The Theriogenology Foundation Board of Directors generously provided a Student Externship Grant that allowed me to gain great experience in the study.  I traveled from California to my home state of Texas for a summer externship that focused on Equine Medicine and Theriogenology. 

Within the last five years, the Equine hospital I attended for my summer externship, has acquired additional land and infrastructure for reproduction.  At the reproduction facility, I witnessed and participated in oocyte aspirations, embryo collections and transfers.  The facility is seeking ICSI capability and currently ships their egg collections to Texas A&M and Colorado State.  Once the embryo is shipped back to the facility, over 700 recipient mares await their bundle of joy.   Roughly 300 recipient mares were on location in a herd that were segregated and organized using ultrasound and therapeutics, the rest held viable embryos for next year’s foaling season at owner facilities.  Interns managed the palpations and averaged 150 or more palpations, and I was allowed to palpate my first open mare.  If mares weren’t retaining embryos, or had unfavorable ultrasound conditions, the mares were cultured, lavaged and or provided medications.  I gained valuable ultrasound techniques and education, and this experience helped heighten my awareness to possible seek the specialized ICSI training.

With embryos comes babies, and the Equine hospital was full of boisterous foals.   I was giving fluids and medications every two hours on a 24 hour schedule to help with strangles, rhodococcus, lacerations, joint infections, pneumonia and many Neonatal Maladjustment Syndrome foals.  When I wasn’t helping with foals or repro, I was busy observing and learning the many other aspects of Equine medicine, and I observed several surgeries that include colics, arthroscopy and orthopedics.  

The experience and knowledge I gained this summer would not have been possible without the help of the Theriogenology Foundation.  I not only gained valuable clinical aspects in equine medicine, but also made lifelong friends and colleagues.

Sarah Furtney
Western University
Class of 2016