"They are not good patients," said Dr. Gal Kelmer, who heads the large animal department at Hebrew University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine. "I get a lot of satisfaction when things work."
Veterinarians at the hospital operate on about two dozen horses a month, most of them pleasure and show horses. To prepare a horse for surgery, anesthesiologists slip an infusion into the animal's jugular vein, which is harder to dislodge than an IV in the leg.
Horses are prone to galloping off the operating table as soon as anesthesia wears off, requiring veterinarians to rely on elaborate tools and an army of volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh more than 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms).
"Horses have an instinctive response of flight from danger," Kelmer said. "The minute they wake up they start trying to stand and run, even if they don't have control of their limbs. So then they fall."
To restrain a flighty horse, Kelmer straps the animal into a sling that suspends it from the belly and lifts it into the air, keeping the mouth closed and tail tied as the horse gradually regains control of its body.
The most common medical problem is colic, Kelmer said, a digestive ailment that usually requires hoisting the horse upside down to examine the abdomen. Other issues include trauma, leg fractures and breathing problems.
"Some people ask me, 'What, you do only horses?' But for surgeons it's very broad," Kelmer said. "Today I treated an eye, and a horse with an injured distal limb, and a rectum. For a human, not in a lifetime would a surgeon do these three things."
(AP)
In this Monday, Dec. 7, 2015 photo, a veterinary technician feeds a
horse at the Hebrew University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine in
Rishon Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the hospital operate on about
two dozen horses a month and rely on elaborate tools and an army of
volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh more than 1,000 pounds
(450 kilograms).
In this Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015 photo, veterinarians and students
prepare a horse with a broken leg for a surgery at the Hebrew
University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion,
Israel. Veterinarians at the hospital operate on about two dozen horses a
month, most of them pleasure and show horses. To prepare a horse for
surgery, anesthesiologists slip an infusion into the animal’s jugular
vein, which is harder to dislodge than an IV in the leg.
In this Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015 photo, a veterinarian examines a horse
with a leg wound at the Hebrew University's Koret School of Veterinary
Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the hospital operate
on about two dozen horses a month and rely on elaborate tools and an
army of volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh more than
1,000 pounds (450 kilograms).
In this Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 photo, a horse and her one day old foal
rest in their recovery zone, as other horse receive treatment at the
Hebrew University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon
Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the hospital operate on about two dozen
horses a month and rely on elaborate tools and an army of volunteers to
safely treat animals that can weigh more than 1,000 pounds (450
kilograms).
In this Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015 photo, a horse stands in a stall after leg
surgery at the Hebrew University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine
in Rishon Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the hospital operate on about
two dozen horses a month and rely on elaborate tools and an army of
volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh more than 1,000 pounds
(450 kilograms).
In this Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015 photo, a horse is supported in a
recovery room after a surgery at the Hebrew University's Koret School of
Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. To restrain a flighty
horse, Dr. Gal Kelmer, who heads the large animal department, straps the
animal into a sling that suspends it from the belly and lifts it into
the air, keeping the mouth closed and tail tied as the horse gradually
regains control of its body.
In this Monday, Nov. 23, 2015 photo, a horse receives medication in his
recovery stall after a surgery at the Hebrew University's Koret School
of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the
hospital operate on about two dozen horses a month and rely on elaborate
tools and an army of volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh
more than 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms).
In this Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015 photo, veterinarians examine a horse
after his surgery at the Hebrew University's Koret School of Veterinary
Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the hospital operate
on about two dozen horses a month and rely on elaborate tools and an
army of volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh more than
1,000 pounds (450 kilograms).
In this Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015 photo, a horse owner waits outside the
clinic as veterinarians examine her horse at the Hebrew University's
Koret School of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel.
Veterinarians at the hospital operate on about two dozen horses a month,
most of them pleasure and show horses.
In this Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015 photo, a veterinarian holds a horse as
he is anesthetized before a surgery at the University's Koret School of
Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. To prepare a horse for
surgery, anesthesiologists slip an infusion into the animal’s jugular
vein, which is harder to dislodge than an IV in the leg.
In this Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 photo, a veterinary doctor treats a
horse and her one day old foal as they rest in their recovery zone at
the Hebrew University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon
Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the hospital operate on about two dozen
horses a month and rely on elaborate tools and an army of volunteers to
safely treat animals that can weigh more than 1,000 pounds (450
kilograms).
In this Monday, Nov. 23, 2015 photo, Dr. Gal Kelmer, head of the
department of large animals, left, and a veterinarian technician prepare
a horse for an X-ray demonstration at the Hebrew University's Koret
School of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. The most common
medical problem is colic, Kelmer said, a digestive ailment that usually
requires hoisting the horse upside down to examine the abdomen. Other
issues include trauma, leg fractures and breathing problems.
In this Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015 photo, a horse is hoisted onto an equine
operating table ahead of a surgery at the Hebrew University's Koret
School of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. Horses are prone
to galloping off the operating table as soon as anesthesia wears off,
requiring veterinarians to rely on elaborate tools and an army of
volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh more than 1,000 pounds
(450 kilograms).
In this Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015 photo, veterinarians and students
operate on a horse with a broken leg at the Hebrew University's Koret
School of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. “They are not
good patients,” said Dr. Gal Kelmer, who heads the large animal
department. “I get a lot of satisfaction when things work.”
In this Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015 photo, veterinarians and students
operate on a horse with a broken leg at the University's Koret School of
Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the
hospital operate on about two dozen horses a month and rely on elaborate
tools and an army of volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh
more than 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms).
In this Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015 photo, veterinarians and students hold a
horse as he is being anesthetized before a surgery at the Hebrew
University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion,
Israel. To prepare a horse for surgery, anesthesiologists slip an
infusion into the animal’s jugular vein, which is harder to dislodge
than an IV in the leg.
In this Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015 photo, Dr. Gal Kelmer, head of the
department of large animals, unties a horse after its operation at the
University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion,
Israel. “Horses have an instinctive response of flight from danger,”
Kelmer said. “The minute they wake up they start trying to stand and
run, even if they don’t have control of their limbs. So then they fall.”
In this Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015 photo, veterinarians operate on a horse
with leg wounds at the Hebrew University's Koret School of Veterinary
Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the hospital operate
on about two dozen horses a month and rely on elaborate tools and an
army of volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh more than
1,000 pounds (450 kilograms).
In this Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 photo, Dr. Gal Kelmer, head of the
department of large animals, transports a dead horse at the Hebrew
University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion,
Israel. "Some people ask me, ‘What, you do only horses?’ But for
surgeons it's very broad," Kelmer said. "Today I treated an eye, and a
horse with an injured distal limb, and a rectum. For a human, not in a
lifetime would a surgeon do these three things."
In this Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015 photo, a veterinarian holds a horse
during a leg surgery at the Hebrew University's Koret School of
Veterinary Medicine in Rishon Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the
hospital operate on about two dozen horses a month and rely on elaborate
tools and an army of volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh
more than 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms).
In this Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015 photo, a horse is brought for a
treatment at the Hebrew University's Koret School of Veterinary Medicine
in Rishon Lezion, Israel. Veterinarians at the hospital operate on
about two dozen horses a month and rely on elaborate tools and an army
of volunteers to safely treat animals that can weigh more than 1,000
pounds (450 kilograms).