Laser surgery is a technique we use for the removal of skin tumours such as sarcomas, melanomas and squamous cell carcinomas.

John Burford, RCVS Specialist in Equine Surgery and Assistant Professor at the University of Nottingham, holds regular laser surgery clinics here at Walnut Hill.

The surgery is performed using a diode laser unit which cuts tissues using light waves. The laser seals blood vessels as it cuts, reducing bleeding and it causes a small amount of thermal injury to the tissues left behind. This helps to prevent the seeding of tumour cells to normal tissue as the tumour is being removed, so reduces the likelihood of recurrence of the tumour at the site when compared to the surgical removal of tumours with a scalpel blade.

Laser surgery is performed standing under local anaesthetic in the clinic. The laser wounds are not sutured closed but they tend to heal very well and cause the horse minimal discomfort. As long as the laser sites do not interfere with the tack, horses can go back into work very soon after laser surgery.

Castration is one of the most commonly performed equine surgical procedures. We recommend the castration of colts when they are yearlings or 2 year olds, but the procedure can be performed anytime from 6 months old provided both testicles have descended by then. Castration can be performed in older horses too but the procedure carries more risk as the horse matures.

Castrations are usually performed standing using sedation with local anaesthetic and are carried out at your own yard. It is a relatively quick procedure and we offer a great value all-inclusive fee that includes all drugs used on the day. We usually recommend that your horse stays boxed for up to 48 hours after the procedure as this is proven to minimise complications such as bleeding, but after that the horse can go back out in the field.

We can perform castrations at any time of the year but it’s best not to do so in the height of summer when there are lots of flies about.