West Coast Veterinary Hospital (WCVH) was founded in 2017 with the aim of providing animal health services previously unavailable in WA, including equine MRI and nuclear scintigraphy.
The vision was to create a state-of-the-art facility that can provide high quality veterinary care including initial assessments and referral services.
The hospital set out to work closely with breeders, owners, trainers, farriers and nutritionists and other veterinary staff – an approach that is unusual in the veterinary world.
The team pride themselves on being at the forefront of horse surgical techniques and medicine while providing world class service and customer communication.
“Revolutionizing Veterinary Care” is the motto that all employees stand by and seek better ways to meet patient health needs every day.
Technology and clinical services
The hospital is equipped to meet the diagnostic requirements of the veterinary profession.
Veterinarians can perform magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nuclear scintigraphy on horses that were previously only available in the eastern states.
MRI is a very sensitive diagnostic procedure that reveals abnormal structures in the body.
Access to this feature enables clinicians to understand disease processes that would otherwise be invisible and undetectable by other means such as x-rays or ultrasound.
MRI can clearly differentiate between bones, ligaments, joints, and tendons to ensure nothing is overlooked and to accurately diagnose and treat injuries.
Camera iconThe hospital uses advanced equipment to diagnose patients. Credit: Delivered
Each study is acquired by a team of dedicated equine imaging professionals and reviewed by a specialist equine radiologist.
WCVH is very proud to offer Nuclear Scintigraphy, a diagnostic technique that uses radionucleotides to identify areas of inflammation, as special licenses and facilities are required to provide these services.
Nuclear scintigraphy, also known as bone scanning, is the only way to reliably examine lameness of the upper limbs in horses.
Racing Victoria this year, in close consultation with the Victoria Racing Club, introduced mandatory bone scan screening to reduce the risk of catastrophic injuries in the Cup.
Core scintigraphy is also able to assess complex performance problems, especially in situations where a horse may have multiple leg lameness or occult lameness (clearly lame, but there is no identifiable cause.
All imaging tests are always performed in conjunction with a thorough clinical examination and lameness assessment.
WCVH is thrilled with the overwhelming support and positive attitude towards these services by the WA equestrian community.
It brings the team incredible professional satisfaction to provide owners with answers that were previously unavailable due to technological limitations.
This expertise and equipment enables WCVH to diagnose, treat, and manage diseases with much greater specificity, resulting in better health outcomes.
Owners no longer have to indulge in the often frustrating trial-and-error approach to injury treatment.
Horse reproduction
WCVH includes a horse reproductive center with 24/7 surveillance.
The center offers “foaling”, whereby all farms are equipped with foal-proof horse rail fences and diamond bars.
With the breeding season approaching, now is the time to speak to the qualified team and get a quote for fresh, chilled or frozen artificial insemination.
Visit the website to view the list of elite stallions to choose from by breeder, and semen collection and stallion freezing are also available.
The hospital works with Dr. Anne Barnes of Murdoch University to provide an embryo transfer service that is set to grow in the future.
The staff includes 12 veterinarians and more than 40 auxiliaries who work to educate horse owners through case studies and instructional videos and to hold regular briefings in the hospital.
Community members are warmly invited to take part in the daily action via social media channels with more than 8,400 followers on the Facebook page.
Please visit the website for more information.
