Diagnostics
At Oakhill Equine Vets we have state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to ensure that you get the answers you need quickly. With the correct diagnosis in place, we can then commence effective treatments for your horse to allow a swift recovery.
Outstanding equine diagnostic facilities
Our equine clinic boasts a sophisticated imaging suite containing:
- Hallmarq Standing MRI modular unit
- Mindray musculoskeletal ultrasound equipment
- Mindray abdominal ultrasound equipment
- Portable musculoskeletal ultrasound for scanning on yards
- Digital X-ray equipment (3 available, two of which can be taken to yards)
- Large X-ray machine for detailed images of ALL PARTS of the spine
- Two gastroscopes to diagnose conditions affecting the stomach
- Three upper airway scopes for the lungs and trachea
- Four reproductive ultrasound scan machines, for all your breeding needs
- A digital oroscope for accurate evaluation of the oral cavity
All with expert image interpretation (by our European specialists Rosie Owen and Guy Hinnigan).
This extremely comprehensive range of equipment means that we are always able to do a complete, thorough job for you and your horse. We can perform imaging of the entire horse within our clinic and are also able to perform many of these images in your yard environment should this be necessary.
Our outstanding equine diagnostic facilities, are used by Oakhill clients and by those referred to us from other veterinary practices across the region.
You can trust that every diagnostic detail is managed with expertise and efficiency at Oakhill Equine Vets.
In-house laboratory for rapid results
Our in-house laboratory allows us to process your horse’s blood results the same day, providing you with timely and accurate answers. In addition to blood analysis, we can process other essential body fluids, such as urine, synovial fluid, and abdominal fluid, ensuring comprehensive diagnostics.- Haematology
- Biochemistry
- Urinalysis
- Cytology
- Culture & sensitivity testing
- Centrifuge (for spinning of bloods, such as Cushing’s samples)
For the finest equine imaging, trust Oakhill
At Oakhill Equine, we believe that not all images are created equal. Our commitment to producing the highest quality imaging – whether it’s an ultrasound, X-ray, or MRI – ensures that every image is clear, precise, and optimised for accurate diagnoses.
We take pride in offering unmatched imaging quality, setting us apart from other practices. Our confidence in our work extends beyond just words; we’re happy to share these images with you and other para-professionals, a practice not commonly offered elsewhere.
Expertise and knowledge when you need it most
At Oakhill Equine Vets, our surgeons, Rosie and Guy, both hold European Diplomas in Equine Surgery, which certifies them as experts in the field of orthopaedics. In the veterinary profession, “expert” is a protected title, only used by those with European or RCVS Specialist qualifications. Both of our surgeons hold these qualifications and maintain them on an annual basis, ensuring their expertise is always up to date.
Charlotte holds an advanced practitioner status in Equine Orthopaedics, meaning that she has an in-depth level of knowledge of the management of lame horses. Roisin also has the same level of qualification in lameness and imaging of the sports horse. Nikki Platt has 18 years of equine lameness experience, having spent time at Leahurst broadening or knowledge over the past few years. We have the most experienced team of lameness vets in the North West on hand to help you and your horse regardless of your insurance status.
We treat all horses the same – our approach is transparent and tailored to fit your budget, with clear communication about our lameness investigation costs. If you ever have any concerns or questions, don’t hesitate to ask for a quote. We are committed to providing expert care for every horse.
Case Study: MRI provides the answers
‘Kev’ is a very much loved 6 y.o. Warmblood gelding who presented to us with a 5/10 lameness on the right forelimb having been a lunatic running around the field with his pals! Usually with this degree of lameness there is some swelling or pain on palpation of the limb… but in this case there was nothing.
Experienced lameness veterinary surgeon Nikki Platt did some nerve and joint blocks (very carefully), to isolate the problem to the base of the knee. Once we knew it was at this location, imaging could commence. We X-rayed the area and performed an ultrasound examination of the tissues in this area. Absolutely nothing abnormal was present. Thankfully we have an MRI scanner present for these difficult cases, whereby we cannot see the pathology affecting an anatomical region with standard imaging equipment.
We placed ‘Kev’ in the standing, MRI magnet and sent the 600 images obtained to our imaging specialist Meredith Smith for interpretation. Merry holds a European Diploma in imaging and is a world leading expert in her field. She was able to comb through the hundreds of images and look for abnormal signal “inflammation” in the region scanned. This revealed a hairline, fissure fracture extending down the top of the canon bone from the lower knee joint. Even with the benefit of hindsight this was not visible in the X-rays we had obtained as the fracture line was so narrow. Now with this information, we could happily inform Kev’s owner that the fracture would heal, and he would make a full recovery with a very specific, tailored rehabilitation plan. An MRI scan is not always needed, but when it is, it can be invaluable in getting owners off the rollercoaster of the unknown, which can be an incredibly stressful place to be!