Equine Field Service

How do I schedule an appointment?

For all questions and to schedule an appointment, please call the EFS office at 540-231-4621, Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm. Routine calls are scheduled Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., while 24-hour emergency care is provided at the discretion of the on-duty clinician.

How far away will EFS travel for farm visits?

EFS will travel a 35-mile radius from the veterinary college. If you have any questions about whether we will come to your farm, please call the EFS office at 540-231-4621.

How long will an appointment last?

The duration of an appointment depends on the nature of the call (e.g., vaccinations, sick horse, lameness, castration).

• Preventive health calls for vaccinations and deworming could be as short as 15 minutes per horse if there are no other health concerns. Complete physical exams can be an additional 10-15 minutes per horse.
• Dentals average about 20-30 minutes per horse because we will need to sedate your horse and perform a thorough oral exam.
• Calls for sick horses can vary between 30 minutes or longer, depending on the cause of illness and diagnostics needed (e.g., ultrasound, radiographs).
• Lameness exams also vary considerably depending on the cause of lameness. The exam may last 30 minutes or longer if flexions and nerve blocks are required to identify the cause and if radiographs are required.
• Prepurchase exams vary based on the current condition and intended use of the horse. Breeding exams can take about 30 minutes. Assessing for lameness issues varies, depending on the cause. One should expect one to two hours, depending on whether we need to take radiographs.
• Routine mare palpations for cycle checks, breeding, and pregnancy exams average 15 minutes per horse.
• Castrations average about one hour because a thorough exam is required, and additional time is needed for recovery. Please do not feed your horse grain the morning of the castration since your horse will be anesthetized.

What special considerations or conditions will be needed for on-farm appointments?

• If your horse is being castrated, please do not feed your horse grain the morning of the appointment. Following the castration, we usually confine the horse for the first 24 hours, after which we recommend controlled exercise.
• You must be able to catch your horse and have a halter on your horse for us to come see your horse.
• If we are performing a lameness exam, the ideal situation is that it is not too muddy or wet and that there is an area of flat ground so we can properly assess your horse's gait if the lameness is subtle.

How can I access my digital Coggins?

1. Log into www.globalvetlink.com.
2. Click on "Create an Account."
3. Select "Owner" in the drop-down menu.
4. Enter the email address that you provided us when we performed your Coggins. If you did not provide us with an email address, please call 540-231-4621.
5. A "dummy" password will be delivered to your email address.
6. Return to www.globalvetlink.com and log in using your email address and the dummy password. At this point, you will be shown your Coggins and will be able to set your own password.

How long after blood is drawn should I expect to find my Coggins done?

It usually takes about one week from the time the blood is drawn until your Coggins results will be available.