencies and routine surgeries including C-sections, ovariectomies, cryptorchidectomies, and perineal surgeries. When possible, we perform surgery using minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques to minimize surgical healing.
Service highlights include:
- Laparoscopic ovariectomy
- Routine and laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy
- Perineal laceration repair
- Routine castration
- C-section
Soft Tissue Surgery
In addition to upper respiratory surgery, New Bolton Center’s surgery team addresses numerous and diverse areas of soft tissue surgery. Many of the surgeries can now be performed using minimally invasive techniques (i.e., laparoscopically), often without the need for general anesthesia.
Service highlights include:
- Laparoscopic surgery for treatment of cryptorchids, ovarian tumors or other urogenital problems
- Laparoscopic nephrosplenic space ablation for recurrent colon entrapments
- Urogenital surgery
- Wound and laceration repair
- Treatment of tumors, including sarcoids, melanoma, and others, with the most advanced treatment options including autologous vaccine preparation
Upper Airway Surgery
Diseases and abnormalities of the upper airway cause poor performance in sport horses. Our New Bolton surgeons specialize in upper airway surgery, providing issue-specific diagnostics and innovative surgical treatment approaches.
Service highlights include:
- Modified laryngoplasty (tieback) for treatment of laryngeal hemiplegia
- Outpatient transendoscopic laser surgery for removal of growths or correction of epiglottic entrapment
- Outpatient dental treatment or extractions performed by a certified veterinary dentist
- Outpatient sinoscopy for evaluation and treatment of sinus disease
- Tieforward procedure for treatment of palate displacement
Supportive Services
We offer additional surgery procedures within the following services, Cardiology, Dental, Ophthalmology, and Reproduction.
At our state-of-the-art facility, we collaborate with our other services in a variety of advanced veterinary techniques to ensure your pet receives the highest quality care.
These services are:
Surgery Facilities
New Bolton Center’s Hospital for Large Animals provides a standard of care that is internationally renowned. With a long history of excellence, it enjoys one of the largest caseloads of any academic large animal hospital in the country. The hospital provides inpatient and outpatient services for horses, cattle, camelids, pigs, goats, sheep, and other large animals, accommodating more than 4,900 patient visits each year.
Our Care Team
Section Chief of Large Animal Surgery
Marie-Eve Fecteau, DVM, DACVIM – LA
Professor of Large Animal Surgery (CE)
Clinicians
Residents and Staff
Jacqueline Chevalier, DVM, MSc
Surgery Resident
Sarah Ciamillo, DVM
Surgery Resident
Virginia Melly, MVB
Surgery Resident
Meredith Rudnick, DVM
Surgery Resident
Amanda Santos, VMD
Surgery Resident
Caitlin Smith, DVM
Surgery Resident
Kate Reburn, CVT
Research in Surgery
New Bolton Center’s Surgery faculty are actively engaged in innovative research, including stem cell therapy, bone growth and regeneration, and stimulating the synthesis of cartilage components in the treatment of equine arthritis, positioning New Bolton and Penn Vet as an international leader in the field of equine musculoskeletal research.
New Bolton Center’s Surgery faculty are actively engaged in innovative research, including stem cell therapy, bone growth and regeneration, and stimulating the synthesis of cartilage components in the treatment of equine arthritis, positioning New Bolton and Penn Vet as an international leader in the field of equine musculoskeletal research.
Ortved Orthopedic Regenerative Medicine Laboratory
At the Ortved Laboratory, we are focused on understanding the pathogenesis of PTOA and developing regenerative medicine therapies to improve musculoskeletal healing using the horse as a model for human disease. Specifically, we are interested in gene, signal, and cell-based therapies to improve cartilage repair and prevent osteoarthritis. Dr. Ortved’s clinical work as an equine orthopedic surgeon facilitates translation of this research from bench to clinic floor.
van Eps Laminitis Laboratory
The van Eps Laminitis and Endocrinology Laboratory at New Bolton Center is focused on understanding the key events that drive laminitis under different circumstances in order to develop reliable means of prevention and treatment.
