Horse undergoes pioneering surgery at Malton hospital

Valtano, a 15-year-old Anglo English Studbook Warmblood, was at risk of a ruptured stomach due to a large tumour.

Vet Lizzie Cullen, a European specialist in equine internal medicine at Rainbow Equine Hospital, in Malton, discovered the mass while examining Valtano for suspected stomach ulcers.

A follow-up examination revealed the tumour had grown significantly, creating a life-threatening blockage by preventing food from passing through the digestive system and causing a build-up in the horse’s oesophagus and stomach.(Image: VetPartners)

While gastric surgery is uncommon in horses, the team at Rainbow Equine Hospital was able to save Valtano using a pioneering procedure.

This involved making keyhole incisions along his abdomen and stomach wall, into which instruments were passed to remove the tumour.

Two of Rainbow’s surgeons worked together to carefully cut away the mass, guided by images from a special camera called a gastroscope that was fed down Valtano’s throat and into his stomach.

Matthew Cullen, a European specialist in equine surgery, performed Valtano’s operation alongside surgical specialist, Jonathan Anderson.

He said: “Gastric surgery is not common in horses due to the stomach being positioned deep inside the abdomen, making it difficult to access.

“The keyhole approach allowed us to get bigger instruments into the stomach and also improved our access to the base of the mass so we could remove more of it.

“We were very pleased with how the surgery went and we were able to remove the majority of the mass, cutting it as close to the stomach wall as possible.”

Valtano was kept under observation for two weeks after his surgery in October, and a follow-up gastroscopy in April showed there was no regrowth of the mass.

Mr Cullen said: “As well as successfully helping Valtano, this surgical method could be beneficial in the future by giving us another option to operate on the inside of other hollow organs inside the body that are difficult to access, such as the bladder, uterus and other parts of the gastrointestinal tract.”

After hearing that the tumour was benign, Valtano returned home to Sproxton Grange Equestrian Centre, in Helmsley, where he has been looked after by his owner, Katie Boddy.

She said: “I’m so grateful to Rainbow for all they’ve done for Valtano.

“It’s so exciting that Valtano has a future ahead of him and it’s all thanks to the team at Rainbow.

“It was a huge shock when Lizzie told me about the mass inside his stomach, as I’d been expecting a diagnosis of ulcers based on the signs he’d been showing and because he’d suffered from them before.”

Ms Boddy explained that Valtano was able to begin work again 12 weeks after his surgery and she is hoping to take him to dressage competitions soon.

She said: “He’s done really well and I’ve brought him back into work slowly and he’s now being ridden and rebuilding his fitness.

“He feels amazing to ride and I’m hoping to go out competing in dressage soon.”

Rainbow Equine Hospital is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons accredited hospital that provides 24-hour care to horses at its purpose-built surgical and diagnostic centre in Old Malton and through a team of vets who go out on the road to visit patients.

As well as caring for horses in North Yorkshire, its team of highly qualified specialist vets also treat horses that have been referred from veterinary practices all over the UK.

It is part of the VetPartners group of practices.