
"Your Partners in Equine Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation"

Pre-Purchase Examinations & Screenings
Pre-Purchase Examinations
Pre-Purchase Exams are generally performed before a purchase is made on a horse to assess it for soundness, injury and/or disease that could prevent the horse from meeting the buyer’s performance expectations. If a horse is capable of performing at a certain level, but may benefit from some maintenance such as occasional steroid injections or a joint supplement, the pre-purchase exam is an opportunity for the veterinarian to make these suggestions.
The full exam consists of a physical exam, soundness exam, flexion tests, diagnostic images & screening blood work. For clients that are purchasing a lower level horse or have financial constraints, we are able to tailor certain aspects of the exam. For all horses, however ‘cheap’ the purchase price, we recommend at minimum a physical exam, soundness exam and flexion tests.
Five Stages of a Pre-Purchase Exam:
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Stage 1; consists of a general evaluation of the overall condition of the horse. This includes listening to the horse's heart, lungs and gastrointestinal tract, examining the horse's eyes and musculoskeletal system, and giving the horse a body condition score.
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Stage 2; consists of a moving exam where the horse is observed on soft and hard footing, and if possible, under saddle.
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Stage 3; consists of a series of flexion tests to evaluate individual parts of the horse's leg and test for any signs of soreness or lameness.
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Stage 4; consists of an exercise tolerance test. A thorough exam of the horse's cardiovascular and respiratory system is performed before and after the horse has worked for 10 minutes, which allows for detection of any exercise induced heart or respiratory problems.
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Stage 4; consists of a standard set of x-rays. Additional x-rays can be taken upon the buyer's request if there are specific areas of concern.
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Stage 5; consists of blood work — including Coggins, additional chemistry work, and a Complete Blood Count (CBC) to evaluate organ function and blood cell values. A complete drug screen may be done upon request.