Equine Health

Tableland Veterinary Service in Malanda has a registered equine hospital, including an operating theatre and a padded recovery room linked by a mechanical gantry system. The hospital includes an indoor examination area with examination stocks, intensive care stables, intensive care foal stables and isolation stables.

TVS has well designed and safe outdoor facilities for less intensive cases and for wet and dry mares for reproductive procedures.

Services
Tableland Veterinary Service is a mixed equine practice and we examine and treat horses from thoroughbreds to polo cross horses to miniature horses. We perform all services associated with these including the following:

 

  • Vaccinations – vaccinations for Hendra virus, tetanus and strangles are regularly performed by our veterinarians. Note that we advise Hendra virus vaccination for all horses undergoing routine, elective veterinary examinations and procedures. Other vaccinations that may be required include equine herpesvirus vaccination and Salmonella vaccination.
  • Lameness evaluations – many difficult lameness cases have overlapping and complicated reasons for their problems and can limit performance. Our veterinarians can perform thorough lameness work ups, from flexion and palpation to diagnostic nerve and joint blocks, through to ultrasound of tendons and digital radiology.
  • Poor performance evaluations – lameness examinations, video endoscopy, ultrasound, in house blood testing, nutritional advice.
  • Dentistry – routine performance floats, bit seating and routine geriatric dental care through to teeth removal and surgery if required. Tableland Veterinary Service does approximately 500-700 routine dental examinations and performance floats per year. Only a veterinarian can legally sedate and remove teeth in Queensland (and in most places in Australia) and only a veterinarian can perform diagnostic dental radiology to confirm problems or identify teeth for removal.
  • Medical care for acutely sick or chronically unwell horses – from diagnostic imaging (ultrasound / digital radiology), in house blood testing, nutritional and worming advice and full hospital service including intensive care.
  • Surgery – Frank Condon and Mick Ruppin have both completed their membership in Equine Surgery and perform a large range of equine surgery. This ranges from emergency abdominal surgery (colic surgery) through to ophthalmic (eye), orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery, castrations and rig surgery, ovariectomies, and bladder surgeries.
  • Pre-purchase examinations – all our veterinarians use a standardized protocol recommended by Equine Veterinarians Australia.
  • Reproduction – TVS performs inseminations with both frozen and chilled semen.We also investigate and treat infertility cases and “problem breeder” mares. Stallions can also be collected for chilled or frozen semen. Mick Ruppin and John Hosie are also offering embryo services.
  • Ambulatory Service – TVS offers a full ambulatory service and travels over the Atherton Tablelands as well as servicing its clients from Cardwell to Weipa and west to the Gulf of Carpentaria. We have a mobile crush for performing dentistry and other procedures.
  • Hendra virus and vaccination – our policy is to encourage vaccination as safe, effective and reliable means of preventing Hendra virus infection in horses and humans. This view is supported by all major stakeholders including the Australian Veterinary Association, Equine Veterinarians Australia, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, the Federal Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and the 2017 Queensland Parliamentary Inquiry into the vaccine.


    We will always attend every horse if requested by the owner. Horses requiring routine or elective care must be up to date with Hendra vaccination or will be vaccinated at the first visit. Horses not up to date for Hendra vaccination requiring emergency or unplanned care (eg colic) will always be attended to if requested by the owner. However higher examination fees will likely apply, as will testing for Hendra virus, and procedures deemed to be invasive or involving body fluids will not be performed. Further details of our policy can be provided on request or discussed with one of our equine veterinarians.

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North Queensland

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Charters Towers

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Atherton

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Malanda

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Ravenshoe

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