*/* Help Please - Horse CT Scans? *\*

[Tishko]

Hi,

This is my first post on here and hopefully it might help me out a little?

My vet has recommended that my horse needs a CT scan of his head before he can undergo surgery to remove a melanoma on his jawline. Poor boy

Nothing's been finalised yet as I'm just trying to gather some more info on CT scans etc. I just dont know whether to have it done or not. I think that if I chose for him to have the scan, he'd have to go to newmarket and the surgery would be done there too.

Has any one got any experience of CT scans for their horses? The cost/time etc?

Also he will need to be under a general anasthetic (sp?) to have the surgery - has any one had any expeience of this either?

Thanks in advance...

Tishko x

 

[flaxen]

Where abouts are you? Rainbow equine hospital have a standing ct head scanner where they are done under standing sedation and carry out lazer removal of sarcoids/ melanomas in the standing sedated horse. Is it possible for you to ask to be referred there if you are worried about him undergoing a ga?

 

[whizzer]

Mines had numerous ct scans of his head over the last 2 years, due to a sinus problem. He was always impeccably behaved & required just very light sedation. I was told it is a very quick procedure to actually get the scan but they need to be quiet enough to have the head manoeuvred into the scanner. He stayed at vets for surgey 3 times but we also went for check up ct scans in between. I was usually at the vets for about 2hrs,most of that was just waiting for him to be alert enough for the return journey as it was several hours drive from home. I think his initial ct scan was about £700 then all the repeat scans were charged at around £300 plus the sedation & consult fee.

 

[dotty1]

I saw them scanning a head on Rolf Animal Hospital which was at Liverpool??. They just pushed the horses nose through the hole. It must have been well sedated as I think they are noisy machines. A scan wouldn't take long to do.
I looked after an old horse who had a melanoma in his jaw, it grew very quickly, didn't seem to bother him much but ended up the size of a small football at the end. He was 30 so it wasn't treated, he was just monitored to make sure he was happy.

 

[cm2581]

I cant see where you are but Edinburgh vet school also have a ct scanner. The only negative with ct scans is the cost so if that's not a problem then definitely get it done. The image quality and detail are amazing!