Description
This talk will discuss a practical and largely field based approach to the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of some of the more common back and neck problems of horses. The wide range of clinical signs and presentations will be considered and the uses of the various imaging modalities available for these cases, primarily radiography, ultrasonography and scintigraphy will also presented. Specific conditions which will be discussed in detail include the diagnosis and treatment of articular facet arthropathies of the both the back and neck and over riding or impinging dorsal spinous processes. Jessica attended veterinary school at Purdue University in the States followed by two years in mixed practice in New England. After this she completed an internship at a referral racehorse hospital in Ocala, Florida and then returned to the UK to complete an equine surgery residency at the University of Bristol. This was followed by time as a surgery lecturer at the University of Glasgow’s veterinary school followed by holding the position of the University Equine Surgeon at the University of Cambridge. She then spent seven years in private practice as the surgeon at the Valley Equine Hospital in Lambourn, Berkshire which had a hospital population of racehorses, performance horses and pleasure horses and is currently an external surgical consultant. She has presented veterinary presentations at national and international meetings, has taught numerous CPD courses for other veterinary surgeons on specialised equine subjects and was an examiner for the RCVS certificates six times. She holds the RCVS certificate in Equine Surgery(Orthopaedics), is a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons, and is an RCVS and European recognised specialist in Equine Surgery. Her areas of interest are both soft tissue and orthopaedic surgery, diagnostic imaging and investigation of lameness cases as well as neonatology and care of the pregnant mare. She is the chief editor of a new Atlas of Equine Ultrasonography which was published this year. She is a keen motorcyclist and one of the original members of the Horsepower CPD team which has already raised over £400,000 for charities, and to provide ongoing funding for both working equids and disabled children.
