Our chronicle of 24 hours during foaling season at one of the country’s top equine hospitals continues in this excerpt from the Eclipse Press book Equine ER by Leslie Guttman. Last week, a mare with severe colic came in. Today, medical staff continue to try and assess what her problem is, and time appears to be running out. 

Dr. Embertson was calm as he discussed the situation with the owner, telling her that they were going through standard diagnostic procedures to try and figure out the origin of the mare’s colic. Embertson is always even, stoic, contained. Californians would say he has good boundaries. He is in his early fifties, tall, trim, one of those men who although he has lost all his hair, wears his dome well, like a professional athlete.

Embertson explained the mare might need surgery.

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