Monday, October 31, 2005

SUE DYSON: Lameness Referral Specialist


Sue Dyson of the UK's Animal Health Trust in Newmarket is well-known to anyone who attends the AAEP Convention and major international meetings. She is also a leading author; her textbook Diagnosis and Management of Lameness in the Horse (co-authored with Michael Ross) was published in 2003. Among her outside accomplishments is that she is former president of the British Equine Veterinary Association.

She is also a member of the editorial board of Hoofcare & Lameness Journal. In issue #79 (current issue), you can read her article on collateral ligament desmitis.

To understand Sue Dyson, it is important to know that not only is she not in private practice, she is in a unique institutional setting at the AHT equine clinic.

I am pasting in a few paragraphs from the AHT web site that describe the equine orthopedics clinic. I hope you will all have the chance to meet Sue Dyson while she is here, and discuss your favorite subject. She sees it all!

(begin paste from www.aht.org.uk)

The Centre for Equine Studies offers unique facilities and staff for investigation of all types of orthopaedic problems in horses. We aim to provide a high class referral service for all types of horses and ponies, generally with a waiting list time of not more than a working week.

The senior clinician, Dr Sue Dyson MA, VetMB, PhD, DEO, FRCVS work closely with Dr. Rachel Murray MA, VetMB, PhD, DACVS who is Head of Orthopaedic Research. The senior clinicians are supported by a human qualified radiographer, Miss Jo Weekes. and a specialist equine nurse, Miss Julie Breingan and 7 yard staff who are all extremely experienced in managing horses & several of them are also skilled riders. We aim to be pre-eminent in both clinical work & clinical orthopaedic research, with the goal of constantly improving diagnostic methods, recognising new conditions and appraising and refining treatment techniques.

Horses are referred from throughout Great Britain, Ireland & also continental Europe and range from high level competition horses of all disciplines to general purpose pleasure riding horses and ponies. We invest igate approximately 500 new horses annually, with many horses also returning for follow-up examinations. We routinely monitor the success of treatment methods employed thereby performing on-going clinical audit.

We were the first centre to use dynamic acquisition of scintigraphic images and a motion correction programme for routine clinical use, resulting in much enhanced image quality. We have pioneered the use of magnetic resonance imaging in Europe for routine diagnostic use in the horse.

We also offer an image consultancy service offering second opinions on radiographs, scintigraphic and ultrasonographic images.

(end paste)