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Equine Services
At Comstock Large Animal Hospital, we offer a wide range of services to best serve the needs of our patients and clients. Our patients include miniatures, drafts, donkeys, mules, sport horses, and pasture pets and everything in between. Whether we are seeing your horse in the field (ambulatory) or treating in the hospital, we maintain our goal of providing excellent care utilizing progressive diagnostics and therapies.
New Services!
 Shock Wave Therapy
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) is a non-invasive orthopedic treatment modality that uses high pressure waves that penetrate through the skin to deeper tissues including ligaments, tendons, their attachments, bones, and joints. These shock waves have been shown to stimulate new cell growth and improve circulation. EWST has been shown to reduce inflammation and pain while promoting healing in these tissue structures. Common uses that have been proven successful include bowed tendons, suspensory ligament injuries, and osteoarthritis. The procedure can be done in the clinic or in the field if a protected work area is available. The horse will be lightly sedated, and transmission gel will be applied to the horse’s skin. The number of treatments and the interval at which these treatments are performed will be determined by the degree of injury.
Breeding and Reproductive Services
Mare Services
Our mare services include a breeding soundness exam, uterine culture, uterine biopsy, rectal palpation and ultrasound, artificial insemination with both fresh and frozen semen, and pregnancy diagnosis. We can also provide specialized reproductive services, such as embryo transfer, scheduled in the clinic with a visiting boarded theriogenologist. All of our mare services can be provided in the field or at our clinic.
Stallion Services
Our stallion services include a breeding soundness exam, training to mount the breeding phantom, semen collection and evaluation, shipping of fresh and frozen semen, and frozen semen storage capabilities. If you do not have access to a breeding phantom, we request that your stallion be brought into the clinic for collection and evaluation.
Foaling Services
Our foaling services include in-hospital monitoring of the mare as she reaches the end of her pregnancy, assisted foaling, emergency treatment of dystocias, and assistance for retained placentas. Our post-foaling services include a placental examination (please save in plastic bag after it is passed), neonatal examination 24 hours post foaling (physical exam, CBC, and Foal IgG SNAP test), plasma transfusion in foals that did not receive adequate colostrum (failure of passive transfer of the maternal antibodies from the mare), and intensive monitoring for sick or premature foals.
 Dentistry
The equine tooth is much different than the human tooth in that it continues to erupt throughout the life of the horse. As the teeth are in wear, sharp points form and can cause uncomfortable ulcers in the mouth. Because of this, annual dental examinations are needed to locate and correct problems before they start. Dental examinations should be performed starting at 6 months of age, every 6 months for growing horses, yearly for the mature horse, and every 6 months for the geriatric horse.
We correct dental problems by floating , or filing down the sharp points of the tooth. We break up our floating techniques into three categories: maintenance, corrective, and performance floats. Maintenance floats may be performed every 1-2 years as needed. If you notice your horse chewing abnormally, losing weight, dropping food, head shaking, or resisting the bit, these may be signs that your horse needs a corrective float. If dental problems are severe, your horse may require more frequent corrective floating. Performance floats enable the athletic to horse to better flex, bend, and respond to more subtle cues.
Our dentistry equipment consists of motorized dental equipment, hand floats, oral speculum, and a head stand to allow good visualization of the oral cavity. Our dental services include dental examination, floating, and tooth extraction. Because of the sensitive nature of the mouth, all dental services are performed under sedation.
Emergency Care
We offer a 24 hour emergency service with a doctor and veterinary technician or assistant on call. In the event of an emergency call (775) 849-0120. After hours and on weekends, our phones are turned over to an answering service that will contact the on-call doctor immediately. Possible emergency situations include: colic, trauma and lacerations, birthing difficulty, down animal, choke, bloat, eye injury, and severe illness. If you are unsure if you are in an emergency situation, please call.
 Laboratory Services
Our in-house laboratory allows fast results which can help our doctors more quickly diagnose a patient’s illness. Our services include complete blood counts (CBC), serum chemistry and electrolytes, foal IgG SNAP tests, semen evaluation, fecal egg counts, and some cytological exams. For all other diagnostic tests such as Coggins, BVD, Brucellosis, culture and sensitivity and tissue biopsies, samples are sent out to other diagnostic laboratories.
Endoscopy
The use of an endoscope is an excellent way to examine the upper airways, esophagus, and stomach. The most common reasons for using endoscopy include nasal masses and hematomas, guttural pouch infections, “roarers,” recurrent cough or upper airway inflammation, and choke or other esophageal diseases. Endoscopy is not only useful in the visual evaluation and diagnosis of disease, but it is also useful in performing other diagnostics such as bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). This is a procedure in which fluid is passed through the scope into the bronchus of the lung. The fluid is then collected and cultured to determine the bacteria causing an airway infection. All endoscopic examinations are performed under sedation and in the clinic.
Gastroscopy
The combination of high stress, decreased pasture grazing, high concentrate diet, or constant traveling can lead to the formation of ulcers in horses. Common signs of gastric ulcers include decreased performance, colic, weight loss, and teeth grinding. To determine if a horse has ulcers, a 3 meter gastroscope is passed into the stomach so that the lining of the stomach walls may be evaluated.
 IRAP & Platelet Rich Plasma
IRAP
IRAP (Interleuken-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein) therapy is a new treatment modality that is being used to reduce inflammation in arthritic joints. Blood is drawn and placed into a syringe containing special glass beads. It is then centrifuged for 24 hours to increase the level of the IRAP in the serum. This increased level blocks Interleukin-1 which has been shown to destroy cartilage. The serum is injected into the affected joint twice weekly for a total of 3-4 treatments. Once inside the joint, the inflammation caused by Interleukin-1 is greatly reduced.
Platelet Rich Plasma
Platelet Rich Plasma is similar to IRAP in that a horse’s own growth factors are used to enhance tissue healing. Blood is drawn into a special media and centrifuged. The fraction of blood with the highest concentration of platelets is then used to inject into soft tissue such as a tendon or ligament. The platelets and their growth factors then help promote regeneration and healing of the soft tissue.
Lameness Examination
A good lameness examination is essential to diagnosing soundness issues. Because veterinarians cannot ask their patients where it hurts, they are dependent upon visual cues from the horse as it moves. A lameness evaluation includes a physical exam, palpation of the limbs and joints, evaluating range of motion, watching the horse travel in a straight line and on a lunge line, and response to flexion of the joints. Further diagnostics include nerve blocks, joint blocks, radiographs, and ultrasound. The initial diagnostic work-up may be performed in the field as long as a firm, even surface is available. However to ensure quality radiographs and a controlled environment for nerve and joint blocks, we strongly recommend performing these exams at our clinic.
 Pre-Purchase Examination
A pre-purchase examination allows veterinarians and prospective buyers the opportunity to work together to find the right horse for the buyer. This service includes a thorough physical examination and extensive lameness evaluation. Pre-purchase examinations can be performed in the field or in the hospital. However if radiographs are necessary, we strongly recommend performing these examinations at our clinic to ensure the best quality diagnosis.
 Preventative Medicine
As our horses’ lifespans increase, it is important to maintain good health with preventative medicine. Our services include yearly physical examinations, vaccinations, deworming, and dental examinations (see our Dentistry services for more information). We also provide our clients with the opportunity to enroll in Pfizer’s PreventiCare program. This program encourages regular veterinary care and qualifies your horse for coverage in the case of severe colic. For more information and enrollment requirements, visit Pfizer’s PreventiCare website http://www.equinepreventicare.com.
Radiology and Ultrasound
 Digital Radiology
We offer digital radiography for faster, better quality radiographic examinations. Our equipment includes the FujiFilm FCR XG-1 Smart CR, two portable x-ray units, a Picker PFM90 radiograph tube, and a Bucky wall grid that enables us to perform abdominal, thoracic, skull and spinal films. Our portable units allow us to take radiographs on the farm. However, for the best quality, we strongly recommend performing these examinations in our clinic.
 Ultrasound
Ultrasound is an excellent non-invasive diagnostic tool. We have both portable and in-hospital ultrasound machines that allow us to perform reproductive examinations, thoracic ultrasound to evaluate the lungs and heart, abdominal ultrasound to evaluate organs such as the liver, kidney and spleen, and lameness diagnosis such as tendon injury. Ultrasound can also be useful to locate foreign bodies such as wood splinters in puncture wounds and abscesses.
Regulatory Medicine
Coggins papers and health certificates are required for transporting your horse between states and for international travel. The Coggins test is the federally required AGID test that determines the EIA (Equine Infectious Anemia) status of your horse. If a horse is positive for EIA, it is not allowed to be transported unless to a specially licensed handling facility. This test should be performed biannually (every 6 months), and owners should carry a current Coggins form at all times when transporting horses across state lines. Most Coggins tests take 4-7 days for results so plan accordingly before you travel. If a faster turn-around time is needed, a stat ELISA test can be performed, and results are available in 24 hours (extra charges will be applied). Health certificates are required for entry into other states and for most shows. These forms require a current Coggins and brief physical examination to ensure the shipping of healthy animals. A health certificate is valid for 30 days. For international travel, health certificates are more involved and require the signature of the federal veterinarian. Please allow adequate time for the preparation of these papers before you travel. For travel within the state of Nevada, you must have current valid brand inspection papers. For more information, contact Jennifer Bartlett (State Brand Recorder) at the Bureau of Livestock Identification (775) 688-1180.
Vet Stem
VetStem is a treatment modality that uses the horse’s own stem cells to repair orthopedic injuries. Fat is harvested from the horse and submitted to VetStem. The cultured stem cells are sent back to CLAH so that they may be injected into the horse. Examples of injuries treated by VetStem include tendonitis, ligament injuries, osteoarthritis and OCD lesions. For more information, please visit www.vet-stem.com.
 Small Ruminant Services
Whether they are pets or production, goats and sheep are a growing part of our practice. Services we offer include preventative medicine (annual examination, immunizations, and deworming), regulatory medicine (disease testing and health certification), emergency medicine (trauma, dystocia, urinary obstruction, and bloat), and surgical services (elective and emergency). Let us be a part of your herd or flock health program.
 Bovine Services
Dr. Steve Damonte works with feedlots to provide herd health management. Some of his services include regulatory medicine (i.e. health certificates for shipping), brucellosis testing and vaccination, tuberculosis testing, reproductive services (bull BSEs, trichomoniasis testing, pregnancy check, and assisting with calving and dystocias), and minor surgical procedures such as castration and dehorning.
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